REMINDERS

• Complete study guide and pray for your group before they arrive
• Have refreshments available

GOALS FOR THE EVENING

Read announcements at the beginning of your meeting

ATTENDANCE

Submit your group’s attendance online through your email you receive at the conclusion of your meeting.  

MY STORY

1. Of all the places you call “God’s country,” which is your favorite?

 

 

 

2.  If you could take three people up a mountain to meet God, whom would you take and why?

 

 

 

 

3. Looking back at your notes from this week’s teaching, was there a particular point, verse or comment that caught your attention, challenged you or raised a question?

 

 

 

DIGGING DEEPER

After reading the passage, discuss the following questions.

Mark 9:2-15 New International Version (NIV)

2 After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. 3 His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. 4 And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.

5 Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 6 (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)

7 Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud:“This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”

8 Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.

9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10 They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what “rising from the dead” meant.

11 And they asked him, “Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?”

12 Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah does come first, and restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected? 13 But I tell you, Elijah has come, and they have done to him everything they wished, just as it is written about him.”

14 When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. 15 As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.

 

1.  The word transfigured describes a change on the outside that comes from the inside.  It is the opposite of “masquerade” which is an outward change that does not come from within.(Wiersbe)  Jesus allowed His glory to radiate through His whole being, and the mountaintop became the Holy of Holies!  What has been your greatest mountaintop experience with Jesus?

(God has shared this glory with and promised us a glorious home forever – John 17:22-24.  According to Romans 12:1-2 and 2 Corinthians 3:18, believers today can experience the same transfiguration glory.)

 

 

 

 

2. If we want to share the glory of Christ on the mountaintop, we must be willing to follow Him in to the sufferings of the valley below.  What has been your deepest valley? 

(The Christian life is a “land of hills and valleys” – Deuteronomy 11:11.  In one day a disciple can move from the glory of heaven to the attacks of hell.  When our Lord and His three friends returned to the other nine disciples, they found them involved in a dual problem: they were unable to heal and they were being taunted by debating Scribes because of their failure.)

 

 

 

3. How would you describe your relationship with God right now:

• In the valley
• On the mountaintop
• Climbing
• On the rocks
• Other: __________________________________________

 

 

 

Mark 9:14-28 New International Version (NIV)

14 When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. 15 As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.

16 “What are you arguing with them about?” he asked.

17 A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. 18 Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”

19 “You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”

20 So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

21 Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”

“From childhood,” he answered. 22 “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”

23 “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”

24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”

26 The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.

28 After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” 29 He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.[a]”

 

 

1. The main lesson of this miracle is the power of faith to overcome the enemy.  While the three disciples were up on the mountain, what problem were the other nine having?  How did they deal with it?  What do you think the argument was about in verse 14?

(This is the exact kind of argument Peter wanted to avoid by staying up on the mountain of Transfiguration – Mark 9:5.  But it simply had to come down off the mountain and deal with what they found. Jesus had given his disciples authority to cast out demons -Mark 6:7, 13, yet their ministry to the boy was ineffective.)

 

 

 

 

2. Whom do you identify with most in this story?

• the disciples – because I never seem to give people the help they need
• the boy – because I often feel like I’m controlled by evil
• the father – because I find it hard to believe sometimes
• Jesus – because I have to fix things when others mess up

 

 

 

3.  One of the most honest responses to Jesus happens in this passage.  When have you felt like the father of the boy with an evil spirit, one moment saying, “I do believe,” and the next, “Help me overcome my unbelief”(v. 24)? 

( Thank God this response is in Scripture!  For Jesus, the dad’s humble response was enough.  Healing is not an on-demand service.  The bible does not teach that faith will force a miracle or that if you believe God will be your genie in a bottle.  That is dangerous teaching.  The disciples couldn’t figure out why they couldn’t heal the boy and asked Jesus later.  He replied, “This kind can only come out by prayer.”  Jesus brings it back to prayer.  The point of prayer is spending time with God, trusting Him.  That is faith.  Sometimes God doesn’t heal.  Sometimes faith is trusting God through the storm whether it gets you out or carries you through.  What matters is He cares, He is with you, and you can trust Him.)

 

 

 

TAKING IT HOME

1.  What kind of doubts hit you the hardest?

• Spiritual – questions like “Can my life please God?”
• Family – questions like “Am I failing as a spouse or parent?”
• Vocational – questions like “Will I make it in my work life?”
• Personal – questions like “Will I always have these weaknesses and struggles?”

 

 

2. Where do you learn more – during spiritual highs or lows?  Why do you think that is?

 

 

 

 

3.  Discuss the following: Mark 9:23 “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”  When we trust God as true and all His promises as true, all things He promises are possible. Why is belief so critical to God?  Righteousness, salvation, and eternal life are all promised to “whosoever believes in Jesus”.  Why is it impossible to please God without faith?  What area in your life do you need to have more trust in God?  How can the group pray for you as a result?

 

 

 

 

 

 

PRAYER REQUESTS

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VBS & CG’s

Each Community Group has been given an area of VBS that you are responsible to pray for.  As we learned in this lesson, prayer is extremely powerful as it draws us into a trusting relationship of what God can only do through His mighty power.  Begin to pray this week for your assigned groups Leaders.  Pray for enough leaders, joyful leaders, healthy leaders . . .etc. 

SPRING FLING!

Spring Fling is coming! Spring Fling is a fun event for the whole family, filled with games, food trucks, and fellowship. We’ll meet in the field behind Ballast Point Elementary from 5-7 on Sunday, March 31.

Bring your favorite picnic gear, Frisbees, footballs, some cash for food – and be ready to eat and have a great time.

WAYS TO SERVE

 

New Life Solutions – pro-life organization who provides services to care for the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of women throughout their pregnancies and through critical points in their lives.

Seafarers Center – (Tampa Port Ministries) – Help give transportation to dock workers at the Port of Tampa and build relationships that lead to gospel conversations.

These and many more opportunities can be inquired about through emailing us at: ashley@stfchurch.com or calling the church office: 813-251-1515