Session 2

Proclaimed (Mark 1:43-45)

consider why Jesus wanted the man to keep his healing quiet.

43 Then he sternly warned him and sent him away at once,
44 telling him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go and show yourself to the priest,
and offer what Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.”
45 Yet he went out and began to proclaim it widely and to spread the news,
with the result that Jesus could no longer enter a town openly.
But he was out in deserted places, and they came to him from everywhere.

Explain:

Once again, Jesus wanted to stay focused on His mission.
He came to bring spiritual healing to people.
He used miracles to make that happen,
but He did not want the miracles to draw people’s attention away from their greater needs.

Ask:

• How can meeting physical needs open the door for conversations about spiritual needs?

Compare:

Read Mark 1:43-45 again.
suggest how the man’s reaction differed from Jesus’s instructions to Him.

Ask: /h3>

• Why do you think the man failed to obey Jesus’s instructions?

Reflect:

When someone has experienced Jesus’s work in their lives, they can’t help but talk about it. Direct the group to
think about a time when they were excited to talk about Jesus.

Ask:

• What sparked that enthusiasm? What has watered down that enthusiasm since then?

Remind adults that Jesus is still at work in their lives.
look for chances to share Him with someone who needs to know about Him this week.

CHALLENGE

Summarize:

Review these points from this week Bible passage:

• Believers must share the gospel in places that have not yet heard about Jesus.
• Believers show compassion by helping others in Jesus’s name.
• Believers demonstrate thankfulness by telling about the work of Jesus.

Challenge:

Discuss the Apply the Text questions on page 23.
Encourage the group to consider how they can imitate Jesus’s mission and tell someone about Him this week.
Give each adult an index card and instruct them to write their goal for sharing Jesus.
Direct them to keep the card with them this week and to let it serve as a reminder to seek opportunities to share Jesus.
Remind the group to use the Daily Exploration on pages 25-27 to go deeper into God’s Word during the week.

Pray:

In closing, invite each person to offer a one sentence prayer of gratitude for Jesus’s work in their lives.

AFTER THE SESSION

Reinforce the session by examining your own passion for sharing Jesus. Reflect on when you were most excited about telling others about Jesus. Remember how you felt in those moments. Examine your present excitement about sharing Jesus. Contact the group through email or text, reminding them to focus on their goal of sharing Jesus this week.