Mark: The Beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ

What’s the most unexpected question someone has ever asked you?

Jesus asked a lot of questions and often asked questions in response to the questions that He was asked.

What does this tell us about Jesus?

We talked about how Jesus’s teaching was radical and disruptive and how Jesus’ teaching often
addressed heart issues rather than external actions. Reflect on this statement: “The law is
primarily given to reveal the heart, not to dictate actions.”

How does this changing perspective affect the way we approach the commandments and instructions in the Bible?

The religious leaders come with a question about divorce because it was a topic full of controversy.

How have you personally been impacted by divorce?

What questions have you seen asked around divorce within the churches you have been a part of?

The religious leaders ask what is “lawful,” but Jesus points to the original intent of marriage in
Mark 10:6-9.

What about these verses challenge/encourage you as you think about the gift of marriage?

How have you seen our culture undermine the original design of marriage?

On Sunday we discussed how the question behind the question that the religious leaders asked is, “How far can I go…without making You mad?”

How have you found yourself thinking or asking God this same question in your life?

How does this question reveal our attitudes toward God’s boundaries?

In Mark 10:13-16, we find people bringing children to Jesus, and the disciples stop them. The
disciples forgot what Jesus had just taught them in a few verses earlier about children.

How do you find yourself like the disciples in forgetting what Jesus has taught you?
Why does Jesus respond with indignation when the disciples keep the children from coming to Him?

How do we guard ourselves from not being people who keep others from coming to Jesus?

The indignation of Jesus points us to the love of Jesus. He loves the children by receiving them,
and He loves the disciples by correcting their errors.
How have you experienced the loving correction of Jesus in your life?

The story of the children coming to Jesus invites us to change our question from “How far can I go?” to “How close can I come?”
How is Jesus inviting you to come to Him today?

Is there anything that you have thought would be fun to do or try, but you deemed it “impossible?”
Read Mark 5:21-43
How do you see power in the “Unhurried Compassion” of Jesus in this text?
Why do you find yourself in a hurry?
How does it encourage you to remember that Jesus is never in a hurry?
How does this frustrate you at times?
Discuss the four groups of people in this story:

Disciples They rebuke Jesus for asking who touched him
Jairus Stressing out at this delay because his daughter is dying
Crowd They are oblivious to a miracle that has just occurred
The woman Suddenly healed, she has two choices: run or come
Which group do you relate to today?
How do you see the “Unlimited Peace” of Jesus in this text?
What has kept you from experiencing peace this week?
Why do you think Jesus chose to speak to the woman instead of just letting her disappear in the crowd?
Jesus used miracles to lead to meetings because he wanted people to know Him. How have you been blessed by knowing Jesus?
After hearing that his daughter has died, Jesus tells Jairus to “Do not fear, only believe.”
What do you think Jairus is fearing at this point?
What do you think he is believing?
How do you see the “Unstoppable Authority” of Jesus in this text?
Jesus is rebuked and laughed at in this passage. What can we learn from His response?
Why do you think Jesus refers to the little girl as asleep?
For the first time, we see Jesus demonstrate power over death, what does this mean regarding the burdens and struggles in our life today?
More often than not, our lives are marked by:
Unhurried Compassion / Unlimited Peace / Unstoppable Authority
How can a deeper understanding of the power of Jesus change our perspective?
Read Romans 8:11 and discuss how the truth about the power of Jesus should impact our lives today.

How was God speaking to you Sunday morning?

How are you encouraged by His Word?
How should 1 John 4:4 change us? “Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.”

READ Mark 5:1-20 This morning, we talked about the 3 moments of pleading.

What do these moments show us? Our Lord – Our Response – Our Mission

In vs. 10, we see the pleading and the response of the demons. What do you notice in vs. 6-10?

Does it surprise you that the enemy responds to Jesus like this?

Personal Question: Is He Lord of your life?

Does He have the authority in your life that He does toward the enemy?

In vs. 17, we see the pleading of the people. Why do you think they asked Jesus to leave?

Personal Question: Can you accept His ways?

Why is it so hard for us to get on board with His plans?

In vs. 18, we see the pleading of the healed man to Jesus. Why do you think he wanted to go with Jesus?

And why did Jesus deny his request?

Personal Question: Do you understand your mission?

Where has God placed you to tell the story of your salvation?

What other questions do you have about this account of Jesus’ authority over darkness?

Do you have a favorite memory or funny story from a time on a lake?
Have you ever been afraid when you have been on the water?

On Sunday we said that this text is about fear and faith.
When was the last time you felt afraid?
What was your response in the face of fear?
What role did faith play in your battle with fear?
Whose idea was it to get in the boat? Where were they going?
How do these facts encourage us today when we may find ourselves in the middle of
storms?

Jesus asked many of the disciples to do what they were experts in by taking Him in the boat, but their place of expertise quickly became a place of fear.
Have you ever felt out of control in a space where you thought you had it under control?

The disciples wake up Jesus with the question, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”
When in your story have you found yourself wondering if Jesus cared about your struggles and hardships?

In His sleeping, we see the humanity of Jesus, and when he commands the storm to be still we see the divinity of Jesus. How does this encourage you in your faith/trust in Jesus?

Read Hebrews 3:12–14 and discuss why faith is such a big deal to Jesus.
What are the dangers of unbelief?

We should be encouraged in this story by remembering that our faith in Jesus is anchored in His Presence and His Promise.
How have you experienced God’s presence and His promises in your life?

It appears Mark is described this story in such a way that we would see connections to the story of Jonah.
Read Matthew 12:38-42 and discuss what Jesus meant by, “Something greater than Jonah is here.”
We started by asking, “Is Jesus the model of our faith OR the object of our faith?”
How does it encourage you to see in our text that Jesus is the model of our faith AND
the object of our faith?