23/1 - Journey to the Cross - Mark 1:34-45

Some thoughts/Questions raised from our Zoom time this morning…

• How does this passage highlight the tension between the world’s values and Jesus’ way? Was Jesus intentionally avoiding popularity and attention?

• Why do you think the healed man ignored Jesus’ explicit instruction? What does this reveal about how easily we can hear God—and still choose our own response?

• What does this passage teach us about being slow to speak or act, especially after powerful spiritual experiences?

• Jesus is full of authority, yet He still withdraws to pray. What does that say about the relationship between authority, dependence, and prayer?

• Why do you think Mark emphasises that Jesus begins and ends this section in solitude and prayer? What does that suggest about setting intentional time aside for prayer in our own lives?

• Jesus is constantly on the move, responding to need and following the Father’s leading. Are we willing to go where He leads—even when it’s inconvenient or uncomfortable?

• The text says Jesus was “indignant.” Why might He have felt this way? Was His emotion directed at the disease, the brokenness of the world, or something else?

• How do the different translations—“indignant” versus “filled with compassion”—shape the way we understand Jesus’ character in this moment?

• Reflecting on the connection between Friday’s discussion and this passage: what does it mean for us that Jesus prayed continually, even while operating in authority? How does that challenge our own prayer habits?