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Intermediate Sunday School Lesson 98 : Little faith

Text: Matthew 16
11 February 2024

INTERMEDIATE SUNDAY SCHOOL 11 February 2024
STUDIES IN THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW
Text: Matthew 16

Subject: “Little faith”

INTRODUCTION

5 Now when His disciples had come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread.
6 Then Jesus said to them, “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.”
7 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “It is because we have taken no bread.”
8 But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, “O you of little faith, why do you reason among yourselves because you have brought no bread?
9 Do you not yet understand, or remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets you took up?
10 Nor the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many large baskets you took up?
11 How is it you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread?—but to beware of the [e]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 doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Matthew 16:5-12

THE PROBLEM OF LAPSES

1. Memory Lapses

a) Common
b) All are affected at one point or another

2. Spiritual Lapses

a) This is more serious
b) This needs attention

MISTAKEN UNDERSTANDING OF THE LORD’S TEACHING

5 Now when His disciples had come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread.
6 Then Jesus said to them, “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.”
7 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “It is because we have taken no bread.”

Matthew 16:5-7

1. Forgotten to take bread

2. “The leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees”

3. Misunderstanding occurred

a) Failure to comprehend
b) Focus was on the wrong thing

THE REBUKE OF THE LORD JESUS

8 But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, “O you of little faith, why do you reason among yourselves because you have brought no bread?
9 Do you not yet understand, or remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets you took up?
10 Nor the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many large baskets you took up?
11 How is it you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread?—but to 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 doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Matthew 16:8-12

1. The problem of “little faith”

2. Wrong reasoning

3. Poor understanding

CHALLENGES

1. To deepen faith

2. To comprehend better

3. To master the lessons the Lord Jesus wants us to learn