Gospel of Mark: The Power of Surrender

Sermon Notes

The most recent church-wide challenge, taken from Mark 5:19, was to ______________ your story (faith journey) and ____________ it with someone.

Mark 8:26, 27 is the ______________ line in the Gospel of Mark.

In the first half of Mark, you could describe Jesus in one word: __________________.

In the second half of Mark, the miracles _______________ and the predictions of the ________________ _____________.

You could describe the second half of Mark in one word: _____________________.

Many people want Jesus for his ____________ and not for his invitation to ___________________. However, to follow Jesus, we need _____________.

11/11/18 – Connect Group Guide

Questions that will help you understand your faith journey

Starters: You might ask for some volunteers to share what their baptism was like? Why did they make that decision? Who baptized them? When was it? What do you remember about it?

• Faith Impact: How has being a Christian impacted your life?
• Faith Evolving:How has your faith changed or evolved over the years? Do you view God differently today than you did in the past? How so?
• Hindsight: Can you think back to times in your life when you felt that God was working on you, or just working in your life circumstances? How so?
• Doubt:Have you ever struggled with doubt or frustration in your faith? What was that like? Do you feel safe discussing your doubts?
• Church:How has being a part of a church influenced your life? Have you attended many different churches or just a few? How important have church relationships been in your life?
• Prayer:Would you say that your prayer life is different today than it was in years past? Do you pray more frequently or less? When are times that your prayers have increased?

Reminder – the challenge is to write out your story and then share it with one person.

Power of Surrender Discussion

-What comes to mind when you hear the word power?

-What comes to mind when you hear the word surrender?

-Read Mark 8:27-9:1 – What thoughts come to mind through the reading of this Scripture?

-How is this text the dividing line in Mark? (short answer: the first half of Mark is a display of Jesus’ power and the second half leads to the cross and an invitation to suffer)

-Do you like this invitation that Jesus is offering here? What do you think it means?

-Read Mark 9:30-32; 10:32-34; 10:43-45 – How did the disciples understand this?

-Are you more drawn to the power of Jesus (his miracles, etc.) or to Jesus’ willingness to suffer and his invitation for us to do the same?

-What do you think it would mean for you to surrender? What does surrender look like in your life right now?

-End in Prayer