Bible Study Questions

1. In Mark 2:1-12, the four friends went to extraordinary lengths to bring their paralyzed friend to Jesus. What obstacles — physical, emotional, or spiritual — have you had to overcome to bring someone you love to Jesus?
2. Jesus forgave the man's sins before healing his body, even though physical healing was what the friends were seeking. What does this tell us about Jesus' priorities, and how does it challenge your own prayer life?
3. The sermon asks, "Which would you rather have — physical healing or spiritual healing?" How would you honestly answer that question, and why?
4. How do your personal prayer requests reflect your priorities? Are they mostly focused on physical and practical needs, or do they also include spiritual needs for yourself and others?
5. The sermon uses the "fill in the blank" exercise: If only I could _______, then I'd be happy. How would you fill in that blank, and what does your answer reveal about where you are placing your hope?
6. The quote from Cynthia Heimel describes people who achieved their dreams and were still miserable. Have you ever experienced getting something you deeply wanted and finding it didn't satisfy? What did that teach you?
7. Jesus called Levi, a despised tax collector, to follow him and then ate with sinners at his house. Who are the "Levis" in your life that you might be avoiding, and what would it look like to pursue friendship with them?
8. The sermon draws a sharp contrast between seeing people through the eyes of a doctor versus the eyes of a judge. Which comes more naturally to you, and why?
9. Think of the cashier illustration from the sermon. How does seeing someone's behavior through a doctor's eyes — asking "what has their life been like?" — change how you respond to difficult people?
10. Jesus is described as coming first as a doctor and returning as a judge. How does understanding both roles of Jesus shape the urgency with which you share your faith with others?
11. The paralyzed man was healed largely because of the faith and action of his friends. Who in your life needs you to be that kind of friend right now, and what is one concrete step you could take this week?
12. The sermon challenges us to go deeper in our prayer life — beyond physical needs to spiritual ones. What would it look like practically for your small group to shift toward praying more intentionally for the spiritual wellbeing of people you love?

Discussion Questions

1. Ken opens with a humorous story about President Bush not being recognized. In what ways do people today fail to recognize Jesus for who he truly is, and what has helped you see him more clearly?
2. The sermon describes suffering and unfulfilled dreams as two things that drive people to Jesus. Which one has been more of a driving force in your own spiritual journey, and how did it shape your relationship with Jesus?
3. Jesus knew immediately what the religious leaders were thinking when he forgave the paralyzed man's sins. How does it make you feel knowing that Jesus sees not just your actions but your innermost thoughts and doubts?
4. The religious leaders were physically present with Jesus yet completely missed who he was. What are some ways that people today can be close to Christianity without truly knowing Jesus personally?
5. Cynthia Heimel observed that fame and success left people more miserable than before. What does our culture currently tell us will make us happy, and how does Jesus' answer differ from those promises?
6. The sermon points out that Jesus was not afraid to use the words "sin" and "sinner." Why do you think those words make so many people uncomfortable today, and how can we talk about sin in a way that is honest but also loving?
7. Jesus chose to spend time with notorious sinners rather than staying in comfortable religious circles. How has your own comfort zone shaped or limited the kinds of people you spend time with?
8. Ken admits he is "so quick to pronounce judgment and so slow to pronounce healing." Where in your own life do you find it hardest to extend grace rather than judgment to someone who is struggling?
9. The sermon contrasts Jesus' first coming as a doctor with his second coming as a judge. How does keeping both of these realities in mind affect the way you live your daily life and treat the people around you?
10. 2 Timothy 4:8 speaks of a crown of righteousness for those who have loved Jesus' appearing. What does it mean practically to live as someone who genuinely longs for and loves the return of Jesus?
11. The sermon challenges us to be a friend to sinners the way Jesus was. What is the biggest barrier that keeps Christians from building genuine friendships with people who don't yet know Jesus?
12. Ken asks the congregation to identify one person they need to start seeing through the eyes of a doctor rather than a judge. As a group, without naming names, what kinds of people do you find it most difficult to extend that kind of compassion to, and what would help you grow in that area?