Where did you find hope this week?  How did that hope shape your actions?  When was that hope threatened?

 


Read Mark 14:1-11 and Romans 5:6-11. Mark shows three responses to Jesus: threat (scribes), opportunity (Judas), and love (the woman). Romans 5 describes us as helpless sinners and even enemies whom Christ died for.  Which of these postures best reflects your natural tendency toward Jesus: resisting Him as a threat, using Him for personal benefit, or loving Him as your greatest treasure?  What reveals this in your daily life?  How does Romans 5:8 challenge or reshape your understanding of how Jesus relates to you, even at your worst?

 

 

Why is it essential that Jesus’ death was purposeful and interpreted and not accidental, tragic, or meaningless? How does Romans 5 deepen your understanding of what His death accomplished for you personally? 

 

 


The woman broke the jar as an irreversible act of surrender. Judas, by contrast, calculated Jesus’ value in monetary terms. Where are you tempted to offer Jesus controlled, reversible devotion instead of costly, irreversible surrender?

 

 

What practices help keep the cross central in your heart so that your devotion flows from love rather than guilt or religious performance?

 


If someone observed your life, what would they conclude about the value and meaning of Jesus’ death? Would they see indifference, convenience, or costly love? What is one concrete step you can take this week to express your love for Christ in response to His love for you?