Scripture: John 15:4-8

1. What is something you do every day without even thinking about it? Are there particular words or actions in church you do or say without thinking about them?
2. When you hear the word liturgy what do you think of/what are your associations with it?
3. Travis said that what matters most is not when, how, or where we meet God, but rather our desire to meet God. That being said it is so easy to lose this when our spirtual practices become automated. What spirtual practices have become automated for you before? 
4.  We should "consider liturgy not just as rules to follow or an order of service to get through, checking each element off the list as it goes by, but instead see liturgy as an invitation to be intentional in making space to meet God." When you are feeling drained or like you are doing spiritual practices in an automated, disconnected way, how could liturgy change things for you? What might it look like for you personally to accept the inviation liturgy provides?
5. John 14:15-17 says, "“Remain in me. It’s about to get hard. It might be long. Don’t fade away. Don’t give up. You’re not alone. Remain in me.” Take some time to reflect on those words. How do they make you feel?
6. In this upcoming week what is one way you can be intentional about making space to meet with God and remain in Christ?

Scripture: John 13:1-17

1. Christians are meant to be different, but too often are known for standing out for the wrong reasons. Can you think of examples of this? Often from this place Christians try to blend in and not stand out, can you relate to this? If yes, in what ways?
2. "The reason why many of us are Christians is that we believe God has created and called each of us to be a blessing to those around us...we want to share God’s love in ways that actually feel like love! We want to serve others." When you think of "Christian service" what associations or pictures come to mind?  
3. Whether it was recent or a while ago, please share about an instance when someone served you in some way. How did that make you feel?
4. Eugene says that frequently we make serving others  more about us than about the people we’re serving. Can you think of examples of this? How often do you feel like you have mixed motives while attempting to do acts of service?
5. In Mark 10:43-45, Jesus tells us that, "whoever wants to become great must become a servant, and whoever wants to be first must be a slave to all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” This goes along with the example Jesus gives of service in John 13:1-17 when He washes His disciples' feet. What are the implications in these passages for how we should think about service in our own lives?
6. Jesus didn’t tell YOU to wash everyone’s feet. He told US to wash one another’s feet. In order to build more communities who know how to love and serve one another, we have to be people who know how to both give and receive. Does one of those come more naturally to you than the other? What are ways in which you can strike a better, more life-giving balance between the two?
7. "We need to see people not as separate from us but see them as our own. Not as charity but as our responsibility. It’s our connectedness and kinship with others that must drive our love and compassion." In order to do this, Eugene offers three suggestions: make service relational (not transactional, be willing not just to give but also to receive, and pay attention to what people actually need. What are ways in which you can live this type of service out in all spheres of your life (from family, to work, to church, to your larger community)? Share at least one way you can serve others this week. 

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Scripture: Luke 2:8-18

1. Eugene mentioned that the command "do not be afraid" is the most frequent command in the entire Bible. Why do you think that is?

2. "Fear is a primal emotion... far more powerful than reason or rationality." Eugene gave the example of a high ropes courses where he knew in his head that he was safe, but he was still afraid in his heart. What's a time or situation where you knew in your head that you were safe, but yet you still felt afraid in your heart or gut?

3. Eugene suggested that our uncertainty about who God is and God's posture toward us is at the root of so many of our fears. The shepherd's experience of rejection in society made them feel afrad of God, unsure whether God would accept them. What life experiences have shaped your sense of who God is? Feel free to mention both positive and negative experiences.

4. Read over today's scripture. What were some of the reasons, mentioned in the sermon, that would cause the shepherds to be terrified of the angels? Why would their invitation to "not be afraid" be such surprising news to them? What does that fact that God announces his coming to shepherds tell us about God?

5. The message of the angels, that God is coming to save all people, fundamentally changes our perception of reality. Instead of seeing the universe as a hostile place where everyone is competing for scarce resources, we can look at our lives and the world and see the presence and goodness of God. What mindset are you more prone to -- seeing the world as hostile with fear, or seeing the world with hope because God is present? Why do you think you tend to see the world more in one way or the other?

