September 30 = Life of Christ #195 (Matthew 22:34-40; Mark 12:28-34) Religious Leaders Question Jesus About The Greatest Commandment

Religious Leaders Question Jesus About The Greatest Commandment
Matthew 22:34-40
Mark 12:28-34

Intro Questions

Jesus Discusses the Greatest Commandment

Matthew 22:34–40; Mark 12:28–34

^{Mt 22:34}When the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they came together in the same place. ^{Mk 12:28}One of the scribes approached. When he heard them debating and saw that Jesus answered them well, he asked Him, “Which commandment is the most important of all? [^{Mt 22:36}Which commandment in the law is the greatest?]”

²⁹“This is the most important [^{Mt 22:38}greatest and most important commandment],” Jesus answered: “ ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord. ³⁰And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ ³¹The second is: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these. ^{Mt 22:39b}All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commandments.”

^{Mk 12:32–33}Then the scribe said to Him, “Well said, Teacher! You have spoken in truth that He is one, and there is no one else except Him. ³³And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is far more important than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

³⁴When Jesus saw that he answered intelligently, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And no one dared to question Him any longer.^[1]

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^[1] Knight, G. W. (2001). A simplified harmony of the Gospels (pp. 194–195). Holman Bible Publishers.

• God is ... What do we learn about God in this passage?
• We are ... What do we learn about people in this passage?
• 
  
• I will ... What has the Holy Spirit revealed to us in this passage? How can I apply it to my life this week?
• 
  
• You can ... Who do you know who needs to hear this? Feel free to share with others by social media links at the bottom of this.

https://youtu.be/OWXSgz52KLA

https://youtu.be/QDRLrz_Hf_c

Immigration and Ordering Love for Neighbors with Marco Arroyo

https://youtu.be/sASyROb9s74

Apr 30, 2025  Radically Christian Podcast = This episode of the Radically Christian Bible Study Podcast tackles the emotionally charged issue of immigration from a Christian perspective. Wes McAdams is joined by Marco Arroyo, who shares deeply personal stories from his family’s immigration background. They discuss how complicated immigration really is, emphasizing that it’s not just a policy issue but a deeply human one involving real people and real suffering.

They explore the idea of "ordered love" (ordo amoris), a theological concept popularized by Augustine. They push back against how some Christians misuse it to justify prioritizing loyalty to country over love for neighbor. Instead, they stress that Christians must love those whom God places in their path—including immigrants—out of a primary love for God. They argue that loving one's family or nation should never become an excuse for ignoring the suffering of others right in front of us. 

Marco Arroyo is the preaching minister at the Seagoville Church of Christ in southeast Dallas County and the host of the In Between Sundays YouTube channel and podcast. His work focuses on cultural commentary, theological discussion, and engaging dialogues with other believers about modern faith challenges.

More Resources:

Mark 12:28-34 — Kingdom Priorities
http://johnmarkhicks.com/2012/05/14/mark-1228-34-kingdom-priorities/

https://www.youtube.com/c/edmondchurchofchrist

Notes:

#Sadducees

Although they were not as numerous as the Pharisees, the Sadducees were a powerful and influential group in Jesus’ day. They were from the upper echelon of Jewish society. Many of them were prosperous merchants and businessmen. Their ranks also included the high priests and the most influential members of the priesthood (Acts 5:17).

The Sadducees accepted only the first five books of the Old Testament as authoritative. They did not believe in the resurrection because it was not supported, so they claimed, by these five books. As antisupernaturalists, they also denied the existence of angels and spirits (Mark 12:18–27). These beliefs may have been motivated by their power and status in Jewish society. Since they did not believe in the resurrection and life after death, they did not have to worry about rewards or punishments in the afterlife.

The Sadducees probably argued with the leaders of other Jewish groups and condemned their beliefs. In this situation, they hoped to undermine Jesus by making Him look ridiculous.

Document for DBS

Series: The Generous Life “Open Heart & Hands”

Title: When Giving Hurts

Bookmark: Click Here

Opening Thoughts: Most of us have a "generosity threshold." Our giving rarely exceeds our comfort level. But what would happen if we gave until it hurt? Sacrificial giving forces us to give up control and rely on God.

v  Imagine dating question. How much effort do I need to give to be okay with you?

o   Where is your “Generosity Threshold”?

 

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Text: Mark 12:38-44

Warning Against the Teachers of the Law

³⁸ As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, ³⁹ and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. ⁴⁰ They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”

The Widow’s Offering

⁴¹ Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. ⁴² But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.

