LEADER’S GUIDE

– The Jesus Series –
NEW  .  TEACHER  .  PAYMENT  .  RESURRECTION

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Student Notes

The BIG IDEA

Jesus is God and has the power to forgive your sins and give you new life.

The PROBLEM
In today’s society many have never heard about Jesus, don’t believe that he is God, or don’t believe he has the power to change their lives.

Our RESPONSE
Believe that Jesus is God and come to him to meet our deepest need of forgiveness.

Why THIS MATTERS
This passage shows that Jesus is God and the kind of God he is.  If Jesus is not God, we have no hope for forgiveness of sins. Without the forgiveness of sins Christianity just becomes a good moral code to follow with no power to change our lives.  

I WANT MY STUDENTS TO:

• KNOW: Jesus claimed to be God and proved it.
• EXPERIENCE: Awe and amazement that Jesus is God and can forgive and heal.
• DO: Believe that he is God, come to him to meet our deepest needs, and follow him.

The idea box is a place where you can find some creative ideas for leading this study. You might find videos, activities, or great illustrations that really bring the main point home. The ideas come from small group leaders like you, so if you have an idea that isn’t in there, click below to share it with the community!

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*WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Xavier is having lunch in the cafeteria with some of his friends when one of his friends starts talking about a recent church service she attended. “I’ve always heard that Jesus is God, but I don’t know if I believe it,” she said. “Maybe he’s a prophet, but I don’t think he’s God.” “I don’t think he’s either,” another friend chimed in. “I just think he’s a good, moral teacher.” “I think Jesus is a myth,” a third friend said. If you were in this conversation, what would you say about Jesus?

WHAT DOES GOD SAY ABOUT THIS?

*Read Mark 2:1-12.

*1. Read verses 1-4, describe what’s happening in your own words.
Jesus is teaching people in a home when four men bring their friend, a paralytic, to him in the hope that he’ll heal him. They lowered him through a hole they made in the roof because there were too many people for them to get him to God any other way.

*2. In verse 5, what stands out to you about Jesus’ response to the paralytic and his friends?
Allow the group to discuss. Jesus responds positively to their faith. But he doesn’t respond to the paralytic’s obvious need for physical healing. Instead he addresses his greater need of forgiveness.

*3. In verses 6-9, how do the religious leaders react to Jesus?
They resist his authority. They accuse him in their hearts of insulting God because they know only God can forgive sin, don’t believe Jesus is God, and don’t think he has that authority.

4. Why did Jesus say what he said to the religious leaders?
He’s saying that on the surface, it’s easier to say, “You’re forgiven” than heal someone because there’s no way to verify whether a person’s sins are forgiven. Yet it’s actually harder to forgive sin because only God can do this.

*5. What does Jesus do to show his authority as God?

He declares that the paralytic’s sins are forgiven and backs up his claim by healing him. He calls himself the Son of Man, a term used in the Bible to refer to a divine king who would rule forever.

6. How does the crowd react to what Jesus did?
Everyone is amazed and praises God. They’ve never seen anything like this.

7. Look at the image of the plant at the top of the page.
          – How is the paralytic like that plant physically?
          – How is he like that plant spiritually?

Physically his body is alive where before it was dead. Spiritually his faith in Jesus has grown and so has the faith of all those who saw what Jesus did.  

HOW DO WE APPLY THIS TO OUR LIVES?

8. How would you have felt if you were there and saw what Jesus said and did?
Allow the group to respond.

*9. Think about Xavier’s lunch conversation with his friends. What would you say about Jesus now?
Allow the group to discuss. Explain “Lord, Liar, Lunatic.”: If Jesus is our Lord and God, we must choose either to accept him or reject him. If he’s not Lord, either he knew he wasn’t telling the truth or he didn’t know. If he knew, he’s a Liar. If he didn’t know, he’s a Lunatic. Which alternative makes the most sense: Lord, Liar, or Lunatic? In light of both the biblical record of Jesus’ life and the impact that Jesus has had on human history for the past 2,000 years, it’s hard to conclude that this incredible person is a Liar or Lunatic. That really leaves us with him being Lord. If he’s Lord, we all must choose whether to receive him or reject him. If you aren’t familiar with the Lord, Liar, or Lunatic argument, visit thrivestudies.com/lordliarlunatic for some videos and explanation.

*10. Jesus wants to meet our deepest need for forgiveness. Have you asked Jesus to forgive your sins? Have you invited him to be the Leader of your life?
Allow everyone who’s willing to talk about how and when that happened for each of them or where they are in the process of receiving Jesus’ forgiveness. Make sure they know that the “Leader” of your life is whomever you have given the right to be in control of your life, whoever has the final say in what is right or wrong for your life, and what you do with your life. Some in your group may not have asked Jesus to be their forgiver and leader. Affirm where they are in their journey with God, just like you would do for those that have asked Jesus for forgiveness.

11. Jesus is a good God who meets our obvious needs in ways that are best – like he did with the paralytic. What’s an obvious need in your life you’d like Jesus to meet?
Allow the group to discuss. Examples of obvious needs include a need for Jesus to provide financially for your family, a need for friendships at school, a need to make a certain grade in a class or a need for healthy relationships with parents and other family members. Explain that Jesus is good and loves to meet our obvious needs in ways that are best for us. But this doesn’t mean he always does what we want him to do. Close in prayer inviting Jesus to meet our deepest and obvious needs according to his will.

Our review cards are an excellent way to review your past lessons with your students before each study.  Not every lesson has one yet but if we have them, you can find them on the PRINT page. Check them out and use them each week to help your students grab hold of the truths in these studies.

What ideas do you have that could improve this study? Are there creative things you do to bring this topic home to your students? Please share with the community clicking the FEEDBACK button or leaving a comment below.