Pastor Blaik J Westhoff
Mark 6:14-29
1. The placement of the story of the death of John the Baptist is strange. It doesn’t seem to have anything to do with what’s happening with Jesus. It comes in the middle of one of Mark’s stories about Jesus sending out his disciples. Why would Mark do that?
2. Worldly success does not always come to those who are following God’s will for their lives. Why?
3. The story of the death of John the Baptist is where it is in the Gospel of Mark to warn us that worldly success does not always come to those who are following God’s will for their lives. In your own words explain this in your own life.
Further Study:
Acts 7:54-59
1. The new church had barely gotten under way. Why do you think God allowed such an effective disciple to be martyred so early in the church’s history?
2. Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people?
3. This week pray and meditate on the lives of martyrs like John the Baptist and the disciple Stephen. Believers around the world are still being martyred for Christ. Pray for the world-wide body of Christ. Write down your thoughts.