⁴³ Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. ⁴⁴ They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

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Summarize the main story: Describe the events of the story in your own words.

v  Review and retell the story.

Reflections for applications:

v  They are calling attention to themselves (vs. 38-40)

v  The widow gives attention to God. (vs. 41-44)

o   Many Christians have one issue that haunts them and never falls silent. The issue that haunts me is money. It hangs over me. It keeps me off balance, restless, uncomfortable, nervous. I feel pulled in opposite directions over the money issue. Sometimes I want to sell all that I own and join a Christian commune and live out my days in intentional poverty. At other times I want to rid myself of the guilt and enjoy the fruit of our nation's prosperity. –Philip Yancey

o   Does Jesus expect us to give everything?

o   Luke 18:22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

v  What are some handles for this?

o   Consider stretching your threshold of generosity.

o   Are you giving until it hurts?

 

Digging Questions:

·         How will you respond in generosity?

·         What do these biblical texts tell you about God and His nature?

·         What is God calling us to do?

Take Away Challenges

·         What has the Holy Spirit revealed to you in this passage? How will you apply it to your life this week?

·         Whom do you know who needs to hear this?

·         What is God bringing to your attention in this discussion? What beliefs, thoughts or actions need to be addressed or changed?

Hash tags #Give #Generosity

Sunday sermon link          https://youtu.be/OWXSgz52KLA

Kevin’s Blog Link to more resources: Click here for Kevin’s Blog Notes

Comments and resources with some more resources:

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+12%3A38-44&version=NIV

September 29 = Life of Christ #194 (Matthew 22:23-33; Mark 12:18-27; Luke 20:27-40) Religious Leaders Question Jesus About the Resurrection

Religious Leaders Question Jesus About the Resurrection
Matthew 22:23-33
Mark 12:18-27
Luke 20:27-40

What was the last big exam you had to really prepare for? How did you do?
In heaven, who or what on earth would you miss most?

The Sadducees Question Jesus about the Resurrection

Matthew 22:23–33; Mark 12:18–27; Luke 20:27–40

^{Mt 22:23–28}The same day some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came up to Him and questioned Him: ²⁴“Teacher, Moses said, ‘if a man dies, having no children, his brother is to marry his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.’ ²⁵Now there were seven brothers among us. The first got married and died. Having no offspring, he left his wife to his brother. ²⁶The same happened to the second also, and the third, and so to all seven. ²⁷Then last of all the woman died. ²⁸Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife will she be of the seven? For they all had married her.”

²⁹Jesus answered them, “You are deceived, because you don’t know the Scriptures or the power of God. ^{Lk 20:34b–38} The children of this age marry and are given in marriage. ³⁵But those who are counted worthy to take part in that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage. ³⁶For they cannot die any more, because they are like angels and are children of God, since they are children of the resurrection. ³⁷But even Moses indicated in the passage about the burning bush that the dead are raised^†, where he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.’ ³⁸He is not God of the dead but of the living, because all are living to Him.”

³⁹Some of the scribes answered, “Teacher, You have spoken well.” ⁴⁰And they no longer dared to ask Him anything. ^{Mt 22:33}And when the crowds heard this, they were astonished at His teaching.^[1]

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^[1] Knight, G. W. (2001). A simplified harmony of the Gospels (pp. 193–194). Holman Bible Publishers.

• God is ... What do we learn about God in this passage?
• We are ... What do we learn about people in this passage?
• What was odd about the Sadducees’ question? Why ask it?
• Why would the Sadducees, an elite religious and political group, pose a question like this to Jesus? What do they believe? How does their question appear: Mocking? Serious? Scriptural? (Deuteronomy 25:5-10) A trick?
• What aspects of their question does Jesus answer? How seriously does Jesus treat this absurd question? What if he had ridiculed it?
• What does Jesus teach about life after death in Luke 20:34-36? Why is there no marriage in heaven?
• How does he then "prove" the resurrection? (Note verb tense in this Exodus 3:6 quote and recall when this burning bush incident took place.)
• How do the teachers of the law differ in their response? Why?
• I will ... What has the Holy Spirit revealed to us in this passage? How can I apply it to my life this week?
• What hope does the resurrection give you? What one question would you like to ask Jesus about life after death?
• Which do you know more about – the Scriptures or the power of God? What are your hopes for growing in the other area?
• You can ... Who do you know who needs to hear this? Feel free to share with others by social media links at the bottom of this.

https://www.youtube.com/c/edmondchurchofchrist

#Intent = Closely directed; strictly attentive; bent; -- said of the mind, thoughts, etc.; as, a mind intent on self-improvement.

