Jesus and the Heart

Have you ever done or said something completely out of character and later wondered, "Where on earth did that come from?" Join us this Sunday at CrossWinds Church in Spencer as we look at Jesus's words on the heart.

Sermon Discussion Questions

1. What are some ways that you have been surprised by the ugliness of your own heart in times of stress or distress?
2. What is one highlight from the sermon and one question that you had after hearing the sermon?
3. What are some popular today ways that people can try to “cleanse” things or “make things right” from the outside in? How is this similar to the ways that the Pharisees tried to “cleanse” themselves before God?
4. Read Mark 4:10–12; 7:14–15. According to Mark 4, what is the purpose of parables? Why does Jesus use parables to separate his disciples from the crowds? What does this mean for us today?
5. Read Mark 7:18–19. Summarize what Jesus says in these verses. Why is this good news?
6. Read Mark 7:20–23; Genesis 6:5; Jeremiah 17:9. Summarize what Jesus says in these verses from Mark. What does the Old Testament say about the heart? In what way is Jesus’s news about the source of our “impurity” before God terrifying news?
7. Read Hebrews 4:14–16; 7:23–28; 9:11–15; 10:10–14. Read these sections of Hebrews. What does the author of Hebrews say is the only possible way to make us “clean” before God?
8. Read 2 Corinthians 5:21. Why is this passage so significant? Spend some time in thanksgiving for what Christ has done for us.