​Community Group Discussion Guide

Icebreakers:

1. Have you ever suffered from a long-term illness?  (How did the long-term illness effect your life?)
2. How do you feel about the high costs associated with medical care?
3. Have you ever suffered from White Coat Syndrome?    (When a person’s blood-pressure goes up, just at the thought of visiting a doctor or dentist)

Scripture: Mark 5:25-34 NASB95
A woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years, [26] and had endured much at the hands of many physicians, and had spent all that she had and was not helped at all, but rather had grown worse— [27] after hearing about Jesus, she came up in the crowd behind Him and touched His cloak. [28] For she thought, “If I just touch His garments, I will get well.” [29] Immediately the flow of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. [30] Immediately Jesus, perceiving in Himself that the power proceeding from Him had gone forth, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My garments?” [31] And His disciples said to Him, “You see the crowd pressing in on You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’” [32] And He looked around to see the woman who had done this. [33] But the woman fearing and trembling, aware of what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. [34] And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your affliction.”
Digging Deeper:  One can read between the lines, but Mark’s narrative of this story does not detail how the woman with the hemorrhage came to know about Jesus; and even more importantly, come to have faith in Jesus.  Obviously, Jesus had become popular and His fame was spreading across Israel. 

Read verses 25-28: [25] A woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years, [26] and had endured much at the hands of many physicians, and had spent all that she had and was not helped at all, but rather had grown worse— [27] after hearing about Jesus, she came up in the crowd behind Him and touched His cloak. [28] For she thought, “If I just touch His garments, I will get well.”

• Although medical science has advanced over the last 2 thousand years, there is still much that is unknown.  How close do you think the medical field is to the curing of cancer?
• How easy would it be to spend a fortune on medical care?  (Some operations run into the 100’s of thousands of dollars)
• The woman was compelled by faith.  She thought, “If I just touch His garments, I will get well.”  Do you think the woman was compelled more by faith or hope?

 
Read verses 29-32 [29] Immediately the flow of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. [30] Immediately Jesus, perceiving in Himself that the power proceeding from Him had gone forth, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My garments?” [31] And His disciples said to Him, “You see the crowd pressing in on You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’” [32] And He looked around to see the woman who had done this.

• What is the difference between a miracle of healing and the natural process of healing?
• Have you ever been instantly healed?  (Please share)
• In this case, many people probably “touched” either Jesus or His garments; what made Jesus’ unexpected contact with the woman stand out?

​Read verses 33,34  [33] But the woman fearing and trembling, aware of what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. [34] And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your affliction.”

• The woman gave her testimony to Jesus.  Why is our testimony so important and powerful?
• How did the woman’s faith make the woman well?

Wrap-up: The woman with the need got close enough to Jesus to touch Him.  Good things happen to people when they get close to God.  Do you love God?  Are you called according to His purposes?   Romans 8:28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

​Community Group Discussion Guide
Mark – The Healing of Jairus’ Daughter
Icebreakers:

1. How would you respond to a person who is angry at God for allowing people to get sick?
2. What is the cause of sickness in our world?  (Who or what is responsible for sickness and death?)
3. What is the difference between healing in general and a supernatural healing?

Scripture: Mark 5:21-24; 35-43 NASB95
[21] When Jesus had crossed over again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around Him; and so He stayed by the seashore. [22] One of the synagogue officials named Jairus came up, and on seeing Him, fell at His feet [23] and implored Him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death; please come and lay Your hands on her, so that she will get well and live.” [24] And He went off with him; and a large crowd was following Him and pressing in on Him. [35] While He was still speaking, they came from the house of the synagogue official, saying, “Your daughter has died; why trouble the Teacher anymore?” [36] But Jesus, overhearing what was being spoken, said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid any longer, only believe.” [37] And He allowed no one to accompany Him, except Peter and James and John the brother of James. [38] They came to the house of the synagogue official; and He saw a commotion, and people loudly weeping and wailing. [39] And entering in, He said to them, “Why make a commotion and weep? The child has not died, but is asleep.” [40] They began laughing at Him. But putting them all out, He took along the child’s father and mother and His own companions, and entered the room where the child was. [41] Taking the child by the hand, He said to her, “Talitha kum!” (which translated means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). [42] Immediately the girl got up and began to walk, for she was twelve years old. And immediately they were completely astounded. [43] And He gave them strict orders that no one should know about this, and He said that something should be given her to eat.
 
Digging Deeper:  Obviously, Jairus was desperate when he reached out to Jesus.  At this point in Jesus’ ministry, there were those within the ranks of the religious leaders that were already plotting against Jesus, so Jairus was taking a risk by asking Jesus to heal his daughter.
Read verses 21-23 [21] When Jesus had crossed over again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around Him; and so He stayed by the seashore. [22] One of the synagogue officials named Jairus came up, and on seeing Him, fell at His feet [23] and implored Him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death; please come and lay Your hands on her, so that she will get well and live.”

• Why do you think that Jairus did not just reach out to the other members of the synagogue for a solution to his daughter’s sickness?
• Why do you think that Jairus had such a strong faith in Jesus’ ability to heal his daughter?

 
Read verses 24, 35 [24] And He went off with him; and a large crowd was following Him and pressing in on Him. [35] While He was still speaking, they came from the house of the synagogue official, saying, “Your daughter has died; why trouble the Teacher anymore?”

• What do you think was motivating the synagogue official to be so blunt about the death of Jairus’ daughter?
• Do you think is question, “Why trouble the Teacher anymore” was sincere?

Read verses 36-43 [36] But Jesus, overhearing what was being spoken, said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid any longer, only believe.” [37] And He allowed no one to accompany Him, except Peter and James and John the brother of James. [38] They came to the house of the synagogue official; and He saw a commotion, and people loudly weeping and wailing. [39] And entering in, He said to them, “Why make a commotion and weep? The child has not died, but is asleep.” [40] They began laughing at Him. But putting them all out, He took along the child’s father and mother and His own companions, and entered the room where the child was. [41] Taking the child by the hand, He said to her, “Talitha kum!” (which translated means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). [42] Immediately the girl got up and began to walk, for she was twelve years old. And immediately they were completely astounded. [43] And He gave them strict orders that no one should know about this, and He said that something should be given her to eat.

• How comforting do you think Jesus’ words were to Jairus when He said, “Do not be afraid any longer, only believe?”  (Jairus would have been very afraid when he heard the report that his daughter was dead.  He was also hoping against hope that Jesus could help save the day)
• What lesson could be learned from the behavior of the mocking crowd?  (We should be careful to express doubt and disbelief in front of people seeking God’s grace)
• Why do you think that Jesus stated that the 12-year-old girl was merely sleeping?
• Why do you think that Jesus gave Jairus’ family strict orders not to advertise this supernatural healing?

Wrap-up: Read James 5:14-15 NASB95  Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; [15] and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.

• Why is the “prayer offered in faith” important when it comes to healing?