CONNECT (5-10 minutes): Help the members of the group grow in relationships with one another so all people in the group know they matter. Spend some time discovering what is happening in the lives of your group members. Share how God has been revealing himself in each other’s lives.
REVIEW (15-20 minutes): Use this time to review the passage and the sermon outline (see below).
Note: this is a great opportunity to share leadership.
Use these simple questions to review the sermon/passage or for if you don’t have much time:
1. What does this passage teach you about God? About us?
2. How does this passage point us to the gospel? How does it challenge you? Change you?
SCRIPTURE:
Mark 12:35-37. And as Jesus taught in the temple, he said, “How can the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David? 36 David himself, in the Holy Spirit, declared,
‘The Lord said to my Lord,
Sit at my right hand,
until I put your enemies under your feet.’
37 David himself calls him Lord. So how is he his son?” And the great throng heard him gladly.
SERMON OUTLINE:
I. What is the Messiah?
- The Messiah or Christ (“anointed on”) is Israel’s chosen savior.
- The Messiah would come from the line of David.
- The Messiah would conquer his enemies (Psalm 110) but also suffer.
II. The Greatness of Jesus Messiah.
- Psalm 110 prophesied that the Messiah would be David’s son but also God’s son.
- Jesus’ Messianic kingdom is earthly and heavenly.
- Jesus’ Messianic Kingdom is for everyone, not just Israel.
- Jesus’ Messianic kingdom is present spiritually but in the future physically.
III. Jesus the Christ.
- We must not separate the historic Jesus from the cosmic Christ.
- We depend on the historic Jesus for our salvation but the life of Christ is our salvation.
- Because of our union with Christ, everything Jesus has accomplished is shared with us.
- To deny the cosmic Christ is to make Jesus only our example, and to deny the historic Jesus is to separate spiritual growth from the life of Jesus.
- Being “in Christ” means we have the life and love of Christ; “Christ in you” means that we can live and love as Christ.
GROW (45-60 minutes): Use this time to go deeper with your group.
Use these questions to discuss the sermon/passage:
1. In your own words can you explain the conundrum that Psalm 110:1 presents? What point is Jesus trying to make by quoting this prophecy?
2. The big question that was asked in the sermon was “Is Jesus your Christ?” What does this question mean to you? How is Jesus being your Christ more than Jesus just being your example?
3. Jesus’ kingdom is “already but not yet.” It is a present spiritual reality (“Sit at my right hand”) and yet it is a physical reality that is yet to come (“until I make your enemies your footstool”). The enemies of sin and death have not yet been fully conquered (we still sin and we still die). This means that the Christian life is full of both joy and sorrow because we are in a spiritual battle but victory is assured. Where has this spiritual battle been evident in your life lately? How can the hope of Christ help you fight this battle?
4. Jesus is the Christ. We cannot separate the historic Jesus from the cosmic Christ. It is true that we are united to Christ and all his blessings, but we are also united to Jesus’ death and resurrection. This means that we too need to take up our cross daily and live a life of sacrifice. Do you see your Christian life this way: as a life of spiritual blessing that empowers you to be a living sacrifice for God and others? What do you need to do to apply this gospel truth to your life?
5. The chart below was handed out at the sermon. What stands out to you from this chart? What encourages you? Confuses you?
