DEEPER Questions

Go through these questions in your LifeGroup or on your own to Dig Deeper into
Sunday's message

1. Rodney started out this third message in the Mark series with the story of the leper. The "golden rule" of the time when it came to lepers was this: don't touch them. The leper was probably experiencing a kind of "touch starvation" that happens when someone hasn't been physically touched by someone for a long period of time. How has this season of COVID affected you personally in this area? Have there been times you've gone through touch starvation? How have you dealt with this lack of touch, even if it's just a handshake or hug? 

2. The second story in this chapter is about how Jesus heals the paralyzed man. Before he even deals with his physical ailment, Jesus heals him spiritually saying, "your sins are forgiven." What does this tell you about Jesus? Often, we're looking for our situation to change when Jesus is more concerned about our heart. Examine yourself: are your currently more concerned about a situation than you are your heart's condition within that situation? What can you do to reverse the two? 

3. One of the biggest lies we tell ourselves, no matter the season, is this: "if I just get through this then..." Have you ever told yourself this? Are you thinking like this now? Do you think Jesus is just trying to help us get through things, or does he want us to become someone in the process? How do you think God wants to use you in this season in particular? 

4. Rodney said this statement toward the end of his message: "The desperate church is going to reach the desperate people." What do you think that means? How can you/the larger church, be desperate to reach people who are desperate for Jesus right now? 

5. Have you ever experienced a period of spiritual isolation? What did that look like for you? Whether you've gone through spiritual isolation in the past, or you're going through it right now, how can you move from being spiritually isolated to spiritually connected, even as we're practicing social distancing? 

DIG INTO Scripture

Read and meditate on Sunday's Scripture to find deeper meaning and connection to God

Mark 2:1-12

Jesus Heals a Paralytic

2 And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. 3 And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 4 And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. 5 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— 11 “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” 12 And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

LEAVE THE BUILDING 

Take what you learned on Sunday and apply it to your life 

• Social distance doesn't have to mean spiritual isolation. No matter what your current situation looks like right now (staying home, traveling, working, working from home), what's your plan of action to stay in community spiritually during this time? 
• Sometimes all it takes to reach a desperate person is another person desperate to show them the love of Jesus. Who are some desperate people/groups in your life that you can reach out to this week? How can you show them Jesus's love even if things look different right now? 
• Are you desperate for Jesus right now? If you're not there yet, what will it take to get you there? How can you move from being spiritually isolated to finding your community in Jesus this week? 

PICK UP A BOOK

Looking for another way to Dig Deeper into the Mark sermon series?
Read more about being a disciple of Jesus in Jeff Vanderstelt's awesome book, Saturate!

PURCHASE SATURATE

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