5/11/22 • Faith in a Frenzied World • Week 1

"Faith in a Frenzied World" is a 3-week series about the chaos that people face today. Life for all of us is often dominated by confusion and noise. But studies are showing that, for teenagers in particular, stress and loneliness characterize their lives now more than ever. Teenagers face increased expectations and demands. And there are the normal struggles and suffering in a creation gone wrong. But, in the frenzy of a fallen world, Jesus draws near with His peace! This is the first message of this series called: Peace in the Chaos (Mark 4-5)

Discussion Questions:

1. Can you share a time when your plans turned out very differently than you expected? 
2. In what ways do we encounter “chaos” in this world? What feels like it’s not as it should be? Why does this chaos exist?
3. It was Jesus’ plan to enter the boat and cross the sea, knowing the storm would come. What does this teach us? 
4. When the disciples are afraid, they accuse Jesus (v. 38). The speaker said, “When life begins to scare you, you will turn on and accuse the people that God has put in your life to help you.” Have you ever been on the receiving end of this? How have you done this to others?
5. In this section, Jesus speaks peace into the storm in the world (4:35–41) but also to the storm in the soul (5:1–20). What kinds of ways do people experience “chaos in the soul,” even if they are unaware of it? How can we help them understand this?
6. What kinds of insights do we learn from the account of Jesus’ healing of the woman and Jairus’ daughter (5:21–43)? (Draw them out on the points discussed in the message). How do you see yourself in this story?
7. Where does life feel noisy or chaotic for you? What tends to be stressful or painful?
8. Different people in this text need to confront their fears. There’s the disciples in the storm, the woman’s fear of being publicly known, and Jairus’ fear that he’ll lose his daughter. What does Jesus do in response to each person’s needs? Where do you experience fear? What does Jesus want you to do about that?
9. In this section of Mark, Jesus speaks a word of peace in the chaos of life. How can we pray for God’s peace in your personal world? How should we pray for peace in the world around us?