Sermon Discussion Questions: The Messianic Paradox
Mark 12:35–37
Main Idea:The Messiah’s surprising identity entails life-changing implications.
Discussion Questions:
1. What is Jesus really asking in his question, “How can the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David?” (Mark 12:35)
2. What Psalm does Jesus quote in Mark 1:36?
3.Why is it important to Jesus that this Psalm was written by David himself?
4. Who is the first “LORD” and second “lord” in Psalm 110:1?
5. How can David’s lord (his future son) attain a far greater status than David given everything David achieved?
6. Does the author of this Gospel anticipate positive responses from the crowd’s “glad hearing?” (Cf. Mark 6:20)
Application Questions:
7. What impacted you the most in the sermon this week? What would it look like for you to take the next steps of obedience?
8. How should the warning that hearing with gladness is not the same thing as hearing with faith guide our interactions with our children, children in our ministries, and even adults that we interact with in our church and the surrounding community?
9. What is the ultimate danger of hearing with gladness but not hearing with faith? (Cf, Matt 7:21–23)
10. How can God’s statement to David’s Son, “Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet” (Mark 12:36, Ps 110:1) encourage increased faith and perseverance in the face of difficulty, opposition, and persecution?
11. Is there anything you feel like you need to share with someone else from this text? What is it? And who do you need to share it with?