The old adage says 'walking the walk' is more important than 'talking the talk'. We need to, as followers of Jesus, flip that around because the most difficult, yet effective and profound, thing we will ever do for Jesus Christ is say something, or 'talking the talk', about Him and what He has done in us and for us.

He knows. Good, bad, worse... He knows it all and He is there. During this Holy Week, sit in the eclipse of the light that was Jesus' death. He knows. Let each of our present moments stay with that day. He knows.

"Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Yet not what I will, but what You will." Jesus was troubled - no, greatly distressed - by what He knew to be His immediate future. Yet, He prayed to and found comfort in the arms of His Father. How comfortable are you in His arms?

Questions for discussion of Mark 14:32-42

In what ways do you relate to the vulnerability that Jesus displayed in the garden?
Has there ever been a time in your life when you had to submit to and trust God when it felt unpleasant? What happened in you when you did so?

A follower of Christ will always wrestle with God's ways because they are not our own. It's normal to wrestle when His ways aren't even close to what we want or think we need. But when things like that happen, will I reject God because I cannot accept His plan for me and for the world?

Questions for discussion of Mark 14:12-52, 66-72

The disciples found themselves in a terrible place when Jesus was in His last days on earth. They reacted in different ways. When you are in difficult circumstances, which of the people in the story do you most identify with?
When life isn’t going according to your plans or how you thought it would be, what is your attitude or response to Jesus?
Looking back over your life, identify those times when God’s plan was different than yours and… better! How did your trust in Him and grow? What did you learn about how you react when trusting God for the different areas of your life?

What the disciples thought was wasteful, Jesus viewed as an extravagant display of her devotion to Him. He said people everywhere would hear of it and remember that woman. More importantly, Jesus Himself would remember her and her outpouring of generous, extravagant love.

Questions for discussion of Mark 14:1-11

When have you seen someone do something "beautiful" for someone else? Why did they do it? Why was it beautiful?
What might be some "beautiful" things we could do as an expression of our love for Jesus? Is there one of these that you want to commit to between now and Easter?

Thinking about the return of Jesus, do you ask, "When? Next year... next month... tomorrow?" We should watch for Jesus all day, every day, because we are given that many opportunities to be loyal and faithful to Him or to deny Him.

Questions for discussion of Mark 13

Think of and share a time when you were eagerly watching and waiting for something.
How would you spend this week if you knew that Jesus was coming back next Sunday?
What kind of opportunities to be loyal to Jesus, or to deny Him, come up in the ordinary events of our daily lives?

They misunderstood him; they resisted his teaching and his words were twisted to support 'sides'. During this season of Lent, take the time to understand more about Jesus, more about his word and his heart than ever before.

Questions for discussion of Mark 11-12

Is there something about Jesus you once had a hard time understanding? How did you resolve it? Are there things today you need to bring to Him and ask for His help to understand?
Have you ever been hesitant or resistant to something Jesus has asked of you because it might be too hard? Because you might lose something? Because you were scared?
Have you ever misunderstood God’s word? Was it easy or hard to accept that you were wrong?

May we see Jesus clearly so that we gladly set aside our own struggles and desire for importance to serve others and to serve the God of the universe. After all, there is no better or more prominent a place than to be a child and friend of God.

Questions for discussion of Mark 10:32-52

What do we think success or position will give us as humans?
What difference would it make in your life if you knew you had all the importance and value you needed in your life already through Jesus?

Have you noticed something missing? What we think we want is not what we get and what we get is not what we think we want. The 'something missing' is emptiness - being separated from God - because we walk away, shoulders slumped, having been disappointed by the things of this world. We've got to let go.

Questions for discussion of Mark 10:17-27

Can you think of a time when you had to practice "tough love" with someone? Or someone had to do it with you? How did that situation work out?
What makes it so hard for a person with money to "enter the kingdom of God" (10:25)?
Other than money, what kinds of things can people hold onto at the cost of distancing themselves from God?
If someone asked you, "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" what would you say?

Jesus lived among the people. He preached, performed miracles and His presence was noteworthy... but why keep it a secret? Mark announces the 'beginning of the good news', the Gospel, but its not really good news until the cross.

