Study Guide AWS
Study Guide June 16, 2013
When All Seems Lost
Mark 6:14-29
W
hat do you do when all seems lost? How do you respond to a crisis, a severe loss or an extreme disappointment? Have you ever considered what it takes to be a survivor? Laurence Gonzales, in his book: Deep Survival, says “at least 75% of people caught in a catastrophe either freeze or simply wander in a daze.” Dr. Al Siebert, in his book: The Survivor Personality, says, “In the turmoil of a dire emergency, some people feel overwhelmed and freeze up, others panic and act in senseless ways, while some become highly emotional and believe they are going to die. A few will quickly comprehend the reality of the new situation, accept that they could die, but don’t panic; they take actions to increase their chances of surviving.” Due to the popularity of such TV ‘reality’ shows such as Survivor, Survivor Man, and Survive This, there is an almost romantic aura about survival skills. Unfortunately, as Rick pointed out, these shows are far from true reality, and the reallife scenarios we fall into cannot be prepared for or mimicked. During the worship service, two families shared testimonies of a ‘deep survival’ experience. Before we begin the scriptural part of this study, think about their stories and, if you are willing, share one of your own. Talk about the similarities and differences in all of your stories. Discuss the stages of the journey you are each experiencing. Take time to pray for and encourage each other.
Part One: Everybody Has a Story As I’ve grown older, I spend more time thinking about my mortality. And, being a writer by temperament, I am constantly titling books in my head. Recently, I came upon the perfect title for my autobiography: Telling Stories. That’s not as pleasant it as might seem, though. When I was younger, I frequently redefined my reality by using my imagination to, well, embellish things. My most frequent audience, my mother, usually did not appreciate my stories. She would often respond , saying, “stop telling stories!” What I saw as my reality she saw as lies and exaggerations. So, I did stop telling stories out loud to her. I went underground and wrote them down instead.
by Vonda Gilley
I’ve just told you a small part of my story. Now, let’s look at the Biblical story that Rick taught about last week. Reread Mark 6:14-29. Every story begins with characters. Who are the main characters in this story? Discuss and describe each by what you know of their heritage, their living circumstances, their work and family lives. You can learn a lot by Googling them or better yet, using a Bible Dictionary like www.BibleHistory.com) even websites like biography.com and pbs.com give some factual information like:
St. John the Baptist
Herod Agrippa
Preacher, Prophet, Saint
Judean Monarch
Born
5 BC
10 BC
Died
30 AD
44 AD
Place of birth
Judea, Israel
Rome
Place of death
Israel
Cesarea
Cause of death
Beheading
Sudden death (heart attack)
Occupation
Add to these things what you learn from the Scriptures about their: family heritage, marital status, work and living conditions. Whether or not a story is well-read and appreciated usually is determined by how much we identify with the characters and whether we can we put ourselves into their ‘reality’ So, which of these do you identify with most? Why? Do you identify with Herod, living by his passions while secretly being ruled by a bitter and vengeful wife? Or perhaps you empathize with the imprisoned preacher who is feeling alone, forgotten, and maybe even mistaken in his faith. Try to share some of your story as it relates to your understanding of these two characters.
Part Two: The Center of the Story Every story also has a plot line; usually the plot involves at least one conflict which must be resolved. What are the
E AST 91 ST STR E E T C H R I ST I A N C H U R C H • w w w.east 91 st .o rg
conflicts in this Mark 6 section? Try to list out some words that describe each man’s conflicts, then add your own. You may wish to ask the Holy Spirit to show you things in your life that are in conflict with God that you may not even recognize.
Herod
John the Baptist
Fear
Doubt
Hope Purpose Tenacity Love Empathy
Me
Intelligence Ingenuity Flow
Bonus Challenge: How many of these relate to characteristics found in Galatians 5?
