Small Group Bible Study Guide: Hurt, Broken, Lost, Empty (Mark 4:35–5:20)
Bible ReadingMark 4:35–5:20 (ESV)> 35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” 41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
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> 1 They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. 2 And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. 3 He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, 4 for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. 6 And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. 7 And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” 8 For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” 9 And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” 10 And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. 11 Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, 12 and they begged him, saying, “Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.” 13 So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea.
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> 14 The herdsmen fled and told it in the city and in the country. And people came to see what it was that had happened. 15 And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. 16 And those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and to the pigs. 17 And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their region. 18 As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. 19 And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” 20 And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.
Observation Questions- What details in Mark 5 show just how desperate and isolated the man living among the tombs was?
- How did Jesus respond to the man’s pain and torment when He arrived on the shore?
- What was the reaction of the townspeople when they saw the man healed and “in his right mind”?
- In the sermon, what did the team in the park do differently than most people when they saw someone hurting? [[01:40]]
Interpretation Questions- Why do you think Jesus was willing to cross a stormy lake and face danger just to reach one hurting man? What does this say about His character? [[04:59]]
- The sermon says, “Compassion runs toward pain, not away from it.” Why is this so hard for us, and what might it look like in our lives? [[01:40]]
- The story of the demons and the pigs is unsettling. What does it reveal about the reality of spiritual battles and Jesus’ authority? [[11:45]]
- The man wanted to go with Jesus after being healed, but Jesus sent him back to his community. Why do you think Jesus did this, and what does it teach us about our own stories? [[21:50]]
Application Questions- The sermon described people who are “hurt, broken, lost, and empty.” Have you ever felt like that? If so, what helped you, or what do you wish someone had done for you? [[00:00]]
- When you see someone who is hurting or struggling (like the man in the park or the man in the tombs), what is your first instinct? What would it look like to “run toward the pain” instead of away from it this week? [[01:40]]
- The disciples were afraid in the storm, and the man was tormented in the tombs. What “storms” or struggles are you facing right now that feel overwhelming? How can you invite Jesus into those places? [[04:59]]
- The sermon mentioned that healing and restoration can be both instant and a journey. Are there areas in your life where you are still waiting for healing or change? How can you keep walking with Jesus in the process? [[16:27]]
- The man was sent back to his people to share what God had done for him. Is there someone in your life who needs to hear your story of God’s mercy or help? What’s one way you could share it this week? [[21:50]]
- The story shows that spiritual battles are real, but Jesus is greater. Are there areas where you feel powerless or under attack? How can you lean on Jesus’ authority and not just your own strength? [[11:45]]
- The sermon ended with an invitation: “Bring your hurt, brokenness, lostness, and emptiness to Jesus.” What would it look like for you to do that today? Is there something specific you want to bring to Him in prayer or with the help of others? [[23:01]]
Closing Prayer: Invite group members to bring their hurts, struggles, or storms to Jesus in prayer, trusting that He is present, powerful, and compassionate.
