Discussion Questions:

1. Facing Lent Honestly

• Pastor Mark described Lent as a season many people avoid because it asks us to confront mortality, frailty, and brokenness. What feelings does Lent stir in you? Resistance? Relief? Curiosity?
• How might Lent be less about guilt and more about learning to trust God in difficult realities?

2. Jesus Wept

• In John 11, Jesus knows resurrection is coming—yet he weeps. What does “Jesus wept” reveal about the heart of God?
• When have you experienced God not as a rescuer who fixes everything, but as a companion who stays with you in grief?

3. “I Am the Resurrection and the Life”

• Martha expresses belief in a future resurrection, but Jesus speaks in the present tense: “I am the resurrection and the life.” What might that mean for how we live now?
• How does believing that “the worst thing is never the last thing” shape your response to loss or uncertainty?

4. Love That Goes Through Death

• The sermon quoted Andrew Root: “Love is only able to conquer death if it goes through death.” Where have you seen love show up in dark or broken places?
• What does it look like to allow love into the “cracks” of your own life rather than hiding your brokenness?

5. Walking Through the Valley Together

• Pastor Mark said God will not rescue us from all pain, but there is nowhere we can go that God will not go with us. How does that promise challenge or comfort you?
• How can we, as a church community, walk through valleys with one another in tangible ways?
• What would it look like for RPPC to embody resurrection hope in Baltimore right now?

6. Living This Week

• What is one area of frailty or uncertainty you are being invited to entrust to God this Lent?
• Who might need you to simply “come and see” — to sit with them, listen, and embody compassionate presence this week?

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Discussion Questions:

1. Trusting God in Uncertainty

• Samuel is grieving the failure of Saul, yet God calls him to trust again and go anoint a new king. Have you ever experienced a time when you struggled to move forward because of past disappointment?
• Like Dudley in the sermon, we sometimes find ourselves fearful even when God has proven trustworthy. Why do you think it’s so hard to trust, even when we know God has come through before?

2. God’s Unexpected Choices

• In the story, God does not choose the oldest or most impressive son of Jesse, but the youngest and least expected. What does this say about how God sees people differently than we do?
• How might this challenge the way we see others…or even how we see ourselves?

3. Your Unique Role in God’s Work

• The sermon reminds us that everyone has a part to play in God’s plan, even when it’s not what we expected. Have you ever discovered a gift or calling that surprised you?
• What is one way you feel called to serve, love, or grow right now even if it feels like a “small” role?

4. Being Open to Divine Surprise

• The late Rev. Dr. John Buchanan often prayed, “Surprise us, O God.” How might regularly praying that way shift your spiritual expectations?
• Can you name a time when God surprised you through a person, opportunity, or unexpected outcome?

5. Living Into the Message This Week

• What would it look like for you to say “yes” to God’s invitation this week, even if you feel unsure or unqualified?
• As a community, how can we encourage one another to listen for God’s voice and step into our unique roles?

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