This is the Way | The Way of The Cross

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Summary of this week’s material: Jesus taught His disciples IN THE WAY, as they journeyed ALONG THE WAY to the cross where He would BECOME THE WAY!

How to use it: After watching/listening to this week’s message, from March 20, 2022, use the questions to go deeper into the message, with your group…or on your own. The questions will introduce you to the topic, reflect content from the sermon, go ‘Beyond the Message’, & get you thinking about practical applications for your life.

1. In the hit series ‘The Mandalorian’, the most-quoted catchphrase is, “This is the way”. The “way” refers to the Way of the Mandalore, a code of ethics upheld by all Mandalorians. Within your LifeGroup or other groups you belong to (work, family, social) what laws, creeds, codes exist?

2. What stands out to you as the most compelling insight from this week’s sermon?

3. Read Mark 8:27-28.  When you think of the people around you, who do they say Jesus is?  How are their answers similar or different than the answers given by the disciples?

4. Read Mark 8:29. Who do you say Jesus is?  What implications does that have on your life?

5. Read Mark 8:31-32 & answer the following questions:

   1. Peter rejected Jesus’ insight.  What about Jesus’ prediction caused Peter to rebuke Him?

   2. What word(s) indicate that “This is the way”?

6. Read Matthew 4:1-11 & answer the following questions:

   1. Why did Jesus refer to Peter as Satan? How is what Peter was saying the same as what Satan was saying?

   2. When we consider success, the world often has a different definition than God does.  As related to success, what are the concerns of God?  What are the concerns of the world?

7. Read Matthew 26:34-44 & answer the following questions: 

   1. What does it mean to deny yourself?

   2. What is the Cross a symbol of?  What does it mean to ‘take up your Cross’?

8. Why would Satan try to erase the cross from Jesus’ life?  Why would Satan try to erase the cross from your life?  What is ‘the way of the Cross’?

9. Read Mark 8:36-9:1 & answer the following questions:

   1. What is the rationale? (vs. 36 & 37)

   2. What is the warning? (vs. 38)

   3. What is the promise? (vs. 1)

10. In Mark 8:34, Jesus teaches His disciples ‘the way of the Cross’ and about the need for His disciples to follow the Leader.  As disciples, how will you individually and as a group follow Jesus this week?