Week 9 - Embracing Pain & Suffering

Sunday Passage:
Mark 11 & 15

Theme:
Walking Toward Jerusalem

Weekly Reading: Mark 16

Relatable Story:
There are moments in life where faith stops being a concept and becomes a decision. When prayers aren’t answered quickly. When pain lasts longer than you expected. When you realize following Jesus doesn’t always mean escape—it sometimes means endurance. Mark doesn’t hide the suffering of Jesus, because Mark wants you to see the kind of King He is. Jesus doesn’t avoid suffering. He walks straight into it to redeem it. This week, we’re learning how to stay faithful in the dark—and how love keeps moving forward.

Study Focus

• The Way of the Cross

• Faithfulness in darkness

• The cost of love

Discussion Questions

Why is the cross central to Mark’s Gospel?

What does Palm Sunday reveal about misplaced expectations?

How does Jesus respond to injustice?

How does suffering shape faith?

Kingdom Practice

Stay Present:
Walk with someone who is hurting rather than trying to fix them.