A Story He Could Only Tell: A Love Stronger than Death
In Honor of My Grandad, Hoyte Haskins, February 25, 1934 ~ October 24, 2020 She sat in the passenger seat of a car with the window rolled down. Her eyes were full of tears. She stared over the mask on her face at her husband's body that lay in a casket twenty-five feet away from her car. This was the closest my grandmother had been to my granddad in over a week. After falling from his wheelchair, he had been taken to the hospital where he had tested positive for COVID. He came home for a brief stint only [...]
Mark 15:21-47 Sermon Discussion Questions
What comfort does it bring to know that Jesus chose to endure the full brunt of suffering physically, spiritually, and eternally on the cross for your sin? Why must we not only believe that Jesus suffered physical pain on the cross but He also endured the infinite wrath of God on the cross? How does the mocking of Jesus on the cross display the nature of your sin? In what ways have you mocked the creator? How have you lived as if you are the king and Jesus is the clown? Why is the centurion’s confession at the cross, [...]
Mark 15:1-20 Sermon Discussion Questions
How do you see the world fighting for power? How do you see unbelievers fight for power? How are we tempted to fight for power in the church? How does the gospel free us from this power struggle? How does the gospel give you leverage to serve others instead of fighting them for power? Who do you need to stop fighting for the upper hand and begin serving for the sake of the gospel? Mercy is not easy in every situation. Some conflicts are severe and need the difficult process of confrontation, confession, and repentance for reconciliation to be [...]
Mark 14:41-52 Sermon Discussion Questions
How does describing your sin against God as betrayal make you feel? Does it give clarity to the nature of your sin? Why might we refuse such a description of our sin? Why should all sin be considered blatant betrayal of Jesus? In what ways do you try to make your sin less blatant and something other than actual betrayal of Jesus? Are there ways you are trying to just keep the peace with Jesus because you know the consequences of walking away would be too much? How have you experienced the freedom of mercy that comes from acknowledging [...]
Mark 14:26-40 Sermon Discussion Question
Jesus is overcome with sorrow as He moves toward the cross. He dreads the judgment for sin. Why should this moment in the Savior’s life bring about a gravity concerning Hell in your own life? How should it cause us to pray and plead with those who we know are lost? Who in your life can we pray for who is facing God’s eternal judgment without Jesus? We get a glimpse into Jesus' humanity as He turns to men who say the transfiguration and says, “I am overwhelmed to the point of death.” How does this moment in Jesus' [...]
Mark 14:1-21
Is Jesus worthy or is the sin worth it? What areas of your life do you find yourself struggling over this question? What specific ways can you sacrifice to declare the worth of Jesus? Are there thing you value that could be used for Jesus? Are there things of worth that you could give up for Jesus? How has God taught you that compared to Jesus, sin is never worth it? How has sin disappointed you? What hardships have you endured to learn this lesson? At the center of this story of betrayal there is a story of [...]