Discussion Prompts Mark 5.1-20

The Text: Mark 5.1-20, page 9.23-10.27

• Read the text aloud to each other. This is the second of four stories that demonstrate the power of the kingdom of God in hopeless situations, and follows directly from Jesus’ kingdom theology found in the kingdom parables. It is helpful to view these stories and events as part of an unfolding understanding of the kingdom of God.
• What impacted us from Lou’s sermon on the great storm?

Discussion Questions:

• Discuss some observations from this text. In particular note both the story’s location and the contrasts described in this story.
• What words describe the unclean man’s condition? What is the relationship between the man and Legion? What steps had people taken to deal with the man? What do we do in our culture with people like this?
• Discuss the interaction between Jesus, the man, and Legion. Who is talking when? Why does the man beg Jesus not to send the demons away? Why does Jesus grant this request?
• What is Legion’s request? Why does Jesus grant this request? Why the pigs and their destruction?
• Why are the townspeople afraid? Why do they beg Jesus to leave their region? Why does Jesus grant their request?
• Discuss all the reasons the healed man begs Jesus to be allowed to come with Jesus? Why do you think Jesus denies this request? Why does Jesus send the man back home to tell the story of Jesus’ mercy?
• Application reflections
• Have we ever been in contact with someone like this possessed man? Or does anyone feel themselves to be in a similar situation of hopeless enslavement to destructive forces and desires? What does it mean to us practically that Jesus demonstrates the power to return us to a state of normalcy – clothed and in our right minds?
• Spend some time reflecting on the contrast between Jesus’ focus – on restoring the helplessly enslaved man – and that of the townspeople – obsessed with wealth and blinded to human suffering and Jesus’ transformational power to restore. Can we identify ways that we, living in perhaps the most wealth-obsessed culture on the globe today, share the callousness of the townspeople? What are specific things we might do together as a group to help us overcome this obsession?
• What new insights do we gain about the kingdom Jesus is proclaiming and demonstrating by Jesus’ decision to enlist this man as a partner in proclaiming the good news? Why is it significant that this commissioning occurs in Decapolis, a gentile region?
• What are ways we can tell of Jesus mercy to us among our friends and family?

Community Building

• Discuss one group activity you might do before Christmas to act out some aspect of this story.

Pray