The Object of Your Appeasement
Sermon Series
Sermon Study Guide
Scripture
Mark 6:14-29
Speaker
Pastor Joey
Sermon Study Guide
Q1: Icebreaker: What could compel you to treat someone who is holy and righteous with complete injustice? In the activity with the two volunteers, which lure was most enticing?
Q2: Herod’s Family Tree: Herod Antipas is one of the sons of Herod the Great. This family is known for colluding and cooperating with the powers of Rome, and having high levels of dysfunction and immorality. What are your own experiences of family? Does your family care more about doing what is right in God’s eyes, or doing what saves face and the family name?
Q3: Marriage & Divorce: Herod and Herodias’ marriage was a high-profile marriage that was both immoral and illegal. What is your definition of marriage? If “love is love,” then why can’t people just marry and divorce whenever they feel in love or fall out of love? Or is it a lifelong covenant?
Q4: Oaths: Herod makes a rash promise to Salome after her dance. This is a lesson in not making rash promises. But while is it important to keep one’s word, it is also important to act righteously. Have you ever had to retract on your promises, and for what reason?
Q5: Appeasement: It is not inherently wrong or sinful to seek to satisfy people, pleasures, pride, or power. But to what extent would you be willing to meet those wants and desires? How do you know when it’s a healthy ambition, and how do you when it’s too much?
Q6: Calls for Repentance: Can you share some examples where you felt you had to call another person’s sin out? Why did you feel that way? How was that experience, and what was the reaction or receptivity to your words? What lessons did you learn from it?
Q7: Applications: Christians’ lives are marked not with holier-than-thou perfection but with humble repentance. This leads us to live by grace and point people to Christ. Do you think this is how Christians are viewed by the world today? Why or why not?
Q8: Take-Home: What part of this sermon on Herod, Herodias, and John the Baptist was most helpful? How will this help you in your walk with God?