6. Richard Rohr says a mature Christian is simply someone who’s able to see Christ everywhere and in everyone. What's a place, person, or situation in your life where you're afraid and having trouble seeing Christ? Name that before God, and share it with others if you feel comfortable. What might it look like to see Christ there?

7. Eugene offered us a simple prayer to help us focus on Christ's presence with us. With each line of the prayer, take a deep breath and exhale, saying: Here I am // You are here // God be with me.  Try this prayer together individually, or as a group. 

Scripture: John 1:1-5,14 (The Message)

1. Pastor Will shared that his neighborhood growing up was nothing like Mister Rogers' neighborhood that he grew up watching on TV: "We lived near one another, but we're near to one another." What's your experience of neighborhood, either growing up or right now?

2. Sometimes we can apply a "sacred vs. secular" mindset to church in relation to other places in our lives. Growing up, what places did you perceive as "sacred" and which as "secular"? Where do you think this mindset came from? How did your perceptions of what is sacred and what is secular impact your relationship with God?

3. Will invited us to see this season of disruption and disorientation as a time that God can use to "reorient" our faith and a time where God can "reset our God positioning system." How have the disruptions of the last few months invited you to see God or the life of faith in a new way?

4. Eugene Peterson translates John 1:14 as "The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood." Will then took a quick look at the Gospel of Mark to show us how "neighborhood" is not just a nice metaphor for God's presence among us; rather, Jesus brought God's presence into homes, neighborhoods, and interactions between everyday people. Reflect on the passages Will shared, or other stories from the gospels about Jesus that you may be familiar with. In what ways does Jesus relocate our sense of God's presence in this world?

5. Will illustrated how Mark's Gospel has a rather critical view of the Temple and synagogue. What do you think are the dangers of exclusively locating God's presence into official religious spaces or institutions?

6. The love of neighbor that is so central to Jesus' vision of God's kingdom come is not just an ideal, but fulfilled by God in how God loves us. In what ways has God been a loving neighbor to you? What are some of the good and surprising ways or places that God has showed up in your life?

7. Worshipful response to God's presence is tied to love of God and love of neighbor. This is something we can practice even when we can't gather in a building. How have you seen God work in your home or in the lives of your neighbors? What areas in your home or your neighborhood might God be inviting you to pay attention to?

8. God invited Moses to see the wilderness space as holy ground. How might we mark our homes and neighborhoods as "holy ground" where we can experience and respond to God's presence among us? What are some creative ways that might help you acknowledge the "sacred" in the spaces our culture has taught us to see as "secular"?

Scripture: Luke 2:1-7

1. This message is about how God comes into the messes in our lives. What part of your life feels like a mess right now?

2. Pastor Sanetta draws attention to the fact that Jesus was laid in a manger. She suggests a manger is a symbol of our messes. Specifically, the manger represents our poverty, an unexpected place, and a place of rejection. Why does she suggest the manger symbolizes these things? Which of these conditions do you most relate to?

3. Sanetta said, "It was God’s will for Jesus to be born in a mess so we would know that He will be with us in ours." What's your response to that?

4. This passage from Luke shows that God comes among us, first, as a vulnerable baby. What's the significance of God arriving in a state of vulnerability? According to Sanetta, what does that teach us about how we should respond to God when we're in a mess?

5. In Luke 2, the manger is not only a symbol of our mess, but it also serves as a "sign" and confirmation of God's word to the shepherd. What other ways is the birth of Jesus a confirmation of God's word?

6. Sanetta shared a story of a distressing time where God's word provided a confirmation of God's plan, presence, and promises when she felt like things were a total mess. What's a time where God's word has brought confirmation to you? 

7. Jesus not only shows up in our mess, but comes to transform our mess. Mary is elevated from a humble girl to mother of God. The shepherds are transformed from fear to amazement, from outcasts to evangelists. What's a messy situation that God has used to transform you, or someone you know?

8. Read Luke 2:19. What do you think it meant that Mary treasured and pondered all these things in her heart? Sanetta invited us to follow her example this week. What's a mess in your life right now where you need to ponder God's Word? What scripture or aspect of God do you need to ponder? As you hear one another share, perhaps offer a Scripture or promise or truth about God that might be worthwhile for them to ponder.

