1. What does today's world think of Jesus: Who would you say the world things Jesus is?
2. Jesus told them not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah because their image of the Messiah and who the Messiah actully is were very different. What kind of God do you think the "world" is looking for?
3. Who do you say Jesus is? How has your image of Christ changed over the years?

1. When did you make the decision that heaven is your ultimate goal? What brought you to that point of decision?
2. Heaven is our goal, but we need to be intentional about aiming for this. We don't just fall into heaven. How do you intentionally direct your life towards heaven?
3. Jesus looks at you with love and then asks for whatever keeps you away from him, whatever may keep you ouf of heaven. What does he ask of you? Are you able to give it to him?

1. The paradox of the Christiain life is that "in order to live, we must die." How have you experienced this death to self?
2. As a Christian, how have you experienced the call to be countercultural?
3. When was a time you experienced  suffering that brought you closer to Christ?

1. We live in a culture that has lost any sense of sin. How would you define sin to someone who does not believe?
2. An interesting thing happens as we get closer to Jesus: we become more aware of our sin. the more light there is in our lives, the more we are able to see the darkness. However, we are not discouraged because we have been forgiven much. Recall times in your life when you experienced being forgiven.
3. We have all sinned, but this is not what defines us. Rather, what gives us our identity is how we are created in God's image and likeness. What are other things that we are tempted to let define our worth?

1. We learn the importance of prayer because Jesus himself models a life of prayer. Tell about a tme that someone else taught you by example.
2. Praying brings peace. St. Seraphim of Sarov says, “Acquire a spirit of peace, and a thousand souls around you shall be saved.” How does the peace brought about by prayer assist Jesus in his ministry? How has prayer strengthened your own ability to minister to others?
3. The more we talk to and spend tme with someone, the beter we get to know them. Prayer helps us to encounter God and get to know him beter. How has prayer helped you get to know God beter? Has contnual prayer changed how you see God and how you talk to God?

1. We are all created with a hunger for God, but sometmes this longing masks itself as a desire for other things. We might feel that we desire certain experiences or worldly pleasures such as money, relatonships or recogniton. What things distract you from your own hunger for God?
2. The Eucharist was a hard teaching for Jesus’ followers, and it is stll a hard teaching for many people today. According to a 2019 Pew Research Center survey, “Just one-third of U.S. Catholics (31%) say they believe that ‘during Catholic Mass, the bread and wine actually become the body and blood of Jesus.’” How have you encountered the grace to embrace this hard teaching?
3. When Jesus feeds the 5,000, he does not just give them “enough.” Instead, he makes sure they “have their fll.” He desires that they receive him in abundance. When is a tme that you felt flled and abundantly blessed by God?

1. Jesus’ love for us is personal and individual. Talk about a tme when you felt how personal God’s love is for you.
2. Jesus contnues to choose you even at your worst moment. How does this truth make you feel? Does it bring you peace or do you struggle to believe this? Have you experienced this personally? Explain.
3. Jesus called Lazarus out of the tomb. What is the “tomb” that Jesus calls you out of?

1. The evil one works by lying and manipulatng us. How have you experienced this in your own life? What are some of the lies the devil speaks to you? How does he tempt you?
2. When we are tempted, God can intervene. Have you experienced this? Explain.
3. As we get closer to the Lord, we are likely to be tempted and to experience struggle. Have you experienced this? How did God speak into that experience?
4. Jesus has authority over the evil one and gives us a share in that authority. Do you call upon the name of Jesus? How have you experienced this authority in your life or in the lives of others?

1. We tend to focus on the parts of Jesus that make us feel good. What are some of your favorite things that Jesus said? What do you like about those sayings or teachings?
2. What hard teachings do you struggle with? Have you tried asking God to give you the grace to accept these teachings? 3. Jesus begins his ministry with a celebraton. How have you experienced Jesus sharing in life’s celebratons with you?

1. The human heart wants to be loved and to love, and this loving desire is ultmately only satsfed in God. How have you experienced this in your own life? When have you felt this desire to love and to be loved?
2. God does not force himself on us but tenderly and patently waits for us to return to him. How do you feel about this concept? How does it impact your image of God?
3. When Jesus asks Peter three tmes if he loves him, he is asking if there is anything Peter loves more than Jesus, and if there is anything keeping Peter from loving him fully. What do you love more than God? Are there people, hopes or ideals that keep you from loving him fully?
4. When we come to know the love of Jesus, we are moved to share it with others. However, this Christan call to evangelize can be dauntng. Fear, lack of knowledge, or other things can prevent us from having the courage to share the Gospel message. What keeps you from sharing the Gospel?