Fellowship—Relationship with a Purpose

• In what ways do you try to make yourself look better than you are? Set aside your pride for a moment and laugh about the steps we take.

‌Growth—Thinking About Spiritual Matters

• Jesus didn’t fully share His identity with people until later in His ministry. Why do you think He wanted to keep it quiet?

• When you hear the word “Christ,” what does it mean? Use a Bible dictionary to help you if you are uncertain.

• Why was it such a big step for Peter to declare that Jesus was the Christ in Mark 8:27-30? How might that identification have changed the way the disciples approached Jesus?

• Sketch the scene in Mark 9:2-9. Focus on the expressions each person might have had. What reaction do you think you would have to seeing Jesus in all His glory

• In what ways do we make it harder for people to see the unfiltered, full of glory, Jesus? What should we do differently?

• Jesus told His disciples the game plan. Read Mark 8:31-32, 9:9-10, 9:30-32, and 10:33-34. Compare it to the events of the first Easter weekend. Did Jesus leave anything out?

• Why do you think the disciples struggled to believe, understand, and/or accept Jesus’ plan? Consider the unfiltered identity they had just learned.

• In what ways do we make it harder for people to see the gospel purpose of Jesus? What should we do differently?

Prayer—Taking Your Thoughts to God

• Pray that we would avoid anything that obscures others’ view of Jesus.