Scripture: Matthew 1:18-25

1. Dreams figure big in this part of the story of Jesus' birth. Phyllis shared that, growing up in Korean culture, dreams were often regarded as significant. How do you think about dreams? Have you ever had a dream that was significant?

2. Read over the Scripture. How do you think Joseph felt when he heard the news Mary was pregnant - and not by him? What do you make of the plan that he was contemplating?

3. The angel encounters Joseph in a dream and gives him a change in direction. What past biblical episdoes may have helped Joseph have an openness to the angel's appearance? What might have made it difficult for Joseph to respond to what the angel was saying?

4. Phyllis suggests that dreams, visions, images are all ways God can still communicate today, but we also need to be cautious. Phyllis noted that often dreams are just dreams, just our subconcious working things out and we should be wary of over-interpreting them. She also notes the importance of "testing the spirits," by discerning the meaning of a potentially significant dream in community where it can be tested against the Word of God and the judgment of other church leaders. Discuss these cautions. Would you any add any other cautions when it comes to thinking about dreams as a way that God speaks to us?

5. "We are all wired differently, and God will often speak to us in a way that makes sense for our personality and culture. BUT, our personality and culture can ALSO cause us to tune out certain ways that God may be speaking." What ways of listening to God does your personality and culture incline you towards? How does that make it difficult for you to hear from and listen to God in other ways?

6. Phyllis said, "In addition to our minds, God speaks to us, and relates to us, through our intuition, our gut - our hearts! Our ENTIRE self is made in God’s image. And God wants to be known in EVERY part of us. That’s why we are commanded not just to love God with our minds, but with ALL our heart, soul, and strength, too!" What do you think about this? How do you most naturally love God - with your mind, your heart (gut), your soul (emotions)? Where do you need to grow in your love for God?

7. This sermon series is about paying attention to the unexpected places and ways that God is among us. How might God be inviting you to see, hear, and respond to him in a different way?

8. Phyllis introduced us to a new spiritual practice using prayerful listening, coloring/drawing, and imagination. Get some colored pencils, a blank piece of paper and try it out! Read today's passage three times. Try different translations if you'd like. Here's the rest of the instructions: "Take a moment to quiet your mind, your ears and your heart. Invite God into this moment – ask God for colors and images. As you listen to the passage being read, think about what colors come to mind and put those colors on your paper – it could be lines, it could be an image in those colors. The second time you hear the passage, tune in to the colors and possible images that you get from it. During the final time, continue to create, draw, or write down the words that jump out to you. Take a moment to look at what is on your paper, ask God to speak to you through what is on your paper. Listen for what God might be showing you or saying to you."

Scripture: Mark 1:1,9-15

1. Pastor Will talked about the importance of “Boxes” in our spiritual life: a place we go, or an activity we do, where we reliably experience connection with God. What have been some of the significant “God-boxes” in your life?

2. One of the problems with locating God in a certain “box” (e.g. a certain place, church community, political viewpoint, etc.) is when we are excluded from the box, or when we see people fighting for control of the box. Have you ever experienced exclusion or disillusionment with a community or place where you have previously connected to God? What was that experience like?

3. Read over the Scripture reading for the week: Mark 1:1,9-15. Notice that Mark chooses to start his gospel without any birth story or background. He jumps straight to the baptism of Jesus and his announcement that the kingdom of God has come near. What strikes you about how Mark starts the story? What things do you think Mark is trying to communicate about Jesus by starting the gospel in these ways?

4. “Heaven” was considered the “box” where God dwelled. And the Holy of Holies in the Temple was the “box” where heaven could be experienced on earth. At the time of Mark’s gospel, there was a war being waged between the Roman empire and Jewish revolutionaries over control of the temple. Will brought our attention to two major significant details, at the very start and end of Mark’s depiction of Jesus: when he’s baptized, heaven is “torn open” (1:10); when he dies on the cross, “the curtain of the temple was torn in two.” At both times, Jesus identified as God’s Son. The Greek word in both cases is “schizo,” which means to tear or rend. What feelings and thoughts do these images evoke in you? How does Mark’s language and depiction of these scenes spark your imagination when it comes to how we think about and experience God?

