CHAPTER REVIEW: Matthew 3

If you will not be in practice this week, we don't want you to miss out on the review of the chapter.  You can download Coach Mark's lesson by clicking here, or on the image below.

CHECKPOINT: Matthew 3

Here's your chance to see if your studying is up to snuff this week.  If you can answer all of these questions without looking at the answers (and without looking at your Bible), that is a good sign.  If not, crack open the book, turn up the volume on the MP3s, and get to work! :-)

1.  LOCUSTS and WILD HONEY was what?
a.  His neighbors (his/John the Baptist)
b.  His plague (his/John the Baptist)
c.  His garbage (his/John the Baptist)
d.  His food (his/John the Baptist)

2.  SITUATION:  Who said it? to whom? when? - "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming WRATH?"
a.  WHO SAID IT:  John the Baptist, TO WHOM:  many of the Pharisees and Sadducees, WHEN:  When he saw them (while he was baptizing)

b.  WHO SAID IT:  John the Baptist, TO WHOM:  the teachers of the law, WHEN:  When they questioned him

c.  WHO SAID IT:  Jesus, TO WHOM:  many of the Pharisees and Sadducees, WHEN:  When he baptized

d.  WHO SAID IT:  Jesus, TO WHOM:  the teachers of the law, WHEN:  When he came up out of the waters

3.  REFERENCE:  According  to  Matthew  3:9, Do  not  think  what?
a.  You can flee from the coming wrath
b.  You are Abraham's children
c.  You  can  say  to  yourselves, "We  have  Abraham  as  our  father." 

d.  You are a brood of vipers

4.  2 PART :  He saw the Spirit of God what? (Pick 2)

a.  Descending like a dove

b.  Appear in the clouds

c.  Speaking from the heavens

d.  LIGHTING on him (him/Jesus) 

5.  Who TRIED to DETER him?

a.  Jesus

b.  John

c.  The Pharisees

d.  The Sadducees

6.  Burning up the chaff with what?

a.  With UNQUENCHABLE fire

b.  With INTERMINABLE suffering

c.  With NEVERENDING flames

d.  With UNSTOPPABLE force

Answers:  1d, 2a, 3c, 4ad, 5b, 6a

WEEKLY COMIC: Competing Priorities

REFERENCE QUESTIONS: Matthew 3

Remember, the full list of Reference Questions can always be found in the sidebar or at this link.

QUESTION:  According  to  Mat  3:9, Do  not  think  what?
ANSWER: You  can  say  to  yourselves, "We  have  Abraham  as  our  father." 5:17

Yes, there is just one Reference Question this week.  :-)

FINISH THE VERSE: Matthew 3

Remember, the full list of FTV's can always be found at this link. The // in the verse marks the minimum number of words you need from the FTV to uniquely identify it.

Question: In those // days...
Answer: ...John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea  and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”  (Matthew 3:1-2)

Question:  This is he // who was spoken of...
Answer:  ...through the prophet Isaiah:  “A voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’”  (Matthew 3:3)

Question:  “I // baptize you... 
Answer:  ...with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.  (Matthew 3:11)

Question:  As // soon as Jesus was baptized,... 
Answer:  ...he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:16-17)

MUSICAL INTERLUDE: I Need a Miracle

WEEK 3: Study Matthew, Chapter 3

This week (September 20 thru September 26), please study Matthew, Chapter 3

If you want to read the chapter online, click here. (Free website Biblegateway.Com)

Download an MP3 of the chapter.  (No password required this week.)

If you'd like to read a commentary on the chapter, click here. (Free website, Biblegateway.Com)

Download the puzzle for this chapter.  (No password required this week.)

Study Tip: Having problems absorbing the text in such a way that you can get questions at practice? Consider getting your family or friends involved. Have them pick up a Bible and pick a verse from the chapter you are studying. Have them read the first half (or little bit) of the verse, and then you try to complete as much as you can. This gets you used to hearing the text the same way you will in practice.

Upcoming Events:
- Saturday, October 27 Quiz Meet in Cresskill NJ

CHAPTER REVIEW: Matthew 2

If you will not be in Sunday School this week, we don't want you to miss out on the review of the chapter.  You can download Coach Mark's lesson by clicking here, or on the image below.

CHECKPOINT: Matthew 2

Here's your chance to see if your studying is up to snuff this week.  If you can answer all of these questions without looking at the answer key, you're probably doing well.  If not, it is time for some high-octane cramming!

