Preparing the way
2 March - 4 May 2025
The book of Matthew · Lent is a period of 40 days during which many Christians remember the events leading up to and including the death of Jesus Christ, whose life and teachings are the foundation of Christianity. It is a time of reflection, of asking for forgiveness and of fixing our eyes on Jesus as King of our lives. Over this 9 week period, we will be exploring teachings from Jesus recorded by the disciple Matthew, preparing the way for life, death and resurrection.
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Matthew 3:1-12 · In a world where world leaders, on public stages, are seeking to build their own kingdoms—where do you go and what kingdom do you want to be part of? John the Baptist knew a different King and a different kingdom were coming. He prepares the way for that new King by giving one simple, and often misunderstood, direction: repent.
Study Questions
Can you recall a moment in your life when your ‘mind was blown’ by something, and your views or actions completely changed as a result?
Read Matthew 3:1-12.
John the Baptist calls people to "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near" (v.2).
Is repentance something you do, or something that happens to you? In today's world, what kinds of messages or events cause people to radically change their thinking and behaviour? What does it mean to ‘repent’ today?
The passage describes people coming to confess their sins and be baptised (v.6).
What do you think makes it easier or harder for people to admit their faults or seek change today?
What are the differences between Pharisees and Sadducees? John challenges both groups for relying on religious status rather than true repentance (v.7-9).
How can religious or cultural traditions become obstacles to real personal transformation?
What unhelpful ways of thinking and living might people need to "turn away" from in our world today, in order to experience real change?
In what ways does an encounter with Jesus have an impact on this?
John the Baptist describes Jesus as someone who will "baptise with the Holy Spirit and fire" (v.11). What do you think it means for someone’s life to be transformed by Jesus rather than just adopting religious habits? Does the baptism of the spirit happens at the same time as being baptised in water?
The phrase "the kingdom of heaven has come near" is central to Jesus’ message as well and the disciples’ preaching.
What does it mean for God’s kingdom to be present now, rather than just in the future? How does Jesus bring the kingdom in?
John calls people to bear "fruit in keeping with repentance" (v.8).
If repentance is about real-life change, what might "fruit" look like in your everyday life?
Commit to begin lent by praying for the salvation of one person, and continuing until God answers.
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Matthew 6:1-18 · How much of our lives are for show? It’s not uncommon in church to feel the need to present as ‘good’ or ‘righteous’. And yet, how often to we fall short of the expectations we put on ourselves? What if Jesus isn’t as interested in what we are showing externally, but instead wants full commitment from our inner lives? Fasting is a useful personal discipline of abstinence which can help us grow closer to King Jesus - do we need to make sure we are doing it for the right reasons?
Read what senior pastor Tim has written about fasting.
Study Questions
Read Matthew 6:1-18
How is lent going for you?
Read Matthew 5:16.
How does this fit with this week’s passage?
Fasting is described in the Bible as refraining from food for a short time.
What are some other things we might fast from?
Read Matthew 6:15 again.
Is it unforgivable not to forgive others?
What does the world say we need to do to ‘be enough’?
Can you name some benefits of being a philanthropist?
[Philanthropist: a person who seeks to promote the welfare of others, especially by the generous donation of money to good causes.]
Do you prefer to pray alone or with others?
Judy shared a few stories of supernatural glimpses of the kingdom of God.
Do you have any stories of God’s kingdom breaking into our world?
Pray this week for an undivided heart.
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Matthew 4:1-11 · The Bible says that we won’t be tempted beyond what we can bear, but that doesn’t mean we get to go through life without any temptation. Jesus himself was tempted physically and emotionally in the wilderness with desire, power and control. He uses his knowledge of scripture to counter the words of the devil. When we are distracted with other gods, kings and powers of the world, what can we learn from Jesus in how he fights temptation?
Study Questions
What’s the funniest advert you’ve seen?
Read Mathew 4:1-11.
Verse 1 reads, ‘Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.’
How do you think the Spirit led Jesus?
Later on in Matthew’s gospel, we hear Jesus teaching His disciples to pray, ‘Lead us not into temptation’ (Matt 6:13).
