February 7, 2021

Matthew 11:1-6

1. We talked about 2 different aspects of Matthew 11:1...the disciples & their work.

-Pastor Nate talked about how Judas Iscariot, 1 of the 12 disciples, was a hypocrite. He fooled everyone but Jesus. What are ways that we see people try to play the same game as Judas & fall into the trap of hypocrisy? 

-We also see that the work of the disciples is clear: they are to teach & preach. This work requires them to share the good news of Jesus. So what would we say are the essential components of the gospel message to share with others?

2. Next, we looked at Matthew 11:2-3 & the fact that John the Baptist had doubts concerning the identity of Jesus.

-John the Baptist was experiencing intense suffering & had unmet expectations of Jesus' ministry which caused him to have doubts. What are moments we've experienced that have caused us to doubt?

-In your life, what's helped you reach the other side of doubt & keep the faith through doubt-inducing moments?

3. We then arrived at Matthew 11:4-6 & the words that Jesus shares to comfort John the Baptist in the midst of his doubts.

-We saw that Jesus gave 6 proofs of His fulfilling messianic prophecies from the Old Testament (Isaiah 26:18; 29:17-19; 35:1-6; 42:6-7, 16; 61:1). How has God used the Bible to give you greater confidence in the person & work of Jesus?

-Is there anything you've read so far from the Bible this year that's produced in you a greater amount of confidence in the person & work of Jesus?

-At the end of this section, Jesus offers a word that warns & encourages...don't let doubt become rejection as that will lead to judgment, rather may your doubts lead to a stronger faith in Christ that leads to eternal life with Christ. How can God use moments of doubt to bring about a more robust faith in the person & work of Jesus?

4. We ended with a word of application based on this text.

-We heard that none of us are above doubting the person & work of Jesus...if this is the case, how then should we treat fellow believers when they are in a moment of doubt?

-We were encouraged to increase our faith by taking our doubts to the Lord in prayer, by surrounding ourselves with His people, & saturating our minds with the truth of the Bible. How does your community group intentionally seek to include these acts (prayer/fellowship/Scripture) into your gatherings? Are there ways you could be more intentional with your time as a group?