10.2A Jesus: Messages From HIs Heart Learning Context Continued

10.2A Jesus: Messages From His Heart

-Watch an overview of the

book of Matthew.
- Describe of Matthew’s foci is the fulfillment of prophecy
- Identify Parallels between the story of Exodus and Jesus’ ministry.

​Success Criteria

Students will:
- Understand that Jesus was careful not to align Himself with any of the political powers at the time.
- Identify the Author and purpose of the book of Matthew.

​Learning Intentions

Lesson Outline

Review: Name one thing that you remember from our last class

JOURNAL

Invite students to silently journal a response to the following questions in their Encounter Journals: (60 Seconds write)

• What do you think Jesus was considering as He planned His first sermon?

• Was there anything He had to be careful of, or avoid?
DO Invite students to stand and take their Encounter Journals to share their thoughts on the above questions with Clock Partner 6.

SHARE

Share that Jesus was God in the flesh (Phil. 2:5–11; John 8:58), and so, in human

words, Jesus was able to share directly what was on God’s heart.

Jesus had to walk a fine line so that He did not align Himself with any of the political

groups at the time. These were the groups (with a simple description):

-- Pharisees: tangled in man-made traditionalism to prevent another exile

-- Sadducees: forgotten the power of Scripture; busy seeking the favor of the Romans

-- Zealots: busy looking for ways to aggressively fight the Romans

-- Essenes: lived separate lives in the wilderness like monks to preserve their purity

Each of these political groups sent different spiritual messages to the people, vying for their allegiance.

Jesus must have considered how to approach all of this with a very different message—God’s message.

DISCUSS • Jesus’ first sermon is found in Matthew. Do you know who wrote the book of Matthew, and what the purpose of this gospel is?

SHARE The disciple Matthew is believed to be the author of this book. As a Jew himself, he is speaking to a Jewish audience. Yet we can see through his opening chapter (the genealogy of Jesus, which includes

four women, outsiders from other nations, and people of questionable character) that everyone can be included in this salvation story. This genealogy also shares Jesus’ names with us: Jesus—Yeshua/Joshua

(Savior), Christ (the anointed One), and Emmanuel (God with us). It is this God with us who embraces this family history and lives among us, inviting both insiders and outsiders to be part of this story.

​WATCH

Watch “Matthew 1–13” (8:16 min.), which gives an overview of the first half of the book of Matthew. The Bible Project: “Read

Scripture New Testament:

Matthew 1–13”

jointhebibleproject.com/resources/read-scripturematthew-1-13-video

SHARE
One word that Matthew seems to repeat over and over is fulfilled. He retraces the story and history of the nation of Israel and shows how Jesus, the law giver, now fulfills the law and the history of the prophets.

Matthew, who would have known the Scriptures, now writes how he sees Jesus is fulfilling them.