Pastor Brian McGuffin

May 25, 2025

Matthew 16: 5 - 12

Introduction

What are some of the things that make it difficult to live as a Christian in today's world?

Do you tend to avoid non-Christians where possible?

How do you fit in with non-Christians - even atheists - at work and/or social occasions?

Scripture

Matthew 16: 5 - 12  ESV

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.

Discussion Questions

Jesus uses bread and the yeast that creates it as an example of what actually gives us a full life. He begins by warning the disciples that the Pharisses and Sadducees are using faulty leaven/yeast.

1. a) What do the Pharisees focus on in their religious practices?

    b) Do you know of any churches or religious groups that focus on keeping certain practices?

    c) Did you ever follow faith based on rules and regulations? What kind of rules did you try to keep?

    d) How or when did you move away from this legalistic form of faith?

2. a) What did the Sadducees focus on in their religious practices?

    b) Do you know of any churches or religious groups that focus on ethical principles or social programs?

3. a) What does having faith in Jesus mean?

    b) Read the following verses and then summarize what they say out loud.

            John 3: 16; Ephesians 2: 8 - 9; 1 John 1: 9; 1 Corinthians 5: 17; John 1: 12 - 13

4. Have you ever felt that you stopped growing in your faith? What made you feel that way?

5. What makes it difficult in our world today to live as a Christian?

6. How do we grow in our faith? Think of some necessary and practical ways of doing that.

7. Read Deuteronomy 6: 4 - 9  NLT

            And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. 6 And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. 7 Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. 8 Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. 9 Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

            How can you as a parent follow this command? Give some specific examples.