Our church is currently studying the book of Mark. For twenty-eight weeks we're walking through the book and talking about the action-packed story of Jesus. Mark was more concerned with what Jesus did than what Jesus said. I'm so thankful for Joey Ross preaching this week and writing these amazing questions. It seemed like a waste to leave them in a file on my computer and not share them with everyone.
Small Group Questions ::: Power, Politics, and Prenups ::: Mark 12:1-27
Jesus now finds himself in an increasing hostile situation, he is in Jerusalem, surrounded by various religious parties all of whom are are out to get him. Here Jesus tells a parable, one that is an indictment on them and the way they have stewarded the gift of leadership God has given them. From this, they look to trap him every way they can, in order to arrest and eventually kill him. Today this passage serves as a reminder to us that we are called to steward our gift from God, and in addition to hold everything in its rightful place.
1) Share a time where you held on to something a little to tightly and it was eventually taken from you. Or to put it another way share about something that became an idol in your life.
2) Read Mark 12:1-27: Share anything that stood out to you in this passage, a word, phrase, question or something that stood out to you from the from the sermon this week.
3) In Jesus' Parable of the Tenants, who does the vineyard builder represent? The vineyard (Isaiah 5)? The tenants? The son? (Mark 12:1-9). What character do you most relate to in your life?
4) Read Mark 12:12 Why is this parable the tipping point for the religious leaders? What about the parable upset them so much? Have you ever met people who not only doesn’t/didn’t believe in God, but was hostile to God? What was that like?
5) Christianity has always thrived most as a life-giving minority, not a political majority, however its hard to ignore that these two topics effect one another. Politics and religion have always been hot topic issues. In Mark 12:13-17, how does Jesus put these topic in proper perspective?
6) What will be the state of marriage in heaven? How does Jesus demonstrate resurrection from God's words to Moses?
7) In Mark 12:18-27 Jesus is very straight forward with his feelings about the Sadducees and their understanding of Scripture, and what God is like. He says at the end they are badly mistaken. The truth for all of us is we are all mistaken on something we believe about God. We just don’t know what it is. How do you remain open to God’s correction in our understanding of him?
Close your time in prayer and ask God to reveal to beliefs or things in your life that need to be open to him correcting.
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