Small Group Guide
“What Will You Do with the Truth?”
Mark 6:14-29
Message Summary
Although Mark provides little information about John the Baptist’s birth or teaching ministry, he provides extensive coverage of John the Baptist’s death. As the forerunner of Christ, John prepares the way for Jesus both through his teaching and his example, for the events that surround the death of John the Baptist foreshadow those surrounding Christ’s death: arrest, a ruler wanting him to go free, being unjustly executed, and friends coming to take the body to properly bury it. John’s arrest and death occurred because he boldly confronted King Herod Antipas, who ruled over Israel and Judah on behalf of the Roman Emperor, for marrying Herodias, the wife of his brother. Both Herodias and Herod Antipas had to get a divorce in order to marry each other, and John the Baptist boldly stood for truth and confronted the king about his unlawful marriage. However, both Herodias and eventually Herod responded to truth by choosing to disobey God instead of repenting of their sins.
Interestingly, this story in Mark 6 is sandwiched by references of Jesus’ disciples being sent out two by two on a missionary journey. In Mark 6:7-13, Jesus sends out the twelve to proclaim a message of repentance, and in Mark 6:30, the disciples return to Jesus and tell Him about what they did and taught. Bookended by these events, the story of John the Baptist’s death serves as an example of what can occur when believers proclaim biblical truth to the lost. Some will accept the truth, and others won’t and might even persecute the one proclaiming it! In light of Mark 6, takeaways include recognizing the seductiveness of sin but that Jesus is stronger than our sin, and in response to truth, we shouldn’t harden our hearts but repent while we can.
Discussion & Application Questions
After briefly reviewing the message summary, use these questions to further examine the sermon and to discuss how these truths apply to daily life, so we can “be doers of the word, and not hearers only” (Jas. 1:22). Based on your knowledge of the people in your small group, select the questions that will best help you frame the group’s discussion of this sermon and sermon text.
Stand for the Truth
1. Why would a Christian be ashamed of acknowledging or communicating biblical truth?
2. What does this express about this person’s beliefs about God, the gospel, and other people?
3. How do we grow in boldness about what we believe (see 2 Tim. 1:7)?
4. Application: No matter your personality type, what can you do today or this week to cultivate boldness?
5. What does it look like to respond boldly and unashamedly – as well as lovingly – to people whose actions or teachings go against God’s Word?
6. How can we evaluate and recognize false teaching? How do we know that what someone says is heretical?
7. If someone believes the Bible, what should their life look like? What should characterize their words and actions?
Respond to Truth
8. What is a hardened conscience symptomatic of?
9. As Christians, how do we change when we do want to change but, at the same time, we don’t want to change?
10. Application: Is there anything in your life that you need to repent of? Is there a biblical truth that you are not obeying or are struggling to obey? If so, what step can you take this week to be obedient? How can this group pray for you and help you this week?
Proclaim the Truth
11. Application: Is there anyone with whom you need to share the gospel this week or with whom you need to communicate biblical truth? If so, how can you plan to spend time with that person and to initiate a conversation with them?
12. When we speak words of truth, our manner and our approach in conversation is extremely important. Why is this? Regarding our approach, what sorts of things would cause someone to clam up or become defensive? What are some practical examples of how we can speak truth in a manner that someone would be willing to listen, even if they do not agree?
13. Proclaiming the truth can have positive or negative consequences. What is true about God no matter what types of consequences come from proclaiming His truth?
Application: Sin is Seductive. Jesus is Stronger. Don’t harden your heart. Repent while you can.
14. In what ways have you seen sin’s seduction in your own life?
15. What can we do both reactively and proactively to resist such seduction by sin?
16. Application: What specific step do you need to take this week to fight against sin in your own life? How will you take that step?
17. Jesus has defeated sin and is stronger than our sin. How can we rely on Him instead of our own strength as we fight sin in our lives?
18. What truths about Jesus do we need to remember as we fight against sin?
19. What are ways in which we as Christians harden our hearts?
20. How can we cultivate a heart that is repentant and submissive to God?
21. Application: What can you do this week to cultivate this attitude in your own life?
22. Why is it beneficial to confess our sins to God but also to other believer(s)?
23. Application: Is there any sin that you need to confess? If so, to whom will you confess it this week?
Things to Consider
If you have people in your group who did not hear the sermon, read Mark 6:14-29 together and briefly summarize the main points of the sermon, but recapping the sermon text and sermon outline can also be a helpful way to start the group, even if everyone did hear the sermon.
Begin the group time by asking what current topics or issues are hotbeds for disagreement between the Bible and the culture. As with Mark 6, sexuality remains one such topic. In this passage, John the Baptist willingly confronted King Herod about his unbiblical lifestyle at great personal cost. Discuss why John would be wiling to do this, knowing the risk associated with calling a king out for his sin. What should motivate a Christian to speak truth and stand up for truth come what may?
Included below are two different scenarios that involve standing for truth and proclaiming truth. As a group, one option is to discuss how you would respond to one or both of these scenarios. In doing this, what are important things we should keep in mind about our relationship with God and our approach to the conversation if we are to engage in such conversations with others? While the gospel itself will often be found offensive by unbelievers, our manner should not be. So keep this in mind as you discuss the scenario(s).
1. If a person’s audio and video don’t match with regards to what they say they believe and how they live, how can you humbly and respectfully approach them about this inordinacy?
2. If a friend or family member expresses beliefs that our contrary to Scripture, how can you approach a conversation with them about what the Bible teaches?
We cannot control others or force anyone to change, for each person decides whether they will submit to God or rebel against Him. But we can pray for them. At the end of the group time, ask if anyone in the group has a friend or family member who is currently choosing to rebel against God, and divide into smaller groups and allow folks to pray for each other’s family members/friends to yield to God. They don’t have to go into detail about the person or their situation, but they can share the name of the person and allow the group to pray for them.
Weekly Prayer Focus
Pray for Our Church:
· Praise God for the men He has called out from among us to serve as our Elders.
· Pray for our new Elder candidates, and ask God to prepare them for the task before them.
· Pray for each of our Elders to be strengthened and for God to grow them in their understanding of how to best shepherd our faith family.
Pray for Our City:
· Pray for Grace Klein Community (gracekleincommunity.com), a Christian non-profit ministry partner that mobilizes the Body of Christ to serve and love others through difficult circumstances in Jesus’ name by addressing their urgent physical and spiritual needs.
· Pray for Mountain Brook Community Church and Pastor Tim Kallum.
Pray for Our World:
· Pray for Brook Hills’ Long-Term Missionaries, the Hansen family, serving in Kenya. Erik Hansen serves as a pediatric surgeon outside of Nairobi, and he and his wife Amanda raise their four children to minister to other children through an organization called BethanyKids. For more information, follow their blog at uncommonroad.blogspot.com.
· Pray for the Daasanech people of Kenya.
The Church at Brook Hills “What Will You Do with the Truth?” May 7, 2017 | Page 2