Week 4
Read: Mark 2:13-17 and your notes from Sunday morning’s sermon.
Intro: In this week’s scripture we see that the pharisees just can not understand how a religious person like Jesus could be associating with an unclean, irreligous person, such as a tax collector. One thing to note here is that tax collectors were hated, but especially by the Jewish people. Tax collectors often made their profit by extorting those whom they collected taxes from and they considered no better than a common thief. The Jews even believed that the touch of a tax collector made them unclean, so Jesus eating with one at his home would have been very offensive to the Jewish leaders (pharisees.)
Questions:
- Was Jesus response to someone normally looked down upon one of judgment or of love?
2. What kind of people might we find it socially acceptable to look down on if we are honest with ourselves?
3. If we are to follow Jesus’ example, how should we interact with these people instead?
Feel free to discuss or ask additional questions as they arise
Spiritual Practice: We are currently focusing on the spiritual discipline of submission. As we talked about Sunday morning, our self righteous nature would lead us to believe that others should look like us, but not necessarily like Jesus. In practicing submitting to Christ we should be yielding to his authority, and his ways. Are there times where instead of treating others how Jesus would have treated them, you have treated them how the world often treats “unclean” or looked down upon people? This week make it a point to show love to someone you normally wouldn’t have. Some examples could be stopping to pray over a homeless person, writing an encouraging letter to someone in jail, or maybe it’s a kind word to someone who has opposite political views from yourself. Whatever you do, do it in love and not judgment.
Closing verse: Luke 6:37-38 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
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