Do You Feel Entitled or Unworthy? (Matthew 15:21-28)

"He replied, 'It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to the dogs'" (Mt 15:26).

• Can you be humble and humorous when humiliated?
• Do You Feel Entitled to Wonder Bread or Leftover Crumbs?

1.   Why is the location of this encounter significant (Mt 15:21)?

2.   What does she reveal about her understanding of Jesus (Mt 15:22)? Like her, what burdens do you carry for others?

Walk on Water (Matthew 14:22-33)

“But Jesus immediately said to them: 'Take courage! It is I. [ego eimi {Gk}] Don’t be afraid.'” “'Come,' he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus” (Mt 14:27, 29). [Walk on Water.]

• Peter becomes frightened and begins to sink, not the other way around.

Compassion and Responsibility (Matthew 14:13-21)

"When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick" (Mt 14:14). "You give them something to eat" (Mt 14:16).

• How can I know the depth of God's compassion and of my responsibility?

1.   What preceded this miracle (Mt 14:13, 8-12)?

• How might Jesus have felt (Isa 53:3)?
• What does his response (Mt 14:14) show about him (Mt 9:36; 15:32)?
• Have you experienced Jesus’ love and compassion (Jer 31:3)?
• Do you serve others when you’re hurting?

The Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 13:24-43)

"The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field" (Mt 13:24).

1. How did Jesus explain The Parable of the Weeds (Mt 13:24-25, 30, 36-39, 40-43)?
2. How is the kingdom of heaven like a man who sows good seed (Mt 13:24, 3, 19, 37; 4:17)?
• Are you like the "the man who sowed good seed" (Mt 13:24, 37)? How (Lk 9:60; 1 Cor 1:22-23; 2:2, 2)?
  
3. Do you "write off" some people as a "weed" (Mt 13:28)?
   
• Do you judge and decide who is "in" and who is "out" (1 Sam 16:7; Jn 7:24)?

A Christian is Unconquerable (Romans 8:26-39)

"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us" (Rom 8:37).

"A Christian is an impregnable person. He is a person that never can be conquered." Richard Sibbes. The Bruised Reed. 17th Century. [See Notes below.]

** Memorize Romans 8:28, 8:31-32, 8:37-39.

      A Christian Cannot be Conquered because the center, core and crux of Christianity is that Christ was Crucified for the Church and the Cosmos.