Sermon Notes:
On the Tuesday before the cross:
1. Jesus confronted and exposed the religious leaders.
2. The religious leaders tried to trap and humiliate Jesus.
3. Jesus used questions to not be cornered in a volatile conversation.
4. Jesus teaches that in the Resurrection, God will create a whole new humanity.
5. Jesus teaches that we need to get our theology from the whole Bible and not just from part of it.
6. Jesus teaches that Christianity is not a religion; it is a love relationship with God!
Follow-up Questions from Sunday:
Quick Review:
Looking back at your notes from this week’s teaching, was there anything you heard for the first time or that caught your attention, challenged, or confused you?
Digging Deeper:
1. Read Matthew 22:15-46. What one-word descriptive words would you use to describe this exchange between Jesus and the religious leaders? What do you think are the underlying issues between Jesus and the religious leaders?
2. What would the social or political consequences have been if Jesus simply answered, “Pay Caesar or don’t pay”? How does Jesus “asking a question to their question” help Him maneuver out of their trap?
3. Have you ever used the tactic in asking a question to bring deeper discussion to a topic? If so, how and when? What topics do you think this is good for?
4. In your life, what “belongs to Caesar” and “what belongs to God”?
5. In Matthew 22:23-33, what were the Sadducees seeking in asking Jesus this question? What does Jesus reveal about life beyond the grave and the new life awaiting us in the Resurrection?
6. What do you imagine this will be like?
7. In Matthew 22:34-40, Jesus answered that the greatest commandment is to love God. Why do you think this is so important to God? In what ways has He shown His love towards you?
8. What things do you love most about God and how do you show your love towards Him?
Prayer:
Close your group with prayer asking God to help us understand His love toward us more and how we can love Him more fully.