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In this module, you will...

• Understand how the Roman occupation of Israel in the first century shaped the theological imagination and expectations of the various types of Jewish people to whom Matthew was written.
• Identify the author of Matthew, the community to whom Matthew was written, and key themes in Matthew that may connect to your present context.
• Feel excited about meeting Jesus through Matthew’s perspective.
• Reflecton key issues/questions that you bring to the story from your own context.

In this module, you will...

• Consider how Matthew’s account of Jesus’ birth reflects the purposes of the gospel.
• Experience the ways in which God’s presence is felt in your life.

In this module, you will...

• Define Jesus’ use of the phrase “the Kingdom of Heaven has come near.”
• Put the Sermon on the Mount in context with the big story of Matthew.
• Understand the radical nature of Jesus’ teaching and how he was calling Israel to actually behave according to God’s original covenant to bless all nations.
• Choose one part of Jesus’ sermon and try to put it into practice in your own context.

In this module, you will...

• Identify the different ways that Jesus interacted with the marginalized and how it disrupted/challenged the religious establishment.
• Recognize how Jesus sent his disciples into the countryside to do the same things he was doing.
• Brainstorm practical ways you might live this type of mission in your own context.

In this module, you will...

• Define the term “parable” and how to approach the study of parables.
• Identify ways that Jesus behaved contrary to culturally acceptable norms and consider how his life was a living parable.
• Articulate possible ways Jesus’ parables invite us to think about the Kingdom of Heaven.
• Reflect on ways you conform to cultural norms, when that conformity serves the Kingdom of Heaven, and when God might be calling you to challenge cultural norms.

In this module, you will...

• Recognize how Jesus was being challenged to expand his mission beyond the boundaries of the people of Israel.
• Recognize that inclusion and forgiveness are the hallmarks of Jesus’ community.
• Identify areas of unresolved conflict, exclusion, or unforgiveness in your life and make a plan to address it.

In this module, you will...

• Identify the key events and timeline of Jesus’ final week of ministry.
• Recognize how the placement of Jesus’ parables in chapters 21-25 reveal the revolutionary nature of Jesus’ mission.
• Recognize that “the end of the age” was the coming destruction of the Temple and the implications that would have on living in the Kingdom of Heaven.
• Reflect on the parable of the sheep and the goats and the implications it might have on your own context.

In this module, you will...

• Identify the implications of Jesus’ resurrection in light of his crucifixion, and the message of hope for new life in the midst of cruelty and oppression.
• Define the following terms in the context of Matthew: disciple, baptism, and obedience. Create a plan to implement one or two of Jesus’ teachings from Matthew into your life over the next month.
• Evaluate how you are being a disciple of Jesus as well as how you are making disciples of Jesus.

Find out your next steps as you complete the course and how to stay connected with your group. You'll also be able to submit feedback about your course.