Discussion Guide: The Cross – From Sinner to Evangelist

PRAYER

Let’s begin by inviting the Holy Spirit to guide our discussion, open our hearts, and bring clarity as we reflect on the truths revealed in the books of Luke, Mark and John.

Does anyone have prayer requests, or would anyone like to share a moment where you’ve recently felt God moving in your life?

THE CROSS

When Curiosity Meets Truth :: Crowd or Church? :: Bystander or Cross-Bearer? :: Skeptic to Believer :: Passivity to Mission :: Sinner to Evangelist

THIS WEEK

We’re kicking off this year with a global series titled The Cross and What It Means for Humanity, joining over 700 Every Nation churches worldwide.

In this six-week journey, we’ll explore why the cross is foundational to everything we do as followers of Jesus, examining six powerful stories of lives transformed by it.

In our final week, we’re exploring the Gospels of Luke, Mark, and John to uncover the powerful story of Mary Magdalene—once overlooked, yet the first to witness the risen Jesus. Her journey to the cross reminds us that our past does not define our future. Just as Jesus transformed Mary from an outcast to an evangelist, His transforming power is available to us today.

To begin, let’s reflect on this question(s):

What’s a moment in your life where you felt truly seen and valued?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

SCENE ONE: Luke 8:1-3

The real story is about Jesus and what happened to Mary as she followed Him.

1 Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, 2 and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, 3 and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s household manager, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means. —Luke 8:1-3

Luke 8:1-3 gives us a glimpse of those who traveled with Jesus—both men and women. Among them were women who not only followed Him but also supported His ministry financially, playing a vital role in His work.

Jesus consistently welcomed and uplifted those whom society often overlooked, and Mary Magdalene was one of them. Her past is specifically highlighted in verse 2, where we learn that Jesus healed her from seven demons.

While she may have wished her story had been different, her past was not the defining feature of her life—it was merely the backdrop. Instead, it set the stage for her life-changing deliverance and freedom, marking the beginning of her new story.

When you think about your own story, do you tend to focus more on your past or your present? Why do you think that is?

What do you think that moment of freedom felt like for Mary when Jesus healed her? Have you ever experienced a moment of freedom or relief that changed your life?

Why do you think Jesus welcomed and uplifted people whom society often overlooked?

How does Jesus allowing men and women challenge or affirm your view of who can actively participate in faith communities today?

SCENE TWO: Mark 15:40-41

Sometimes, the critical part of a story isn’t about the past but the present.

40 There were also women looking on from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. 41 When he was in Galilee, they followed him and ministered to him, and there were also many other women who came up with him to Jerusalem. —Mark 15:40-41

In Mark 15:40-41, while the disciples who once walked closely with Jesus abandoned Him in His final moments, these women remained. Society often defines people by their past, but Jesus calls them into something greater. In this passage, Mary Magdalene and the other women were not remembered for who they had been (their past) but for their present faithfulness (something greater). The cross of Jesus overshadowed Mary’s past, giving her a new identity, a new story—and the same is true for us today.

How does Jesus challenge the way you view your own regrets, mistakes, or burdens?

How would your life look different if you fully embraced the freedom Jesus offers—letting go of shame and guilt and living in the renewal He gives?

How does this passage encourage and challenge the way we support and uplift those who feel unseen or overlooked?

What does this passage highlight about faithfulness and the role of unexpected people in God’s story?

SCENE THREE: John 20:1-3

Though Jesus’ death on the cross is central to the story, the goal is actually resurrection life.

1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” 3 So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. —John 20:1-3

After Jesus’ death, Mary’s unwavering faithfulness led her to His tomb, even in the midst of confusion and grief. Arriving early, before anyone else, she discovered that the heavy stone sealing the entrance had been rolled away. Likely alarmed and unsure of what had happened, she immediately ran to tell the disciples that Jesus was no longer there. In this unimaginable moment, while many—including the disciples—had turned away, convinced that Jesus was merely a mortal teacher, Mary remained. Despite her fears, anxieties, and uncertainty, she continued to follow Him, not yet realizing that He was not just absent from the tomb but had risen as the eternal, victorious Savior.

How do different views of Jesus shape the way people make decisions how about to live?

Have you ever had a moment when something you believed or expected turned out completely different? How did that impact you?

How do you often respond when things don’t go the way you expected? Do you turn to Jesus or away from Jesus and to the ways of self and the world?

If Jesus’ death wasn’t the end but resurrection life the goal, how does His cross shape our view of challenges, suffering, and hope?

SCENE FOUR: John 20:11-18

But the cross and resurrection of Jesus transformed Mary’s life from clinging to commissioning.

11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stopped to look into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. 13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away. ” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary. ”She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God. ’” 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her. —John 20:11-18

In John 20, when a woman’s testimony carried little weight, Mary Magdalene became the first to proclaim the Gospel. In her grief, she mistook Jesus for the gardener—until He spoke her name. In that moment, His resurrection redefined her identity, purpose, and story.

Jesus told her not to cling to Him but to go and tell. Rather than remaining in comfort, she embraced her commission, just as we are called to do. His ascension invites all who follow Him to step into His mission.

Through His ascension, the Holy Spirit empowers believers with direct access to God. At salvation, we receive the Spirit, but when baptized in Him—like at Pentecost—we are emboldened to proclaim His Kingdom. Our transformed story becomes a witness to Jesus’ redemptive power, calling others to see, believe, and be restored.

Why do you think Jesus chose Mary Magdalene as the first witness of His resurrection, and what does this reveal about the value of the overlooked?

Can you recall a time when you moved from being overlooked to stepping into visibility and action? What was that experience like for you?

Has there ever been a time when you’ve been so focused on grief or struggles that you missed the hope Jesus offers? What helped you see Him and your circumstance differently?

What does this passage reveal about how the Holy Spirit empowers us to share the Gospel through personal testimony to impact others?


What might be holding you back from stepping into the mission God has given you to live a new story in Jesus, empowered by the Holy Spirit?


CLOSING THOUGHT

What compels someone like Mary—or someone like you—to move from sinner to evangelist? It’s the unfathomable love of Christ, who died to rescue us from sin and release us into a new story of redemption, restoration, and purpose. His love is the most powerful and compelling truth.

Just as Jesus called Mary from the background to proclaim the good news of His resurrection, He calls us to testify to His victory over sin and death. The cross offers forgiveness and freedom from our past, while the resurrection gives us new life and the power to be His witnesses. Mary’s story reflects the fullness of salvation—Jesus redeems, restores, and commissions us for His mission.

Let’s close in prayer, inviting the Holy Spirit to meet us where we are, transform our hearts, and empower us to be His witnesses—freed from our old story of sin and released into His new story of redemption, restoration, and commissioning. May His life-giving power flow through us, bringing the hope of Jesus to those around us—where we live, work, and play—to the ends of the earth.