27/3 - Journey to the Cross - Mark 12:18-34
Some thoughts from our Zoom time this morning…
1. Questions about resurrection and relationships
The Sadducees raise a question about marriage in the resurrection, which connects with how we often think about being reunited with loved ones. Scripture suggests we will recognise one another (as people recognised Jesus after his resurrection), but relationships may be transformed as we worship God together. How does this shape our understanding of eternity?
2. Mystery and hope beyond what we see now
There is a sense that we don’t fully understand what heaven will be like—“now we see through a glass darkly” (echoing the First Epistle to the Corinthians 13:12). Yet passages like Book of Revelation point to being gathered with all God’s people in worship. How do we hold together mystery and hope when thinking about eternal life?
3. A trick question with wrong assumptions
The Sadducees’ question is designed to trap Jesus, but it’s based on misunderstanding both Scripture and the power of God. In what ways might our own questions or doubts sometimes be shaped by wrong assumptions?
4. The God of the living
Jesus points to the burning bush (Book of Exodus 3) to show that God is the God of the living, not the dead—implying ongoing life with him. What does this teach us about the reality and certainty of the resurrection?
5. Challenging Jesus’ authority
Across these chapters, different groups try to question and undermine Jesus, yet his answers consistently reveal wisdom and authority. Why do people still find Jesus’ authority challenging today?
6. When truth silences opposition
Jesus’ answers leave his critics unable—or unwilling—to continue questioning. Perhaps they are embarrassed, or confronted by truth they don’t want to accept. What was it about Jesus’ responses that made further questions stop?
7. Head knowledge versus heart response
The teacher of the law answers wisely about loving God and neighbour, and Jesus says he is “not far from the kingdom.” He understands intellectually, but something more is needed. What is the difference between knowing about God and truly following him?
8. Religion vs the gospel
As someone put it: religion is humanity trying to reach God; the gospel is God reaching out to humanity. How does this passage highlight that difference?
9. The challenge of truly loving God
At the heart of Jesus’ teaching is the call to love God fully and love others as ourselves. The silence at the end may reflect the weight of that truth—realising how far short we fall. How do we respond to that challenge in our own lives?
We would love you to complete a feedback form on our Bible reading Plan and Zoom sessions here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdLST-tjJ_6jQ06XGYkV2N6QKFph9UtlAPviaiUsDXpHP89Xg/viewform?pli=1
This will aid our planning for the future:)