Connect How can you rely on Jesus everyday in the face of evil in the world?

Warm-Up

1. Have you ever had a situation in which you weren’t willing to recognise that there was a problem?
2. Have you ever tried to fix something but because you had failed (or refused) to recognise the actual cause, all of your efforts were futile?

Read Mark 7:1-23

3. What problem did the Pharisees and teachers of the law have with Jesus’ disciples?
4. What is meant by ‘defilement’ or being ‘unclean’? What effect does it have with our relationship with God?
5. Does Jesus agree that we do have a problem with ‘uncleanness? Who does this effect?
6. What do most people think about the assertion that we are unfit to be in God’s presence?
7. What did these religious people get right about the problem of defilement? What did they get wrong?
8. Did the Pharisees and teachers of the law think that ‘uncleanness’ had external (i.e., caused by something outside of us) or internal (i.e., caused from within us) causes?
9. What does Jesus explain is the source of our problem? (Look carefully through the entire passage to see the number of times he makes this point, along with what he says comes out of our hearts.)
10. How does this heart problem affect the religious people’s worship and ‘obedience’ to God’s commands? What example does Jesus use? (And what does Jesus mean by ‘Corban’?)
11. Why could their external efforts never truly remedy the problem of the heart? 
12. Do modern people ultimately think that our hearts are good or bad? How do you see that expressed? How does failing to recognise the true cause of our problem lead to inadequate solutions?
13. Do you ever slip into relying on rule-following or managing outward appearances to ‘earn your worth’ or to make you fit to be in God’s presence?
14. How do you feel when you first hear Jesus’ question (“Why are you so dull?”) to the disciples?
15. What had led Jesus to ask this question? Do you think he had grounds to be frustrated with their lack of understanding at this point? Do you think he could also rightly ask the question of us?
16. If we don’t understand the source of our problem, why is it likely that we’ll set about searching for the wrong solutions? How was that the case for some of the religious leaders?
17. How is Jesus the ultimate (and only) solution to our problem? How has he washed us clean?
18. How have you known God’s patience in your life? How have you experienced the beauty of his forgiveness?

Apply Are you ever tempted to rely on things (other than Jesus) to give you confidence before God? Take some time to repent of those things and renew your trust in the one who has made us clean.

On Your Frontline this Week

Write a note of encouragement to someone this week.

For Families

• Download: some of the family resources to use at home: stbartskids.org

Listen, Watch, and Read

• Listen (sermon): “The Call of Christ” by Tim Plyming:
  https://www.allsouls.org/Groups/139869/L099_New_Year_Foundations.aspx 
• Listen (sermon): “Gospel Discipleship” by Dick Lucas
  https://www.st-helens.org.uk/resources/talk/1226/ 
• Listen (sermon): “I have a message from God to you” by Charlie Skrine:
  https://www.allsouls.org/Groups/367494/B038_Introducing_Jesus.aspx 
• Listen (sermon): “The Call of God’s King” by Suresh Menon:
  https://stebbes.org/sermons/the-call-of-gods-king/ 
• Watch (video): “Mark” overview by the Bible Project:
  https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/mark/ 

Series Resources

• Read (book): “Lent” by Esau McCaulley 📚
• Read (book): “Lent for Everyone (Mark)” by Tom Wright
• Read (children’s book): “The Friend and the Traveller” by Sam Brewster & Hannah Green 📚
• Read (devotional): Daily Lenten Devotional by Gospel in Life (Keller)
  gospelinlife.com/devotional/lent/ 
• Pray (prayer guide): “For the Persecuted Church” by Open Doors
  www.opendoors.org.au/get-involved/prayer/
  
  

📚 Available to borrow in the Church library

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