5. Bible scholar Brian Blount summarizes this theme in Mark by saying, “God is on the loose.” What does that phrase mean to you - is it comforting? challenging? In what ways is that “good news” for you?

6. Will suggests that Jesus’ call to “Repent” in light of the arrival of God’s kingdom can be interpreted to mean two things: Stop playing the ‘put God in a box’ game AND Start running to the places where we find Jesus. What are ways in your life that you may have put God into a box? What might you need to change in that regard?

7. Will also quoted a fellow pastor, Dan Sadlier, about the ways we also put those made in God’s image in a box. How do you see that happening in our culture today? In what ways do you think Jesus would challenge those behaviors?

8. A major point in the message is that while we shouldn’t put God in a “box,” we also should not withdraw from the world. Rather, we should seek to engage the world in the ways Jesus did. Looking ahead to the rest of the gospel story, brainstorm around this question: what kind of ways do we see Jesus engaging the world? What’s God’s invitation for you when it comes to following Jesus this week? What might it look like to engage the world and love like Jesus in your life right now?

Scripture: Mark 4:35-41

1. In this Scripture, Jesus and the disciples are on a boat on the Sea of Galilee, facing a "furious squall." Pastor Becky shared how, all throughout the Scriptures, the sea represents chaos. Is there a time in your life where you were tossed about in the sea? Where life felt like chaos? What feelings did you have in that time?

2. What do you make of the disciples' response to the fact that Jesus is asleep as the storm hits? How do you think you'd respond in this situation? What do you think Mark is trying to emphasize by drawing attention to Jesus sleeping?

3. In this story, Jesus demonstrates authority over the wind and waves by calming the storm. Becky noted that the word "authority" is a theme in the first half of Mark's gospel. It's repeated 10 times and many stories emphasize the authority of Jesus. "Authority" can be a difficult word for us sometimes. What is your image of the authority of Jesus? How do you think Mark's gospel is inviting us to understand such authority?

4. In verse 40, Jesus seems to rebuke the disciples, asking "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" Becky pointed out that those questions are in the present tense, suggesting that the disciples' fear persists even after Jesus calms the storm. In fact, in the next verse, Mark says, they are "terrified." Has your fear about a situation ever persisted even after you've witnessed God's goodness and power? Share about it with others. Why do you think fear can be so powerful?

5. Repetition is a major literary convention in Mark's gospel. Indeed, Mark includes a very similar story to this one in Mark 6:45-52. Compare the two stories. What's similar? What's different? After comparing, consider this question: what question or point is Mark posing to his readers by including both of these stories?

6. The story of the Gospel, and of the full story of the Scriptures, is that Jesus has the final victory over all chaos. Becky suggests that Mark is challenging the power of our fear in light of the authoritative victory of Jesus: will we trust Jesus' authority even when Jesus seems "asleep," or when we can't see him "in the boat" with us? Reflect on that question: where are you having trouble seeing Jesus in the situation? What might it look like for you to exercise faith in that situation?

7. In Mark chapter 6, Jesus says, "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." What does it look like for you to live out spiritual courage right now?

Scripture: Mark 3:1-6

1. Pastor Will introduced the concept of "code-switching" at the start of the message. Code-switching is the adjustment of one’s style of speech, appearance, behavior, or expression to “fit in,” to achieve social standing, fair treatment, and belonging with the group around you. Have you ever experienced code-switching? What was it like?

2. Sometimes the pressure to conform to some written or unwritten code can lead to brokenness and division. Have any of you experienced rejection for NOT fitting into or questioning a particular social code?

3. Mark uses a literary device called "sandwich-ing" to focus our attention on Jesus' ministry of healings, highlighting these three stories: healing of a man with leprosy (1:40-45); healing of a paralyzed man (2:1-12); healing of a man with a shriveled hand (3:1-6). Take some time to look over these stories. What do you see as common elements in each story?

4. Will claimed that "each of these healings challenge a social-religious code around who belongs in God’s people, who has access to the power of God’s kingdom." How does this aspect of the story inform our understanding of "healing"?

