Starting
In pairs: Can we think of totally unexpected things (good things or bad things) that have completely thrown us off balance? How did we react at the time? (Then share with the group.)
Reading
Someone reads Mark 4:35-41.
Praying
Someone asks God to speak to us all through this passage.
Talking
Before the storm / verses 35 and 36
1. How could we describe the disciples’ relationship with Jesus? What do we think their opinion of him is? Why?
2. What do we think the disciples are expecting when they start the journey across the lake?
During the storm / verses 37-39
3. How does Mark show us that this is a really bad storm (let’s make a list)?
4. What do we think might be going through the disciples’ minds when they wake Jesus in verse 38? What are they expecting him to do?
5. How many surprises can we find in verse 39? Why do we think Jesus isn’t freaked out by the storm? How could we describe Jesus here (let’s make another list)?
After the storm / verses 40 and 41
6. Do we think the disciples are more afraid during the storm or after the storm? Why?
7. How might we describe Jesus in verse 40: angry? puzzled? or something else?
8. Why do we think the disciples are frightened after Jesus has done this miracle? In verse 41 they’re asking themselves a question: do we think they have an answer yet?
Finally…
9. Why do we think Mark doesn’t tell us who Jesus is? What evidence is there here that Jesus is human? And that he’s divine?
10. How do we think our attitude to Jesus should be different, now that we’ve seen his authority in action? What’s that going to mean for us in practice?
11. We’ve all got friends who don’t believe in Jesus. How can we help them to get to the point where they ask themselves who Jesus is?
Praying
In our first time of prayer, let’s pray with open Bibles. Let’s thank God for the power and authority of Jesus; let’s pray for others to start asking themselves the question as to who Jesus is; and let’s pray that we will respond to Jesus ourselves as we should.
Before our second time of prayer, let’s share prayer needs. Then let’s pray for one another, the church family, our country and our world.