Challenge 2 – Share your story Of these two men in the Mark 6 story, Herod and John the Baptist, who is the true Survivor Man? Why or why not? Thinking back to the Pelsue and Carter stories, how did each of these families redefine the word “survivor”? Now, what about you? Does your story seem more like a reality TV show or are you a true survivor in the way John the Baptist was, as defined in John 11:25-26a?
Challenge 1 – Evaluate your survival traits Laurence Gonzalez’ book, Deep Survival, dissects the psychological and spiritual transformation that takes place within people who survive against the odds. The Survivor’s Club has identified 12 characteristics that are generally found in the majority of people who survive all types of adversity; be it a natural disaster, a battle with cancer, or even a fight with the playground bully. Below is a list of those traits. Review them, describe what they mean to you, and try to identify a scripture or biblical character/story that represents that trait. Think, pray and/or talk about how you might develop or help others learn more of that survival trait in your Christian walk.
A part of being a family is that there are always stories that are unique to only your family. Some make you laugh, others make you cry, but they unify you as a family unit. When someone new is added to the family, those stories get shared, in order to bond that newcomer to the family. Often we here at E91, see testimonies in worship services, or we may hear them in classes like Hope for Hard Places. As Rick reminded us this week, we each have a story and as Christ followers, Christ is (or should be) at the center of our story. The stories we share are what help us be the family of Christ. This also means that our stories are part of our Kingdom work. (Review John 17:13-26) So, your challenge this week (or in the near future) is to share at least a part of your story with someone else. Pray for the Holy Spirit to make you aware of someone who needs to hear your story.
RESOURCES
What Makes Someone a Survivor?, Sarah Amandolare Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies & Why, Laurence Gonzales
My definition Adaptability Resilience Faith
Biblical example
12 Essential Traits That Make You a Survivor, Corynne Steindler (The Survivor’s Club) The Survivor Personality, Al Siebert, PhD Miraculous Survivors: Why They Live While Others Die, John Blake CNN www.Bible-History.com and www.biography.com
E AST 91 ST STR E E T C H R I ST I A N C H U R C H • w w w.east 91 st .o rg
When All Seems Lost
Mark 6:14-29
W
hat do you do when all seems lost? How do you respond to a crisis, a severe loss or an extreme disappointment? Have you ever considered what it takes to be a survivor? Laurence Gonzales, in his book: Deep Survival, says “at least 75% of people caught in a catastrophe either freeze or simply wander in a daze.” Dr. Al Siebert, in his book: The Survivor Personality, says, “In the turmoil of a dire emergency, some people feel overwhelmed and freeze up, others panic and act in senseless ways, while some become highly emotional and believe they are going to die. A few will quickly comprehend the reality of the new situation, accept that they could die, but don’t panic; they take actions to increase their chances of surviving.” Due to the popularity of such TV ‘reality’ shows such as Survivor, Survivor Man, and Survive This, there is an almost romantic aura about survival skills. Unfortunately, as Rick pointed out, these shows are far from true reality, and the reallife scenarios we fall into cannot be prepared for or mimicked. During the worship service, two families shared testimonies of a ‘deep survival’ experience. Before we begin the scriptural part of this study, think about their stories and, if you are willing, share one of your own. Talk about the similarities and differences in all of your stories. Discuss the stages of the journey you are each experiencing. Take time to pray for and encourage each other.
Part One: Everybody Has a Story As I’ve grown older, I spend more time thinking about my mortality. And, being a writer by temperament, I am constantly titling books in my head. Recently, I came upon the perfect title for my autobiography: Telling Stories. That’s not as pleasant it as might seem, though. When I was younger, I frequently redefined my reality by using my imagination to, well, embellish things. My most frequent audience, my mother, usually did not appreciate my stories. She would often respond , saying, “stop telling stories!” What I saw as my reality she saw as lies and exaggerations. So, I did stop telling stories out loud to her. I went underground and wrote them down instead.
