Christianity Explored

Christianity Explored Study

Week 1 - Oct 16

Listen

When we see the order and beauty of the world and the human body, the question is: Did this all happen by chance? Or did someone create it?
The Bible says God is the One who created the universe we live in and the bodies we inhabit. So how can we know him?
We can know what God is like by looking at Jesus Christ.
Christianity is about Christ – a title that means “God’s only chosen King”.
Christianity is the “gospel” – the good news – about Jesus Christ.
When Jesus was baptized, God the Father announced, “You are my Son”.
God has revealed himself in human history through Jesus Christ. When we look at Jesus, all the guessing games about God stop.

Discuss

1. Is there anything that intrigues or puzzles you about Jesus?

2. How do you feel about reading Mark’s Gospel?

3. If you could ask God one question, and you knew it would be answered, what would it be?

Follow Up

Each week you’ll be exploring a few chapters of Mark. By the end of Session 6, you’ll have read the whole of Mark’s Gospel. Use the following questions to help you explore the passage. There’s room at the end to write down any questions you’d like to discuss next time.

Read Mark 1:1-20

1. The word “gospel” means “good news”. Mark begins his book of good news with three statements about Jesus:

a) by the Old Testament prophets (messengers) (Mark 1:2-3)

b) by John the Baptist (Mark 1:7)

c) by God himself (Mark 1:11) What do they each say about Jesus?

Read Mark 1:21 – 2:17

2. In chapters 1 and 2 Jesus shows his authority in different situations. (See Mark 1:16-20, 21-22, 23-28, 40-45; 2:1-12.) When Jesus speaks or acts, what sorts of things happen?

Read Mark 2:18 – 3:6

3. Even at this early stage, Jesus divided opinions. Some people were amazed by him, while others were enraged. What are your early impressions of Jesus?

Do you have any questions about Mark 1:1 – 3:6?

Week 2 - Oct 23

SUMMARY
In the last session we saw that Christianity is about Christ. It is the good news (the “gospel”) about Jesus Christ. You can see a short summary of last session’s talk/video on page 8. In this session we will see what Mark tells us about who Jesus is.

EXPLORE

Discuss any questions from last session’s Follow Up.
Look together at Mark 4:35-41 and answer the questions below.

1. What hope of surviving the storm did the disciples have?

2. What is so remarkable about the way in which Jesus calms the storm? (See Mark 4:39.)

3. The verses below (from Psalm 107) were a familiar song praising God for his power over the sea. The disciples would have known it well. As you read it, look for similarities with their experience in Mark 4:35-41.

23 Others went out on the sea in ships;
they were merchants on the mighty waters.
24 They saw the works of the LORD,
his wonderful deeds in the deep.
25 For he spoke and stirred up a tempest
that lifted high the waves.
26 They mounted up to the heavens and went down to
the depths;
in their peril their courage melted away.
27 They reeled and staggered like drunken men;
they were at their wits’ end.
28 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
and he brought them out of their distress.
29 He stilled the storm to a whisper;
the waves of the sea were hushed.

30 They were glad when it grew calm,
and he guided them to their desired haven.
31 Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for men.
Psalm 107:23-31

What similarities did you notice?

4. The song and the story end in two different ways. (See Psalm 107:30 and Mark 4:41.) Why were the disciples still terrified after the storm had been calmed?

Week 3 - Oct 30

SUMMARY
In the last session we saw that Jesus is the Christ (God’s only chosen King) and God’s Son. You can see a short summary of last session’s talk/video on page 16. In this session we will see what Mark tells us about why Jesus came.

EXPLORE
• Discuss any questions from last session’s Follow Up.
• Look together at Mark 2:1-12 and answer the questions below.

1. A huge crowd had gathered to hear Jesus. Why? What kind of reputation had he built up in these early days? (Look at Mark 1:27-28, 32-34, 45 for clues.)

2. What were the four men hoping Jesus would do?

3. What does Jesus do instead in Mark 2:5? Why do you think he does this first of all?

4. Why were the teachers of the law so annoyed by what Jesus said? (See Mark 2:6-7.)

5. Had they reached the right conclusion?

6. How do we know that Jesus has authority to forgive sin? (See Mark 2:8-12.)

LISTEN
“I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Mark 2:17)

• The reason the world is not the way it’s supposed to be is because we are not the way we’re supposed to be.
• Jesus tells us that “sin” comes “from within”, from our “hearts” (Mark 7:20-22).
• Each of us has a heart problem. We often treat each other and our world in a shameful way, and we treat God in that way too.
• We should love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. But we never manage to do this.
• We’ve all rebelled against God, our loving Creator. The Bible calls this “sin”.
• Jesus came to cure our heart problem, the problem of our sin. He came for people who realize they’re bad, not for people who think they’re good.
• Jesus lovingly warns us about hell because he does not want us to go there. Our sin means we’re all in danger, whether we realize it or not (Mark 9:43-47).

