DISCUSSION GUIDE
Advent Week 2 – Gospel of Mark
Note—As you work through the discussion guide, remember that you do not have to answer every question; pick and choose which questions work best for your group discussion.
Introduction: Look briefly at the first chapter of the four gospels and what major differences stand out to you.
Question 1: Why do you think the different authors took such different approaches to telling the same story?
Read: Mark 1:1-17
Explain: John was faithful. John sacrificed. When John’s disciples began to follow Jesus, he was happy about this. In fact, he said, “his joy was complete” and “I must decrease, Jesus must increase.”
Question 2: This is sobering to consider. How do you feel about actually decreasing that Christ might increase?
Explain: John’s baptism was a Jewish ceremonial ritual, symbolizing the forgiveness of sins. It was not Christian baptism. In Acts 19, Paul would re-baptize some of John’s followers because they had not yet received the Holy Spirit (meaning they had not been saved).
Question 3: Why did Jesus want to be baptized since he had no sins?
Engage: Talk about what it would look, feel, smell, sound like to be at the baptism of Jesus. Talk about it like you are telling someone the story and ask each other questions.
Explain: It is important that we read the Bible as actual history and to do so we must “ask questions” of the text. These are the kinds of questions we ask ourselves if reading any news story.
Question 5: Where do you see history and mystery in the baptism of Jesus?
Explain: Jesus came to announce that the Kingdom of God is at hand. When you see him, you see the kingdom. To enter the kingdom, you must follow him. In Scripture the Kingdom of God is “already/not yet.”
- It has come in the person of Jesus.
- It is coming gradually as individuals trust Christ and he enters their “hearts.”
- It will come in fulness at the second coming of Jesus.
Question 7: When Simon and Andrew “left and followed” how does this correspond to Jesus’ challenge to “repent and believe”?
Question 8: Why did Jesus heal “some” and not everyone?
Question 9: Why doesn’t Jesus answer all of your prayers?
Question 10: Is it hard for you to trust God and/or to understand him when he doesn’t answer your prayers or give you what you desperately want?
Conclude: Pray prayers that give thanks for History (what God has done) and express trust in the mystery.