Mark 1:21-26, 35-45, 34 "Lord no's."

We're frantic. We're anxious. We believe we're in need of relief. And everyone but ourselves has control of our thinking, agenda and our happiness.

Sounds like everyday is disaster, when you really tease it out. An interesting place to be, considering we live in the safest, plushest society that ever was.

Use this message discussion to see if the group, and its individuals, can see beneath the normal course of a day to find what we're really about. What it is that we think our days our motivated by and headed toward. And then, as a group, be bold enough go after it together.

Thaw

• What most stuck with you from the message from Sunday?
• Why do you think this stuck with you, and how does it matter?
• How is this thing recurrent for you? In other words, how does what stuck with you from Sunday relate to other things you seem to be hearing in other sermons, in others' words or in your own thoughts?

Read

• Mark 1:21-26, 35-45, 34
• Thoughts?
• How does Jesus' focus on what he has set out to do for others look in the short term?

Leader note: The idea here is that, from a short term vantage point, Jesus looks limited, limiting, and insensitive to the greater swath of needs. Help the group see it the way those did in the story, rather than as we do historically, looking back at it with our explanations and justifications comfortably in place. This will help the group understand that things may not fit with a perceived sense of urgency, and yet are still very much rooted in goodness and love.

• How are Christ's pace and focus, and our perception (whether we're troubled by it or not) similar to a parent/child relationship.

Read/Discuss

• What follows are excerpts from the writings of Søren Kierkegaard. Have someone in the group read them aloud and then, as a group, discuss what comes to mind. You may find the depth (and even style) of his writing challenging, so be prepared to read parts of it multiple times. Additionally, discuss how this relates to what we say yes to, what our "ONE THING" is, and whether it's actually one or the divided (divisive) pursuit of whatever. Decisions about what the ONE THING is may not be resolved, but it can stand as a worthy goal for those in the group seeking to make a difference rather than hoping to make a series of points.

The person who wills one thing that is not the Good, he does not truly will one thing. It is a delusion, an illusion, a deception, a self-deception that he wills only one thing. For in his innermost being he is, he is bound to be, double-minded. Therefore the Apostle (James, chapter 1) says, "Purify your hearts ye double-minded", that is, purify your hearts of double-mindedness; in other words, let your heart in truth will only one thing, for therein is the heart's purity .

Is not despair simply double-mindedness? For what is despairing other than to have two wills? For whether the weakling despairs over not being able to wrench himself away from the bad, or whether the brazen one despairs over not being able to tear himself completely away from the Good: they are both double-minded, they both have two wills. Neither of them wills one thing, however desperately they may seem to will it.

In truth to will one thing, then, can only mean to will the Good, because every other object is not a unity; and the will that only wills that object, therefore, must become double-minded. For as the coveted object is, so becomes the coveter. Or would it be possible that a man by willing the evil could will one thing, provided that it was possible for a man so to harden himself as to will nothing but the evil? Is not this evil, like evil persons, in disagreement with itself, divided against itself? Take one such man, separate him from society, shut him up in solitary confinement. Is he not at odds with himself there, just as a poor union between persons of his sort is an association that is ridden with dissension? But a good man, even if he lived in an out-of-the-way corner of the world and never saw any human being, would be at one with himself and at one with all about him because he wills one thing. Each one who in truth would will one thing must be led to will the Good, even though now and then it happens that a man begins by willing one thing that is not in its deepest sense the Good although it may be something quite innocent; and then, little by little, he is changed really in truth to will one thing by willing the Good.

Mark 1:17 Followership isn't a word.

The members of your group have a story in relation to Christ. Following Christ has meant different thing to them over the years, as well as different things compared to the others in the group.
Some consider themselves followers. Some don't. Some aren't sure.

Use this group time to allow each person to share their story of faith. Encourage the group to share when they first started following Christ, even perhaps why they feel as if they always have. Allow them to share why they used to as a kid but stopped or pulled back on the idea. There will also be stories of adults who never did follow Christ and are carefully, cautiously examining the idea just now. Make it a safe time to tell their story no matter what it is.

