After the events of His birth, Jesus lived His early years of life in relative obscurity. Luke 2:41–51 gives us a glimpse of twelve-year-old Jesus celebrating Passover with his family in Jerusalem. Verse 52 ends the account with this statement, “Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people.” Then when He was approximately thirty years old, Jesus was baptized by John, his cousin. His public ministry, which followed this baptism, only accounts for three years of His earthly life. However, during this short time He performed a number of miracles. Some of them are recorded in the four Gospels. This lesson looks at Jesus as the God of the impossible.
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Engage
QUESTION Have you ever been in a situation that you thought was impossible? Maybe you were caught in a storm or got completely lost on a trip. What happened? How did you get out of it?
Impossible situations are a part of life, and it was no different in Jesus’ time. People had physical needs, financial burdens, and many other reasons to reach out and hope for the impossible. In today’s discussion about two of these people, we’ll see how Jesus took the time to minister to their needs supernaturally. And we can reach out to Him with our needs too.
Watch
As we watch this video, consider this question:
QUESTION In the video, we hear God described as powerful, terrifying, dangerous, and good. How would you describe Him?
Consider
Our observations, experiences, and what we know about the world form the boundaries of what we consider possible. This is demonstrated in Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass when Alice encounters a youthful, quirky character called the White Queen. When Alice finds out the Queen is more than one hundred years old, she says it’s impossible and matter-of-factly declares, “One can’t believe impossible things.” The Queen merely replies, “I daresay you haven’t had much practice. . . . Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.” To truly follow Jesus and partner with Him in leading others into right relationship with Him, we must make a practice of believing seemingly impossible things. After all, Jesus is attracted to impossible, hopeless, way-too-late cases. Why? Because they are an opportunity to demonstrate the power of the living God. Jesus did what no one else could do in order to prove a power no one else had. Living by faith means submitting what you consider impossible to the authority, justice, and goodness of the God of the impossible.
QUESTION
Tell about a time when you experienced or witnessed God do the impossible. And don’t
forget—salvation is the most incredible miracle of all! If you have no other story, you
have the story of how God did what no one else could do and—impossibly—changed
your eternal destination.
What the Bible Says
The first few chapters of the Gospel of Mark recount a miraculous time in the life of Jesus when He traveled around the countryside, casting out demons, performing miracles, and preaching the good news of the Kingdom. As you can imagine, reports about Him spread rapidly, and people were amazed. Everywhere He went, He drew crowds. From curious onlookers to earnest seekers, the desperately needy, and everyone in between—everyone wanted to see Jesus.
While the crowds loved Him, the religious establishment of the day did not. Jesus’ emphasis on the inward condition of the heart did not go along with the complicated set of rules the Jewish leaders had added to God’s laws to govern people’s behavior. The leaders not only publicly
criticized Jesus, but they also openly assaulted Him with questions intended to expose Him as a fraud. In spite of their campaign against Him, Jesus continued to minister to those who needed Him most, proclaiming, “I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners” (Mark 2:17).
A Request Read Mark 5:21–24.
As a synagogue leader, Jairus had to overcome a lot just to ask Jesus to heal his daughter. Most of his coworkers opposed Jesus and His teaching. If the other men heard Jairus begging Jesus for help, he’d be in danger of losing his position—or worse.
None of that mattered to Jairus. He decided to go to Jesus because he only cared about one thing: the life of his precious daughter. Jesus didn’t hesitate to help. He went immediately. He had come to bless and love everyone—even those who considered themselves His enemies.
QUESTION A health crisis often turns even the harshest cynic to faith. Why do you think that is?
QUESTION Did you or someone you know come to faith as a result of healing? Share the story with your group.
Hope Rises Read Mark 5:25–28.