5. In Mark 3, Jesus asks, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” Will suggested this is an invitation for us to reflect critically and honestly on some of our religious practices and rituals. What's one example of a religious practice that you've found to be restrictive that could use reform? And what's one example of a religious practice that you've found to be life-restoring?

6. In two of these healing stories, Mark draws attention to Jesus' indignation and anger. What are your reactions to that portrayal of Jesus? Can you think of examples of exclusive social-religious codes that might spark Jesus' anger today?

7. How does the image of an angry Jesus willing to break the "codes" in order to bring people close to God inspire and challenge you? 

8. What are ways in our church community and relationships that we can decrease the pressure to "fit it" and increase access to God and belonging to God's people?

Scripture: Mark 3:7-19

1. Pastor Becky distinguished between "tourists" and "travelers." How do you understand the distinction she was making? What's a time where you traveled somewhere and it was hard work that changed you in some way?

2. We live in a consumerist culture which can lead us to approach church and spirituality as "tourists." Can you identify ways in your life and journey where you've related to church more as a "tourist"? What are positive aspects of spiritual tourism? What are some of its limitations?

3. Read over Mark 3:13. Jesus separates himself from the crowds, and then "called to him those he wanted." Put yourself in the shoes of those he called. Becky shared she might've felt very special, but she might've also felt terrified. How do you think you would've felt in that situation?

4. Jesus calls us in different ways. What's a time in your life that experienced Jesus calling you?

5. "Traveling with Jesus means being WITH Jesus and being SENT by Jesus." Which aspect of discipleship - "with" or "sent" - comes more naturally to you? Which is more of a challenge? Share why you think that is.

6. When it comes to being "with" Jesus, Becky shared the images of going to the mountaintop with Jesus or being covered in his dust. Which of those images resonates with you? What does being "with" Jesus look like for you?

7. Being "sent" by Jesus means sharing in authority over evil, sharing Jesus' love, and being part of his kingdom work. What did being "sent" look like for the disciples? What do you think it looks like for you in this season of life? 

Scripture: Mark 8:1-10

1. Pastor Brynn talked about how we normalize the existence of different "monsters" in our cities, neighborhoods, and lives. She gave examples like gender gaps, racism, injustice, fear. What are some "monsters" you've grown accustomed to living with?

2. Repetition is a common literary device in Mark's Gospel. Take a few minutes to look at the two feeding stories side-by-side in Mark 6:30-44 and Mark 8:1-8. What are the main similiarities you see between the two stories?

3. Mark is writing his Gospel story for an early Christian community. Brynn noted that in both feeding stories, Mark's readers would've recognized the communion language: "When he had taken the seven loaves and given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples…" What does that communion language mean to you? What does it say about God? How might these feeding stories help us understand the meaning of communion?

4. Brynn noted how one feeding story is focused on a Jewish community and one is focused on a Gentile community. What were the literary clues that allow us to see that? What do you think Mark is trying to communicate by showing Jesus feed a Jewish crowd, and then a Gentile crowd?

5. Brynn shared this quote by Pastor Rich Villodas: “The cross of Christ is not just a bridge that gets us to God. It’s a sledgehammer that breaks down walls that separate us.” How have you seen the power of the cross to break down walls that separate us?

6. Brynn connected the dots between the Jewish-Gentile divide in the first century to the racial divides in America. She suggested that these feeding passages invite us to be part of the kingdom work "to level the table." What do you think she means by this? Are there ways you have benefited from someone leveling the table? How might you share in the work of leveling the table?

7. While Jesus is the one who multiplies the bread, both Mark 6:41 and 8:6 emphasize the disciples' responsibility to "distribute" the bread to the people. What does it look like for us to respond to that command in our lives today - both in our church and in our neighborhoods?

Scripture: Mark 8:22-33

(note to small group leaders: this was a longer message than usual and there are many questions below. Feel free to focus on the questions most valuable to your group.)

1. Verses 8:22-26 tell the story of a blind man whose vision is only healed partially at first. What was your reaction to that story when you first heard it?

2. Reading that story in context, Pastor Will suggests the halfway healing of the blind man is a physical representation or expression of a spiritual condition of the disciples - that you can have "eyes but fail to see." Reflect on your own journey following Jesus. Can you think of instances where your spiritual vision was fuzzy? Where your intention and commitment was to follow Jesus, but looking back, you realize that you didn't quite know what that meant?

3. After Peter correctly identifies Jesus as "the Messiah" (the Christ, the anointed one), Jesus begins to explain how he must undergo suffering, rejection, and death and then rise. This is called the "passion prophecy" and Jesus repeats it three tmes in chapters 8, 9, and 10, respectively. Peter has a very strong reaction to this, and even "rebukes" Jesus. Why do you think Peter had such a strong reaction that he was willing to rebuke and try to silence the Messiah himself? Has there ever been a time where the way of Jesus didn't fit into your vision of how God can work and save in a certain situation?

4. Will suggested that there is something very specific afflicting the spiritual vision of Peter and the disciples; and Jesus has a very specific remedy. Every time that Jesus tells of how he must suffer, the disciples react in a similar way. And every time they react in that way, Jesus has a similar response. Take time to read over and compare these three passages: 8:31-36; 9:30-37; 10:35-45. What do the disciples seem to be fixated upon? How does Jesus try to correct their vision?

5. In 8:33, Jesus rebukes Peter by saying "Get behind me, Satan." Will suggested that Jesus is rebuking a certain way of seeing things in Peter: "Invoking the name of Jesus to help me and my team win, to secure power and control in the world, setting our eyes on the crowns of this world while scoffing at the way of the cross, well, that is the great falsehood! Jesus calls THAT the work of Satan. Jesus wants to cast that mindset out of us like he’s been casting out evil spirits all gospel long!" What is your respose to this interpretation? What times or ways in your life have you felt like Satan tempted you to put winning, or securing power and control, over the call of Jesus to serve?

6. Pastor Will shared that we can put the "crown above the cross" in subtle ways when Satan tempts us to take something that seems good, but then giving it our entire allegiance. We start loving that otherwise good thing more than God. Will shared examples of his allegiance to getting good grades or earning a good reputation. Can you think of examples where you've been tempted to put good things in the place of God?

7. One major indicator of where our greatest allegiance lies is our anxieties: "Our anxieties usually reveal our real allegiances." What would your anxieties reveal about what you care about the most?

8. Will suggested that the high anxiety and intensity among Christians about the outcome of the election, and the political process, may be indicator that our allegiance to "winning the soul of America" or making sure that America is a so-called "Christian nation" has become greater in our hearts than our allegiance to the kingdom of Jesus and the way of the cross. Perhaps that came across challenging, or surprising. What did you make of that suggestion?

9. Will cited a number of passages that encourage us to not put our ultimate allegiance in America, but instead the coming kingdom of God that Jesus has inaugurated. If you have time, read over Hebrews 13:14, Philippians 3:20-21, and 1 Peter 2:11. How do these passages inform how we should relate to the kingdoms of this world and their politics?

10. The church's ultimate goal is not to win power in any nation, but to live and love like Jesus. Mark is clear that this means the church must become "servant of all" (Mark 9:35). What does it look like for the church to become "servant of all" in our world? Where do you see healthy examples of that around you? What's a way God is inviting you to grow as a "servant of all" in relationship to those around you -- your family, your neighbors, and/or community?

Scripture: Mark 15:1-15

1. The healing and help Jesus offered attracted people, but the way of the cross repelled people. What aspects of following Jesus are most attractive to you? And what aspects can be repelling or difficult?

2. Jesus bears a literal cross, but he invites us to bear the cross as well. Pastor Will defined that cross as "whatever pain, rejection, suffering we endure as a result of choosing to live in accordance with the way of God." Are there any ways you can identify where you've felt the pain of the cross?

3. One way we experience the cross as followers of Jesus is that we don't fit neatly into any of the groups of this world. Will mentioned how the Christians in Mark's day didn't fit into the main groups battilng it out in that culture. Has following Jesus ever made you feel like the odd person out? How did you respond to that feeling?