September 28 = Life of Christ #193 (Matthew 22:15-22; Mark 12:13-17; Luke 20:20-26) Religious Leaders Question Jesus About Paying Taxes

Religious Leaders Question Jesus About Paying Taxes
Matthew 22:15-22; Mark 12:13-17; Luke 20:20-26


When do you pay your taxes: Early, late, or never? Why?
Who can guess how many times the word or numeral “one” is printed on a one-dollar bill?
Which taxes do you hate paying the most? Which ones are you less bothered by paying?
We don’t know totally what heaven is like, but what would make heaven especially “heavenly” for you?

Jesus Questioned about Paying Taxes to Caesar

Matthew 22:15–22; Mark 12:13–17; Luke 20:20–26

^{Lk 20:20}They [^{Mt 22:15}the Pharisees] watched closely and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, so they could catch Him in what He said, to hand Him over to the governor’s rule and authority. ^{Mt 22:16–17}They sent their disciples to Him, with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that You are truthful and teach the way of God in truth. You defer to no one, for You don’t show partiality. ¹⁷Tell us, therefore, what You think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

¹⁸But perceiving their malice [^{Mk 12:15}hyposcrisy] [^{Lk 20:23}craftiness], Jesus said, “Why are you testing Me, hypocrites? ¹⁹Show Me the coin used for the tax [^{Mk 12:15b}Bring Me a denarius to look at].” So they brought Him a denarius. ²⁰“Whose image and inscription is this?” He asked them.

^21a“Caesar’s,” they said to Him.

^21bThen He said to them, “Therefore, give back to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s^†.”

^{Lk 20:26a}They were not able to catch Him in what He said in public, and ^{Mt 22:22b}they left Him and went away, ^{Lk 20:26b}[and] became silent.^[1]

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^[1] Knight, G. W. (2001). A simplified harmony of the Gospels (pp. 192–193). Holman Bible Publishers.

Watch Paying Taxes to Caesar on @YouVersion.: The religious leaders send spies to catch Jesus saying something wrong. They want to hand him over to the Roman government. Asked about whether people should pay taxes to Emperor Caesar, Jesus sees through their trick & his answer amazes everyone.

• God is ... What do we learn about God in this passage?
• We are ... What do we learn about people in this passage?
• Why ask the question in Luke 20:22? 
• What's the trap here: If Jesus said, "Pay Caesar," what would have happened to his crowd support? If Jesus had said, "Don't pay," how would the rulers have responded? What would the social or political consequences have been if Jesus simply said “Pay Caesar”? “Don’t pay”?
• What's so insightful about Jesus' response?
• What does Jesus mean by his answer in Luke 20:21? What should we give to God? What is he teaching about the relationship of church and state? Which obligation is primary? Why?
• I will ... What has the Holy Spirit revealed to us in this passage? How can I apply it to my life this week?
• In your life, what belongs to Caesar? To God? How well are you giving to each?
• In giving yourself to God, are you in the 15, 28, 45, or 100 percent "tax bracket"? Why?
• How do you deal with someone who wants to argue a point in the Bible? What if the person has honest questions and you don't have the answer?
• You can ... Who do you know who needs to hear this? Feel free to share with others by social media links at the bottom of this.

More Resources:
Mark 12:13-17 – To Whom Does It Belong? Taxes and Such
http://johnmarkhicks.com/2012/05/07/mark-1213-17-to-whom-does-it-belong-taxes-and-such/

Mark 12:18-27: Who is Your God?
http://johnmarkhicks.com/2012/05/10/mark-1218-27-who-is-your-god/

https://www.youtube.com/c/edmondchurchofchrist

September 27 = Life of Christ #192 (Matthew 22:1-14) Jesus tells the parable of the wedding dinner

Jesus tells the parable of the wedding dinner

Matthew 22:1-14

Intro Questions

The Parable of the Wedding Banquet

Matthew 22:1–14

¹Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables: ²“The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. ³He sent out his slaves to summon those invited to the banquet, but they didn’t want to come. ⁴Again, he sent out other slaves, and said, ‘Tell those who are invited, “Look, I’ve prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.” ’

⁵“But they paid no attention and went away, one to his own farm, another to his business. ⁶And the others seized his slaves and killed them. ⁷The king was enraged, so he sent out his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned down their city.

⁸“Then he told his slaves, ‘The banquet is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. ⁹Therefore, go to where the roads exit the city and invite everyone you find to the banquet.’ ¹⁰So those slaves went out on the roads and gathered everyone they found, both evil and good. The wedding banquet was filled with guests. ¹¹But when the king came in to view the guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed for a wedding. ¹²So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ The man was speechless.

