As we consider Jesus’ parable of the tenants, and the question about paying taxes, Jesus’ teaching pushes us to consider who is truly in charge of our world, and our lives.
Worship this week:
Saturday 5:00 p.m. in the chapel
Sunday 8:30 a.m. Traditional Worship
9:30 a.m. Sunday School
10:30 a.m. Contemporary Worship
Devotions for this week:
Parable of the Tenants, question about taxes February 28, 2016
SHARE: What was a high point of your day? What was a low point?
READ: Read the following daily readings to deepen your understanding
Sunday, Mark 12:1-12, Parable of the Tenants
Monday, Psalm 86:8-13
Tuesday, Mark 12:13-17, Taxes to Caesar
Wednesday, Mark 12:18-27, The Question about the Resurrection
Thursday, Isaiah 5:1-7, The Song of the Unfruitful Vineyard
Friday, Psalm 121
Saturday, Hebrews 1:1-4, God Has Spoken by His Son
TALK: Consider some of these ideas:
In the midst of a controversy over authority, Jesus is unable to provide an answer that would satisfy those who questioned his authority. Rather than continue trying to reason with them, he offered a parable. A little story set in a vineyard becomes a flimsily veiled threat to the chief priests, the legal experts, and the elders.
- What tone do these stories and parables take? How do Jesus’ words shape Jesus’ journey?
- What do you find most challenging about following Jesus? What could you do to make following easier?
- Who in the world suffers because of the lifestyle you lead? What could you do to change how your lifestyle affects the world?
- Write a parable that Jesus might tell to describe your life. Are you the bad guy, the good guy, or a blend of both? How does your parable end?
PRAY: Creative, creating one, let your words challenge us, engaging our imaginations in a revolutionary story that reshapes our understanding of the reality around us. Amen.
BLESS: May God teach you and give you courage to follow. Amen
