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Sermon Series:

We are currently going through a sermon series in the Gospel of Matthew. Today, we’re talking about avoiding some of the mistakes that the religious leaders of Jesus’ day made. 

The Pharisees and Sadducees Demand Signs

16 And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. ² He answered them,^[a] “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ ³ And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. ⁴ An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” So he left them and departed.

The Leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees

⁵ When the disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to bring any bread. ⁶ Jesus said to them, “Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” ⁷ And they began discussing it among themselves, saying, “We brought no bread.” ⁸ But Jesus, aware of this, said, “O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? ⁹ Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? ¹⁰ Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? ¹¹ How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” ¹² Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

We have warning signs for all sorts of things: your car, your health, your career, ect. But have you ever stopped to think about what warning signs there might be for your faith? In this part of God’s Word, we’re going to look at some of the mistakes of the religious leaders that were around during Jesus’ earthly ministry, and how we can avoid them. 

6 warning signs for your faith:

1. You’re adding to or taking away from God’s Word

Matt. 16:1, Rev. 22:18-19, Prov. 30:5-6, Deut. 12:32

2. Your focus is more earthly than eternal

Matt. 16:2-3, 1 Pet. 4:1-2, 1 Thess. 4:1, Matt. 6:33

3. You don’t take to heart God’s Word

Matt. 16:4, James 2:19, 1:22-25, Luke 47-49, Gal. 1:6-9, 2 Tim. 3:16-17, Heb. 4:12

4. You don’t understand God’s Word

Matt. 16:5-8, Eph. 5:17, Rom. 12:1-2, Ps. 119:130

5. You forget what God has done in your life

Matt. 16:9-11, Ps. 103:2-5, Deut. 4:9, Eph. 6:4, Ex. 13:8-9

6. You’re not on guard against falling away from God

Matt. 16:12, 24:24, 2 Pet. 1:10, 3:17, Heb. 6:11, 2 Tim. 1:14

Reflecting on God’s Word

Getting Started

• Take some time to read over Matthew 16:1-12 and pray. 
• Have you ever read or heard about this before? What stood out to you as we were talking about it? 
• What surprised you as we talked about it?
• As we talked about this part of God’s Word, and the mistakes that the religious leaders made, what stands out to you the most?  

 

Diving In 

1. Read Matthew 16:1. These religious leaders made several mistakes, but some of the biggest mistakes they made were adding to and taking away from God’s Word. What step(s) in your life are you taking to make sure you don’t make either one of those mistakes? 
2. Read Matthew 16:2-3. Jesus makes it clear in His response to the religious leaders request for a sign, that their focus is far more on earthly things, than on eternal things. Read Matthew 6:33. How can you better keep your focus on God’s Kingdom, rather than getting bogged down with the struggles of life?
3. Read Matthew 16:4. Jesus points back to the sign of Jonah, making it clear to these religious leaders, who would have known God’s Word very well, that even though they could recite it, they didn’t really take God’s Word to heart. Read James 2:19 and 1:22-25. How can you be sure, when you read God’s Word, to take to heart what God says, and not make this same mistake?
4. Read Matthew 16:5-8. If you’ve ever struggled to understand God’s Word, you’re in good company, because even the guys that walked around with Jesus for years often struggled to understand what He said. Read Romans 12:1-2. How would applying these verses to your life help you to understand God’s Word? How can you accomplish that?
5. Read Matthew 16:9-11. The disciples forgot what Jesus had done. We often make that same mistake. What could you add to your life in order to help you better remember what God has done in your life?
6. Read Matthew 16:12. Jesus makes it clear to His disciples that they are to be on guard against the mistakes that the religious leaders made, because even making a small mistake, can lead to a big one down the road. How can you be on guard against falling away from God?

 

Applying the Scripture

What are your biggest takeaways from this passage of God’s Word? 

• What practical step(s) do you need to implement in your life to apply what God has taught you in this passage of Scripture? 
• How would applying this affect your life and your relationship with the Lord? 
• Who can you ask to keep you accountable to applying this to your life?

 

Small Group Guide: