CONVERSATION STARTERS

1. Read Mark 15:20b–16:8.

2. Victory & Restoration for Those Who Failed – The twelve disciples abandoned Jesus, yet the angel at the tomb reassures that he is going ahead of them to Galilee (Mark 16:7). How does the resurrection reveal God’s heart for restoring those who have failed him? What areas of your life need Jesus’ restoring power?

3. The Centurion’s Declaration – After witnessing Jesus’ death, the centurion proclaims, “Truly this man was the Son of God!” (Mark 15:39). What might have led him to that conclusion? Why do you think Mark records this unlikely person recognizing Jesus’ true identity? What does it look like for us to learn about who Jesus is from unexpected people?

4. The Discomfort of Verse 8 – Mark’s Gospel ends with fear and uncertainty (Mark 16:8). How does this unexpected ending challenge us? What does it look like to step forward in faith, even when we don’t have every answer or when following Jesus feels unsettling?

5. Will You Stay Silent? – The women at the tomb were initially afraid to speak, yet afterward they did share and the message of Jesus’ resurrection continues to spread (Mark 16:7–8; Luke 24:9). What keeps us from boldly declaring that Jesus is alive? WIth whom can we courageously share the hope of the resurrection in our lives today?

Title: Jesus Risen
Reference: Mark 15:42–16:8
Speaker: Tom Nelson, TomN@cckc.church

This is not the stuff of a heroic epic, still less of a story of magic and wonder, and yet what underlies it is an event beyond human comprehension: the Jesus they had watched dying and being buried some forty hours earlier is no longer dead but risen. ~ R.T. France, The Gospel of Mark: a commentary on the Greek text

Everything [Mark] has written leads up to this… a long preparation and winsome invitation to say Yes (or No) to the Risen Lord. He doesn't presume to write our conclusion for us. He doesn't argue. He doesn't push. He has just brought a completely new genre of literature into being, a "gospel," but instead of wrapping it up as a finished product so we can admire his genius, at the last minute he steps aside… hands us the pen and says, “Here, you write it, write a resurrection conclusion with your life.” ~ Eugene Peterson, Under the Unpredictable Plant