¹³“Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him up hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

¹⁴“For many are invited, but few are chosen.”^[1]

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^[1] Knight, G. W. (2001). A simplified harmony of the Gospels (p. 192). Holman Bible Publishers.

Text Graphic

• God is ... What do we learn about God in this passage?
• We are ... What do we learn about people in this passage?
• 
  
• I will ... What has the Holy Spirit revealed to us in this passage? How can I apply it to my life this week?
• 
  
• You can ... Who do you know who needs to hear this? Feel free to share with others by social media links at the bottom of this.

Parables -

Parable of the Wedding Feast

Matthew 22:1-14

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         Invitations are difficult to pass up, and you might not get another one. Jesus has invited everyone to the banquet and He asks us to invite others.

Among the great number of books authored by C.S. Lewis is the highly provocative The Screwtape Letters. In it the profound Englishman had the devil brief his nephew, Wormwood, on the subtleties and techniques of tempting people. The goal, he counsels, is not wickedness but indifference. Satan cautions his nephew to keep the prospect, the patient, comfortable at all costs. If he should become concerned about anything of importance, encourage him to think about his luncheon plans; not to worry, it could induce indigestion. And then this definitive job description: "I, the devil, will always see to it that there are bad people. Your job, my dear Wormwood, is to provide me with the people who do not care."

Christians have the privilege to help others see what they are missing. A family was visiting a cave in the state of Kentucky. The guide led them through many beautiful and winding subterranean passageways. Suddenly, he turned off all the lights and said, "I'm the only one who knows how to get back to the entrance. If I left you here, you'd probably never find your way out. Anyone lost in this cave would no doubt become insane within a week from the oppressive loneliness. Be quiet for a moment and feel the darkness!" The dad will always remember his youngster clutching his arm. After about 30 seconds, someone in the party could endure it no longer and cried out, "Turn on the lights! I'm going crazy now!" The guide laughed, but we'll not soon forget that frightening experience. The dad thought of the "outer darkness" of Hell and shuddered!

Our Father of Heaven still invites others to the wedding feast of salvation. Through the Savior's atonement. He has provided the perfect garment of righteousness that every sinner needs. We can avoid the horror of blackness that each doomed soul will experience in Hell.

The core problem is not that we are too passionate about bad things, but that we are not passionate enough about good things.

This is Henry Ward Beecher's epigrammatic and convincing phrase, "The elect are whosoever will; the non-elect are whosoever won't."

Opening Questions — Get Us Thinking:

· What can we do to make Christianity a celebration and still do things “in a fitting and orderly way”?

· How can we express in our daily lives the concept that Christianity is serious but not solemn?

The Parable of the Wedding Banquet—Matthew 22:1-14

1Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: 2“The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. 3He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.

4“Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’

5“But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. 6The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. 7The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.

8“Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come.9So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ 10So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

11“But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless.

13“Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

14“For many are invited, but few are chosen.”

Research Questions — “Dig Deeper” to find God’s Will

1. What is the main point of this parable?

2. Why is the banquet held?

3. What do you learn about those originally invited? What is so surprising about their response?

4. Who did the king eventually invite? Why?

5. What were the two types of responses to the third invitation?

6. What is the problem with one guest (vv. 11-12) What does it mean to be in the king’s presence “without wedding clothes”? Why is this ill-clad guest banished?

7. What warnings did Jesus make to the Jews and the Gentiles in his parables?

8. How do those who have accepted the invitation sometimes make it difficult for others to accept?

9. Share your reaction to the idea that church is a celebration?

Reflective Questions — Live it today.

1. Why do people refuse to come to God’s party (celebration) today?

2. If God’s church is a little bit of heaven on earth, what will heaven itself really be like?

3. Imagine that you are standing outside the door where God’s great party is going on. What sounds do you hear?

4. Finish this sentence. Many Christians are missing God’s party because….

5. How can we have fun at a party whose host has such a wrathful side?

6. What is the relationship between our robes of white received from God and the clothes of Christian virtues which we are to develop in our lives? (Revelation 3:4,5 and Colossians 3:9-12; Romans 13:14)

7. What would happen if we saw a more celebrating atmosphere.

8. What are ways the church excludes others from God’s party, making it a private party? What can you do to help someone else receive an invitation?

 There's a party going on! All I have to do is put on the right clothes, and I can go. The party is free, and the host is the King.

https://www.youtube.com/c/edmondchurchofchrist

https://groups.google.com/g/magnify-jesus