Read Mark 8:31-38
- Which part of this passage do we find most challenging?
- In our passage Peter gets a strong rebuke for taking Jesus aside and tries to get Him to stop all this talk of death and suffering, but can we empathise with Peter as he struggles to understand why Jesus had to walk this particular path?
- What do we understand by the saying, the way of the world?
- Mark tells us that Jesus spoke plainly to those listening. In today’s terms we might say he was completely up front and held nothing back. Are we like this when we witness to our Lord, or are we guilty of saying only what we think those listening might want to hear and missing out on those more difficult and uncomfortable parts of what it means to follow Jesus – like carrying our own cross and all it implies.
- When Jesus asks, what good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul…what do we understand by this?
- How would we explain the cross we are asked to carry?