Jesus spits into a blind man’s eyes, and the man begins to see people like walking trees, only at the second touch does he see clearly. This scene, strange even by biblical standards, stands at the very center of the Gospel of Mark (Mark 8) and turns out to be the key to Peter’s confession that Jesus is the Messiah. The sermon shows that we too see Jesus only half-clearly as long as we cling to our own ideas of what a king should be, for God’s King reveals himself fully not on a throne, but on the cross. Listen and let this picture come into sharp focus for you.
Discussion questions
For your small group or for personal reflection after the sermon.
- In Mark 8:22-33 Jesus heals the blind man in two stages: first he sees people like trees, then everything clearly. How does this healing help us understand the conversation with the disciples that follows right after?
- Peter declares, "You are the Christ," yet moments later he rebukes Jesus for speaking about suffering, rejection and death. What kind of king was Peter expecting, and why did Jesus' words unsettle him so much?
- The speaker said that Jesus defines what it means to be king, not us. Which of your ideas about power, success or salvation are hardest for you to hand over to Jesus to be reshaped?
- The sermon stressed that the cross was not an obstacle on Jesus' path but His goal and calling. How does it change your view of God that His character is seen most fully at the cross?
- The speaker warned against wanting salvation on our own terms, without suffering or hardship. In what situations do you catch yourself setting your mind on human things rather than the things of God?
- Jesus asks, "But who do you say that I am?" How might your answer shape a specific decision or relationship this week where it is hard for you to give up your own way?
