Reflection Question

1.  What did this passage teach you about being a christian, a follower of Christ? 

2. Two rebukes happen in this passage in Mark 8:33 and Mark 9:7, and both rebukes point us back to Mark 8:34-38. What is Jesus/God trying to teach us? What is the application for your own life?

Reflection Questions

1. What is Jesus teaching his disciples and you about sanctification from Mark 8:1-26?
2. How do you see yourself in the disciples as they are portrayed in Mark 8:1-26?
3. BONUS: What is the warning in Mark 8:15?
4. BONUS: Jesus asks a series of questions in Mark 8:17-21. What can we learn from this regarding relationships, discipling others, and our devotional lives?

Reflection Questions

1. Compare and contrast these two stories
2. How does the commentary of Jesus declaring all food clean (Mark 7:19) tie into what Mark shows us in Mark 7:23-37? (The context of Acts 10 might be helpful)
3. What is Mark trying to teach us in this passage through the two stories and the continual use of repeated phrases throughout Mark?
4. BONUS: How do these two stories tie back to Mark 7:1-23?
5. BONUS: What does Mark 7 teach us about evangelism?

Reflection Questions

1. What is Mark teaching us about being a disciple in Mark 6:31-44?
2. How does Mark remind us, through Jesus’ example, of the importance of spending time with the Lord in our devotional lives in Mark 6:31-44?
3. How is Mark 6:45-52 comforting to you? Knowing that God sees you and reveals His glory to you during difficult situations?
4. BONUS: How does Mark 6:53-56 help to summarize Mark 4-6?
5. BONUS: How is reflecting on Mark 6:51-52 impactful for thinking about spiritual goals for 2024?

Reflection Questions

1. After today’s passage, how would you define discipleship or being a disciple?
2. What is the cost of discipleship? Does that cost scare you or embolden you?
3. Regarding the sandwich technique in today’s passage… what is the main point of Mark 6:14-29? How does that tie back to Mark 6:7-13,30?
4. Compare John the Baptist and Jesus…. Contrast John the Baptist and Herod

Reflection Questions

1. Compare Jairus and the woman… what is similar about those stories in this section?
2. Compare the woman and Jairus’ daughter… what is similar about their situations and interactions with Jesus?
3. What is the main theme/point of the woman being healed?
4. How does the woman being healed tie into the story of Jairus?
5. BONUS: How do these two stories tie back into Mark 4:1-5:20?
6. BONUS: What has Mark been teaching us about the characteristics of people who are in good soil (Mark 4:20) from Mark 4:21-5:43?

Reflection Questions

1. Mark uses the word “afraid” in Mark 4:35-41 and Mark 5:1-20 to describe reactions to Jesus. How do both of these passages help to understand who Jesus is? 
2. What does Mark 4:35-41 teach us about how Jesus teaches and builds us up? How have you seen that in your own life? 
3. 2 Cor 5:20 says we are to be ambassadors for Christ, which is exactly what Jesus charges the formerly demon-possessed man to do. How does Mark 5:18-20 encourage you to be an ambassador for Christ? Do you see yourself in this man? 
4. (BONUS) What are some of the [many] ways Mark 5:1-20 ties back to the parable of the sower passages in Mark 4:1-34? 
5. (BONUS) Why would the title “Jesus calms the storms of life” be an inadequate way of describing Mark 4:35-41?

Reflection Questions

1. According to Mark 4:21-34, what does it mean and look like to bear fruit? What are ways you can bear more fruit in your own life? 
2. BONUS: What does Jesus teach his disciples about Man’s responsibility in salvation from the parable of the soils in Mark 4:1-20? 
3. BONUS: Why is Mark 4:24-25 incredibly gracious and frightening all at the same time? 
4. BONUS: Mark 4:26-29 is only mentioned in Mark. Why do you think Mark chose to add this passage to chapter 4? How does it help us to understand the theme of Mark 4, bearing good fruit?
5. BONUS: Have you found that there were seasons in your life when you were actively responding to God’s Word? Were these seasons times when you were growing the most? What made those seasons so productive? How does that tie back into these parables in Mark 4?

Reflection Question

1. What is Mark trying to teach us with this sandwich story in Mark 3:20-35? What’s the application to our lives?
2. BONUS: How does Mark 7-19 help us to understand Mark 3:20-35 fully?
3. BONUS: What does this passage teach us about being a disciple of Christ?
4. BONUS: What does this passage teach us about sin?
5. BONUS: How does the weightiness of sin, of disobeying God, tie back into discipleship and the Will of God? Put another way, what does a wasted life look like?

Reflection Questions

1. What is Mark teaching the early church about legalism? How are the parables in Mark 2:18-22 helpful for personal application?
2. BONUS: What are some ways we are just like the Pharisees and raise traditions to the level of scripture?
3. BONUS: Mark is showing us why the religious leaders wanted to kill Jesus, but he continues to teach us more about Jesus, the suffering servant. What do these five stories in MArk 2:1-3:6 teach you about Jesus?
4. BONUS: Looking to Jesus’ example in Mark 3:5 and keeping Mark 2:1-3:6 in context, what does this verse and the entire passage teach us about how we should view sin? Sinner? Being on mission?