"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
As a group discuss the message and the implications of Mark concluding his work with these particular words in Christ's mouth, and what that might say to us, his followers.
Thaw
- Who is traveling and who is staying for Thanksgiving? (Is the group meeting next week? Special plans?)
- What has stayed with you from this Sunday?
- How did Sunday add to the overall experience of the series?
Read
- Philippians 2:5-8
- Thoughts and impressions?
- How does this passage line up with your view of the power of God in Christ?
Leader note: Be sensitive to people talking about Christ only being this way then, but will come back in domination. Remember, "he's the same yesterday, today and forever."
Read
- Mark 15
- Thoughts and impressions?
- Why would Christ reference abandonment in the moment he knew was coming?
- Why would fulfilling your calling, and more significantly, loving others so completely, turn out so badly?
Discuss
- Has there ever been a time in your life where you have felt controlled by someone? If so, did you a) try and control them in return, b) distance yourself to get free of it, c) allow them to do it, retaining control by staying aware of their behavior, d) submit to it, not knowing what else to do, e) lash out and fight their control or f) other? Describe your experience.
- Why are love and control considered by so many to be mutually exclusive?
- What makes someone want to control others?
- What has to happen for that person to begin believing love has any lasting power?
- How would you help someone who believed in control begin to believe in love?
Leader note: be sensitive to all the advice on this last question being veiled forms of control. The trick is, we love controlling people, if even at a safe distance depending on how severe their behavior is. But we do not try to control their thoughts and actions. To control a controller in the name of converting their minds to a more loving disposition is the exact wrong thing to do. Everybody loses.
Apply
- How can this group be more, appropriately vulnerable?
- How did the previous answer sound like a loss of control?
- How did the previous answer sound like the conquering of deep-seated fear?
Read
- Psalm 22:1-5
- Think about your relationships, personal and professional. In closing, spend a few silent moments thinking of the ways you might be too fearful to relinquish control, influence or manipulation over them. Think of what you believe the consequences to that would be. And then allow yourself the slow process of beginning to let go of others. To risk love and others-centeredness and taking years-long samples to measure your eventual success. This is a key to freedom and enjoying life. It's intimidating, but it appears to be the last message Mark saw fit to give us from Christ's mouth.
