Retreat:

As Good Friday nears, small groups will not be meeting. We want to encourage you to retreat from all the busyness and noise to deeply contemplate God's love for you. John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world He sent his One and Only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life." (CSB)  

Start: Set aside an hour or more this week to read and meditate on Mark 14-15. Use this simple outline to guide your understanding of the text:  

• Jesus is Anointed. Now read Mark 14:1-9 again. As Jesus neared his final moments, what were the people around him thinking about? How might you worship Jesus in a costly way this season?  

• Jesus Celebrates Passover. Read Mark 14:10-31. With a betrayer at his table, Jesus gave new meaning to the Passover meal. Romans 5:8 says, "But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." What does Jesus’ body and blood mean to you? Why is communion so integral to Christian worship? (see 1 Corinthians 11:23-24)

• Jesus Prepares to Die. Read Mark 14:32-51. What do you think was going through Jesus’ mind as his earthly life drew to a close? How does Jesus wrestle with the Father’s will (14:35-36)? When have you been distressed about God's will? What did Jesus freely choose?

• Jesus Sentenced to Death. Read Mark 14:53-15:15. What are the charges against Jesus? How does he respond? Why was his trial so drawn out? Reflect on the hymn in 1 Peter 2:20-25.

• Jesus is Crucified. Read Mark 15:16-47. What must Jesus have been feeling physically? Emotionally? Spiritually? How was Jesus’ death a ransom payment for us?

Finish: Close your mini retreat by internalizing what you have just experiences. Here are some great suggestions:

• Write out a one-page summary/reflection of this passage.

• Choose two or three verses to write on a card you can carry with you and refer to this week.

• Write out a prayer of thanksgiving to Jesus based on these moments in his life.

• Prepare communion at your home and share with your family or friends.

• Find a piece of art or a song based on these moments in Jesus’ life and spend some time meditating.