2025 January 22 | The Gospel of Matthew: The Greatest Promise

SMALL GROUP MATERIAL

Small Group Questions:

    1. Look at Isaiah 53, how does Jesus fulfill this prophecy?
    2. Summarize the essence of the Gospel in your own words. How does this message of forgiveness and eternal life impact your daily life and relationships?
    3. Discuss the concept of dying to self and living for Christ. What are practical ways we can die to our own desires and align our lives with God’s will?
    4. Share how your relationship with Jesus has brought peace, joy, and love into your life. In what areas do you still struggle to surrender to his lordship?

MESSAGE NOTES

THE MAIN POINT

Jesus fulfills creation’s long-awaited promise by establishing a new and enduring covenant between God and humanity. His method, however, defies expectations: he accomplishes this through his sacrificial death.

THE BIBLE

Matthew 27:50-54, Matthew 26:26-30, Matthew 28:5-7

THE CONTEXT

Jesus gathers his disciples for a Passover meal, which retells Israel’s rescue from slavery and the death of the Passover lamb. Using bread and wine, Jesus introduces new symbols, indicating his forthcoming death as a sacrifice to redeem people from slavery, evil, and sin.

After the meal, Jesus is arrested and faces trial before the Sanhedrin, a council of Jewish leaders. They reject his claim as the Messiah, charge him with blasphemy against God, and bring him before Roman governor Pilate. Despite Pilate’s belief in Jesus’ innocence, he gives in to pressure and sentences Jesus to death by crucifixion. Thus, Jesus, portrayed in Old Testament references, fulfills prophetic promises as the servant Messiah, judged on behalf of his people and bearing the consequences of their sins. The crucifixion concludes with Jesus’ body placed in a tomb. However, Matthew’s Gospel takes a surprising turn: on Sunday morning, the disciples discover the tomb empty. Soon after, various people encounter Jesus risen from the dead, confirming the unexpected twist in the narrative.

THE GOSPEL: GOD LOVES YOU AND WANTS TO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU!

But if you accept this good news, there’s hard news. In the same way, Jesus died for you, you have to die for him. If you accept him as Lord and not just as saviour, you have to die to your will, die to your ways, die to your desires, and die to your agenda. And because Jesus is King and not the prime minister, we can’t rewrite the Constitution based on our feelings. The perimeter for a relationship with God is perfection. Perfection in and of ourselves is not possible. Yet a relationship with God is available and it is only through Jesus. The good news is this, In Jesus, his life, death, and resurrection, you can be made right with God. This is an instantaneous act of God’s saving grace, which takes place at the moment you accept the free gift of salvation by accepting Jesus as Lord.

Are you desiring peace? joy? love? You need Jesus.

THE CORE

As you prepare the core of the message using personal stories and questions keep in mind these points:

  • Matthew wants us to know that Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah.
  1. Jesus willingly suffers rejection, betrayal, and crucifixion, fulfilling the prophecies of the suffering servant who bears the sins of others (Isaiah 53).
  2. Jesus rises from the dead, conquering death and sin, and ascends to heaven where he reigns as King forever, fulfilling promises of a victorious and eternal ruler (Psalm 110:1, Daniel 7:13-14).
  • Jesus promises that in him, in his life, in his ways, and in his kingdom, we can find joy and rest for our souls. This is good news! (Matthew 11: 28-30)
  • “The best news of the Christian gospel is that the supremely glorious Creator of the universe has acted in Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection to remove every obstacle between us and himself so that we may find everlasting joy in seeing and savoring his infinite beauty.” ―John Piper

THE APPLICATION

As you prepare the application, challenge and/or encouragement, keep in mind these points:

  • Do your listeners understand the gospel?
  • Have they surrendered their life to Jesus?
  • Share your story of becoming a disciple of Jesus.