Do you think Jesus’ experience in the wilderness was at the forefront of his mind when He taught the ‘Lord’s prayer’?
How did Jesus resist temptation? Was it by will power alone?
The devil tempts Jesus to put His own desires above the plans of God. In what ways can we be tempted to put our plans first?
“[The devil] is equally content with guiding you to a brothel or a prayer meeting - just so long as the result is to feed and strengthen your ego rather than your soul.” (Tyler Staton)
How can ‘good things’ become areas of temptation in our lives?
How might our life look outwardly different when Jesus is at the centre?
We come face to face with Jesus in the wilderness.
What is the wilderness in our lives?
Pray that we are able to come alongside someone this week, who has been battling temptation alone.
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Matthew 18:1-5 · All of us will have tried to aim high and achieve greatness at some point in life—it’s conditioned into us from a young age. The teaching of Jesus often goes against the ways of the world—the last shall be first and the poor and meek are blessed. The status quo is flipped upside down by Jesus throughout his years in ministry. And children, who were seen as nuisances at the time, are elevated as the “greatest” perhaps without even trying. So instead of aiming for the crown, should we aim to bow down?
Study Questions
Read Matthew 18:1-5.Who/what do you think of when you hear the question, ‘Who is the greatest?’?
Why do you think the disciples wanted to know who would be the greatest amongst the?
In what ways do you think the disciples needed to become more childlike?
Jesus says, ‘Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.’
Do you think he means by this that you won’t go to heaven when you die?
We all know Tim, Judy, Sarah and Nathanael.
Can you name any of the people who serve hot drinks on Sundays mornings?
When was the last time you adopted a new interpretation of a scripture, that you had previously been confident that you understood?
How could you welcome a child this week, through prayer or practice?
Read Philippians 2:5-11.
What qualities do humans have that society tells us we should use to our advantage?
What does God say?
Pray that this week, rather than trying to achieve greatness, you might know more fully your identity as a loved child of God.
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Matthew 11:25-30 · There is an expectation that we always have more to do, that resting is lazy, and that taking time out can be seen as failure. What if the Kingdom of God offers an alternative lifestyle to the constant capitalist wheel that never sleeps? God himself was the author of resting in the creation narrative. Is chilling on the sofa with endless streaming options enough? Or is there something more fulfilling out there for when we are feeling weary and just exhausted?
Study Questions
Read Matthew 11:25-30.
What was your favourite fairground ride as a child?
In verse 25, Jesus says, ‘I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.’
What do you think He meant by this?
Why do you think Jesus considered his Jewish audience to be weary and burdened?
Do we identify ourselves to others more by what we do when we’re working or what we do when we’re resting?
What do you do to actively rest?
Are there any seemingly mundane activities in your life, when you’re actually ‘practising the presence of God’?
Read The Message paraphrase of Matthew 11:28-30.
What might be examples of ‘real rest’ as opposed to regular rest?
“Unless we trust God’s sovereignty, we won’t dare risk Sabbath.”
Do you agree with this? To what extent do you think that embracing Sabbath relies on trusting God?
Pray that we know more of ‘the unforced rhythms of grace’ this week.
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Matthew 8:18-22 · Following Jesus is the best choice anyone will ever make, but it does come at a cost. Jesus models a life of sacrifice and service where he puts others first. What if we are faced with choices where we need to decide whether we have the stuff we’ve been dreaming of, or we lay it down to follow the servant King Jesus? Perhaps we will discover there is a greater treasure than what we previously had our hearts set on.
Study Questions
Read Matthew 8:18-22.
What is the most important question you have ever been asked?
Think about a time when you were simply an observer of Christianity?
How long did you remain an observer, and what triggered you to become more involved?
Which fundamental Christian value do you think the majority of our society would mourn the loss of?
In verse 20, Jesus says, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
What do you think he means by this?
Do you have any interests that you’re a fair-weather follower of, where you find you’re much more interested when things are going well?
What is the difference between a house and a home, according to today’s use of the words?
What makes your house a home?
How many families are you a part of?
Do they have a hierarchy of importance?
