JESUS’ CROSS; OUR CROSS: Mark 8:31-38

SCRIPTURE

Mark 8:31-38 31 And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” 

34 And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? 37 For what can a man give in return for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” 
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. 

DISCUSSION

1. Study through Mark 8:31-38 together. What stands out to you and why?

2. Why is it inadequate to consider Jesus only a great moral teacher? Why is it inadequate to see Him as only an example to follow? 

3. What do you suppose Peter was thinking when he rebuked Jesus (8:32)? What are man’s concerns (8:33)? What is unique about the way Jesus responded to Peter’s rebuke (8:33)? 

4. How would you answer a child who asked, “Why does it say Jesus ‘must’ suffer, die, and rise again?” How would you answer a Muslim?

5. What does Jesus mean when He says, “Deny yourself and take up your cross and follow me?”

6. Which of the 4 for’s in verses 35-38 most stand out to you and why?

7. Discuss Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s statement, “When Jesus calls a man to himself He bids him ‘Come and die.’ In fact every command of Jesus is a call to die.”

GOOD WORD

You will never bear your cross and follow Jesus until you see that He bore the ultimate cross. He bore the infinite cross so you could be forgiven and wrongs would be made right. When who Jesus is and what He’s done for you on the cross is the life-blood flowing through your veins, you’ll look at your cross to bear and take it up gladly.

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