GOING DEEPER
12.05.2021 | WE ARE THE OUTSIDERS | Wk 13: “Peace In Jesus”
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Breaking Ground
Do you do anything to start your morning off on the right foot? If so, what? For example: prayer, quiet time, having breakfast with family, etc.
The Dig
This week, we continue through the Gospel of Mark.
Read Mark 13:1-4. After being rejected by Israel’s leadership, Jesus sees that their current path of violence will ultimately lead to starting a hopeless war with Rome. As a result, he laments & predicts the destruction of Jerusalem & God’s Temple (the center of the Jewish universe).
How do you think this would have impacted Jesus’ Jewish disciples? What do you think was going through their minds?
In Matthew’s retelling of this story, he makes clear what is hinted at in Mark: the disciples immediately link this prediction with the end of the world.
Why do you think they do this? What leads us, as human beings, to so often conflate the crises of our time with the end times?
However, Jesus goes out of his way to separate these things. First, using the apocalyptic genre, he instructs them on what to expect & how to live leading up to the fall of Jerusalem. Only after that does he turn to the conclusion of God’s story.
Why do you think Jesus does this? What might he be trying to teach his disciples in doing so?
Read Mark 13:32-37. Notice that when Jesus does finally address the end of God’s story, he does not give them what they asked for (a specific sign), nor a timeline. Instead, he simply tells them to do what he taught them & be ready.
When talking about the end times, why do you think Jesus focuses on how to live in the present, instead of what they were hoping for (a sign to predict or timeline)?
How do you think this will better equip them to be his disciples in the chaos of our world?
Reflect on your own responses to the crises, tumult, & chaos of our world.
What do you tend to do when you feel like our world is tumultuous & chaotic?
Do you find that your most common responses are productive? That is, do they help you make a tangible, positive impact on the crises you are concerned about?
How might Jesus’ teaching here help you respond to such crises & chaos in a healthier, more Christlike way?
Getting Out of the Hole
During this series, reflect on each week’s message:
- Read through Mark chapter 13.
- Sit with each story & reflect on what they might be saying to you in this season.
- In particular, reflect on what Jesus is doing & how people are responding to it (good or bad). Ask yourself, “Where am I in this story?” Then try to find yourself in each character (good or bad!)
- Journal about what comes to mind & how this might reorient you in this season. Write about how these stories speak to your work, ministry, relationships, self-care, & goals.
Journal, reflect, & pray on how God might be speaking to you through this week’s teaching. Share your experience with your growth group next week!
Additional Resources*
Simply Jesus by NT Wright
Jesus & The Victory of God by NT Wright
The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning
TheBibleProject.com
Coming Up This Week:*
Sunday, December 12th: Join us for week 14 of our new series where we are journeying through the Gospel of Mark!
* Please see mye3.org for details.