Jesus is the Christ

Discussion Guide for Community Groups
Gospel of Mark Project – Jesus is the Christ
Icebreakers:

1. How easy or natural is it for you to share your faith?
2. How has Jesus made Himself “known” or “real” to you?
3. If push came to shove, are you prepared to die for your faith?

Scripture Text: Mark 8:27-33 NASB95
[27] Jesus went out, along with His disciples, to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way He questioned His disciples, saying to them, “Who do people say that I am?” [28] They told Him, saying, “John the Baptist; and others say Elijah; but others, one of the prophets.” [29] And He continued by questioning them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered and said to Him, “You are the Christ.” [30] And He warned them to tell no one about Him. [31] And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. [32] And He was stating the matter plainly. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. [33] But turning around and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.”
 
Digging Deeper:

• Jesus asks His disciples about how “other” people view Him.  This is a straightforward and easy question to answer.
• The second question was much more personal and therefore, more difficult: Who do you say that I am?

Read Verses 27, 28: [27] Jesus went out, along with His disciples, to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way He questioned His disciples, saying to them, “Who do people say that I am?” [28] They told Him, saying, “John the Baptist; and others say Elijah; but others, one of the prophets.”
.

1. Why do you think Jesus asked His disciples about what other people (people outside the circle of the disciples) were saying about Him?
2. Out of all the answers, which character did Jesus most closely resemble in terms of both His message and ministry? 

Read Verses 29, 30: [29] And He continued by questioning them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered and said to Him, “You are the Christ.” [30] And He warned them to tell no one about Him.

1. At what point in Jesus’ ministry do you think the disciples started to believe that He was the Messiah?
2. Why would Jesus’ identity as the “Christ” confused the disciples?  (Because Israel viewed the Messiah as the one that would deliver the nation from foreign occupancy)

Read Verse 31: [31] And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

1. Why would this prophecy by Jesus be so troubling to the disciples?
2. Read Isaiah 53.
3. Why do we consider Jesus’ triumph over death to be a greater work than restoring Israel to their glory days during the reign of King David?

Wrap-Up: [32] And He was stating the matter plainly. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. [33] But turning around and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.”

1. Why do you think that Jesus associated Peter’s rebuke as a work of Satan?
2. Do you think that Satan wanted Jesus to be crucified?  (Why or why not?)
3. What was the outcome of Jesus atoning work?