Questions for discussion of Mark 4:11-12; 9:9

Do you have a favorite mystery movie or book? Can you remember some of the clues that the writer/director provided along the way that pointed to the solution to the mystery?
Why would Jesus have been concerned about the people believing in him because of his miracles and interesting teaching?
What difference does it make to everyday life that Jesus came to die on the cross and rise again?

Living for Jesus and pointing people toward Him means He is it. He's the One on whom our gaze should rest. It's not 'political agreement' and Jesus, 'right-living' and Jesus or even 'I got this on my own' and Jesus. It's just Jesus.

Questions for discussion of Mark 9:2-13

As we live in this broken world, what distracts you the most from fully focusing on Jesus?
What difference would it make in your life if your full gaze was upon Jesus?

God Himself is the fuel our spirits were designed to burn. There is no other. God cannot give us a happiness and a peace apart from Himself. There is no such thing.

Questions for discussion of Mark 8:27-9:1

Can you think of a person who is an example to you of Jesus’ call to “lose your life” … in order to “save it”? Maybe a specific incident, or a lifestyle. Share a little about this.
List some possible ways in which you and/or your family could serve others for the sake of Jesus between now and the end of the year.

The world and the Word is charged with the grandeur of God ... the glory of Jesus. Do we have eyes to see and ears to hear so that we may know Him?

Questions for discussion of Mark 8:11-26

Think about (and share) a time when you took a significant step closer in your relationship with Jesus. What triggered that step for you?
What is some truth about God that you could respond to this week, and how might you respond?

Four thousand years ago, God chose Abraham and made him special so that he could bring blessing to all the people of the world. Today, we carry on that mission: all people... all the world.

Question for discussion of Mark 7:24-8:10

What "lines" do you see in our culture that you could cross for the sake of sharing the blessings of Jesus?

We so easily see our own heart, our motives and desires, as something far different from what God sees.

Questions for discussion of Mark 7:1-23

Why do you think it is so easy for people to be deceived about the status of their own hearts?
What difference would it make in your life if you could experience true heart-level transformation in an area of your life where you are struggling right now?

We do not have the resources to solve life's problems... we bring what we have to Jesus and let Him go to work.

Questions for discussion of Mark 6:31-44

Can you think of a time when you had high hopes for a leader and were let down? If appropriate to share, who and why?
Jesus is the ultimate Shepherd. A shepherd leads, feeds, cares for and protects his sheep. Which of these functions of a shepherd would be most meaningful to you right now?

There is an urgency in declaring the kingdom of God. We shouldn't act like we have all the time in the world because we don't.

Questions for discussion of Mark 6:6-30

Do you agree with the statement that the United States is in "Negative World"? Why or why not?
Read II Corinthians 4:16-18 - How do these verses encourage us to think about an uncertain future?

It is never just us you and the earthquake or just me and the waves; there is always Jesus. The more we know Him the more we cry out, "Who is this that even the wind and waves obey him?"

Questions for discussion of Mark 4:35-41

Think of/share a time when God led you into a difficult situation, and then showed you what He could do? Did it strengthen your faith?
What is one area right now that you are feeling fearful about? What would it mean for you to trust God in this area?

The Bible isn't a riddle, it's a revelation; it is not given to confuse, but rather to enlighten.

Questions for discussion of Mark 4:1-25

What kind of things do you remember easily? Football statistics, movie quotes, plant names, … ? Why do you remember these things?
What kinds of things could you do as a listener to help yourself remember better and think more about God’s Word when you hear/read it? List a few ideas.

Those who do the will of God... that's our family.

Faith is a process. Even Jesus' disciples struggled to get to the point where they followed Him to Jerusalem. Our own faith is a process and God is patient as we struggle and grow and learn to follow Him.

Rigidity keeps us from seeing Jesus as the living, breathing Word of God and reduces the passion of life-giving relationships into a performance of life-killing rituals.

Which is the easier for Jesus: to heal a temporary body or forgive an eternal soul? For the paralytic man, to provide him with health or provide him with Heaven?

What's it like to feel clean, and whole and close to someone? That is the real 'come to Jesus' moment!

It's very difficult to keep doing a hard thing... day after day, month after month, fighting temptation and the desire to give up. It'd be so much easier to turn around and go a different direction.

Only a very thin facade needs to be pulled away from human decency before the ugly stuff is visible.

