As I was reading this chapter, I noticed how humility and faith go hand in hand. Once we start to understand Who He is, we begin to understand who we are, and where we’d be without Him.

The difference between the proud and the humble is that the humble recognize their sin. They are in desperate need of a Savior. The proud unfortunately, are blind to their sin, which leads to their demise.

Questions and Answers…

What does verse six reveal about the centurion’s character? What do verses 7-8 reveal about his faith?

Verse 6 reveals that he was humble.
Verses 7-8 he had great faith in Christ’s authority over sickness and health.

How did Jesus describe John the Baptist? And how was he different from Christ?

That John was not well dressed.
That he wasn’t easily swayed, meaning that John was firm in his faith.
That he was more than a prophet.

He was different from Jesus in that he came to prepare the way for Jesus Christ. John was merely a man, while Jesus was the Son of God, born of a virgin.

The truth of God can easily be taken away from us in a number of ways. One is that it’s often distorted by others who try to sway us away from the truth. If we don’t have a deep understanding of truth, and if we’re not grounded in that truth we aren’t protecting our hearts like we should be. It’s always wise to surround ourselves with strong believers who sharpen our faith and watch out for us.

Another way that people lose the truth of God’s word is by taking their eyes off of the Lord and allowing this world to distract them. Money, power, and lust are some of the things people chase after forgetting the truth they once held so dear.

And yet another way is the many times we yield to temptation when we know that we shouldn’t. One step in the wrong direction, is one step further from God. It puts us in a dangerous and vulnerable place where Satan can further tempt us.

But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. – James 1:14-15

Questions and Answers…

Who were the women who travelled with Jesus, and how did they help?

Mary Magdalene
Joanna (her husband was Herod’s manager)
Susanna
And many others

They helped by contributing financially to the ministry. Although it says from their “substance,” which could be wealth or other possessions.

What do the birds, the seeds, the soil, and the thorns each symbolize?

The soil is the heart. The seed is the Word of God. The birds are the devil who takes the truth from our hearts. And the thorns are the cares of this world.

What does a lamp on a stand represent?

The light is the word within our hearts, and the lampstand is sharing that light with others. If we hide the light within our hearts, we might lose it.

Where did they meet the demon-possessed man? Why was his name Legion?

His name was legion because he had many demons within him.

The country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee.

How man people did Jesus raise from the dead? Can you list them?

Three (four if you count Jesus Himself)
Lazarus, the widow of Nain’s son, and Jairus’ daughter, and Jesus.

There are so many reasons to believe that Jesus was who He said He was. Word of His miraculous power spread throughout the land. Thousands upon thousands of people witnessed the miracles that He performed. His disciples were witness to His to glory, and saw Moses and Elijah with their own eyes. Later we read how many were witness to His death and resurrection. They saw the nail prints in His hands. The tomb was empty. Still people refused to believe He was the Son of God.

Questions and Answers…

What power did Jesus give to the twelve disciples?

The power and authority over demons and sickness.

What were they instructed to leave behind while on their journey?

Nothing. They weren’t supposed to take extra shoes, they weren’t supposed to pack anything unnecessary. They were to go as they were.

What are some of the rumors that Herod heard in verses 7-8?
He had conflicting reports that John (who he had beheaded) had risen from the dead, that Elijah had appeared, or that another prophet had risen from the dead.

Where did the feeding of the 5,000 take place?

A deserted place in Bethsaida, but it wasn’t deserted long as a multitude of people followed Him.

What does it take to be a disciple?

We must be willing to deny ourselves of our own passions and desires to follow Him. When we take up our cross, we exchange the person we were for the person He is—in other words, we die to ourselves so that we might live for Him.

Why was it important for these three disciples to witness the transfiguration?

First of all, I think it’s important to understand what a transfiguration is. Basically it’s a transformation of the body from the physical to a spiritual form.

Verse 29 tells us, “the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering.”

It was important for some of the disciples to see this, and to also hear the voice of God so that they could later bear witness of His glory to the rest of the world.

In John 1:14 we read, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

Who appeared with Jesus at the transfiguration?

Moses and Elijah were significant prophets who were highly revered by the Jews. They stood beside Him bearing witness of His glory, thus confirming who He was. God the Father also confirmed that Jesus Christ was His beloved Son:

“ And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.” (v. 35)

What does Jesus reveal about His upcoming anguish and death in this chapter?

He said that He would be delivered into the hands of men, but they didn’t understand what that meant at the time.

God doesn’t need our prayers; in fact, He knows our desires before we even open our mouths. But He wants our fellowship, our persistence, our prayers… He wants to commune with us one on one, as a father spends time with his son.

And so He asks that we knock and keep knocking day after day, coming to Him in prayer, with much praise and thanksgiving. He wants us to seek His will in our lives and to recognize His hand at work. He wants us to trust Him for provision as a child put trust in his parent. He wants us to forgive, and to love as He loves.

Questions and Answers…

What does the Lord’s prayer teach us about the way we should pray?

That prayer is more than just making requests, it’s also an opportunity to praise our Father for the amazing God He is.
That we should be asking that God’s will—whatever that might be–would be accomplished both in our lives and also in the rest of the world.
That we should be trusting God to supply our needs every day.
That we should ask for forgiveness.
That we should forgive others as God forgives us.
That we would be kept from temptation, and that we would turn our backs on all that is evil.

What does the story of the three loaves teach us about prayer?

That we should be persistent in prayer.

What 3 things does verse nine tell us to do? What do you think these three represent?

Ask. Seek. Knock. This represents persistence in prayer.

He wants us to ask for our gifts–for healing, for provision, for the salvation of others, for peace, etc… God knows our every thought, but He wants us to share our thoughts with Him in prayer.

Seek the will of God when you pray, not merely your own. What you might think is good for you isn’t necessarily God’s will for your life. Look for His hand at work, and be ready to accept it.

Knocking is our persistence in prayer as we come to God again and again.

Who does Jesus define as blessed in verse 28?

Those that both hear the Word of God and do it.

What can we learn from verse 34?

If you combine this verse with the one following, you’ll see that Jesus was talking about protecting the light that’s within you. The light is our understanding of God’s Word. The Bible tells us, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” (Psalm 119:105) And so we see that the Word of God, and our understanding of it, is our compass.

If we aren’t seeking the truth of God’s will, and if we’re not taking in the truth, we’re following darkness.

In order to stay on the right path, we need to keep our candles lit at all times by filling our thoughts with God’s Word.