by Vonda Gilley
I’ve just told you a small part of my story. Now, let’s look at the Biblical story that Rick taught about last week. Reread Mark 6:14-29. Every story begins with characters. Who are the main characters in this story? Discuss and describe each by what you know of their heritage, their living circumstances, their work and family lives. You can learn a lot by Googling them or better yet, using a Bible Dictionary like www.BibleHistory.com) even websites like biography.com and pbs.com give some factual information like:
St. John the Baptist
Herod Agrippa
Preacher, Prophet, Saint
Judean Monarch
Born
5 BC
10 BC
Died
30 AD
44 AD
Place of birth
Judea, Israel
Rome
Place of death
Israel
Cesarea
Cause of death
Beheading
Sudden death (heart attack)
Occupation
Add to these things what you learn from the Scriptures about their: family heritage, marital status, work and living conditions. Whether or not a story is well-read and appreciated usually is determined by how much we identify with the characters and whether we can we put ourselves into their ‘reality’ So, which of these do you identify with most? Why? Do you identify with Herod, living by his passions while secretly being ruled by a bitter and vengeful wife? Or perhaps you empathize with the imprisoned preacher who is feeling alone, forgotten, and maybe even mistaken in his faith. Try to share some of your story as it relates to your understanding of these two characters.
Part Two: The Center of the Story Every story also has a plot line; usually the plot involves at least one conflict which must be resolved. What are the
E AST 91 ST STR E E T C H R I ST I A N C H U R C H • w w w.east 91 st .o rg
conflicts in this Mark 6 section? Try to list out some words that describe each man’s conflicts, then add your own. You may wish to ask the Holy Spirit to show you things in your life that are in conflict with God that you may not even recognize.
Herod
John the Baptist
Fear
Doubt
Hope Purpose Tenacity Love Empathy
Me
Intelligence Ingenuity Flow
Bonus Challenge: How many of these relate to characteristics found in Galatians 5?
Challenge 2 – Share your story Of these two men in the Mark 6 story, Herod and John the Baptist, who is the true Survivor Man? Why or why not? Thinking back to the Pelsue and Carter stories, how did each of these families redefine the word “survivor”? Now, what about you? Does your story seem more like a reality TV show or are you a true survivor in the way John the Baptist was, as defined in John 11:25-26a?
Challenge 1 – Evaluate your survival traits Laurence Gonzalez’ book, Deep Survival, dissects the psychological and spiritual transformation that takes place within people who survive against the odds. The Survivor’s Club has identified 12 characteristics that are generally found in the majority of people who survive all types of adversity; be it a natural disaster, a battle with cancer, or even a fight with the playground bully. Below is a list of those traits. Review them, describe what they mean to you, and try to identify a scripture or biblical character/story that represents that trait. Think, pray and/or talk about how you might develop or help others learn more of that survival trait in your Christian walk.
A part of being a family is that there are always stories that are unique to only your family. Some make you laugh, others make you cry, but they unify you as a family unit. When someone new is added to the family, those stories get shared, in order to bond that newcomer to the family. Often we here at E91, see testimonies in worship services, or we may hear them in classes like Hope for Hard Places. As Rick reminded us this week, we each have a story and as Christ followers, Christ is (or should be) at the center of our story. The stories we share are what help us be the family of Christ. This also means that our stories are part of our Kingdom work. (Review John 17:13-26) So, your challenge this week (or in the near future) is to share at least a part of your story with someone else. Pray for the Holy Spirit to make you aware of someone who needs to hear your story.
RESOURCES
What Makes Someone a Survivor?, Sarah Amandolare Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies & Why, Laurence Gonzales
My definition Adaptability Resilience Faith
Biblical example
12 Essential Traits That Make You a Survivor, Corynne Steindler (The Survivor’s Club) The Survivor Personality, Al Siebert, PhD Miraculous Survivors: Why They Live While Others Die, John Blake CNN www.Bible-History.com and www.biography.com
E AST 91 ST STR E E T C H R I ST I A N C H U R C H • w w w.east 91 st .o rg