The idea, of course, is to see what common themes and thoughts the group can discover about this invitation of Christ, ad how it has been interpreted. This will be a great chance to learn about each other, and from each other, as well as find out the different ways Christ speaks to us and the different ways we respond.

The goal isn't to get anyone to be where anyone else is. It's simply to hear how the Spirit is at work in our histories. Once these stories are shared, see if the group can discover ways to be an encouragement to each other going forward. We all want humility, love and peace in our lives. The insistence of the scriptures is that Christ offers these things, even against a religious tradition that doesn't.

Enjoy the chat. Enjoy getting to know each other and finding out what "following" has looked like for each of you.

Keys texts

• Mark 1:17
• Ephesians 5:1-2a

Mark 1:15

For the next ____ weeks, or months, or. . .
Ahem.
For the next several Sundays at Crosspointe, we will be studying the words of Christ in the Gospel of Mark. The red letters, with of course the black letters for their context. We're going to give it a try, and if for whatever reason we feel like a change in direction is necessary after a while, then we'll simply change directions.

We'll likely find for our groups that this is a great opportunity to read the entirety of Mark together. There will be no official reading plan, nor is every sermon mapped out. Where there is a loose outline at this point, we don't want to dictate to our future selves the limits of where we could take ideas. So we left room to double or even triple up on particular passages depending on where things are at that point. With this in mind, you can read at whatever pace makes sense, going backward or forward to align with a sermon. At this point, we're planning on being in the first part of Mark 4 in about 8 or 9 weeks.

We begin!  (I was going to say "On your Mark...." but I thought better of it.)


___________________________ _ _ _ _

Thaw

• What are some things you are hoping to transform about yourself in 2013?
• Why do you want to change these things, and how would you know that you were really successful?

Leader note: If people have given up on making resolutions, that's also a topic for discussion. Make sure, with gentleness and tact, to ask when and why the person(s) stopped making resolutions (not that this is bad or good or even expected) and what that might reveal to him or her about his or herself.

• What has most stayed with you from this Sunday?

Read

• Mark 1:1-15
• Thoughts?
• Jesus' cousin John, 6 months his elder, has been thrown in prison. We learn in the other accounts that he will die there. What is significant to your own story about Christ's Good News being announced on the heels of such bad news?
• How do you describe the Kingdom of God?

Leader note: No need to be a theology professor here. But do try and help the group understand that the Kingdom of God or Kingdom of Heaven (same thing) is not a place, but a state of things aligned with the will of God.  That is how Jesus can announce it's arrival while Rome is still "in power". It isn't a location (far less a literal one in the clouds), but as Dallas Willard puts it, "The range of God's effective will." (Reference the Lord's prayer for further reflection.)

• How does this Kingdom inform our thoughts about ourselves and others?
• How do you imagine Christ's demeanor when he announces repentance and the good news and why does that matter to how we understand it? Smiling? Scowling? Aloof? Describe it as honestly as you can.
• Does it feel better or safer to imagine it one way or another? Explain?

Read

• John 10:10
• Thoughts?
• To whom does he make this offer of full life?

Leader note: Don't leave this in the abstract. Try and tease out not only to who the promise is made, but also what it means outside of a Sunday school mentality. Abundant, or full life affects our mind, our energy, our generosity, our peace interpersonally. You name it. Don't let a discussion on being invited into life fall into the ether of Bible Q&A! See if the group can see how this affects cubicles, laundry, neighborhood picnics, their checkbook. . . .


Discuss

• When we carry regret and shame, we feel limited about life. Parts of ourselves need quarantined, hidden and never acknowledged. Clearly, God- whom Peter refers to as "The Heart Knower"- can't be duped even by the most effect shame sham. God knows what you're hoping God doesn't know. In what areas do you need to allow yourself to accept Christ's invitation into a fuller human life despite your own evaluation and judgment about your not yet being worthy?

• How can your group be a support for this endeavor? 
• What does success look like?
• How will you know you are not succeeding?

