The Whole Story: A Life in God's Kingdom, Part ThreeSample

Daily Reflection: In Mark 12, the Sadducees come to Jesus to question his teachings on bodily resurrection. Jesus corrects their false view of the scripture by first informing them in their lack of understanding of the power of God. Jesus responds to the Sadducees, not by answering their initial question directly, but instead with a lesson to address their underlying question – the resurrection. Jesus uses Exodus 3:6 as an example of the miraculous power of God to provide resurrection, and therefore, existence after one has physically died. At this moment, Jesus exercises spiritual authority alongside spiritual discernment.

Daily Demonstration: It is not always obvious how one should answer the questions of skeptics. Sometimes, it could be that the person questioning has good intentions, and other times, it could be that the person questioning has no desire to hear an actual answer. In this story, Jesus modeled the perfect way to handle such situations. Sure, your faith may be tested in public, but it does not always mean you have the responsibility to feed into their underlying intentions. Practice using discernment today. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you as navigate your day.