WEEK 13: MONDAY DECEMBER 7
SILENCE, STILLNESS, AND CENTERING BEFORE GOD:
As you begin to spend time with God, settle yourself somewhere quiet and comfortable. Take some deep breaths. Spend a few minutes in silence, becoming aware of God’s presence with you and in you.
READ:
Let your mind settle. Silently read the Scripture for this week: Mark 15.
ASK:
Read the Scripture again, this time aloud. Listen for a word, phrase, or section that grabs your attention. Write down any questions about the passage that you have. When you finish, close your eyes. Recall the word or phrase, taking it in and mulling it over. Write down what comes to mind.
REFLECT:
Much of this chapter is about what Jesus endured on his way to the cross, up until his death and burial. Reading these verses and thinking about what the crucifixion involved, what do you think Jesus was feeling physically? Emotionally? Spiritually? Allow yourself to feel what He might have felt, and let that empathy lead you into thanksgiving for His sacrifice.
In verse 34, Jesus quotes the first verse of Psalm 22 while He is on the cross. Read Psalm 22, and look for all the ways that it relates to Jesus’ experience and foretells the end result of His death and resurrection.
In verse 38, at the moment Jesus died, the temple veil is torn in two from top to bottom. This veil was 60 feet long, 30 feet wide, and four inches thick. It was so massive and heavy that it took 300 priests to manipulate it. Considering this, then, what does it mean and signify that the veil was torn in two from top to bottom at the moment Jesus died? How can it be a symbol to you in your relationship with God?
In verses 40-47, several women are mentioned. Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome watched as Jesus died. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James are the only eye witnesses mentioned at Jesus’ burial besides Joseph of Arimathea, in whose tomb Jesus was laid. Considering the 1st century Middle Eastern context of this book, why is it significant that this Holy Spirit-inspired text truthfully records the fact that one of the most important events in the entire history of the world relied on the eye witness accounts of two women? Reflect on how the elevation of women in the gospels fits within God’s heart and His desire for His kingdom.
PRAY:
Read Mark 15 one last time, stopping and listening for who Jesus is inviting you to become and what He is inviting you to do this week. Write down what comes to mind.
Talk with Jesus about it.
PRACTICE:
As a community, our practices for this week are Sabbath & prayer.
We want to be people who love Jesus deeply, and Sabbath is about just that — spending time with our Father who deeply loves us and is inviting us into a rhythm of work and rest.
Sabbath is a time to stop, rest, delight, and worship. We encourage you to find space in this week to do just that: stop from the busyness of life, rest with Jesus, delight in His goodness and creation, and worship Him. Pick a time this week, short or long, and enjoy Sabbath.
This week, pray and talk with God about Sabbath. Dialogue with the Holy Spirit about your posture and feelings towards this practice. Are you nervous, excited, confused, uncertain? God delights to talk with you. Sabbath is a means for connection with God.
Lastly, we encourage you to find time this week to meet with a friend, pastor, mentor, or someone you just think is awesome, and ask them about Sabbath. We are a community, and we process and grow best together.
Looking for a place to start? Use this Sabbath Starter Guide.