This chapter covers a lot of ground, and it would be easy to miss the nuance contained within. Take a little while to sit with evert story and consider what each means to you today. Here are a few questions to consider.
• The chapter begins with Jesus performing another feeding miracle. How is this one different than the one in chapter six? What is the significance of the different locations for each of these accounts? Pay attention to the baskets of leftover in both stories. The one for the Jewish audience had 12 baskets remaining, and the one for the Gentile audience had seven. What does this say to you?
• Why did the Pharisees demand a sign from Jesus? Why do we? Does this demonstrate a lack of faith, putting God to the test, or something else? What signs of God’s love and power are around you right here and right now?
• It seems to take Jesus two attempts to completely heal the blind man at Bethsaida. Does this symbolize a lack of power or something else? Have you ever experienced a seemingly incomplete miracle? What did you do with it? What in this story gives you hope?
• Chapter Eight contains Peter’s famous confession of faith in Christ. The world will always have different opinions of Jesus. Some consider him a prophet, a teacher, or a wise man. Who is Jesus to you?
• Finally, after the confession of faith, Peter challenges Jesus about the need to be rejected, to suffer, and to die. Is the message of the cross still offensive to us? Why or why not?
No comments:
Post a Comment