DNOW 2023 Small Group 1- Jesus Predicts Death and Takes Up the Cross

So this weekend we are talking about what it means to know and follow Jesus.

We have talked about Jesus being the Son of God, and we were introduced to the word discipleship.

Discipleship- the process of devoting oneself to a teacher to learn from and become more like them. For the Christian, this refers to the process of learning the teachings of Jesus and following after his example in obedience through the power of the Holy Spirit. Discipleship not only involves the process of becoming a disciple but of making other disciples through teaching and evangelism.

In this time we are going to examine a passage where Jesus not only predicts His death, but goes into greater detail about what it means to be His disciple.

Mark 8:27–38 ESV

And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him. 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. And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 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.” 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. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul? 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.”

This section of text focuses in on some intentional conversations/ teaching between Jesus and His disciples, and Jesus asks the disciples, who do they say that He is. What was Peter’s response?

What does the title Christ mean?

Jesus then begins to teach them about His coming death and resurrection. What was Peter’s response?

How does Jesus then respond to Peter?

What does Jesus accuse Peter of?

Peter was correcting Jesus, and Jesus responded by showing that Peter was forcing Jesus to conform to what he and others believed instead of trusting Jesus and believing His word. Peter was trying to make God do and be what he wanted instead of submitting to His Word.

Do you think that we as people try to do the same thing to God as Peter did? How can we fix this?

What does it mean to deny ourselves and take up the cross? (34)

How do we save our life by losing it? (35)

What is Jesus trying to say to us in verses 36-37?

Are Jesus’ words in verse 38 scary? How can they be a reminder/ challenge to us?

Wrap up point:

Discipleship is much more than saying your sorry and getting to go to Heaven. When Jesus calls us into His kingdom, He is bidding us to come and die. When we follow Christ we are saying goodbye to the old dead life, bye to chasing after sin and trying to fill our hearts with the things of this world, and finding joy and peace with God in Christ. This is why Jesus says that anyone who would lose His life will gain it. For in forfeiting this world we gain a treasure of infinite worth.