March 7 – Mark 5

In Mark 5, Jesus addresses three life circumstances that still exist in the world today. Three people had a divine encounter with Jesus, the man with an unclean spirit, the woman with the chronic illness and the daughter of the ruler in the synagogue. However, these three personal encounters with Jesus don’t mean Jesus will always heal individuals from these earthly circumstances; rather, these encounters show that the person’s awareness of and belief in Jesus can result in help and healing.

Below is the video for Mark 5 so you can watch these three people’s Divine Encounter with Jesus for context to today’s study.

V1-20

• How did the people relate with the man with unclean spirit?
• Looking at the behavioral pattern of the man as described, could be it be a form of Mental Health Disorder?
• How do people today relate with a person with undiagnosed Mental health disorder?
• What was different about the way Jesus related with the man?
• Why did the people of the region plead with Jesus to leave?
• What should be your attitude towards people with Mental Health challenges?

V21-34

This woman with the chronic illness had tried everything. She was in a desperate situation, hopeless to solve this problem or find anyone who could. That is the bad news. But the good news is that God is in the business of helping hopeless and desperate people.

• What kinds of doubts or feelings toward God may have arisen in those 12 years?

• Why did God put her through this trial? Since we can’t know why, what might she have learned during these 12 years?
• Why did Jesus ask who touched Him? Did He not know the answer?
• What was the result of His question? For the woman? For the crowd? For the disciples?
• How did Jesus respond to the lady? What can we learn about His character from this?
• How might Jairus have felt while all of this was going on?

V35-43

The religious leaders in the synagogue opposed Jesus. Yet, Jairus is one of these religious leaders, risking his status and relationships to humble himself and seek Jesus for help. Jesus commends Jairus for his faith.

• Why did Jesus only allow those three disciples to go with him into the house?
• What did Jesus mean in verse 39 that the child was merely asleep? Had they wrongly concluded she was dead?
• How did Jesus respond to their derision?
• What do you do when people laugh at you? Do you change your actions and try to blend in? Do you take it personally? Do you throw insults back at them? What should we do?

Did you learn something new? A comment from you will be high appreciated and a blessing to someone