Jairus, Jesus, and the disciples pushed through the crushing, clamoring crowd toward Jairus’s house. Jesus intersected with a woman with a desperate need. For twelve years, she had been losing blood. Her eagerness to get to Jesus indicates she had heard rumors of the One who could make her well again. According to the stories, Jesus had touched a leper—someone viewed in her society as untouchable—and the leper was instantly healed. If one touch could heal the leper, perhaps one touch could heal her. With hope in her heart, she stretched out her hand to touch Jesus’ robe.
QUESTION People often struggle with how to behave toward someone with a long-term illness. They aren’t sure what to say or do. If you or someone you love has (or has had) a long-term illness, share with your group some of the most significant ways others showed care for you during such a difficult time.
Healed, Body and Heart Read Mark 5:29–34.
The suffering was over. The woman was instantly healed! But in the midst of the overwhelming relief and joy she felt, her heart sank when she heard Jesus ask who touched Him. You see, the woman had suffered from another, perhaps greater ailment for those twelve years. Because of the laws of that day, she wasn’t allowed to go to the temple or even socialize with other Jews. She was labeled “unclean,” and if she touched anyone, they became unclean, too. By deliberately addressing her in front of the assembly, Jesus freed her from that stigma. In one encounter with Jesus, the woman experienced not just physical healing, but also deep healing of her heart.
QUESTION Have you ever asked God for one thing, and He gave you something far beyond it—something better than you could have imagined on your own? What effect did it have on your trust in the Lord?
QUESTION In modern culture, we don’t typically label sick and hurting people “unclean” and force them to live outside city limits, but we have other ways of excluding them. What about our treatment of sick and hurting people might make them feel shut out or rejected?
Never Too Late Read Mark 5:35–43.
In the wake of the woman’s healing, messengers arrived to tell Jairus his daughter had died. Jesus paused only long enough to lift Jairus’s faith, and then they went to his home. There were mourners in the house, but when Jesus told them the girl was only asleep, they laughed at Him. Pretty crummy mourners! Jesus kicked them all out of the house. Then He led her parents and His disciples into the room where the child lay. He went to her bedside, took her hand in His, and told her to get up. And she did!
QUESTION Unfortunately, the Bible gives us very little detail about people’s reactions to their miracles. What would you have done in that moment if you were Jairus or his wife?
QUESTION How do you imagine the scene at Jairus’s house shifted when the disciples, mourners, and crowd heard the good news?
Reflect
One touch from Jesus changed everything. A twelve-year illness was instantly healed. A dead daughter was brought back to life in a moment. What’s more, one touch from Jesus still changes everything. He “is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).
When your situation seems impossible, when all hope is lost, and you’re not sure where to find the answers, don’t let anything keep you from Jesus, who reminded us, “with God everything is possible” (Matthew 19:26).
Listen to God
The goal of Listen is not only to gain an understanding of God’s Word, but also to pause and listen to what God our Creator might want to say to us about what we have read and shared. Be silent for a few moments and reflect on the following questions. Choose the one that most resonates with what God is saying to you now. Then complete the others during Day 1 of your devotion time this week.
Personal Reflection Questions
Record your answers to the following questions in the space provided or in your personal journal.
QUESTION Jairus likely had to overcome a lot of pride in order to ask Jesus for help. Does pride sometimes get in the way of you asking others—or even Jesus—for help? Explain.
Jesus made Himself available to people who needed Him. He stopped what He was doing in order to help Jairus. Then He stopped in the middle of helping Jairus in order to help the woman with the issue of blood.
QUESTION Examine your own life. How available are you to people who need your help? Evaluate yourself below, giving specific examples from your life to support your view.
QUESTION Jesus not only healed the woman’s body, but He also removed the stigma associated with her illness—the label of being unclean. From what labels has Jesus freed you? Perhaps you were once defined by other words like addict, drunk, liar, thief, gossip, failure. Write about your new freedom in Jesus.
QUESTION Jesus’ act of restoring the woman in this story to right standing with her community provides clear evidence that He is in the business of healing emotional as well as physical hurts. Is there any type of emotional hurt that you have not yet allowed Jesus to completely heal? Journal about it below. What do you feel might be preventing you from releasing it to Him? Consider talking with a Christian counselor or mentor about it.
