Belonging - End of Week 2

INTRODUCTION
The following is a guide to help facilitate discussion between you and the person you’re studying with or with your Connect Group. Feel free to add, subtract, or change questions to fit the conversation, and pray for the Spirit to lead in all things.

OPEN QUESTIONS
When you and your closest friends or family get together, what is an activity you enjoy doing together and why?

HEAD

1. Read Mark 2:1-12 together and share any wisdom, insights, or thoughts that come to you from the reading.
2. Could the paralytic have gotten to where Jesus was on his own?
3. Why did the paralytics friends not give up when they saw there were too many people to get their friend to Jesus?
4. When the parlaytic was lowered to Jesus, why did Jesus forgive his sins first, instead of healing him? How do you think the paralytics friends responded to this act?
5. Jesus knew what the paralytic man needed the most, but what message was Jesus sending to the Pharisees, teachers of the law, and the crowd that day?
6. Verse 12 says that “they were all amazed.” Do you think this meant the Pharisees and teachers of the law as well? If so, how did they change their minds so quickly?

HEART

1. Do you have friends that would be willing to tear a roof off for you?  Do you have people in your life that you’d rip a roof off for them? Where do you think we find people like this and make these types of relationships?
2. Knowing that Jesus often gives us what we need, over what we think we need or want, how do we work on building our trust in Him for all the ways He takes care of us, even when we’re not sure what He’s up to at the time?
3. One of the points we can make from this story is that Jesus is also God.  Knowing this, what do we learn about God from this story?
4. Just for fun, do you think the friends later repaired the roof or did they leave it and walk away?  What should they have done and why?

HANDS
As Paul wrote, “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23). Spending time in repentance is a spiritual practice, and it reminds us of how much we need Jesus, and how grateful we are for Him. Spend some time this week practicing this act, laying out your sins and struggles, letting them go, and receiving God’s grace.

LIVING WORDS FOR YOUR WEEK
For God did not send His son into the world to condemn the world, but to save it through Him.
John 3:17, NLT