Spiritual Blindness

Announcements

Ugly Sweater Party December 10th

@ 4:00p-9:00p @ the Allen’s Home

Bring a white elephant gift (the cruddy kind)

Games, dinner, singing!

No Youth Group on Christmas Day OR on New Years

Prayer

Pray for our hearts to be opened to see who Christ is

Pray that as we enter the Christmas season, we remember who Christ is as our Messiah and the Son of God.

Pray that we see what God has showed us about Himself through Mark.

Small Group Questions

Mark 8:1-38

Read Mark 8:1-10

Read Mark 6:35-44. How are these stories similar? How are they different?

Read Mark 8:11-21

After being confronted by the Pharisees, the disciples are hungry (again). Why do you think Jesus is rebuking the disciples? Why do you think the disciples can’t see what Jesus is doing?

Read Mark 8:22-30

Mark 8:27-30 is often considered the turning point for his gospel. Why do you think that is? Do you see any connection to this story and the story of the blind man at Bethsaida before it?

Read Mark 8:31-38

What does it mean to lose your life for the sake of the gospel? How do you see this working in your own life?

Lesson

We’ve seen all kinds of faith and faithlessness in Jesus’ message. Mark 1:15

Mark 1:15 ESV

15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

This is a people who aren’t too different than we are. We have religious people, irreligious people, superstitious people, sick, healthy, poor, wealthy people.

Hungry people.

This whole section has some serious similarities with the last two chapters:

6:31-44 Feeding the Multitude 8:1-9

6:45-56 Crossing the Sea and Landing 8:10

7:1-23 Conflict with the Pharisees 8:11-13

7:24-30 Conversation about Bread 8:13-21

7:31-36 Healing 8:22-26

7:37 Confession of Faith 8:27-30

There is a theme here, and that seems to be that Jesus is calling people to a spiritual understanding, but even His disciples don’t get it. While these sections are similar, they are used together to drive us to see who Jesus is: the lingering question we have been wrestling with up to this point.

Fish and Chips 2.0

Read Mark 8:1-10.

This is really similar to what we read a couple of chapters ago in Mark 6:30-44.

What are some differences in this though?

Lasted for 3 days, not 1

Feeding 4,000 not 5,000

7 loaves, not 5.

A few fish, not 2.

These are probably Gentiles! Not Jews. (“In Those Days” probably refers to the time at the Decapolis).

7 large baskets

not 12. The baskets of 12 were probably symbolic in representing the 12 tribes of Israel (Jesus was showing himself as the greater Moses earlier) and the 7 baskets are probably symbolic of Christ being the sufficient for the whole world (7 is the number of completion).

This is a different event! Even though it is similar. Jesus once again shows Himself as the compassionate Shepherd, and the disciples are still clueless. Food is their downfall. The hit the boat for Damanutha.

Signs and Sighs

Read Mark 8:11-13.

The Pharisees arrive in Dalmanutha. Their arguing and demand for a sign only proves one thing: it doesn’t matter what Jesus tells them, they won’t believe. All of the signs in the world could be given to them, and they still wouldn’t believe. His rebuke isn’t only for them, but for everyone in their generation. They hit the boat again.

Not Enough Gluten

Read Mark 8:14-21.

The disciples forget food. This…is hilarious. They literally had 7 full baskets left over from the previous miracle and they forgot it. Jesus takes the opportunity to rebuke them more about bread.

We’ve spent some time talking about being spiritually hungry or thirsty. This chapter is a culmination of issues of hunger and healing. There are those who are thirsty and never satisfied, those who are dry, and those who are thirsty and are satisfied! The disciples aren’t satisfied yet. Their hearts are so hard to Jesus that they can’t see Him for who He is, and are adopting the need for a sign to believe, just like the Pharisees.

Jesus rips them a new one. He reminds them of just how to be satisfied and that’s in Him! That’s why He reminds them of where their bread came from.

”Eyes” and “I’s”

Read Mark 8:22-30.

This is the turning point in Mark’s Gospel. Up to this point, the reader is being expected to ask “Who is Jesus?” while Jesus is telling us who He is. Mark is comparing the Blind Man at Bethsaida with the spiritual blindness of the disciples.

8:22 Circumstances 8:27

8:23-24 Partial Sight—Partial Understanding 8:28

8:25 Sight—Understanding 8:29

8:26 Injunction to Silence 8:30

This is the center of Mark’s Gospel where the Peter declares “You are the Christ.” That is, Jesus is the Messiah, the anointed promised One of Israel!

Rebukes and Responsibility

Read Mark 8:31-38.

Jesus explains further about what being the Christ means. This is where we encounter the first prediction of His death. Peter, rebukes Jesus!

Have you ever said something to a friend, or your parents, or class where you wish you could take the words back? I think Peter would have been in a situation like this. It’s like OH NO. OH NO. OH NO. HERE IS COMES.

Jesus knows what’s to happen, and how it should happen.

But He turns to the crowd. He tells them that they need to deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Him. Jesus hasn’t been crucified yet! They may begin to see Him as the Messiah, but surely the Messiah wouldn’t be killed, would He?

Pray

Small Group Questions

Re-read Mark 8:34-38. What does it mean to take up your cross? Why do you think Jesus asks this of His followers?

What is “spiritual blindness”? How can you recognize this in your own life?