Leader note: This is key. Continued patterns of trying to control others' perceptions, shameful, condemned thoughts about the self, being easy to insult, etc. These and others are signs that there is a fundamental belief that Christ only invites those that appear invite-worthy. That a person is failing to turn off the inner judge and bathe his or herself in grace and peace. They continue to believe the universe demands we be perfect before life becomes available. This is the continued quest for invulnerable, endless self-saving. It's hell, and your group may be the best chance someone has to accept an invitation out of it!

• Once this starts to settle in our minds, how does it affect how we see and treat others that currently, we withhold ourselves from?

Weighing God p1

Glory to God in the Highest = Peace on earth.

Glory to other gods = No peace on earth.

As "bumper-sticker" as it seems, this is the premise of true spirituality. When God is seen for God's true significance, our inner wrinkles iron out. Other wise, we become subject to our circumstances, our state of being dictated by all the outer wrinkles of life.

Use this group time to explore alternative ways of thinking about all that we want in our lives. Some of us are bent on improving our looks, numbing pain, giving others a piece of our mind, making more money, finding someone to marry, getting the editorial section into conformity with our views, etc, etc. Other of us have simply said that our peace and contentment will be predicated on a loved one's health, or their living, or on getting out of unemployment. The ancient wisdom says theirs a way to take responsibility in all those columns without becoming subject to them.

At the end, or maybe in the middle of your time, consider 4 or 5 minutes of silence (even if their are kids gathered in another room, banging off walls...), to learn how to stabilize and embrace the full, peaceful awareness at the feet of Christ that we're offered in any moment, any time, no matter what.

Thaw

• How has December stress affect you and your relationships?
• If it hasn't, has it in the past?
• What do you feel like goes wrong if it does? If this doesn't seem to apply to you, what is your secret?
• What most resonated with you from Sunday morning?

Read

• Mark 4:35-40 
• Thoughts?
• How do you imagine Jesus' demeanor as he woke up?

Discuss

• Jesus may seem insensitive to their fears. How does this apply to us now if he was not apathetic to their dangers but was displaying an alternative state to their terror and stress?

Leader note: the Greek word translated "drown" is the same word translated "perish" or "dying" in other places. It's not specific to their watery situation, and their state can be found in us in all kinds of scenarios.

• Do you know anyone one who seems to never be unsettled by "the waves"?
• Would you say this person was "successful" or "unsuccessful"?

Leader note: this last question is intended to get the group thinking about whether someone has to trade real abiding peace for getting things done. Most of us in the west, especially in our neck of it, believe our display of agitation, emotional outbursts, wrinkled brows, etc- all communicate "hard at work".

If anyone has seen the movie Lincoln, it may be good to reference his being portrayed as nearly unflappable- even in the face of criticism, disagreement, shallowness, set backs, injustice and limited time to accomplish important goals.

•  Do you find you're attracted to others' peace, or threatened by it? (Or another reaction?) Why do you think that is?

Read

• Luke 10:38-42 
• Thoughts?
• Which are you most often; Mary or Martha? Why do you answer that way?

Discuss

• Without feeling a need to hyper-spiritualize Christ's words, what is he saying by telling Martha that, though she's anxious and upset about tons of stuff, there's really only one thing she needs to have in her mind?
• What does this say about all the real responsibilities of life?
• Both Martha and Mary's names mean "Rebellion". But that rebellion seems to be playing out in contrary ways. Explore this idea.

Apply

• We live in what many refer to as a Christianized society. But our rates of stress (seen in our health and relational dynamics) seems like anything but "peace on earth". What are a few ways this group can embody peace?
• How much of this effort to live at peace in all matters feels a bit like a lost cause? 
• How can the people in this group, and the discipline of coming together and being real with one another, help each of you to stabilize and find peace, no matter what life throws at you?

Quiet meditation

• Spend just a few moments unclenching your jaw, relaxing your face and shoulders, breathing evenly and thinking about Christ asleep in the stern of the boat. See how calm he is while water splashes and lighting burns the sky. Be mindful of the tension in your body, releasing it, and trading it for the peace that comes with recognizing that their is a master higher than that which keeps us on edge.

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace....