Week 5 Sermon Questions For Groups

Prayer: a better way: Pray to the God who heals

Introduction:

I am a God who heals. I heal broken bodies, broken minds, broken hearts, broken lives, and broken relationships. My very Presence has immense healing powers. You cannot live close to Me without experiencing some degree of healing.

Something To Talk About:

Jesus is willing to heal: Christians have witnessed supernatural healings on nearly every continent on earth, yet many people still ask the question, “Does God still want to heal people today?” If you need a healing today or know someone close to you who does, the answer is yes. Matthew 4:23-24 says, “Jesus traveled throughout the region of Galilee, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. News about him spread as far as Syria, and people soon began bringing to him all who were sick. And whatever their sickness or disease, or if they were demon possessed or epileptic or paralyzed—he healed them all.” Couple that with Hebrews 13:8: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” That means the same healing power that touched lives 2,000 years ago is available to you and your loved ones today! Whether you need healing in your body or from the scars of emotional wounds, God wants you to know that it’s His will to heal you. He’s in the miracle-working business today, just as He was in the days when the Bible was written.
Jesus wants to use you to bringing healing to others: Remember the story of the paralyzed man. Take a look at Luke 5:20: “Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the man, “Young man, your sins are forgiven.” It wasn’t the paralytic’s faith that made him well; it was the faith of his friends. The Bible is full of examples of people taking others to Jesus.“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works because I am going to be with the Father.” (John 14:12) Do you believe in Jesus? Then He wants you to do the works He did!
Jesus gives you a new identity: It might surprise you to find out that one of the most central events that take place when God converts us is that we become identified with Christ. Quite literally, we are given a new identity: an identity in Christ. When we are given new life in Jesus, God makes us part of a “we” who collectively participate in the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ. This new “we” that we belong to, and that participates in these things. God does His deepest work in your life when He deals with your identity—the person you truly are as opposed to the way you see yourself. The way you think about yourself dictates how you act. So God makes His deepest changes in your life by changing the way you see yourself—by showing you how He sees you. And when you see yourself the way God sees you, it’s going to change your life.
Jesus gives you His authority: “One day Jesus called together his twelve disciples and gave them power and authority to cast out all demons and to heal all diseases. Then he sent them out to tell everyone about the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick.” (Luke 9:1-2) It is important to remember that all true authority comes from God. God is the ultimate source of authority. He is the sovereign ruler over all of creation. Authority is defined as the “rightful, actual, and unimpeded power to act, or to possess, control, use or dispose of, something or somebody.” The major concept to understand about this aspect of authority is that it delegated authority, not something that is taken or possessed on our own merit. God has supplied everything that we need for life and godliness. He has given all things to us and it’s His divine power that is working in our lives.
Jesus gives you a new purpose: We’re all searching for something in life. Whether you want to call it significance, purpose, meaning, or something else, there is an innate desire in each of us for our lives to matter, to have significance and purpose. We each long to be something, to be someone. But all too often we look to things such as career, status, wealth, relationships, and accolades to give us a sense of purpose and significance. We look to temporary solutions rather than permanent solutions. As followers of Christ, we know the truth. Nothing on this earth can fully satisfy our longing for significance and worth — nothing apart from Jesus. It’s just a matter of finding the right answer the right way and through the right source.
Jesus responds to your faith: Most of us would have read or heard about the miracle healing of the woman who was bleeding for 12 years. The story is about a sick woman who believed that she would receive her healing by merely touching the cloak of Jesus ( Mark 5:25-34). She did just that when Jesus passed by her and true enough, her bleeding immediately stopped. What is interesting about this miracle was the response of Jesus. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?” It is interesting because there were many others around Jesus who were touching Him. Even His question caused His disciples to be puzzled. Jesus responded because of her faith. When it comes to answering prayers, it is not our needs that activates a response from God. It is our faith. And in particular, God responds in a real and powerful way to those who have the faith to believe in Him and expect results.
Jesus gives you a greater understanding on the other side of obedience: Faith is obedience when you don’t understand. God often says things that seem confusing, such as, “Love your enemies” and “Forgive the people who hurt you.” God says those things because He knows more than you do what’s best and what will make you happy. Every time God tells you to do something, it’s a test of your faith; and in faith will you obey. Faith is believing when you don’t see it, but it’s also obeying when you don’t understand it. If you don’t learn to obey, you’ll miss out on so many blessings in store for you. But if you learn to do what God tells you to do without question, even when it seems absurd and the exact opposite of your natural tendency, then you will grow in faith—and be blessed.

Discussion Questions:

How do you think people are able to worship and give glory to God when they are experiencing sickness?
If you feel like God is not answering your prayer for healing, take a few moments to reflect on where He is providing for you in ways you have not expected.
Do you believe that no one is outside Jesus’ reach? If so, what are you willing to do about bringing “hopeless” people to Jesus? What can you do to take action and help this person find healing? The way you see yourself dictates how you act. What do your current actions tell you about how you see yourself?
If you’re a follower of Jesus, how has your new identity in Christ changed your life? If you’re not, what’s keeping you from following Him today?
When have you attempted something that could only be done by the power of God? How did you see God work through that situation?
What has God told you to do that you did not believe was possible? Why do you think God asks you to do things that are not possible in your own strength?
What step of faith do you need to take today so that you are obedient to God?
What were your views of healing prior to this sermon? What do you think now? Were there any modifications? What remaining questions do you have?
How does this teaching about healing fit within an overall perspective on discipleship? That is, how does this teaching on spiritual gifts relate to other doctrinal things we believe like the sovereignty of God and the call to love one another?
In this message, what truths landed on you that you need to share with others in your life? How can you share these truths? Devote it to prayer.

Take one thing home with you:

“When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went and begged Jesus to come to Capernaum to heal his son, who was about to die….Then Jesus told him, “Go back home. Your son will live!” And the man believed what Jesus said and started home. While the man was on his way, some of his servants met him with the news that his son was alive and well.” ( John 4: 47 & 50-51)

Jesus told the man to go home, his son would live. The son was critically ill. So ill, in fact, that this father risked being with his son at the end to beg Jesus for a miracle. Can you imagine the journey home? The thoughts swirling around this man’s head – did Jesus really just heal my son? Can this really happen? So many questions. So few answers.

Many of us can relate. We pray for a miracle, but we’re restless and full of doubt. What can we learn about Jesus from this miracle of healing? Nothing is impossible with God. Jesus can heal because of the faith of others. Our role is to trust the results of our prayers, whether or not they make sense.