Connect Who is one person you can actively pray for and point to the merciful (and saving love) of Jesus?

Warm-Up

1. Which questions that Jesus asked have stood out for you so far in this series? When you consider questions that other people asked Jesus, do any come to mind?
2. Why were so many religious folk set against Jesus? Why do you think they were so threatened by him?
3. Do you think people (including Christians) can still feel threatened by Jesus today?

Read Mark 12:13-17

4. What has just happened in the proceeding part of Chapter 12 (and in chapter 11)?
5. Who were the two groups of religious people who posed the question to Jesus? In what ways were the Herodians and Pharisees opposites? What was the unifying factor that brought them together?
6. Can you think of any examples of opposites becoming frenemies because of a shared enemy?
7. Without rushing ahead to the actual question, what is the way that they ask the question? Why do you think they apply so much flattery to Jesus? How is it evident that Jesus sees through their words?
8. What question do they actually ask of Jesus? How is this a loaded question? (Also think historically.)
9. How could Jesus answering ‘yes’ or ‘no’ spell death for him either way? Why did they desire that?
10. What does Jesus recognise about their hearts? Why would it have been so good for them to consider Jesus’ (rhetorical) question about why they would seek to trap him?
11. Do we need to ever examine our motives when asking questions of Jesus? Do you have an example?
12. What is Jesus’ full response? What was a denarius? How was it much more than simply a coin (Especially identifying what was pictured and inscribed on the coin.)
13. How is Jesus the ultimate claim of the emperor to be the “High Priest” and “Son of God”?
14. What does Jesus mean by giving back to Caesar what is Caesar’s? In what way was it Ceasar’s?
15. Why was Jesus’ response so brilliant? How did it disarm the tactic of the Herodians and Pharisees?
16. What is the implication of “give back… to God what is God’s?” In whose image are we made?
17. In what way does following Jesus involve a continual giving ourselves back to God?
18. Do you think there is any new way that God is calling you to give yourself to him?
19. Should Christians obey their earthly authorities? Is there ever a line not to be crossed?
20. Is there anything too much for God to ask of us? Why or why not? What does it involve?
21. To whom do you belong? How would you explain this to a friend who is not yet a Christian?
    How is this question something for every single person to consider?

Apply Who is one person you can more actively pray for and point to the merciful (and saving love) of Jesus?

On Your Frontline this Week

Look for an opportunity to be generous with your time this week.

For Families

• Download: some of the family resources to use at home: stbartskids.org

Listen, Watch, and Read

• Listen (sermon): “The Call of Christ” by Tim Plyming:
  https://www.allsouls.org/Groups/139869/L099_New_Year_Foundations.aspx 
• Listen (sermon): “Gospel Discipleship” by Dick Lucas
  https://www.st-helens.org.uk/resources/talk/1226/ 
• Listen (sermon): “I have a message from God to you” by Charlie Skrine:
  https://www.allsouls.org/Groups/367494/B038_Introducing_Jesus.aspx 
• Listen (sermon): “The Call of God’s King” by Suresh Menon:
  https://stebbes.org/sermons/the-call-of-gods-king/ 
• Watch (video): “Mark” overview by the Bible Project:
  https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/mark/ 

Series Resources

• Read (book): “Lent” by Esau McCaulley 📚
• Read (book): “Lent for Everyone (Mark)” by Tom Wright
• Read (children’s book): “The Friend and the Traveller” by Sam Brewster & Hannah Green 📚
• Read (devotional): Daily Lenten Devotional by Gospel in Life (Keller)
  gospelinlife.com/devotional/lent/ 
• Pray (prayer guide): “For the Persecuted Church” by Open Doors
  www.opendoors.org.au/get-involved/prayer/
  
  

📚 Available to borrow in the Church library

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