Introduction: No one likes people who are mean. No one likes
to be insulted. No one wants to be told that they lack
worth, especially they don’t want to hear it from others who
have questionable worth. No one likes to be embarrassed. No
one likes to suffer pain. No one wants to be murdered by
vicious, violent people. Yet, Jesus suffered this and much
more for us. We live in a throw away culture. If something
is not working we just toss it and get a new one. Imagine if
you knew that a defective tool you were using would cause
you grievous harm. You would certainly trash it and replace
it. Thankfully, Jesus did not just toss us and make new,
more grateful, less dangerous people. What Jesus did for us
is beyond reasonable description. Let’s jump into our Bible
study and discuss it!
I. From the Start
A. Read Matthew 1:18-19. Back your mental clock up a
few decades. Do you recall which children were
conceived before their parents were married? (When
I was a young man, this was a scandal. Today in
some groups it is the norm. We know it was a
scandal in Jesus’ day because Jesus is reminded of
this from time to time during His life (see John
8:41).)
B. Read Luke 2:7. Have you heard the insult, “You
were born in a barn?” Where was Jesus born? (There
is a debate about whether He was born in a barn or
a cave, but the Bible is clear he was first laid
to rest in a an animal feed trough.)
C. Read Matthew 2:1-2. Did intellectuals want to know
more about your birth? Did you have a star
announce your coming? (At the same time as Jesus
goes through debasing situations, He also has some
remarkable things associated with His birth. He is
called “King of the Jews.”)
D. Read Matthew 2:3. Why would “all of Jerusalem” be
troubled about what the wise men reported? (They
have a new king?)
E. Read Matthew 2:4-6. What is it that the religious
leaders believe Jesus may be? (The promised
Messiah!)
F. Read Matthew 2:7-8 and Matthew 2:11. Do the wise
men think Jesus is the King of prophecy? (They
worship Him. They believe He is the Messiah/King.)
G. Read Matthew 2:12-13 and compare Revelation 12:4-
5. Does this sound like a thrilling story? You
are declared King by wise men and then you have to
flee the country because the current King of the
county wants to kill you?
H. Read Matthew 2:16. How many innocent people are
harmed by Satan? Can you imagine the depth of his
evil nature?
1. Consider this story for those who today suffer
a calamity that seems to make no sense. Is the
existence of evil explanation enough?
II. During His Ministry
A. Read Matthew 12:22-23. How do the common people
understand this miracle? (They are asking if Jesus
is the Messiah. See Matthew 1:1 and Isaiah 35:4-
5.)
B. Read Matthew 12:24. What do the religious leaders
suggest about Jesus? (That he is an agent of
Satan.)
1. Keep in mind what we read that Herod did under
the influence of Satan. Is this a terrible
charge to make against Jesus?
C. Read Matthew 12:25-26. Why does Jesus defend His
reputation through logical argument?
D. Read Matthew 12:27-28. What claim does Jesus
indirectly make? (That He is the Messiah.)
1. Notice that the religious leaders claim Jesus
is an agent of Satan and Jesus responds that
He is the Messiah. Consider the many people
who today say that Jesus was a “good man” or a
“prophet” or something similar. Is it good
that Jesus’ detractors today have a more
positive view of Him? (No. It shows that they
are ignorant of the facts. Those who saw what
Jesus did knew that the supernatural was the
only explanation. The question was merely
which supernatural?)
E. Read Matthew 12:31-32. Have you heard people who
say that some “faith healer” is the agent of
Satan? How dangerous is that kind of accusation?
(I would be very reluctant to say that someone who
claims the power of the Holy Spirit for a healing
is actually working through demons. Jesus suggests
this sin will not be forgiven.)
F. Read Matthew 23:37-39. Jesus’ ministry is to the
Jews. How would you say that Jesus thought His
ministry was going? (Terribly. This is so sad!)
1. Put yourself in Jesus’ place. All of the
things we have discussed have happened to you,
and now at the end of your working career the
people who you worked to convert “were not
willing!” How would you feel?
III. The End
A. Read Matthew 26:19-21 and Matthew 26:33-34. Judas
betrays Jesus and Peter denies Jesus. Jesus is
aware of these facts. How does this compare to
Jesus’ sadness that those He came to save, “were
not willing?” (This is worse. The other is a
failure to persuade. This is a failure of those
closest to Him. Those who have been His companions
in His work.)
B. Read Matthew 26:38-40. If you tell a friend that
you are so sad that you might die, so you want
them to “watch you” for an hour, what would you
expect of a true friend?
1. If they fell asleep, how would you value your
friendship?
2. Is Jesus anxious to get through the next
hours? (He would like to avoid what is to
come, if possible. His disciples are betraying
Him, and His closest associates seem not to
care very much about Him.)
C. Read Matthew 27:15-17 and Matthew 27:20. How does
this impact Jesus’ ego? His sense of being wanted?
The crowd prefers a notorious prisoner over Him
when it comes to whether Jesus should die. If you
were Jesus, would you be asking yourself whether
these people noticed all the good things you did
for them?
1. How do you think this impacted Jesus’
determination to go through a terrible death
to save these people? The people who prefer
to give Him death rather than a notorious
prisoner?
D. Read Matthew 27:22-23. Pilate says that justice
requires that Jesus should live. How do you think
that impacted Jesus’ determination to go through a
terrible death to save these people? (All of this
must have tempted Jesus to let humans receive the
justice they deserved – dying eternally.)
E. Read Matthew 27:27-31. Notice the details of
the assault on Jesus. They twice stripped Him
naked before “the whole battalion.” They dressed
Him as a king and mocked Him. They spit on Him.
The drove thorns into His head. Assume that
someone who owed you money did this to you. Would
you tell them that they owed you nothing?
1. What if you really were a king and the people
mocking, spitting on you, and hurting you were
far below your dignity? Would you relieve them
of some obligation? Would you pay their debt?
F. Read Matthew 27:35-36 and Matthew 27:39-42. What
should you logically conclude from the fact that
when Jesus is hanging on the cross, His clothes
are being divided among the soldiers? (This can
only mean that He suffers the indignity of hanging
naked on the cross.)
1. If you were in Jesus’ place, how tempted would
you be to show them that you are the Son of
God?
G. Read Matthew 27:43. The scorn around the words “if
He desires Him,” is the idea that God does not
love Jesus. That Jesus is lying about being the
“Son of God.” If your parents loved you, how do
you react to people who tell you that you were not
loved?
H. Read Matthew 27:46. Does Jesus believe that God
doesn’t love Him? That the religious leaders were
right that God does not “desire Him?” (This shows
that Jesus feels abandoned by God and this causes
intense despair.)
1. Would you be able to stand firm in this
circumstance?
I. Friend, if you ever doubt that Jesus loves you,
think about what we have just studied! Jesus loves
us in a way that human words cannot adequately
express! Will you give up your life to the God who
gave up His life for you?
IV. Next week: We start a new series of studies on death, dying and our future hope!
Copr. 2022, Bruce N. Cameron, J.D. Scripture quotations are
from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard
Version ), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing
ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All
rights reserved. Suggested answers are found within
parentheses. If you normally receive this lesson by e-mail,
but it is lost one week, you can find it by clicking on this
link: http://www.GoBible.org. Pray for the guidance of the
Holy Spirit as you study.