QUESTION Who needs your healing prayers today? Pray for them, and then take it a step further by calling, texting, or writing them a card (yes, real mail!) to let them know you did.
QUESTION Reflect on your discussion from your community time about ways to encourage those who are living with a long-term illness. What are at least three things you think you could personally do? Determine to follow through with one of them this week.
Prayer Requests
Note any requests from the group and remember to pray for them during the week.
Before next time, continue to listen with the personal devotions.
Did You Know?
In Jesus’ time, claims of supernatural healing were not unheard of in everyday life for both Jews and pagans. In the pagan world, one of the largest cults was dedicated to Asclepius, the Greek god of healing. Scores of people from all over the world who sought remedy for their illness traveled to his temple in search of healing. The Jewish people however understood healing differently. They relied on the power of God the Father, through the prayers of those who were of the utmost piety. Jairus and the woman came to Jesus because there was already an expectation that a man of God would be used to do God’s wonders here on earth
Listen on Your Own
Listening to God is something we need to do every day. Before you begin each devotion, pray and ask God to speak to you through His Word. Record your answers to the following questions in the space provided or in your personal journal.
Day 1 Read Mark 5:21–34.
Look back over Listen in Community and complete your responses to the Personal Reflection Questions. If time permits, reread the Scripture too.
QUESTION What do you sense that God is saying to you about His ability to do the impossible?
Listen on Your Own
Day 2 Read Luke 7:11–17.
The widow grieved for her son because she loved him—and because she needed him. Women could not earn a living in this culture. After the death of her husband, the woman would have been completely dependent on her son. Now that he had died too, she was likely destined for a life of begging and barely getting by.
QUESTION What were Jesus’ instructions to the widow?
QUESTION Jesus was filled with compassion when He saw the widow. Describe a time when another person’s hopeless state filled your heart with compassion.
QUESTION Name a specific way you can demonstrate compassion this week, and then resolve to do it.
Listen on Your Own
Day 3 Read Mark 2:1–12.
The paralyzed man in this story may never have received healing without the help of friends who carried him to Jesus. And through their service, Jesus restored the man physically and spiritually in response to great faith.
QUESTION Describe a time in your life when you either “carried” someone to Jesus, or they “carried” you.
QUESTION Perhaps you’re facing a hopeless situation and need to be carried to Jesus right now. Write down your need below. Then call or text someone from your Community Group. Share your need with them, and ask for prayer.
Listen on Your Own
Day 4 Read Mark 7:31–37.
Jesus’ path led Him on a completely roundabout way of getting to His destination and may have even confused His followers. But it wasn’t a coincidence Jesus was on that exact road, at that exact time, and met the exact man who needed healing. Jesus started down that road knowing who He would meet.
Jesus knew where His path would lead, and He knows where your path will lead as well. In fact, He often puts people in your path who need to receive His love.
QUESTION Write a prayer below, asking the Lord to open your eyes to see the people He’s placed in your path today. Ask Him to give you what they need, and determine to share it with them when the time comes.
QUESTION Can you think of a time when God put just the right person in your path who helped you? Write about it below. Then take a moment to reach out to that person and thank them for being obedient.
Listen on Your Own
Day 5 Read John 9:1–33.
Jesus didn’t follow a pattern when ministering to people. If He had always used mud to heal the blind, some people would eventually put their faith in the mud instead of in Jesus. There’s not a formula or a method for receiving a miracle. Your healing is not based on what you do. Your healing is based on what God does.
QUESTION What were the disciples suggesting might be the reason the man was blind?
QUESTION Jesus said the man was born blind “so the power of God could be seen in him.” How was God’s power demonstrated in the man after he was healed?
QUESTION Like the blind man, the purpose for God’s power in your life is to focus others’ attention on God. Make a list of the good things God has done in your life within the past week. Commit to sharing at least one thing on the list with someone else today—and give God all the glory!
