Are You Spiritually Ready? Matthew 17:14-27

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1 Are You Spiritually Ready? Matthew 17:14-27 Message by Michael J. Barnard December 28, 2014 Teaching Aim: To examine the importance of being spiritually ready to face any crisis. To understand the Holy Spirit is the source of our spiritual power, but to have access to that power we must be right with the Lord. To explore the sovereignty of Christ over creation as demonstrated in chapter 17. DIGGING DEEPER INTO GOD S WORD (BIBLE STUDY) Part I: The importance of being spiritually ready at all times (Matt. 17:14-21) 1. What did Jesus and the inner circle of Disciples find when they came down from the Mount of Transfiguration (vv. 14 & 15)? What additional facts can we learn about the chaos they encountered from Mark 9:14-16? Have you ever had a mountaintop experience religiously only to be hit by spiritual warfare when you come home? Who do you think is behind these attacks? Why at this time? 2. What happened as Jesus approached the crowd (vs. 14)? Why was this man in such a desperate state (vs. 15)? What is epilepsy? Was the word epilepsy in the original Greek language or was this word chosen in the English versions because of the symptoms? (See Commentaries) 3. According to verse 15, how did the demon try to kill the boy? What additional facts can we learn from Luke 9:38-39? What did the man do in his desperation (vs. 16)? Were the nine remaining disciples able to cast out the one demon? According to Luke 9:1-2, should they have been able to? 4. In light of the disputing Jesus found and the Disciples failure to cast the demon out of the boy, whom was Jesus referring to in verse 17? How do you think Jesus would respond to the lack of faith so prevalent in the church at large today? According to verse 17, how much patience did Jesus have left? What does Jesus command? Who should all people go to when we are in trouble? 1

2 5. After rebuking the nine disciples and the unbelieving Jews in the crowd, whom does Jesus next rebuke (vs. 18)? How does the demon respond to this according to Mark 9:20? What additional facts can we learn from Mark 9:21-24? Have you ever asked the Lord to help you in your unbelief? If so when? What resulted? 6. What happened physically to the boy when the demon was cast out of him? (See Mark 9:25-27) How did the tender touch of Jesus affect the seemingly dead boy? Has the touch of Jesus helped you get back on your feet after facing difficulties in life? If so how? 7. After this incident was over, what did the disciples secretly ask Jesus (vs. 19)? Why? Have you ever had a time in your spiritual walk where you felt a loss of spiritual power? Why? What was the cause? 8. Why do you think the disciples were powerless to caste out this demon (vs. 20)? Is it possible jealousy over Jesus taking the inner circle of disciples onto the Mount of Transfiguration with Him caused them to take their eyes off of God? Has jealousy or anger ever interfered with your spiritual walk? 9. Was Jesus teaching His disciples that they could move literal mountains in verse 20? What was He teaching them? How does this apply to us today? 10. Verse 21 is not in all of the major manuscripts, but this doesn t mean the verse wasn t in the original text. What does Jesus say was required to expel this kind of demon? Did the disciples have any way of knowing this man was going to bring his demon-possessed son to them that day? How could they have been ready spiritually? What are some ways we can be spiritually ready today for whatever life might bring? (See Eph. 6:10-18) 2

3 Part II: Jesus instructs His disciples about His impending death and resurrection (Matt. 17:22-23) 1. What does Jesus warn His disciples about for a second time in verse 22? (See Matt. 16:21-24) In each case the disciples seemed to have selective hearing, hearing only what they thought they heard. What did the disciples hear and what did they not hear? How did Peter react to this news according to Matt. 16:21-24? How did this news affect the disciples the second time around (vs. 23)? 2. Have you ever been guilty of having selective hearing spiritually? If so, what was it that you didn t want to hear from God s Word? Part III: Jesus, Peter and the temple tax (Matt. 17:24-27) 1. Who met Peter shortly after coming back to the city of Capernaum (vs. 24)? Who was the tax collector really looking for? Why? What kind of taxes were they trying to collect from Jesus and Peter? How were these taxes different from that of the Roman Empire? 2. What can we learn about the origin of the temple tax from Exod. 30:11-14? How had the Jewish religious leaders taken this commandment from God and twisted it over the years to meet their own desires? When the collectors of the temple tax asked Peter, Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax, how did he respond? What two 4. Jesus uses Peter s old name Simon at times when he has gotten off track. What name does Jesus use for Peter in verse 25? How does Jesus demonstrate His omniscience (His knowing all things) in verse 25? What is the obvious answer to the question Jesus asks in verse 25b? 3

4 5. How does Peter respond to Jesus (vs. 26)? What implication can we make from the answer Jesus gives in verse 26b? 6. According to Mal. 3:1, who owned the temple? In spite of having no obligation to pay the temple tax, Jesus chose to do so, why (vs. 27a)? Do you take into consideration your actions and how they will affect others spiritually before acting? Should we? (See Rom. 14:19-21; 1 Cor. 10:31-11:1) 7. This is the only miracle Jesus did to provide for His own need, the miracle also met the need of Peter. How many events had to take place in order for Peter to get that special four- drachma coin in his hands (vs. 27b)? How many ways do you see the sovereignty of God in Christ demonstrated in this miracle? Is this something man could duplicate? What can we learn about the identity of Jesus from the complexity of this miracle? (See John 1:1-4; Col. 1:15-17; 2:9-10) 8. Matthew never completes the story, but what can we assume happened from what we know about Jesus? What did Jesus demonstrate to His disciples and to us through this miracle? (See Isa. 7:14) 9. Jesus set aside His glory but not His deity at the incarnation. From here Jesus begins His journey to Jerusalem and to His death on the cross. In chapter 17 we received a glimpse of the glory of Jesus Christ, but more was to come. What was the prayer of Jesus in John 17:1b-5 on the night before His crucifixion? Why was it so important for Jesus to go to the cross? (See John 3:16; Rom. 5:8-9) 10. Have you received Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord? If not, why not confess your sins and receive Him in prayer right now? 4

5 MINER S CORNER ~ Manna to live by! After mountaintop experiences the challenges quickly follow. Not all illnesses are caused by demons, but in this case epilepsy was. We lose spiritual power when we focus on ourselves and not on Christ. With just a little faith we can do the seemingly impossible in Christ. The disciples had selective hearing spiritually, and so do we at times. By the days of Jesus the temple tax had transformed into a man-made regulation. Although Jesus was not obligated to pay the temple tax, as Israel s Messiah He did so in order to identify with the nation and so as not to offend the weak. 5