Jesus' first spoken words in the book of Mark caused a stirring among the people. What was all the fuss about? The gospel had been launched and it was time for them to make a choice about His kingdom.

The baptism and the temptation of Jesus connect back to the Old Testament plans and promises of God - He would send His Spirit to live in us and dwell among us; to walk beside us in our own wilderness experiences. Will we trust Him with everything?

It had been 400 years without a word from God. Then a guy shows up, having come from the desert, wearing a strange coat and long hair, wild and untamed, proclaiming the arrival of a King. This was some kind of announcement for sure, but were they ready to hear it?

The Unexpected Kingdom: a series in the book Mark

He knows. Good, bad, worse... He knows it all and He is there. During this Holy Week, sit in the eclipse of the light that was Jesus' death. He knows. Let each of our present moments stay with that day. He knows.

"Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Yet not what I will, but what You will." Jesus was troubled - no, greatly distressed - by what He knew to be His immediate future. Yet, He prayed to and found comfort in the arms of His Father. How comfortable are you in His arms?

Questions for discussion of Mark 14:32-42

In what ways do you relate to the vulnerability that Jesus displayed in the garden?

Has there ever been a time in your life when you had to submit to and trust God when it felt unpleasant? What happened in you when you did so?

A follower of Christ will always wrestle with God's ways because they are not our own. It's normal to wrestle when His ways aren't even close to what we want or think we need. But when things like that happen, will I reject God because I cannot accept His plan for me and for the world?

Questions for discussion of Mark 14:12-52, 66-72

The disciples found themselves in a terrible place when Jesus was in His last days on earth. They reacted in different ways. When you are in difficult circumstances, which of the people in the story do you most identify with?

When life isn’t going according to your plans or how you thought it would be, what is your attitude or response to Jesus?

Looking back over your life, identify those times when God’s plan was different than yours and… better! How did your trust in Him and grow? What did you learn about how you react when trusting God for the different areas of your life?

What the disciples thought was wasteful, Jesus viewed as an extravagant display of her devotion to Him. He said people everywhere would hear of it and remember that woman. More importantly, Jesus Himself would remember her and her outpouring of generous, extravagant love.

Questions for discussion of Mark 14:1-11

When have you seen someone do something "beautiful" for someone else? Why did they do it? Why was it beautiful?

What might be some "beautiful" things we could do as an expression of our love for Jesus? Is there one of these that you want to commit to between now and Easter?

Thinking about the return of Jesus, do you ask, "When? Next year... next month... tomorrow?" We should watch for Jesus all day, every day, because we are given that many opportunities to be loyal and faithful to Him or to deny Him.

Questions for discussion of Mark 13

Think of and share a time when you were eagerly watching and waiting for something.

How would you spend this week if you knew that Jesus was coming back next Sunday?

What kind of opportunities to be loyal to Jesus, or to deny Him, come up in the ordinary events of our daily lives?

They misunderstood him; they resisted his teaching and his words were twisted to support 'sides'. During this season of Lent, take the time to understand more about Jesus, more about his word and his heart than ever before.

Questions for discussion of Mark 11-12

Is there something about Jesus you once had a hard time understanding? How did you resolve it? Are there things today you need to bring to Him and ask for His help to understand?

Have you ever been hesitant or resistant to something Jesus has asked of you because it might be too hard? Because you might lose something? Because you were scared?

Have you ever misunderstood God’s word? Was it easy or hard to accept that you were wrong?

May we see Jesus clearly so that we gladly set aside our own struggles and desire for importance to serve others and to serve the God of the universe. After all, there is no better or more prominent a place than to be a child and friend of God.

Questions for discussion of Mark 10:32-52

What do we think success or position will give us as humans?

What difference would it make in your life if you knew you had all the importance and value you needed in your life already through Jesus?

Questions for discussion of Mark 10:17-27

Can you think of a time when you had to practice "tough love" with someone? Or someone had to do it with you? How did that situation work out?

What makes it so hard for a person with money to "enter the kingdom of God" (10:25)?

Other than money, what kinds of things can people hold onto at the cost of distancing themselves from God?

If someone asked you, "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" what would you say?

Jesus lived among the people. He preached, performed miracles and His presence was noteworthy... but why keep it a secret? Mark announces the 'beginning of the good news', the Gospel, but its not really good news until the cross.

