Bible Reading
Psalm 103:12-13 “as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him.”
[24:33]Romans 14:1-12 “As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God;”
[25:24]Mark 5:21-43 “And when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about him, and he was beside the sea. Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet and implored him earnestly, saying, ‘My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live.’ And he went with him. And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him. And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. For she said, ‘If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.’ And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, ‘Who touched my garments?’ And his disciples said to him, ‘You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, “Who touched me?”’ And he looked around to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. And he said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.’ While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler's house some who said, ‘Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?’ But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, ‘Do not fear, only believe.’ And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. And when he had entered, he said to them, ‘Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping.’ And they laughed at him. But he put them all outside and took the child's father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the child was. Taking her by the hand he said to her, ‘Talitha cumi,’ which means, ‘Little girl, I say to you, arise.’ And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement. And he strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.”
[32:30]John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
[29:59]Observation questions
- In Psalm 103:12-13, what two pictures does David use to describe both God’s forgiveness and God’s compassion? [24:33]
- In Romans 14, what are the different practices that could become reasons for believers to judge or despise one another?
- What reasons does Paul give for not passing judgment on another believer, especially in verses 4 and 7-9? [26:34]
- In Mark 5, what differences can the group observe between Jairus and the woman with the bleeding, and how does Jesus respond to each of them? [34:17]
Interpretation questions
- Psalm 103 says that God removes transgressions as far as east is from west. How does this image help explain the difference between forgiveness in Christ and merely feeling less guilty about sin? [28:21]
- Romans 14 calls the church to welcome those who are weak in faith without quarreling over opinions. What kinds of matters seem to belong in this category of personal conviction, and what kinds of matters would still require clear biblical faithfulness?
- Paul says that believers belong to the Lord whether they live or die because Christ died and lived again. How does Christ’s lordship over both life and death give comfort to someone facing fear, grief, or uncertainty? [27:47]
- Jesus stops for the woman even while Jairus’s daughter is critically ill. What does this reveal about Christ’s compassion and his attention toward people who feel overlooked, ashamed, or like an interruption? [33:07]
Application questions
- Is there a sin from the past that still feels close, defining, or difficult to believe forgiven? How could Psalm 103:12-13 shape the way you bring that burden to Jesus this week? [28:37]
- Where might you be tempted to make a personal preference, habit, or conviction into a standard by which you quietly judge another Christian? What would it look like to welcome that person rather than quarrel with them? [25:44]
- Is there an area of life or a fear about death where you need to remember, “Whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s”? How might that truth change a specific worry you are carrying? [26:34]
- Jesus invites people to come to him with doubts, beliefs, joys, sadness, and concerns. What part of your story have you been reluctant to bring honestly to Jesus in prayer? [33:12]
- Who in your daily life may feel unseen, excluded, burdened, or pushed to the margins? What is one simple way you could slow down, listen, and show Christlike compassion to that person this week? [34:21]
- A planting season involves faithful seeds of prayer, care for children, encouragement for women, and other quiet acts of service. Where might God be inviting you to plant one small seed of compassion in the church or community? [31:25]
