Connect Group Questions
March 19, 2023 – Week 3 – Healed by The Pool (SECTION 42)
Playing, Praying, and Growing together
Last weeks service
This Weeks ?’s
Leader Hints are designed to help guide a leader to some information that we want to “tease” out of the group. They are not there for you to directly read to the participants. People are significantly more likely to remember things they said or came up with, so your goal is to help direct them to that answer.
FINAL NOTE: Our goal is to get to the [APPLICATION QUESTION] to help work with people through how to apply what God is doing in their life.
INTRO:
- What was your favorite gameshow? Kent brought up the Price is Right. Anyone still watch reruns of that?
- Think back to last week’s application question: “Can you think of someone in your life you have labeled and therefore written off? What is one way you can reframe your view of this person?” Does anyone have anything to share from this last week?
REBUILD THE SERMON:
- Read John 5:1-9 and 5:14-15.
- Verse 4 is missing. Does anyone have it written out in their translation? Do you remember Kent’s explanation for why it isn’t in there? How do you feel about that?
(Leader Hint: The oldest manuscripts don’t include it, so the thinking is that a scribe made a note in the margin at some point and it got incorporated later.) - Why do you think Jesus only heals 1 person? And why that guy?
- Notice this is on the Sabbath again. Why does Jesus keep insisting on healing on the Sabbath? Shouldn’t he just come a day earlier?
- Once the man is healed, he listens to Jesus and takes up his mat. But where does he go?
- Read Verses 14-15 again. “Stop sinning or something worse will happen.” What does that mean?
- Jesus healed the man’s temporary problem, but he is at risk of still not having his ultimate problem healed. What is this ultimate problem?
(Leader Hint: The man will turn lame again, even if just from old age, but he still must face eternity.) - Can anyone think of another example of Jesus using temporary healing to turn attention to the ultimate problem?
(Leader Hint: One example is the man that is lowered through the room. Read Matt 9:1-8) - Jesus uses this man’s temporary issue to get his attention on his ultimate problem. Does anyone have an experience like this that they would like to share?
(Leader Hint: An example could be a couple who has started going to church as a last-ditch effort for their marriage, things turned around, and now they focus their whole lives on building the kingdom of God.)
Application Question:
- What is one thing (a memory, place, or anything) where you’ve encountered Jesus? Turn this into an anchor for yourself. Create a way to come across it often. Then when you do, bring your focus to what Jesus has ultimately done for you.
- Take up prayer requests and pray as a group.
Upcoming at Harmony
Submit a Prayer
Does your group have a prayer request that you think would be helpful for our care ministry team to know about and be praying for? Submit it below:
Our church has an INCREDIBLE care ministry team. They regularly pray over the needs in our church and contact those who need care. If you need prayer, please submit your request here.
