Mt. Lebanon United Presbyterian Church     
 
Pastor Tim Janiszewski - "Listening to Jesus"

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This Sunday
January 17, 2016



Sermon Title:
"Doing the Background Check "
Listening to Jesus series 



Scripture:
Matthew 1:1-17  
Picture of Pastor TimJanuary 14, 2016

Dear MLEPC Members and Friends:

This Sunday we begin a new sermon series during worship. It is entitled Listening to Jesus. Over the course of the next eleven weeks, we plan to consider the words and work of Christ as presented in the Gospel of Matthew. So a fuller title to the series might be Listening to Jesus through the Gospel of Matthew. Along the way, we are asking the church family to spend a short devotional time reading from Matthew six days each week, so that by Easter (March 27) we shall have completed the entire gospel. What better way truly to listen to Jesus than to read and reflect on one of the four biblical biographies from cover to cover?

To help, I shall be supplying devotional questions with the hope of making our reading more meaningful. So beginning on Monday, January 17, here are the readings for the upcoming week as we seek to listen to Jesus.

Monday--Read Matthew 1:1-17
  • A genealogy may seem like a strange way to begin to listen to Jesus with its catalog of hard to pronounce names. But why are family trees important? What can someone's roots tell us about them?
  • Abraham and David are the key figures here. Look at the passage for where their names are mentioned. Why are these two ancestors so important to our understanding of Jesus?
  • Five women are included in the genealogy--very unusual for the times. Why does Matthew mention them?
  • How are you now as a Christian part of Jesus' family tree?
  • Prayer--Thank God that you now are included among the people of God through Christ.
Tuesday--Read Matthew 1:18-25
  • Note the connection of Joseph in the genealogy (1:16) to this passage. How does Joseph join Jesus to Abraham and David? Why might this be important?
  • Jesus would need a male earthly parent--a father figure. What makes Joseph a good choice based on his actions here?
  • How does this passage affirm the doctrine of the Virgin Birth? Why is it important for Jesus to be both son of Mary and Son of God?
  • Joseph obeyed the call of God. Pray that God will reveal His call to you and ask for the same strength to obey.
Wednesday--Read Matthew 2:1-15
  • The wise men from the East are Gentiles, not Jews. Why are these Gentiles introduced into the story of Christ's early life?
  • Herod and all Jerusalem are troubled by the word of the newborn king by the wise men. What is ironic about this Jewish response in comparison to that of these Gentiles?
  • The wise men are eager to worship Jesus, as they bring Him good gifts. Is your heart eager to worship Jesus today? How will you bring Him your good gifts?
  • Prayer--Take time to worship and offer yourself to Christ.
Thursday--Read Matthew 2:13-23
  • In vv. 16-18, Herod murders Bethlehem's baby boys. This is the first violent act aimed against Jesus dating to His very early childhood. What does this warn about some people's reactions to Jesus even today?
  • Jesus and his parents travel from the Promised Land to Egypt and then back again. What Old Testament story does this remind you of? Why do you think Matthew draws attention to the parallel between Jesus and Israel's history?
  • Note Matthew's many references to the fulfillment of Old Testament passages (1:23, 2:6, 18, 23). How significant is the Old Testament to the story of Jesus? How does this influence the importance of the Old Testament for Christians today?
  • Prayer--For the persecuted church around the world that is assaulted today, even as Herod brought evil to Bethlehem.
Friday--Read Matthew 3:1-12
  • John the Baptist was a bold preacher, who spoke unpopular words. Do you see a place and need for such preaching in our church and to our world today?
  • John's theme: "Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." What does it mean to repent? Do people still need to repent to become Christians? Once Christians, do they continue to need to repent? Do you?
  • John had people confess their sins (v. 6). Is it imperative to Christian life to confess? Some churches have stopped including confession of sin in their Sunday services. MLEPC continues it. Why do you think this is so?
  • Prayer--Take time to confess and repent before God.
Saturday--Read Matthew 3:13-17
  • John's baptism is of confession and repentance. If Jesus is sinless, why do you think He nonetheless comes for baptism?
  • Verse 15--What do you think it means "to fulfill all righteousness"? Why is it right for Jesus to be baptized, even though He is without sin?
  • Where do you see the three persons of the Trinity?
  • Why does the Spirit of God alight on Jesus? Do Christians need the Spirit to alight on them today?
  • Pray--For the Spirit to come and fill your life today.
Sunday--Sermon Passage: Matthew 3:13-17

Pastor Tim

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