Why I have courage to hope again

Mark 12:18-27

Big Ideas

• We have a few options for response to the brokenness of the world:
  1. Everything is broken, and it always will be
  2. Everything is broken, but it's not that bad. Be positive!
  3. Everything is broken, but it won't be forever.
• We are advocating for #3
• The Law of Moses isn't a ceiling. It's a floor. It isn't a cap on how marginalized people should be treated. It's a minimum of what's acceptable to prevent them from being abandoned.
• Jesus says they misunderstood the entire scriptures if they don't believe in resurrection.

Questions

• What do you think about the idea that you can't understand anything in the Bible without resurrection being true?
• Read the first 5 chapters of Genesis. What do you think about the summary that the problem facing all of creation is Death?
• If we don't believe that Jesus is fixing absolutely everything in the cosmos, then what is the Gospel?
• Is it good news if it's just some form of spiritual comfort and nothing else?
• Is there something more than just smiling, or giving up?
• What is your typical response to the hurt and despair around us?
• Do you want your response to be different?