DEEPER Questions

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

1. Sunday's story was about a man Jesus meets who is like no one else in Scripture. Jesus will cast thousands of demons out of this man, but first he has this pretty creepy encounter with him that Mark describes in full detail. Why do you think this story is included in the Gospels? What truths about the natural and spiritual world does this story of the demon-possessed man reveal? 

2. Why do you think the demons within the man cry out when they see Jesus? What do they recognize him from? Discuss as a group Rodney's point about the demons knowing the end of the story but being confused at Jesus's timing here (some talking points: they were cast out of heaven, this is the time of death and resurrection not the time of final judgement, they know the truth better than almost anyone at this time, etc.). 

3. Do you believe in pure evil? What are some examples you can think of for this kind of evil, things that can't be explained away by mental illness or a bad upbringing? Where do you think this type of evil comes from and why is it in the world today? 

4. The ending has already been written in this battle between good and evil. The demons in this story know that, and so should we. What kind of hope does this assurance of a victorious outcome by Jesus give you? Why do you think we still doubt the outcome and how things will turn out even when we know the ultimate end of the story? 

5. What do you think happened to the man of the tombs after Jesus cast the demons out of him? How do you think his story continues on? What changes did Jesus make in his life, and how do those changes apply to you today? 

DIG INTO Scripture

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

Mark 5:1-20 

Jesus Heals a Man with a Demon

5 They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes.[a] 2 And when Jesus[b] had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. 3 He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, 4 for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. 6 And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. 7 And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” 8 For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” 9 And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” 10 And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. 11 Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, 12 and they begged him, saying, “Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.” 13 So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea.
14 The herdsmen fled and told it in the city and in the country. And people came to see what it was that had happened. 15 And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed[c] man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. 16 And those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and to the pigs. 17 And they began to beg Jesus[d] to depart from their region. 18 As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. 19 And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” 20 And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.

LEAVE THE BUILDING 

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

• Rodney talked about how the demon-possessed man was able to break physical chains, but Jesus was the only one able to break his spiritual chains. What chains are currently binding you? How can you let Jesus break those spiritual chains this week? 
• The devil does his best work while roaming through a world of spiritually anemic Christians. If we take garbage in, we'll no doubt spew garbage out. This week, spend more time with Jesus than you do consuming content on social media, the news, your phone, etc. How do you think this will change the devil's foothold in your life? 
• Rest in the truth that the script is already written. Let it take over and fill your thoughts and life. What assurances can you take away from that knowledge over these next 7 days? 

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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