Through the Bible: Day #6

Let’s try to read as much of the Bible we can together this year. I know it is not always easy. I want to help. I am going to provide you with some questions most Mondays to Fridays that will help you get a little something out of what you are reading. Sometimes there will be more questions, sometimes less. So, get a notebook, a pen, your Bible, and if you would like some help, take some time to answer the questions, and you may be surprised by all God teaches you this year. Genesis 6By the time we reach Genesis 6, Moses has fast forwarded through thousands of years of human history.

1. The first few verses of this chapter may seem a bit confusing. But let’s start by identifying what we can know for sure. What does verse 5 say about this time? 
2. What does God say in verse 3? Is this a positive statement or a negative statement do you think? 
3. So, given those two clues, do you think what’s happening in these verses is going to be something good or something bad? 
4. Now, I am going to help you “cheat” a bit here. We are going to get a later biblical author’s explanation of this situation. What does Jude 6 say the angels did? 
5. That’s a bit vague in terms of their sin. So Jude gives an explanation of how the angels sinned in verse 7. What kind of sin did they engage in? 
6. I had you read that, because I think Jude’s talking about this situation in Genesis 6. The sons of God are angels - demons really, the angelic beings who sided with Satan, and in these verses they are somehow partnering with human women, I think to try to thwart God’s plan for the universe. In Genesis 4 Satan tried to stop it through persecution. Here he tries to stop it through sexual sin. But, it doesn’t work. How does God view the situation according to verse 6? And what does he decide to do according to verse 7? 
7. So judgment! But one man escapes. What does verse 9 say that Noah did? Who else did that so far in the Bible? Enoch escaped death by walking with God and Noah escapes judgment by walking with God. What do you think Moses is trying to say? 

Psalm 6

1. What question does David ask at the beginning of this Psalm? Why do you think he asks that? 
2. What does David want God to do and why? 
3. How does David feel? Have you ever felt that way? 
4. What temptations do you face when you feel discouraged like this? What does David do instead? 
5. Where does David find his confidence? 
6. If you think of David as speaking for his descendant, the Messiah, what hope does this Psalm give us for what God is going to do through Jesus? 

Matthew 6Jesus has emphasized the importance of righteousness in Matthew 5. Now he begins to distinguish between a false righteousness and a true righteousness.

1. What is the wrong motivation for practicing righteousness according to verse 1? 
2. Why is it foolish to practice righteousness this way?  
3. Who should you be practicing righteousness for? 
4. He gives several specific examples of the wrong and right way to practice righteousness. What are those examples? 
5. What stands out to you about the way Jesus teaches his disciples to pray? 
6. What impact does the way you respond to others sins have on your relationship with God according to Jesus? 
7. What does Jesus teach about fasting? 
8. Why should we lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven? How can we do that? 
9. What is the impact where you place your treasure has on your heart? 
10. Why is it not possible to serve two masters? 
11. If we can’t serve money and God, how should we think about money according to Jesus and why? 
12. What should we seek? 

Now to sum up.

1. What have you learned about what people are like from these chapters? 
2. What have you learned about God?
3. As you think about what motivates you, is the praise of men? Is it greed? What should motivate you instead?