Grow Guide | March 3, 2024
Theme: One Easter, One Mission
Reading: Mark 12:28-34
Connecting Questions
What is your number one rule for driving a vehicle?
What is your number one rule regarding money?
Prayer for Illumination
Lord God, You have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Context
One Easter One Mission, as a community of believers we will come together to celebrate community and generosity. We will use those attributes to carry on the work of Jesus Christ. Studying the gospel of Mark we see how Jesus taught his disciples (and us) to bear fruit and live active lives of faith. Come explore the many opportunities to grow in faith and carry on the work of Jesus Christ at Easter. So glad you are here!
From Pastor Paul Berge at EntertheBible.org:
This section (Mark 11:1-15:47), which includes Mark’s Passion Narrative, consists of three cycles of stories that focus first on Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem and his teaching in the temple, then on his teaching about the destruction of the temple and the coming of the Son of Man, and finally on his identity as the temple and the crucified Son of God. The material in this section carries through the theme of the disciples’ inability and failure to watch.
Look at the Book
Open to Mark 1. Reread Mark 1:1; why was this verse so important?
Jump to Mark 12:18. Who is Jesus sparring with? Google them; what do you learn?
Who is your favorite person to verbally spar with? Many different religious groups did not know what to make of Jesus and were constantly testing him to discredit him.
Why do you think the scribe asked what commandment is first? What is the first of the Ten Commandments?
Jesus, in his answer, combines Deuteronomy 6:4-5 and Leviticus 19:18. Look them up; what do you learn?
Why did Jesus choose that one as “first?”
In 12:31, Jesus makes neighbor connected to our love for God. What does that mean to you?
In 12:32-33, the scribe “interprets” Jesus's response. What does he say? What does the scribe say that loving God and loving your neighbor is “better” than? Why?
This is the only scribe that Jesus praises or Mark speaks of positively. What is Jesus’s encouragement?
How does the crowd respond? Why?
In what ways does Easter love God and love our neighbor as Jesus commands?
As we work towards one site as Easter, it gives us an opportunity to turn our energy towards our neighbor. What is one hope you have for people who want to ask Jesus a question (because they are not connected to a church) could look like at the new site? Visit easter.org/onesite to learn more.
Who models care for our neighbor in your life? How?
Our theme words for this week are love, service, humility. Which speaks to you today? Why?
What would you like to talk about that we have not yet?
Taking it Home
Send an email to one of our partner ministries thanking them for their work.
Call or text with a friend who is longer connected to a church. Check in on them in love.
God of the promise, you call your people together into your one mission in Christ’s name. Make us brave, grant us peace, challenge our expectations, and empower us to truly follow your Spirit’s lead. You are our one God who calls us together as one people, and we thank you in Jesus’ name. Amen.