1.  Out of Egypt I what?
a.  Beckoned to my child
b.  Called my son
c.  Came with hope for the nations
d.  Rose with the sun

2.  REFERENCE:  According to Matthew 2:11, Who worshiped him?
a.  (They) His parents.
b.  (He) Herod
c.  (They) The Magi.
d.  (He) Joseph

3.  As soon as you find him, do what?
a.  Report to me (me/Herod)
b.  Return to me (me/Herod)
c.  Send me a letter (me/Herod)
d.  Report to the local magistrate

4.  2 PART :  The star they had seen in the east what? (choose two)
a.  Appeared again
b.  Stopped over the manger
c.  Went ahead of them, (them/Magi)
d.  Stopped over the place where the child was

5.  SITUATION:  How was it said?  "A voice is heard in RAMAH, weeping and great MOURNING, RACHEL weeping for her children and REFUSING to be comforted, because they are no more."
a.  With great sorrow
b.  Through the prophet Isaiah
c.  With weeping and gnashing of teeth
d.  Through the prophet Jeremiah

6.  He will be called what?
a.  An EGYPTIAN
b.  A GALLILEAN
c.  A NAZARENE
d.  A JUDEAN

Answers:  1b, 2c, 3a, 4cd, 5d, 6c

WEEKLY COMIC: Many Happy... Returns?

REFERENCE QUESTIONS: Matthew 2

Remember, the full list of Reference Questions can always be found in the sidebar or at this link.


QUESTION:  According  to  Matthew  2:11, Who  worshiped  him?
ANSWER: (They) The  Magi. 14:33, 28:9, 28:17

QUESTION:  According  to  Mat  2:15, What  was  fulfilled?
ANSWER: (What  the  Lord  had  said  through  the  prophet:) "Out  of  Egypt  I  called  my  son."

QUESTION:  According  to  Mat  2:18, What  was  fulfilled?
ANSWER: "A  voice  is  heard  in  Ramah, weeping  and  great  mourning, Rachel  weeping  for  her  children  and  refusing  to  be  comforted, because  they  are  no  more."

QUESTION:  According  to  Mat  2:23, What  was  fulfilled?
ANSWER: (What  was  said  through  the  prophets:) "He  will  be  called  a  Nazarene."

FINISH THE VERSE: Matthew 2

Remember, the full list of FTV's can always be found at this link. The // in the verse marks the minimum number of words you need from the FTV to uniquely identify it.

Question: After // Jesus was born... 
Answer: ...in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod,(B) Magi[a] from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.” (Matthew 2:1-2)

Question: "But you, Bethlehem // in the land of Judah,... 
Answer: ...are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.’"(Matthew 2:6)

Question: On coming // to the house,...
Answer: ...they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. (Matthew 2:11)

MUSICAL INTERLUDE: Be Somebody

WEEK 2: Study Matthew, Chapter 2

This week (September 13 thru September 19), please study Matthew, Chapter 2

If you want to read the chapter online, click here. (Free website Biblegateway.Com)

Download an MP3 of the chapter.  (No password required this week.)

If you'd like to read a commentary on the chapter, click here. (Free website, BibleStudyTools.Com)

Download the puzzle for this chapter.  (Password is "monroebiblequiz.com")

Study Tip: All bible quizzing is done in the NIV's 1984 edition. A new edition was released in 2011 which makes minor (but significant) changes to the text, which our reference and finish-the-verse questions will not support. (If you got a scripture portion from the coaches, it is the 1984 version.) If you should answer a finish-the-verse word-perfect from the 2011 version, it is wrong if it doesn't match the 1984 version. If you have any doubts or questions, please contact the coaches.

Upcoming Events:
- September 22 - Quiz Meet in Trumbull, CT

CHAPTER REVIEW: Matthew 1

Today is the first practice!  We hope to see all of you there, right after early church, in the Youth Room.  

(Please try to get there promptly!  We'll be hard-pressed to get everything done in the time we have.)

But if you can't make it today, we don't want you to miss out!  Click here or on the image below to download the lesson that Coach Mark will be giving on Matthew Chapter 1.

BIBLE NEWS: Bible Museum coming to Washington D.C.

The Bible is written by people who were eye-witnesses to the acts of God and His people. Clearly, there is value in seeing for yourself what God has done for you, over the course of history. In this spirit, a new group is looking to build a Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C., so that visitors can see Biblical-artifacts from over the years and see recreations of major events in Bible history.

