Week 6- TIme between the OT & NT and Discipleship

Part 1- TIme between OT & NT

Read: In your bibles there should be a section of information between the books of Malachi and
Matthew. Read that. If your bible does not have that then use BibleGateway.com.

Transition. There is a gap of 400 years between the Old Testament and the New Testament. From
the rebuilding of Jerusalem after the exile, to the birth of Jesus. God used this 400 year silence to
prepare the perfect place and time for Jesus arrival. During those centuries the Jews endure the
Persian Period, the Hellenistic Period, the Maccabean Period, and the Roman Period.

The Jews had been in exile and scattered (Diaspora). They had no Temples or formal priests, so
synagogue emerged. Also, several religious groups developed within Judaism. Scribes,
Sadducees, Pharisees, Essenes and Zealots.

God patiently waited until the perfect time was available to send Jesus. The Romans had built a
highway system. What a great and convenient way to spread the message of Christ!

1-Disciples sense their unity with the historic people of God and bring that understanding to their
hearing of the gospel. In what ways are you beginning to understand the unity of the Bible and the
central theme of salvation history?

Part 2- Discipleship
Read: Matthew 1, 3, and 5-7 Take notes as you go.

Matthew was a Jewish tax collector, despised by his own people but loved by Jesus. This book
connects the links between the OT & NT because of its emphasis on prophecy fulfillment. Jesus
made an absolute demand when He said, Follow me. Jesus meant to leave behind your old life,
your old ways, something, or someone. Obey and walk into the unknown, ready to listen, learn,
witness and serve. The word disciple means learner. We see radical behavior in the recruitment of
the disciples. They literally leave everything behind to follow Jesus. To learn, witness, and serve.

The Sermon on the Mount (Mt. 5-7) extracts the essence of Jesus most demanding statements:
Speak only truth; Do not lust, even in your heart; Root out rage from your emotions; Forgive
without measure; Love your enemies; Pray; Give without getting credit; Avoid being judgemental; &
Work for peace.

The first word in Jesus ministry was repent (4:17). Repent means to confess, be sorry for your
sins, and to turn around- away from sin. Disciples are not meant to be. They are called to do.
Action. Jesus didnt sit around; He was a man of action and he trained his Disciples to follow his
lead.
2- Imagine yourself as one of the 12 receiving the orders to go and proclaim the Good News to the
world. Describe how you might have felt.

3- From what youve read, what main point do you think Matthew is trying to make?

4-What is radical or distinctive about the discipleship Jesus called for?

5-How does it differ from what God wanted the Israelites in the OT to do?

Read: Matthew 20:1-16

6- What does this passage tell us about God?

7- What does this passage tell us about human beings?

8-What does this passage tell us about the relationship between God and humans?

9-Why does the church often settle for making church members instead of disciples?

Our Human Condition: We are anxious, tied up in the status quo. We conform to our culture
knowing it is sick, riddled with brokenness and confusion. We walk in spiritual blindness.

Break this cycle. Wake up and walk with Jesus!

10-What does your discipleship look like? How are you responding to Christs call?