NOTES:
1] 9:1 really belongs with this. God's Rule happens now when we accept Jesus. 2] 'Son of Man' always has two thrusts: of the earth, earthy; & of the heavens, supernatural. 3] What Jesus says about the fate of the Son of Man runs contrary to the  thinking of his day about the Messiah. 4] 'Satan' originally meant one who drew faults to God's notice, but changed to mean a being who opposed God. 5] In 35-6, the word usually translated 'life', or 'soul', means life including the soul.

WARMING UP: What do we make of the fact that Hot + Buns have been in supermarkets since Christmas?

TREASURES OLD & NEW: Identify God at work in anything this week?

ENTERING INTO THE STORY:

31-33    Is it any easier to accept Jesus' teaching about himself being the suffering, dying, raised Son of Man now, with hindsight, than it was for disciples then? If we were 'explaining' Jesus to someone, how would we justify following such a person? How do we? What if a suffering Messiah just doesn't appeal to generations interested only in 'winners'? Are we enthusiastic enough about his resurrection to convince sceptics a) that Jesus IS a winner? b) that he makes us all 'winners'?
             Do we ever 'do a Peter' & suggest to God there are other & better ways of doing things? How can we be sure we really are 'seeing things God's way'? Does insisting we do that make us into religious maniacs?

34-38   Which of the three demands that Jesus makes here do we find most & least attractive? Would it be easier to be a disciple if we could pick & choose between these three demands? Or do we do that anyway? Would it make Christian faith easier for others to accept if they could pick & choose? Is what Jesus asks of us realistic in today's world? Which is more important to us: our life, or our soul? Or can't we have one without the other?
             Are we, in any sense, ashamed by, or at least embarrassed by Jesus & his words? Do our churches give any impression of being either ashamed or embarrassed? Does it occur to us / worry us that Jesus might be ashamed of us when he appears as the supernatural Son of Man (as contrasted with the earthly one)? Should it?

9:1       Have we seen, do we see, do we expect to see God 'ruling in power'? What does that mean in practical terms?