Breaking Ground
What’s your favorite place to hangout? Why?
The Dig
This Sunday, we continued our series Jesus the Christ by exploring the story of Jesus healing at the pool of Bethesda from the Gospel of John.
Begin by reading John 5:1-7. Here, Jesus visits a pool in Jerusalem that had gained a superstitious reputation as a physical location where one could receive magical healing. In this case, tradition upheld that, whenever the water stirred, an angel was touching the water whenever it stirred & the first person to reach the water would be healed. This made the pool a common place for disabled Israelites to beg & wait for the water to move, after which there’d be a mad dash to the pool.
With this in mind, consider the paralyzed man at the center of this story.
How do you think this man’s condition holistically impacted him & his everyday life (physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, socially, economically, etc)? How might the tradition surrounding this pool have made his condition & sense of self worse?
Next, read John 5:8-18. After a brief conversation, Jesus heals the paralyzed man despite it being the Sabbath (Israel’s weekly day of rest on which they symbolically practiced returning to Eden/living in God’s Kingdom). This, in turn, kicks off a conflict with several religious leaders who believe that healing is a form of work &, thus, a violation of God’s intentions for the Sabbath.
How does Jesus respond to the paralyzed man? What stands out to you about their back-&-forth? What does Jesus ask of the man?
Why do these religious leaders attack Jesus for this healing? What does this reveal about how they understand God, this broken man, his condition, & the importance of healing in God’s story?
Relatedly how does this scene offer up a holistic vision of healing? Consider how Jesus heals…
- Physically
- Emotionally / Mentally
- Spiritually
- Socially
- Culturally / Systemically
Close by reflecting on the topic of healing & how you see it engaged with today.
Where do you see holistic healing discussed & practiced in healthy & unhealthy ways? What impact does each have on those who experience it?
How might Jesus’ example of healing guide us as we seek healing ourselves? How might it guide us in our efforts to become a conduit of healing for others in our world (especially those our culture considers to be the most broken, sick, & lost)?
Getting Out of the Hole
In this series, take time each week to reflect upon the story from the story & how you can find yourself within it during this season of your life.
- Read John 5:1-18. First, break this story down into pieces. What is Jesus doing in this story? How are people responding to him? What changes by the end of the story?
- Next, close your eyes & reflect upon the story. Imagine yourself in it. Put yourself into the space of the various characters & imagine what it would be like to encounter Jesus in the story.
- What images, teachings, or ideas speak to you the most in this story? What intrigues or confuses you? What feelings arose as you thought about being in the story? How can this story impact your life & your relationship with Jesus in this next season?
Journal, reflect, & pray on how God might be speaking to you through each week’s teaching. Share your experience with your growth group next week!
Additional Resources*
TheBibleProject.com
Simply Jesus by NT Wright
The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning
Coming Up This Week:*
Sunday, October 20th: Join us next Sunday as we continue our series Jesus the Christ! * Please see mye3.org for details.