Notes

Bible Study Notes

(From forever ago. Will add to soon.)

Main points of...
Matthew 1 & 2
1: Genealogy is listed through fathers' names, because a) that's how it was recorded in the past and b) in the Bible, the husband is represented as the head of the family and it is HIS family, his children, not the mother's. I've heard many sermons on how the father is in charge and has authority, but also responsibility for leading the family in living a life for God, and his wife is responsible for raising the children and serving her husband while he is responsible for taking care of them and looking out for them, even if he has to make sacrifices to do so.
2: This chapter as well as the one before emphasizes the importance of faith. Joseph and his wife and child were faced with many dangers and situations in which things could have gone wrong and ended badly for them. However time and time again, God sent Joseph dreams to warn him and tell him what to do. Instead of questioning whether or not to believe it, or why he was supposed to do it, he got up and through blind faith did what he was told. At times things were going to happen in the future that Joseph might have not foreseen but would have cost him if he had doubted God's word and had waited around to see what would happen if he didn't do what he was told.
Here are the examples I found in these chapters about dreams or visions that people had warning them about something or telling them what to do:
1) The angel appeared to Joseph and told him to keep Mary as his wife (1:20-25)
2) The magi were told to take a different route home (2:12)
3) Joseph was told to take Mary and Jesus and flee to Egypt (2:13-14)
4) Angel came to tell Joseph when it was safe to go back home (2:19-20)

I can link this to modern life...
Point one: Wives obey your husbands and help them by taking on certain responsibilities so they can then concentrate on taking care of the family and on growing in faith so he can be a stronger Christian and a better father and leader for his children. Husbands, take care of your wives and children and always put God first and make sure to incorporate faith into your everyday life so that at all times, when your children look at you, they can see God's love and will look up to you and try to be like you and will want to grow up to serve Jesus Christ like their daddy does. Children may be closer to the mother but often times children, especially sons, grow up and take after their dad, and will often times treat their children and wives the way they have seen you treat yours.
Point two: Even if you cannot see why something is happening in your life and all your natural instincts scream NO, you must always put all your faith and trust in God because he can see the future and you can't and he knows whats best for you, even if you can't understand why something is happening to you and you wonder "Why would God do this to us? How is this supposed to be part of his perfect plan?" You have to praise him for the good and the bad because in the end, it all contributes to the greater good, which is your happiness and your eternal life, as well as the difference you can make for other people and the footprints you leave on this earth for other generations to follow.