This week we will continue to study
the Gospel of Luke.
(1) Whose suggestion was it to get into a boat to cross over to the other side only to return shortly (8:40)?
(2) Whom and what did Jesus have in mind for this short journey?
(3) Jesus obviously anticipated the storm. Why did He choose to sleep?
(4) What should these disciples have done when they were in “great danger" with the following resources?
a. A background of some as seasoned fishermen.
b. “Faith”
(5) What did the disciples choose to do?
a. In what way was it an act of faith?
b. In what way was it not?
(6) What had the disciples witnessed so far before this incident? Who did they believe Jesus to be?
(7) How did Jesus calm the storm? What was the significance of His method?
(8) Why then were they surprised by Jesus’ power? How different would His authority over the winds and waves be from that over demons and sickness?
(9) Have you "squalled" while going through a comparable life storm? How did you handle it? What would Jesus have remarked to you?
(10) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
(1) This short journey across the Sea of Galilee was obviously taken for the sake of this man. What does this tell you about Jesus?
(2) Can you describe what a person is like under demonic power? How are people without Christ similar to this person?
(3) From the exchange between the evil spirit(s) and Jesus, what more can you learn about the spirit-world and why would Jesus entertain their request?
(4) What might be the significance of highlighting the name of the demon?
(5) The rearing of pigs was necessarily a pagan practice and that identifies both the herdsmen and the demon-possessed man likely as gentiles.
a. Still, what would the normal reaction be to the healing of the demon-possessed man?
b. The people must have heard of Jesus. Upon seeing such a great miracle, what should their attitude toward Jesus be?
c. Why then did they ask Jesus to leave?
d. Have you ever come across people who rejected Jesus even after they have seen miracles, say of healing, by Jesus? What might be their reason(s)?
(6) Why did the man beg to follow Jesus? Why did Jesus reject his request? (Note: Mk. 5:20 tells us that the man bore witness in the Decapolis, which means ten cities. All were gentile cities, east and northeast of Jordan.)
(7) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
(1) Based on what you have read so far in Luke, how did the rulers of the synagogue view Jesus?
(2) Why then did Jairus choose to fall at Jesus’ feet? Would you do the same, as one who might have gotten angry previously at Jesus because He blatantly broke the rules of Sabbath? Why or why not?
(3) If you were Jairus, what would you think upon hearing the news in v. 49?
(4) What impact might the healing of the bleeding woman (in v. 44) have on him?
(5) Even if the girl were truly dead, should they still say, “Don’t bother the teacher any more”? Why or why not?
(6) Jesus could have proceeded to raise the girl without saying a word. Why did He choose to tell Jairus, “Don’t be afraid, just believe”?
(7) Why did Jesus choose to revive the little girl only in the presence of a few disciples and the parents? Why would He exclude the wailing crowd from this? Did it have anything to do with their mocking of Jesus?
(8) What had this apparent tragedy meant to Jairus?
(9) What is the main message to you today and how can you apply it to your life?
(1) What would be the physical condition of a woman who had been bleeding for 12 years?
(2) See Leviticus 15:19-24. What was the implication of her forcing her way through the crowd? Should not the people become aware of her uncleanness?
(3) Apart from her health problem, try to describe her other conditions ― physical, emotional and spiritual (i.e. attitude toward God).
(4) Imagine the following: She took great courage to come, she took great strength to force herself to the front, she had great faith (believing that touching Jesus’ cloak was enough to be healed), and she “felt” instant healing. How would you describe her feeling at that very point? What adjective might be used to most appropriately describe her?
(5) Why did Jesus ask “Who touched my clothes?” Did He not know? Why then did He ask? What’s the purpose?
(6) Why did the woman “tremble with fear”? Would it not be the opposite of the adjective you just used to describe her?