4. Integrity, Will suggested, could be defined as "having a fit between who you are on the inside and who you are on the outside... a fit between where you’re going and how you get there." How would you define integrity? Consider the times where you've found it difficult to maintain integrity as a follower of Jesus. If you comfortable and appropriate, share that with others.

5. Pastor Will invited us to look at the drama leading up to the cross in Mark 15 from a different angle: instead of seeing Jesus on trial, integrity itself is on trial. Look over the scripture reading. How do you see various characters compromising their integrity? What leads them to do that? You may want to focus on Barabbas and Pilate, or you may consider other characters: the crowds, the Jewish authorities, or turn back to the end of chapter 14 to examine Peter. What lessons about the challenge of integrity do you learn from these various characters?

6. Jesus is able to maintain integrity when faced with the cross because he decides who he serves and belongs to before the cross, back when he is in the garden of Gethsemane. Can you think of a time where you were prepared in advance for a challenge to your integrity? How about a time where you were challenged without preparation?

7. At the end of chapter 15, compromise seems vindicated instead of integrity. Will connected that to the questions the psalmist wrestled with in Psalm 73. Read over Psalm 73. Have you ever felt that way, like the wicked prosper while your faithfulness was in vain? How did you deal with that feeling?

8. Will presented the resurrection as God's utlimate vindication of the life of integrity. How does that final verdict on Jesus' integrity encourage you or speak to you in this time?

9. Read over Mark 8:35-37. What do you think God is saying to you through this passage? Is it a challenge, an encouragement, an invitation?

10. The message ended with these affirmations. "Integrity is worth it... because that's the life God raises up in the end ...because you will have the peace of an undivided soul ...and because it leads you to intimacy with God." Which of these affirmations did you most need to hear and why?

Scripture: Mark 16:1-8

1. Review the last chapter of Mark's Gospel and notice that after verse 8, there is an editorial comment (in most Bibles) that “earliest manuscripts and some other ancient witnesses do not have Mark 16:9-20.” Why do you think later readers added a new ending to the gospel? Has there ever been a book or story that left you dissatisfied with the ending?

2. Even though they hear the news that Jesus is risen, the women at the tomb flee "because they were afraid" (verse 8). Why do you think they responded this way?

3. Pastor Becky suggests that the women flee in fear because all of us, even long-time Jesus followers, have a tendency to struggle to trust God's promises even when we've seen God is faithful in the past. Becky shared the example of experiencing God's presence and care at the time of her mother's death, but then feeling overwhelmed when facing a similar situation several years later. Have you ever had an experience where you experienced God's presence in the past, but still got scared and overwhelmed when faced with a similar situation?

4. Fear can have great power over us. Is there a place in your life right now where fear is bigger than your faith?

5. Becky suggests that Mark ends his story the way he does because it gives us a more realistic and honest story: "Mark could've told a story... only presenting the disciples' best moments, all the ways they did get it as followers. And a triumphal story might sound like good news. But I think the better news, and more honest news, is about the Jesus who makes space for us in his story. The Jesus who accepts and includes us, who loves and stands with us, despite our stumbles and bumbles, our failures and fears." How would you respond to that quote?

6. Becky suggests that our hope for the disciples is not in the fact that they always get it, but in Jesus' faithfulness to his promises. She points to a "promise/fulfillment" dynamic in the gospel. Jesus makes a promise, and then it is fulfilled. What examples does she give? What other examples of promise and fulfillment can you think of in the gospel?

7. "Mark wants the reader to know that the promise of Jesus hasn’t been fulfilled...until it has been fulfilled in us." Can you think of anyway the promises of Jesus been fulfilled in your story?  

8. Becky ties the open-ending of the gospel back to the Parable of the Sower in Chapter 4. The gospel ends with the question of "What are you going to do about Jesus?" and then Sower parable gives four options. Review that parable. What kind of response do you identify with? What adjustments or choices might you need to make to bear more fruit?

9. Jesus promises the disciples to go ahead of them and meet them in Galilee. Becky interprets that as a promise for us as well. "Galilee... is our real, right now, everyday, messy, and complicated lives." What's your "Galilee"? What might it look like to meet Jesus and follow him there?