read: Luke 5:12-26
1. What about the sermon most impacted you or left you with questions?
2. Does the version of Jesus in our minds match the Jesus of the Scripture? There are many different versions of Jesus out there today, e.g., the conservative Jesus, the progressive Jesus, the morally intense Jesus, the accepting Jesus. Specifically in this passage, we see Jesus as Healer, and we are challenged to see a true, full version of Jesus, one who is not small or limited.
a. How might your version of Jesus be too small or limited? How do the different versions of Jesus out there influence (positively or negatively) your understanding of who Jesus really is?
3. Jesus is the healer of our bodies. In v. 12-14, Jesus heals a man with leprosy and in v. 17-26, Jesus heals a man with a type of paralysis. We see clearly that Jesus values the body, showing that His ministry is not solely focused on the soul, but also on the physical well-being of people. Through his healing of physical bodies, He demonstrates a deep compassion for their bodily suffering, expressing His desire to heal, not just the soul, but the body as well.
a. In what ways does our world devalue or treat the body as just a “husk” or container for the soul? Like Jesus, how can Christians value and dignify the body?
4. “Reaching out his hand, Jesus touched him…” v. 13. Jesus goes beyond just wanting to heal the man's body by physically touching him, an act that would have shocked others and made Him ceremonially unclean. Jesus offers a powerful expression of value and affirmation for the human body, showing His deep compassion for those others might avoid.
a. In a world where the sick and vulnerable are pushed out of sight, how should we approach and care for those who are sick in our communities today?
5. Jesus is the healer of our relationships. The leper’s illness also had deep social and relational impact and made him an outcast. Jesus' healing goes beyond physical restoration, as He instructs the man to follow the proper steps to be reintegrated into the community. (v. 14) Jesus values the health of our relationships and His healing power extends to the areas of loneliness and relational brokenness. It also challenges any version of Christianity that focuses solely on private faith. Instead, Jesus calls us into community and relationships with others.
a. So much of the self-help, life-hack, self-care advice in the world and in the church is DIY. Do it yourself. But Jesus came to heal us from DIY spirituality. He came to heal us with a DIWO spirituality. Do it with others. In verse 20, Jesus saw “their” faith, then healed the paralyzed man. Think about your relationships with others. In your life, who needs your help in getting to Jesus?
b. When you are feeling spiritually or relationally stuck, who do you have in your life who can help you to get to Jesus? Name at least one person. (And let them know!)
6. Jesus is the Healer of our souls. The deepest healing He offers is not only physical, because the root of all true healing is forgiveness of sins. “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” (v. 20) Jesus explains that the sin that separates us from God is the source of all that corrupts and harms us, and without addressing it, any other healing would just be temporary. But if we have the forgiveness of our sins, all our other healing is guaranteed in Christ. How? Jesus went to the cross for our sins. “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” 1 Peter 2:24
a. What does it mean to be forgiven? How does forgiveness guarantee our eventual full and complete healing in every other area of life? How can knowing this help us as we wait on Jesus for the full, complete healing of our bodies, relationships and souls?
b. In what areas of your life do you tend to focus on the "symptoms" of your problems rather than addressing the root issue of sin and forgiveness? How might the understanding that forgiveness of sins is the deepest and hardest healing change your relationship with Jesus?