DISCUSS
1. Read Mark 9:43-47. Why do you think Jesus used such extreme language when talking about the need to avoid hell?

2. Jesus believed in hell. Should we? Why or why not?

3. Imagine that all of your thoughts, words and actions were displayed for everyone to see. How would you feel? Soul: The part of us that lives forever.

FOLLOW UP
Use the following questions to help you explore the passage. There’s room at the end to write down any questions you’d like to discuss next time.
Read Mark 6:1 – 8:29
1. In the earlier chapters (1 – 5) Mark has built up a picture of Jesus’ power and authority. He’s shown us various miracles: healing the sick, casting out demons, raising the dead, calming a storm.
How does this passage (Mark 6:1 – 8:29) add to that picture? (See Mark 6:32-44, 47-48; 7:31-37; 8:1-10, 22-26.)

2. Jesus saw the large crowd in Mark 6:34 as “sheep without a shepherd”. What did he do about it?

• If Jesus looked at the faces of people in a busy town today, do you think he would feel the same? Why / why not?

• Do you feel the need to have Jesus as your shepherd?

3. Write down the very different reactions to Jesus’ preaching and miracles:
a) in his home synagogue (Mark 6:1-6).

b) among people generally (Mark 6:14-15, 53-56; 7:37).

c) from the disciples (Mark 6:51-52).

d) from the religious leaders (Mark 8:11).

• Why do you think people responded so differently in each of these cases?

• Do you identify particularly with one of those groups?

4. Read Jesus’ question in Mark 8:29. How would you have
answered this before you started Christianity Explored?

• Now that you’re halfway through Mark’s Gospel, and have read about the amazing things that Jesus said and did, has your answer changed?

• If you still have questions about the identity of Jesus, write them below.

Do you have any questions about Mark 6:1 – 8:29?

Week 4 - Nov 6

SUMMARY
In the last session we saw that Jesus came to cure our heart problem – our sin. You can see a short summary of last session’s talk/video on page 24. In this session we will see what Mark tells us about why Jesus died.

EXPLORE
• Discuss any questions from last session’s Follow Up.
• Look together at Mark 8:22-33 and answer the questions below.

1. Generally speaking, who do people today believe Jesus is? What do they base these views on?

2. Peter’s statement in Mark 8:29 seems to form a turning point in Mark’s Gospel (see Mark 8:31). What did Peter say, and why do you think it was so important?

3. Once the identity of Jesus was clear (Mark 8:29), he went on to explain his mission in Mark 8:31-32. Why do you think Peter rebuked Jesus? (See Mark 8:32-33.)

4. Mark records the two-stage healing of the blind man in Mark 8:22-26. The healing process took the blind man from seeing nothing (Mark 8:22) to seeing something (Mark 8:24) to seeing everything (Mark 8:25). How clearly are the disciples “seeing” the identity and mission of Jesus in Mark 8:27-33?

5. Jesus told Peter he had in mind “the things of men”. What phrase did Jesus use to describe his suffering and death (Mark 8:33)?

• What does this tell us about his mission?

6. In Mark 8:29, Jesus asks: “But what about you? Who do you say I am?” Are you able to give a definite answer to this question yet? If so, how would you answer and why?

LISTEN
“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)

• Jesus’ death on a cross wasn’t a tragic waste of life. It was a rescue.
• Jesus taught his followers that he must be killed. He came to “give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).
• As Jesus was dying on the cross, darkness came over the whole land. God was acting in anger to punish sin.
• On the cross, Jesus was in some way “forsaken” or abandoned by God, as God punished sin.
• Jesus gave himself up as a substitute, to be punished on our behalf. He bore the punishment that our sin deserves, so that we can be rescued.
• When Jesus died, the curtain in the temple was torn in two from top to bottom (Mark 15:38). Because of the cross, the way is now open for people to approach God.

