THEE WORD FOR THE WEEK

Absolute Trust Mark 12:13-44 (Focal Passage: Mark 12:38-44) July 25-29, 2011

Monday Read Mark 12:13-17: Whose Image Do You Bear? If Jesus answered the question in vs. 14 by simply saying, Pay taxes to Caesar, He would be betraying Israel, and thus, the Pharisees would have reason to be mad. But if Jesus answered the question by saying, Dont pay taxes to Caesar, He would be subverting the government, and thus, the Herodians would have reason to be mad. He was stuck between and rock and a hard place. Do you ever feel this way in your life? When following Jesus, do you ever feel being loyal to God leaves you between two bad decisions? How does Jesus respond? Whose image was on the coin? Whose image is on humans? Caesars image is on the coin but Gods image is on humanity. We are to give the things to God that are Gods. What really belongs to God? What then should we give to God? Tuesday Read Mark 12.18-27: Is God alive to you? The Sadducees, who didnt believe in resurrection, brought a wild and outrageous scenario to Jesus to try to point out the silliness of believing in resurrection. Jesus, again, avoids their trapping question and points out their error. God is alive and does indeed resurrect. What was their question to Jesus (vs.23)? How does Jesus respond to their question? Jesus answer is in vs. 26-27. What is the significance of God saying, I am the God of as opposed to I was the God of .? We are beginning to see a pattern: those who question Jesus get shamed by His wisdom. What does this lesson speak to us today? Can we trust Jesus, even when it doesnt make sense? Wednesday Read Mark 12.28-34: The Greatest Command is a Package Deal A scribe asked Jesus the greatest command. This was a popular question for Jewish teachers to have to answer. Many agreed that loving God was the most important. However, Jesus said that the greatest command is a package deal: loving God and loving others. Why must loving God be related to loving your neighbor? How do these two things work together? Why must loving your neighbor be related to loving God? How do these two things work together? In what manner are we to love our neighbors? Why is this important? Thursday Read Mark 12:35-37: The Tables Turn In this passage, Jesus turns the tables on the Jewish leaders. It is now His turn to ask a question. He asks them about the Messiah. What is Jesus question to them? Why does He ask this question to them? Jesus quotes a passage written by David about the Messiah. What is the significance of my Lord? What is Jesus final question? How can the Messiah be both Lord and the son of a man? What does Jesus want them to realize? Jesus leaves them with a question, not an answer. Why does He do this? What can we learn from His example? Friday Read Mark 12:38-44: The Widow To point of the hypocrisy of the scribes, Jesus directs the attention of disciples to a widow who gave two small coins, worth less than a penny, in the offering box. Imagine youre one of the disciples and you dont know how this story ends, what would you be thinking after hearing Jesus words in vs. 43-44? Would you be confused? Would you think Jesus words dont make sense? Imagine youer one of the rich people putting large amounts in the offering box and you dont know how this story ends, what would you be thinking after hearing Jesus words in vs. 43-44? Would you be offended? Would you think Jesus words dont make sense? What point is Jesus trying to make? What does Jesus really want from us today?