Summers said the traveling exhibit recreates at 80 percent scale the chamber of London’s Westminster Abbey where the King James Version of the Bible was written. A full-scale recreation is planned for the museum. 

Steve Green, president of the Hobby Lobby arts and crafts chain and a Southern Baptist, said the museum will feature the history, contents and influence of the Bible but will leave it up to visitors to decide whether to believe the holy book. 

“When we present the evidence, I think it’s going to be compelling for somebody to say, ‘Wow, this is a compelling book. I might want to consider what it has to say,’” he said.

WEEKLY COMIC: Joseph the Comedian

Are you coming to the Quiz Meet?

Our first practice is Sunday, but it is already time to be thinking about the first Meet!  Check your family calendar and see if you can come.  If at all possible, we need your answer at practice on Sunday so Trumbull can order the right amount of food.

(Remember your health form and event form, too. Bring it to practice on Sunday or to the meet itself.)

WHEN:  Saturday, September 22
WHERE:  Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Trumbull, CT
WHEN DO WE MEET?:  To drive over together, meet at Beacon Hill Church at 9:30 AM
(If you'd prefer to drive yourself, meet us at Calvary Church at 10 AM)
WHAT ARE WE QUIZZING ON?:  Matthew chapters 1 & 2
COST:  $5 for lunch (if you don't want or can't do lunch, there is no cost)
WHAT TIME DOES IT END?:  We should be done by 1 PM.

If you are coming, we recommend you wear a red shirt (or sweatshirt, etc.) so we look like a team.  We'll order shirts a little later in the year.

MUSICAL INTERLUDE: He Said

PRAYER REQUEST: Pray for the families of 9/11/2001

Please take a moment today to pray for the families of those who died in the events of 9/11/2001.  While the memory may be growing dim for some of us (or some of us may have been too young to remember it at all), a missing family member is always tugging at your heart.



And if you really don't remember 9/11, click here to read up on the history.

WEEK 1: Study Matthew, Chapter 1

We won't normally repeat this info twice, but it has been a couple weeks since the Kickoff and our first practice is this coming Sunday.  So, if you missed it the first time, here is the key study info.

This week (September 10 thru September 16), please study Matthew, Chapter 1

If you want to read the chapter online, click here. (Free website Biblegateway.Com)

Click here to download an MP3 of Matthew, Chapter 1.  (Use "monroebiblequiz.com" as the password, when asked.  This link will only work for 90 days.)

If you'd like to read a commentary on the chapter, click here. (Free website, ChristNotes.Com)

If you want to download the puzzle for this week, click here.  (Use "monroebiblequiz.com" as the password, when asked.  This link will only work for 90 days.)

If you want to see the Reference Questions for this week, click here.

If you want to see the Finish-the-Verse (i.e. memory verses) for this week, click here.

Study Tip: For Bible Quizzing, we recommend at a minimum that quizzers read the chapter at least twice each day. This provides a good foundation for studying as the quizzer becomes familiar with the material. It is often good to make this a first-thing-in-the-morning, and a last-thing-at-night event, as that lodges the material in the brain for the subconscious to work on it during your day and overnight.

Upcoming Events:
- September 16 - Practices begin
- September 22 - Quiz Meet in Trumbull, CT

HUMOR: Stand up, stand up!

Not mine.  Found online.

The minister was preoccupied with thoughts of how he was going to ask the congregation to come up with more money than they were expecting for repairs to the church building. Therefore, he was annoyed to find that the regular organist was sick and a substitute had been brought in at the last minute. The substitute wanted to know what to play.
"Here's a copy of the service," he said impatiently. "But, you'll have to think of something to play after I make the announcement about the finances."
During the service, the minister paused and said, "Brothers and Sisters, we are in great difficulty; the roof repairs cost twice as much as we expected and we need $4,000 more. Any of you who can pledge $100 or more, please stand up."
At that moment, the substitute organist played "The Star Spangled Banner."
And that is how the substitute became the regular organist!

CHECKPOINT: How am I doing with Matthew 1?

You should be two weeks into studying Matthew chapter 1 by now.  Hopefully, you've been reading the chapter regularly, listening to the MP3, and committing the material to memory.  However, not everyone is good at judging their readiness on their own.  Here is a quick self-quiz.  If you know all the answers here without cheating, you probably are doing pretty well.  If not, consider changing up your study strategy this week.


