Women's Bible Study - October 2nd, 2024 - Trusting Jesus in Life’s Storms

In one paragraph

This message came from the middle of a women's study working through the Gospel of Matthew. The preacher traced two connected ideas: the heart condition that either welcomes or resists Jesus, and what it actually looks like to follow him rather than simply know about him. The message opened in Matthew 12, where Jesus heals a blind and mute man who was also demon-possessed. The crowd responded with...

Read together

1. Matthew 12:7 Jesus tells the Pharisees he desires mercy, not sacrifice
2. Matthew 12:22 Jesus heals a demon-possessed blind and mute man
3. Matthew 12:28 Jesus says if he drives out demons by the Spirit of God, the kingdom of God has come
4. Matthew 12:30 anyone not with Jesus opposes him; neutrality is hostility
5. Matthew 13:10 disciples ask Jesus why he speaks to people in parables
6. Matthew 13:19 seed sown along the path; evil one snatches away what was heard
7. Matthew 13:20 seed on rocky ground; receives word with joy but falls away when trouble comes
8. Matthew 13:22 seed among thorns; worries of life and deceitfulness of wealth choke the word
9. Matthew 13:23 seed on good soil; hears and understands, bears fruit
10. Matthew 10 price of two sparrows; God knows each one and we are more valuable
11. Matthew 11:28-29 come to Jesus when weary and burdened and find rest; the yoke illustration
12. Psalm 103 as far as east is from west, God has removed our sins
13. Romans 8:28 God works all things for good for those who repent and give their situation to him
14. 1 Peter 5 humble yourself under God's mighty hand; cast your care on him; resist the devil
15. Revelation 12:11 we defeat the enemy by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony

Talk about it

1. The preacher described Jesus telling the Pharisees, 'I desire mercy, not your sacrifice,' and said the Pharisees had drifted into checking off a religious to-do list rather than a heart relationship with God. Where do you notice that same drift happening in your own life?
2. The preacher said that neutrality toward Jesus is really hostility toward Jesus, using C. S. Lewis's point that liar, lunatic, or Lord are the only real options. How would you respond to someone who says Jesus was simply a good moral teacher but not someone they personally need?
3. Jesus described four kinds of soil, and the preacher applied them not just to how we share faith with others but to the condition of our own hearts. Which of the four soils do you feel most honestly describes where your heart is right now, and what do you think is behind that?
4. The preacher said she does not want Jesus to be a 'filler savior,' someone we ignore for days or months and only turn to when things fall apart. What practical habits or choices have helped you, or could help you, keep that connection consistent rather than occasional?
5. The preacher shared a personal story about a painful family conflict where she kept returning to the promise in 1 Peter 5 and repeating to herself, 'Jesus, you have got this.' She said that when we stop giving a situation to God we try to take control, and that just increases anxiety. Can you think of a time when you experienced that difference, either by holding on or by genuinely giving something over? What did that look like for you?