Key Thought: Mark 15 presents the trial of Jesus, His condemnation, mockery, His crucifixion, and His death and burial.
September 21, 2024

1. Have a volunteer read Mark 15:1-20.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point is in this passage.
2. What kind of ironic situations occur here?
3. Personal Application: How hard is it to go against the crowd and majority opinion in any given situation? Is it hard to go against the flow? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your relatives states, “Do you think the soldiers and crowd could be excused for their behavior on judgment day because of ignorance?” How would you respond to your relative?

2. Have a volunteer read Mark 15:21-38.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What painful ironies appear in these passages?
3. Personal Application: Would you sacrifice yourself for people who cursed you, spit on you, mocked you, maimed you, and beat you half to death? Why didn’t Jesus just say, ‘forget it, you don’t deserve my love and efforts.’? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your friends states, “Many churches and religious downplay the role of Christ’s substitutionary death for us, paying the penalty in Himself the penalty for our sins. Why is this a false theology that can’t save anyone?.” How would you respond to your friend?

3. Have a volunteer read Mark 15:33-41.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What are Jesus’ words on the cross in Mark? How do you understand why He said them?
3. Personal Application: How can we learn that regardless of what happens around us or to us, that we can trust God and know that He will prevail? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your neighbors states: “Who are these people – Barabbas and Bar-Jesus that the people desired more than Jesus?” How would you respond to your neighbor?
   (Note: Bar-Jesus means “son of God our Savior. Barabbas means “Son of the Father Barabbas led a rebellion against Rome to exalt the physical Jews as slaves against Rome to take over the slave masters. They were both false prophets.)

4. Have a volunteer read Mark 15:42-47.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What was the importance of Joseph’s intervention, since all the disciples were nowhere to be seen?
3. Personal Application: How can we be sure that when in crucial times, we are not missing in action? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: Think of one person who needs to hear a message from this week’s lesson. Tell the class what you plan to do this week to share with them.

(Truth that is not lived, that is not imparted, loses its life-giving power, its healing virtue. Its blessings can be retained only as it is shared.”Ministry of Healing, p. 148).

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