Have you ever made a sacrifice for Jesus, that has turned out to be anything but a sacrifice?
Think about whether you identify most with a member of the crowd, an admirer or a follower.
Pray this week that we might become committed followers of Jesus, whatever the cost.
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Matthew 8:18-22 · Jesus is the King of kings, and yet the image we have of him riding into the city on a donkey doesn’t feel very valiant. Matthew records Jesus stating that the kingdom of heaven is near, and every kingdom needs a King. But what kind of King is Jesus really? Are we prepared to lay down our cloaks and cry out “Hosanna, save us”? Or subtly, has the notion that we are the king of our own lives crept in?
Group Study
1. How do modern celebrities or leaders shape our expectations of what greatness looks like?
2. Matthew highlights the significant moment of Jesus riding on a donkey.
What does this say about the kind of King Jesus is—and how does that challenge our ideas of strength and power?
3. The crowds cried out for Hosanna, which means, ‘Save us now!’.
What were they hoping Jesus would save them from? How do our expectations of God sometimes differ from His plans?
4. What do the crowd’s actions—laying down cloaks and waving palm branches—tell us about how they viewed Jesus in that moment?
5. Jesus stirred the whole city.
If someone asked you today, “Who is Jesus to you?”, how would you respond honestly?
6. Have you ever had an experience where your expectations of God were different from what He actually did? How did that shape your faith?
7. We all have a longing for "Eden." What are some ways people try to fill that hunger? How has Jesus met (or is meeting) that ache in your own life?
8. Jesus isn't repelled by brokenness—He’s drawn to it. Where in your life do you most need to experience His gentle presence today?
9. What’s one practical step you can take this week to respond to Jesus' invitation—whether for the first time or all over again?
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Matthew 27:11-61 · The last thing people expected was for Jesus to be put to death on a cross. He was meant to be their Saviour. Like those who had come before him, he was the anointed one, the Christ, he was going to be King. How could this have happened? This moment in history was certainly not what people expected. And yet, it was exactly what God had planned in order to save each and every person in the whole world. Jesus died to save us all. The sacrificial king laid down his life for us. There is no greater act of love than this.
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Matthew 28:1-15 · It’s Easter Sunday! Jesus has risen, just as he said he would. What great news we have to share now! Jesus is alive and reigns as King over all of creation. This is the King that we have been preparing the way for—one who was able to defeat death once and for all and prepare a way for us to come into relationship with God the Father.
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Matthew 28:16-20 · So we know Jesus as King. He has all the power and authority in the world and in our lives. We have seen the ways he has claimed the victory on our behalf—but now what? Turns out, we have a part to play as well. Jesus gives us a clear mission, one that requires faithful action and steadfast obedience. Will we accept it?
Study Questions
Apart from sleeping, what do you spend most of your time doing?
What things do you think churches should spend their time doing?
In verse 19, Jesus tells his followers to 'go and make disciples'.
Does making a 'disciple' mean the same as converting someone?
Do you find it easier to talk about the church’s social action or about Jesus? Why?
Tim quoted from Carey Nieuwhof on Sunday, in which he said, 'It's a shame when people come looking for God and only find us.'
How do we make sure that Riverside isn't known just as a loving and caring community, but continually helps people to get to know Jesus?
In verses 19-20, Jesus tells the disciples some essentials that they need to pass on - baptism, and teaching people to obey all of Jesus' commands.
Which bits of this do we struggle most with and why?
How much faith do you need before Jesus allows you to go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit?
What was the last opportunity you had to speak to someone about Jesus.
What happened.?
If you knew that Jesus was 100% with you and 100% behind what you were doing, what would you attempt?
Pray that God uses our lives to introduce someone to Jesus.
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Matthew 23:23-24, Micah 6:8 · Have you ever been so obsessed with the little details of a task, you’ve missed the big picture? Some call this “missing the forest for the trees”, and our relationship with God can be a lot like this. We can become so focused on external rule-following that we miss the deeper call to justice, love and faithfulness. True faith is not just about checking boxes but about a heart surrendered to God, seeking genuine change from the inside out.
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