Bible Study Summary - Upcoming Sunday's Scriptures

Sermon (Feb. 12) – “Finding a Good Physician”

II Kings 5:1-14

-          A story about the prophet Elisha who had replaced the prophet, Elijah.  Elisha does many miracles!

-          Naaman has leprosy.  An Israelite servant girl directs him to Elisha for healing.  She is the hero in the story!

-          Naaman is high ranking and is offended by the demands of Elisha.

-          Naaman receives healing.  This is a story about God’s grace being extended beyond Israel.

-          This story prompts a couple of questions: 1) How do we see God offering healing love in unexpecting and surprising ways? 2) God is looking for people who in small ways, point people toward God’s healing love and presence.

Mark 1:40-45

-          This story raises the issue of the ancient world between what is clean and what is unclean.  This was true of other ancient Near East religions as well as Israel.  Illness was seen as a sign of the person being “outside the circle.”  People who were sick literally became outcasts!

-          The sick man approaches Jesus anyway.  He defies conventional wisdom of his day and age. 

-          Jesus is filled with compassion.  Jesus is even willing to touch him which would make  him unclean and an outcast!  Jesus heals him and this reveals how God was at work through Jesus in a powerful way.

-          Jesus “sternly warns him.”  This was to have the healed man follow the religious expectation so that the religious leaders would see that God was loving.

-          This text raises questions about the mystery of healing.  Why are some people healed and others not?

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