Hope Was Born This Night

In one paragraph

This was a conversation-style Wednesday night study through Mark 3:7-35, the first week of Advent. Pastor Carl walked through three connected scenes: the massive crowds following Jesus, His choosing of the twelve, and the confrontation with religious leaders who accused Him of working by Satan's power. He closed with Jesus naming His true family as anyone who does God's will. The sheer scale of...

Read together

1. Isaiah 9:6 quoted to name Jesus as wonderful counselor, mighty God, everlasting father, prince of peace, connecting to the Christmas season
2. Mark 3:7-12 large crowds follow Jesus from great distances and evil spirits declare him son of God
3. Mark 3:13-19 Jesus goes up the mountain and appoints the twelve apostles by name
4. Mark 3:20-30 religious leaders accuse Jesus of casting out demons by Satan's power and Jesus warns about blasphemy against the Holy Spirit
5. Mark 3:31-35 Jesus' mother and brothers come for him and he declares his true family is anyone who does God's will
6. Mark 3:28-29 quoted verbatim by a congregation member discussing the unpardonable sin of blaspheming the Holy Spirit
7. Mark 4:24-25 previewed as next week's passage explaining why disciples believed while Pharisees plotted against Jesus
8. 1 John 5:20 read as a closing benediction about the Son of God giving us understanding to know the true God

Talk about it

1. The crowds traveled up to a hundred miles on foot just to see Jesus. What do you think drove people that far, and what would it take for you to make that kind of effort to get to Him?
2. Pastor Carl pointed out that evil spirits were calling Jesus the Son of God while His own family was saying He was out of His mind. What does that contrast tell you about how belief and unbelief can work, even among people who are close to the same events?
3. Jesus gave Simon the name Peter and nicknamed James and John the Sons of Thunder. If Jesus gave you a nickname based on what He sees in you, what do you think it might be, and why?
4. The group talked about blasphemy against the Holy Spirit as a deliberate, ongoing rejection of God rather than an accidental sin. How does understanding it that way change the way you read that passage, and does it bring you any comfort or concern?
5. Pastor Carl closed with Mark 4:24-25, the idea that the closer you listen, the more understanding you receive. Where in your life right now do you feel like you are leaning toward the light, and where might you be pulling back?