(7) Her faith has already brought her healing. Now with her falling at Jesus’ feet and willing to tell Him her whole story, Jesus further pronounced: “Daughter, your faith has healed (the original Greek word is “saved”, which is the same word used in 7:50) you. Go in peace (and be ‘whole’ of your suffering)” (Lk. 8:48, Mk. 5:34). What if, she chose to sneak away without being willing to be confronted by Jesus? She would still be healed, but would she be saved? Why or why not?
(8) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
9:1-6
(1) Read this passage carefully. Do you get a sense that this was a message just for the Twelve’s immediate assignment or for the longer term? Why?
(2) If you were one of the Twelve, and were given such authority, how would you feel? But with respect to the preaching part, were they “qualified” to preach? How much did they know about the kingdom of God? Did it really matter?
(3) Jesus was very specific in His instructions of not taking anything for the journey. Should this principle be applied to us today?
(4) What about the instruction to stay in one house (instead of moving around)? What was the purpose of such an instruction?
(5) Was the shaking of dust too harsh a treatment against those who rejected them? Why or why not? What was the message here?
(6) Did the Twelve include Judas? Why then could he also perform miracles?
9:7-9
Note:
Herod was in essence a governor, but Caesar had bestowed the title of a king to his father, Herod the Great, who slaughtered the children of Bethlehem in Matthew 2.
(7) Luke gives us a bit more information about the differing opinions about who Jesus was. What can you tell about the reasoning and the causes behind each of these speculations?
- He is Elijah (see Mal. 4:5)
- He is like one of the prophets long ago (by then the Jews had not seen a prophet for some 400 years)
- He is John the Baptist (Herod’s speculation according to Matt. 14:2)
(8) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
(1) We have no idea how long the “short-term” mission trip was that the apostles took, but when they returned, they must have felt both exhausted and exhilarated (see Mk. 6:30-32). The first thing Jesus did was to withdraw with them away from the crowd. How important was it to the apostles at a time like this?
(2) What might be the problem(s) the disciples had in feeding the people:
a. They did not have enough money.
b. They did not want to spend so much money.
c. It was too onerous a task for them.
d. They did not consider this as part of their ministry.
e. They did not care about the people.
(3) What was the message to the disciples when Jesus said, “You give them something to eat”? What should their reply be? What would your reply be?
(4) In feeding the 5,000 (men), what options did Jesus have? What was the option He chose? Compare His chosen method with 2 Kings 4:42-44, and see the similarities and also the differences. Which of these catches your imagination?
(5) What had this experience meant for the hungry crowd and for the disciples respectively?
(6) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
The disciples had followed Jesus for some time, having seen Jesus’ miracles, heard His teachings, witnessed the fierce opposition of the Pharisee, and known Jesus up close. Jesus now began to reveal His ultimate plan of suffering to them. Before that, He wanted them to know who He really is:
(1) Who did the people, in general, think Jesus was?
(2) To be thought of as Elijah would have been a great honor already. Why was it not enough for Jesus?
(3) Why then did Jesus follow with the question, “But, what about you?"..."Who do you say I am?”? What is the significance of the word, “but”?
(4) As to who Jesus is, what do people say today, in general? In what aspects are the people right? In what way(s) are they wrong and how wrong are they?
(5) What about you? Who do you say Jesus is?
(6) Now Peter’s response was obviously correct. But was it enough for him to acknowledge Jesus as the Christ (i.e. Messiah)? Why not?
(7) Why did Jesus follow this question with telling them His sufferings, death and resurrection?
(8) Jesus used the occasion to correct the minds of men when it comes to following him, by stating, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (v. 23).
a. What does Jesus mean by “come after me? Try to define it as clearly as you can.
b. What does it mean to “deny himself”?
c. What does it mean to “take up his cross daily”?
d. What does it mean to “follow me”?
e. Have you done all of the above?
(9) What does following Him have to do with “saving” and “losing” one’s life? Does gaining the whole world necessarily lead to forfeiting one’s soul?
(10) Why did Jesus bring out the notion of being “ashamed of me and my words” within the preceding context? Can someone be truly His follower and yet be ashamed of Him and His words?
(11) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?