SERMON DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Imagine being an intern on a presidential campaign. During one of the meetings, the candidate turns directly to you and asks, “What do you think about me?” How would you feel in that moment? How ready do you think you’d be to give your honest opinion?
READ Mark 8:27-27
- [29] What is significant about Peter saying that Jesus is the Messiah?
- [32] Jesus then tells His disciples what will happen to Him as the Messiah. [Going back to the presidential candidate for a moment, imagine the candidate then informing everyone that he or she will be killed; however, he or she adds that they know they must die to win the election. How would you react? Would you be working for the campaign the next day?]
- [33] If Peter has just received some praise for getting the first answer about Messiah right, why does he get so much pushback, do you think, for getting his second answer [about Jesus dying] so wrong?
- [34] What does it mean to “deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Jesus?”
- [35] What does it mean to “lose your life”? Go around your group getting responses for what this might mean today? If losing your life to save it meant losing X, what would X be that would make you seriously question whether it was worth it?
- This passage goes from the heights of revelation to the deep valley of the often stark realities of God’s will. Pray for each other that whether someone is at the heights of the Christian life or in the depths of trials, that the cross of Jesus will be their hope and their purpose.