• The people who saw Jesus die reacted in different ways:

– The soldiers missed what was happening.
– The religious leaders were convinced they already knew the way to God.
– The Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, gave in to the crowd.
– The Roman centurion recognized the identity of Jesus: “Surely this man was the Son of God!” (Mark 15:39).

DISCUSS
1. How would you feel if someone else deliberately took the punishment for something serious you had done wrong?

2. Which of the reactions to Jesus’ death is most like your reaction?

3. Jesus said he came “to give his life as a ransom” for sinners (Mark 10:45). What will you do with your sin?

FOLLOW UP
Use the following questions to help you explore the passage. There’s room at the end to write down any questions you’d like to discuss next time.
Read Mark 8:30 – 10:52
(Note that “Son of Man” is Jesus’ way of referring to himself.)

1. Jesus directly predicts his own death and resurrection three times (Mark 8:31, 9:31 and 10:33-34). What does he say “must” and “will” happen?

2. In Mark 8:31 Jesus said he “must” die. Why did he have to die? (See Mark 10:45.)

3. What did Jesus say that following him would mean? (See Mark 8:34.)

4. Each time Jesus predicts his own death and resurrection, Mark records the disciples’ response – or lack of it. (See Mark 8:32-33; 9:33-35; 10:35-45.) How do the disciples respond in each case?

a) Mark 8:32-33

b) Mark 9:32-35

c) Mark 10:35-41

5. In Mark 8:29 Peter recognizes that Jesus is the Christ, God’s only chosen King. In taking Jesus aside and rebuking him (Mark 8:32), Peter is not treating Jesus as God’s King. How do you think you have treated Jesus?

• How would you feel about Jesus being King in every area of your life? Do you have any questions about Mark 8:30 – 10:52?

Week 5 - Nov 13

SUMMARY
In the last session we saw that Jesus died to rescue us from sin, by taking the punishment we deserve. You can see a short summary of last session’s talk/video on page 32. In this session we will see what Mark tells us about why Jesus rose from the dead.

EXPLORE
• Discuss any questions from last session’s Follow Up.
• Look together at Mark 14:27-31 and answer the questions below.

1. In this section Jesus is speaking to his disciples. What predictions did Jesus make? (See Mark 14:27, 28 and 30.)

2. In what ways does Peter disagree with Jesus’ predictions? (See Mark 14:29, 31.)

3. In Mark 14:27 Jesus quoted from the Old Testament (Zechariah 13:7) to explain what he was about to suffer, and why the disciples would scatter.

How do we know that Jesus fully intended to gather the “sheep” who would be scattered by his death? (See Mark 14:28 and Mark 16:6-7.)

4. Which of Jesus’ predictions did Peter pay attention to?

• Which did he ignore?

5. Jesus had spoken plainly and repeatedly about his resurrection from death. (See Mark 8:31, 9:30-31, 10:32-34.) Did the disciples understand what this meant? If not, why didn’t they ask Jesus about it? (See Mark 9:32.)

LISTEN
“He has risen! ... just as he told you.” (Mark 16:6-7)

• Jesus repeatedly claimed that he would be raised to life on the third day after his death.
• Jesus really did die: the women, Joseph of Arimathea, the Roman centurion and Pontius Pilate were all certain that Jesus had died.
• 36 hours later, the huge, heavy stone covering the entrance to his tomb had been rolled away.
• A young man in a white robe told the women that Jesus had risen from death. He also said that the disciples would see Jesus in Galilee, just as he had told them before he died.
• Jesus appeared to his disciples on at least ten separate occasions after his death. He also appeared to more than 500 people at the same time.
• It is not only the disciples who will see the risen Jesus. We will see him too.
• The resurrection guarantees that one day we will all be physically raised from the dead. And Jesus will be our Judge on that day.

• Jesus died to pay for sin, and rose from death to prove that sin was truly paid for. If we put our trust in Jesus, all of our sin will be fully and finally forgiven.
• Because of the resurrection, we can trust Jesus with our own death. Are we ready to meet him?

DISCUSS
1. “For God has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead” (Acts 17:31). What’s your reaction to this?

2. Do you believe Jesus rose from the dead? Why or why not?

FOLLOW UP
Use the following questions to help you explore the passage.
There’s room at the end to write down any questions you’d like to discuss next time.

Read Mark 11:1-33

1. What is the crowd’s attitude towards Jesus as he arrives in Jerusalem? (See Mark 11:8-10.)

2. The Old Testament prophet Zechariah wrote about a time when someone would ride into Jerusalem (also called Zion) on a colt.

Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion!
Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,
righteous and having salvation,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Zechariah 9:9

What would the crowd understand about Jesus when he arrived in that way?

Read Mark 12:1 – 13:37
3. How do the religious leaders respond to Jesus in Mark 11:18 and 12:12?

4. How do these leaders treat Jesus as a result of their fear of him? (See Mark 11:27-33; 12:13-17.)

5. The Sadducees were a group of religious leaders who did not believe in resurrection. In Mark 12:18-23 they tried to make Jesus look foolish with their question about the resurrection. What did Jesus say was the real reason for their
disbelief? (See Mark 12:24.)

6. What other criticism does Jesus make of religious leaders? (See Mark 12:38-40.)

7. A few days later the mood of the crowd had turned. Led by their religious leaders they demanded the death of Jesus (see Mark 15:9-13). Does it surprise you that it is possible to be respected, even religious, and still reject Jesus? Why or why not?

Do you have any questions about Mark 11:1 – 13:37?

Week 6 - Nov 20

SUMMARY
In the last session we saw that the resurrection proves that God accepted the ransom Jesus paid, that death has been beaten, and that Jesus will come back to judge everyone. You can see a short summary of last session’s talk/video on page 42. In this session we will see what Mark tells us about how God can accept us because of Jesus.

EXPLORE
• Discuss any questions from last session’s Follow Up.
• Look together at Mark 10:13-16 and answer the questions below.

1. From all we have seen of Jesus, why do you think people would bring their children to him? (See Mark 10:13 and 16.)

2. We are not told why the disciples rebuked those who brought their children to Jesus. What might have been the reason for their intolerance? (See Mark 9:33-34.)

3. Read Mark 9:33-37. In Mark 10:14 we are told that Jesus was indignant with the disciples. Are you surprised that he reacted so strongly? Why or why not?

4. Read Mark 10:14-15. How do we know that Jesus is not just talking about actual children belonging to the kingdom of God?

5. Read Mark 10:16. The little children did nothing to earn acceptance by Jesus. All they did was come to him and he took them in his arms. What is the significance of this for our entry into God’s kingdom? (See Mark 10:15.)

LISTEN
“I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” (Mark 10:15)

• If God asked, “Why should I give you eternal life?”, what would you say?
• The rich young man wanted to know how to be good enough for God.
• We can never do enough to inherit eternal life.
• Nothing we do can cure our heart problem.
• But we can receive eternal life as a free gift – paid for by the death of Jesus. This is grace – God’s undeserved gift to us.
• We are more sinful than we ever realized, but more loved than we ever dreamed.

DISCUSS
1. “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17) How would you answer that question?

2. “You are more sinful than you ever realized, but more loved than you ever dreamed.” How do you respond to this?

3. Has grace made a difference to the view of God you had in Session 1?

FOLLOW UP
Use the following questions to help you explore the passage. There’s room at the end for you to write down any questions you’d like to discuss next time.

Read Mark 14:1-72

1. Mark tells us about Jesus’ last night with his disciples, and his trial by the Jewish court, the Sanhedrin. How do we know from Mark’s account that Jesus’ death was not a mistake or accident? (See Mark 14:12-26, 27-31, 48-49, 61-62.)
a) Mark 14:12-26

b) Mark 14:27-31

c) Mark 14:48-49

d) Mark 14:61-62

2. Jesus knew that it was his mission to die. Does that mean that death was easy for him? (See Mark 14:33-36; 15:34.)

Read Mark 15:1 – 16:8
3. At the moment that Jesus died, something happened in the temple on the other side of the city (Mark 15:38). What happened?

• The temple curtain was like a big “No entry” sign. It showed that people were cut off from God because of their sins. Why do you think Mark records what happened to this curtain?

4. In Mark 14:50 we see the disciples deserting Jesus. In Mark 14:66-72 we see Peter repeatedly disowning him. Given all that Jesus had said about his death, why do you think they responded like this?

5. A Roman centurion was in charge of the crucifixion. What did he say when Jesus died (Mark 15:39)?

• Why did he say this – and why is it surprising?

6. Grace is when God treats us in the opposite way to what we deserve. It is an undeserved gift. Peter had disowned Jesus three times (Mark 14:66-72). How do you think Peter would have felt when he was given the message of Mark 16:7? Why?

• The grace Jesus shows to Peter is a picture of the grace now offered to us. How will you respond to the gift Jesus offers?

Do you have any questions about Mark 14:1 – 16:8?