Questions for discussion of Mark 4:11-12; 9:9

Do you have a favorite mystery movie or book? Can you remember some of the clues that the writer/director provided along the way that pointed to the solution to the mystery?

Why would Jesus have been concerned about the people believing in him because of his miracles and interesting teaching?

What difference does it make to everyday life that Jesus came to die on the cross and rise again?

Living for Jesus and pointing people toward Him means He is it. He's the One on whom our gaze should rest. It's not 'political agreement' and Jesus, 'right-living' and Jesus or even 'I got this on my own' and Jesus. It's just Jesus.

Questions for discussion of Mark 9:2-13

As we live in this broken world, what distracts you the most from fully focusing on Jesus?

What difference would it make in your life if your full gaze was upon Jesus?

God Himself is the fuel our spirits were designed to burn. There is no other. God cannot give us a happiness and a peace apart from Himself. There is no such thing.

Questions for discussion of Mark 8:27-9:1

Can you think of a person who is an example to you of Jesus’ call to “lose your life” … in order to “save it”? Maybe a specific incident, or a lifestyle. Share a little about this.

List some possible ways in which you and/or your family could serve others for the sake of Jesus between now and the end of the year.

The world and the Word is charged with the grandeur of God ... the glory of Jesus. Do we have eyes to see and ears to hear so that we may know Him?

Questions for discussion of Mark 8:11-26

Think about (and share) a time when you took a significant step closer in your relationship with Jesus. What triggered that step for you?

What is some truth about God that you could respond to this week, and how might you respond?

Four thousand years ago, God chose Abraham and made him special so that he could bring blessing to all the people of the world. Today, we carry on that mission: all people... all the world.

Question for discussion of Mark 7:24-8:10

What "lines" do you see in our culture that you could cross for the sake of sharing the blessings of Jesus?

We so easily see our own heart, our motives and desires, as something far different from what God sees.

Questions for discussion of Mark 7:1-23

Why do you think it is so easy for people to be deceived about the status of their own hearts?

What difference would it make in your life if you could experience true heart-level transformation in an area of your life where you are struggling right now?

We do not have the resources to solve life's problems... we bring what we have to Jesus and let Him go to work.

Questions for discussion of Mark 6:31-44

Can you think of a time when you had high hopes for a leader and were let down? If appropriate to share, who and why?

Jesus is the ultimate Shepherd. A shepherd leads, feeds, cares for and protects his sheep. Which of these functions of a shepherd would be most meaningful to you right now?

There is an urgency in declaring the kingdom of God. We shouldn't act like we have all the time in the world because we don't.

Questions for discussion of Mark 6:6-30

Do you agree with the statement that the United States is in "Negative World"? Why or why not?

Read II Corinthians 4:16-18 - How do these verses encourage us to think about an uncertain future?

It is never just us you and the earthquake or just me and the waves; there is always Jesus. The more we know Him the more we cry out, "Who is this that even the wind and waves obey him?"

Questions for discussion of Mark 4:35-41

Think of/share a time when God led you into a difficult situation, and then showed you what He could do? Did it strengthen your faith?

What is one area right now that you are feeling fearful about? What would it mean for you to trust God in this area?

The Bible isn't a riddle, it's a revelation; it is not given to confuse, but rather to enlighten.

Questions for discussion of Mark 4:1-25

What kind of things do you remember easily? Football statistics, movie quotes, plant names, … ? Why do you remember these things?

What kinds of things could you do as a listener to help yourself remember better and think more about God’s Word when you hear/read it? List a few ideas.

Those who do the will of God... that's our family.

Faith is a process. Even Jesus' disciples struggled to get to the point where they followed Him to Jerusalem. Our own faith is a process and God is patient as we struggle and grow and learn to follow Him.

Rigidity keeps us from seeing Jesus as the living, breathing Word of God and reduces the passion of life-giving relationships into a performance of life-killing rituals.

Which is the easier for Jesus: to heal a temporary body or forgive an eternal soul? For the paralytic man, to provide him with health or provide him with Heaven?

What's it like to feel clean, and whole and close to someone? That is the real 'come to Jesus' moment!

It's very difficult to keep doing a hard thing... day after day, month after month, fighting temptation and the desire to give up. It'd be so much easier to turn around and go a different direction.