1. Boaz (was) the father of whom?
a.  David
b.  Obed
c.  Jesse
d.  Ahaz

2.  They will call him what?
a.  Jesus
b.  The Son of Man
c.  Christ
d.  Immanuel

3.  2 PART :  Judah (was) the father of whom? (Choose 2)

a.  Perez

b.  Manasseh  

c.   Zerah

d.  Amon

4.  SITUATION:  Who said it? To whom? When? - "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is CONCEIVED in her is from the Holy Spirit."

a.  WHO: The angel Michael, TO WHOM:  Joseph, WHEN:  When he was terrified

b.  WHO:  God, TO WHOM:  David, WHEN:  When he was on the road to Bethlehem

c.  WHO:  A man dressed in white, TO WHOM:  Joseph, son of Jacob, WHEN:  When he was in Egypt

d.  WHO: An angel of the Lord, TO WHOM:  Joseph, WHEN:  When the angel appeared to him in a dream

5.  He gave him what?

a.  The name Jesus

b.  The name Christ

c.  The name Immanuel

d.  The name Son of God

6.  REFERENCE:  According to Matthew 1:22-23, The Lord had said what through the prophet?

a.  "He  will  be  called  a  Nazarene."

b.  "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel."

c.  "He  will  command  his  angels  concerning  you, and  they  will  lift  you  up  in  their  hands, so  that  you  will  not  strike  your  foot  against  a  stone."

d.  "Out  of  Egypt  I  called  my  son."

Answers:  1b, 2d, 3ac, 4d, 5a, 6b

WEEKLY COMIC: God *is* good, but...

Thanks to Will Sarris for the MP3s

Did you download the MP3 of Matthew 1 last week?  If not, be sure to download it now (password is "monroebiblequiz.com").

We just wanted to take a moment to thank former Bible Quizzer William Sarris for recording these MP3s for us.  Will is a voiceover artist and great supporter of our ministry.  We'll have a new MP3 every week, so stay tuned.  (If you have problems downloading or playing MP3s, let us know.  We can burn a CD for you instead.)

BIBLE NEWS: A Bible-Based Tablet?

It comes as no surprise to anyone who knows me, but I am an avid user of the Apple iPad. It is not only used for surfing the web and checking e-mail, but also for studying the Bible, taking notes during sermons, and reading Biblical references. So, I viewed with interest the news that a new group is looking to bring about a "Biblical tablet computer" filled with books about the Bible, Christian radio stations, and a "safe" web browser.

The Edifi tablet is a full-colour touchscreen, much like Apple's iPad - but it's pre-loaded with Bible passages, Christian radio stations and free religious e-Books.

The seven-inch Android tablet is $149, and will launch soon in America - and even non-believers might be tempted by its low price.

MUSICAL INTERLUDE: Rest Easy

PHOTOS: Greek Orthodox Church

Our church comes from the Reformed tradition of Christianity. This branch of the faith has largely abandoned religion art in the sanctuary in favor of a much more spare and sparse experience. But some other Christian traditions are very different in this. We visited the St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church this past weekend for their Odyssey Greek Festival, and took the chance to see the amazing art on display there. We thought you might enjoy seeing some of the photos. Click on the image below for the whole set.

HUMOR: Biblical Role Models

Not mine, found online.

A young boy had just gotten his driver's permit and enquired of his father, if they could discuss his use of the car. His father said, "I'll make a deal with you. You bring your grades up from a C to a B average, study your Bible a little, get your hair cut and we'll talk about the car."
Well, the boy thought about that for a moment, and settle for the offer, and they agreed on it. After about six weeks they went in to the study, where his father said, "Son, I've been real proud. You've brought your grades up, and I've observed that you have been studying your Bible, and participating a lot more in the Bible study groups. But, I'm real disappointed, since you haven't gotten your hair cut."
The young man paused a moment, and then said, "You know, Dad, I've been thinking about that, and I've noticed in my studies of the Bible that Samson had long hair, John the Baptist had long hair, Moses had long hair and there's even a strong argument that Jesus had long hair also."
To this his father replied, "Did you also notice they all walked everywhere they went?"

FINISH THE VERSE: Matthew 1

Remember, the full list of FTV's can always be found at this link. The // in the verse marks the minimum number of words you need from the FTV to uniquely identify it.

Question: This is how // the birth...
Answer: ...of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 1:18)

Question: She // will give birth...
Answer: ...to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,[a](A) because he will save his people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21)


Question: All // this took place...
Answer: ...to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”—which means, “God with us.” (Matthew 1:22-23)