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Friday, March 21, 2014

Scripture & Questions for Sunday (3/23/14)

Scripture
Mark 12:1-12 (ESV)  
And he began to speak to them in parables. "A man planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a pit for the winepress and built a tower, and leased it to tenants and went into another country. [2] When the season came, he sent a servant to the tenants to get from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. [3] And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed. [4] Again he sent to them another servant, and they struck him on the head and treated him shamefully. [5] And he sent another, and him they killed. And so with many others: some they beat, and some they killed. [6] He had still one other, a beloved son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.' [7] But those tenants said to one another, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.' [8] And they took him and killed him and threw him out of the vineyard. [9] What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others. [10] Have you not read this Scripture:
    " 'The stone that the builders rejected
        has become the cornerstone;
   [11] this was the Lord's doing,
        and it is marvelous in our eyes'?"
[12] And they were seeking to arrest him but feared the people, for they perceived that he had told the parable against them. So they left him and went away.

Questions for Reflection

1. What was your reaction to a time when you were cheated?
2. To whom was Jesus speaking? (12:1)
3. Whom do the farmer, servants, and son in the parable represent? (12:1-6)
4. Why did the owner of the vineyard send so many servants to the tenants looking after the vineyard? (12:2-5)
5. How did the tenants treat the owner’s son? Why? (12:7-8)
6. In what ways is it possible to mistreat the messengers or message God has sent us?
7. How does God want us to treat His message?
8. How can you be a better steward of the spiritual responsibility God has given you?
9. What is one area of your life that you are holding back from the Lord for fear that He may ask too much of you?

Friday, March 7, 2014

Scripture & Questions for Sunday (3/9/14)

Please don't forget to change your clocks Saturday night.

Scripture
Mark 11:1-11 (ESV)  
Now when they drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples [2] and said to them, "Go into the village in front of you, and immediately as you enter it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it. [3] If anyone says to you, 'Why are you doing this?' say, 'The Lord has need of it and will send it back here immediately.' " [4] And they went away and found a colt tied at a door outside in the street, and they untied it. [5] And some of those standing there said to them, "What are you doing, untying the colt?" [6] And they told them what Jesus had said, and they let them go. [7] And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it, and he sat on it. [8] And many spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields. [9] And those who went before and those who followed were shouting, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! [10] Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!" [11] And he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple. And when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.

Questions for Reflection

1. What kinds of events or occasions do we celebrate with parades?
2. How did the disciples’ experience match with what Jesus said? (11:4-7)
3. What did the people in the village do when the disciples asked to take their colt? (11:6)
4. What did Jesus do with the colt? (11:7)
5. How did Jesus enter Jerusalem? (11:7-11)
6. Why did the people spread cloaks and branches on the road for Jesus? (11:8-10)
7. What do you think the disciples thought about what Jesus asked them to do?
8. Why do you think the people in the village let the disciples take their colt?
9. What did Jesus communicate to the crowds by riding a donkey into Jerusalem?
10. When has God told you to do something that you thought was unusual or difficult to justify?
11. Why do you think God does not always reveal His intentions or long-range plans for us when we find ourselves in difficult circumstances?
12. What should we do when we do not understand what God is trying to accomplish in us and through us?

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

March 2014 Newsletter

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March 2014 Newsletter