A Mission of Hope | Discussion Guide
Summary
This sermon from Luke 8:40-56 tells the story of two desperate people who encountered Jesus – Jairus, a synagogue leader whose daughter was dying, and a woman who had been bleeding for 12 years. Both came to Jesus in humility and desperation when they had exhausted all other options.
The message emphasizes that Jesus responds to humble pleas and hopeless persistence, showing compassion even when interrupted. Through these physical healings, Jesus demonstrated His power over life and death while also providing spiritual salvation. The sermon connects this to modern missions, emphasizing that while meeting physical needs is important, the greatest act of compassion is telling people about Jesus.
The pastor challenges the congregation to examine areas of pride that might be obstacles to their families knowing Jesus, and emphasizes that supporting church planting and missions around the world allows others to experience the same spiritual resurrection that Jesus offers.
The sermon concludes with a powerful testimony from Rwanda about a woman named Anunziata who was healed of cancer after prayer, demonstrating that God still works miracles today through His people who are willing to serve and share the gospel.
Intro Prayer
Father, as we gather together today to discuss Your Word, we ask that You would open our hearts and minds to what You want to teach us. Help us to be humble and receptive to Your Spirit’s leading. We pray that You would use this time to draw us closer to You and to one another. Show us areas in our lives where we need to grow in faith and compassion for others. We surrender our own agendas and ask that You would
speak to us according to Your will and purpose. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Ice Breaker
What’s one time in your life when you had to ask for help with something you really didn’t want to ask for help with?
Key Verses
1. Luke 8:40-56
2. Luke 8:48
3. Luke 8:50
Questions
1. What do you think it cost Jairus, as a synagogue leader, to fall at Jesus’ feet in front of the crowd?
How might pride keep us from coming to Jesus today?
2. The woman with the bleeding condition had tried many remedies for 12 years before coming to
Jesus. What are some things people try today instead of turning to Jesus for fulfillment or healing?
3. Jesus called the woman ‘daughter’ and said ‘your faith has saved you.’ How does this show both
physical and spiritual healing? What does it mean to have ‘peace with God’?
4. How do you think Jairus felt when his daughter died while Jesus was helping someone else? Have
you ever felt like God’s timing didn’t match your expectations?
5. Jesus told Jairus ‘Don’t be afraid. Only believe.’ What does it mean to ‘keep believing’ when
circumstances seem hopeless?
6. The sermon mentioned that ‘mission moves at the pace of compassion.’ How can we balance
meeting people’s physical needs while also sharing the gospel with them?
7. What does it mean that ‘humility is the gateway to faith’ while ‘pride is the pathway to destruction’?
Can you think of examples of this in your own life or in Scripture?
8. How does this passage challenge us to see interruptions in our lives differently? When might God be
using an ‘interruption’ for His purposes?
Life Application
This week, identify one area of pride in your life that might be hindering your family or friends from seeing Jesus clearly. Take a specific step to humble yourself in that area, whether it’s admitting a mistake, asking for forgiveness, or changing a behavior. Also, look for one ‘interruption’ this week as a potential opportunity to show Christ’s love to someone.
Key Takeaways
1. Jesus responds to humble pleas – humility is the gateway to faith while pride is the pathway to destruction.
2. Jesus sees and values every person, even those who feel invisible or isolated from society
3. Physical healing and compassion are gateways to sharing the gospel and bringing spiritual healing
4. God’s mission welcomes compassionate interruptions – what seems like a delay may be part of His perfect plan
5. The greatest act of compassion we can show someone is telling them about Jesus and His power to bring spiritual life.
Ending Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for this time of discussion and reflection on Your Word. We are amazed by Your power to heal both physically and spiritually, and we’re grateful that You see each one of us in our desperate need. Help us to live with the humility of Jairus and the persistent faith of the woman who reached out to touch Jesus. Give us courage to share Your love with those around us who are spiritually dead, that they too might hear the words ‘child, get up’ and experience the resurrection power of Christ. Use us as instruments of Your compassion and grace in our community and around the world. May we never forget that the greatest healing we can offer others is the hope found in Jesus alone. In His precious name we pray, Amen.