Encounter - Sundays Encounter Church, Mission Viejo

The Short One

TOGETHER GROUP QUESTIONS

Read Mark 5:24-34. What stands out in this passage? What is God’s heart wanting to communicate to us through this Scripture?

According to the Law, the woman in our passage was “unclean.” This meant that she couldn’t touch anyone, she was ostracized in society, couldn’t attend church, and had to announce to everyone that she was unclean before entering any kind of space. What types of people might feel that way in our society today, and what should we do about it?

The 12 year issue of bleeding robbed her of her energy, joy, and opportunities. Is there anything in your life that is robbing you of those things?
What is false hope? And what can we put false hope in?
 
Like the woman fighting her was through a massive crowd to get to Jesus so she could touch Him… How can we be desperate to get to Jesus? What daily actions could we do to show our desperate need for Him?
 
In the sermon, we talked about making your faith all about Jesus. How are we NOT doing this (for example: what worldly things are we adding to our faith)? And lastly, what are a few ways in which we CAN make our faith all about Jesus?

Go Deeper
Who are you most like in the narrative right now (Man on the mat/One of the friends/Pharisee/A face in the crowd)? Why?

What kind of obstacles try to prevent you from getting in front of Jesus? How can you creatively overcome those obstacles?

Who are the people in your life that will carry you to Jesus (keep you accountable, lift you up in prayer, rejoice with you, etc.)? If you don’t have anyone, why not? What is holding you back?

What event in your life brought you closest to God? 

The Worker

TOGETHER GROUP QUESTIONS
Read Luke 10:25-37. What stands out in this passage? What is God’s heart wanting to communicate to us through this Scripture?

We refer to the “expert in the law” in this passage… someone who was a know-it-all and had all the spiritual answers. What was he asking, testing, and seeking from Jesus… and why?

Before talking with Jesus, what would your guess be about “The Expert’s” definition of a neighbor? And after Jesus’ story, what was Jesus’ definition of loving your neighbor?

Look at the characters in the story: a priest, a Levite, a Samaritan, and the man who was beaten. How can you relate with all four characters?
 
Why do you think the Priest and the Levite walked away?
Would it change the likelihood of you stopping and helping someone on the side of the road based on their gender, age, or ethnicity? 
 
Why is it important for us to be willing to help others? How does God see each of us? How can we work to see each other the way God sees us?

Share with the group one person that you know is in need right now. How can you go out of your way and help them this week?

The Bottom Line