Bible Reading
Matthew 5:13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.”
[25:58]Mark 5:1-20 “They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, 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. Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. 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." For he was saying to him, "Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!" And Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" He replied, "My name is Legion, for we are many." And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him, saying, "Send us to the pigs; let us enter them." 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. The herdsmen fled and told it in the city and in the country. And people came to see what it was that had happened. 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. And those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and to the pigs. And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their region. As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. 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." And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.”
[31:44]Philippians 1:6 “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
[41:48]Observation questions
- What two uses of salt help explain the picture in Matthew 5:13, and what does the salt-shaker illustration add about contact with others? [26:48]
- In Mark 5:1–20, what details show the man’s isolation and suffering before he encounters Jesus? What changes afterward?
- At the end of Mark 5:1–20, what does the restored man ask Jesus for, and what does Jesus send him to do instead?
- How does the picture of a baby learning to walk illustrate the ongoing work of God described in Philippians 1:6? [42:06]
Interpretation questions
- In light of Matthew 5:13, how can Christian fellowship prepare believers to love others rather than become a way to avoid them? What signs might show that comfort has begun to replace calling? [30:12]
- How does Jesus’ encounter with the man in Mark 5 challenge the idea that people must first enter a comfortable church setting before believers can reach out to them? [35:49]
- What is the difference between building friendships with people who do not share Christian faith and compromising faith to gain their acceptance? How might that difference show up in a conversation involving gossip? [37:30]
- Why does the promise of God’s continuing work in Philippians 1:6 give a struggling believer hope without making continued sin unimportant? What would distinguish patient growth from making excuses? [43:22]
Application questions
- Where has your routine become so comfortable that you rarely build relationships with people who do not share your faith? What small change could make room for one genuine friendship? [29:15]
- Who at work, school, in your neighborhood, or in your family could you get to know better this week? What might listening and showing care look like without treating that person as a project? [40:19]
- In what setting are you most tempted to hide your faith or agree with something you do not believe just to fit in? What could an honest, kind response sound like next time? [38:04]
- Think of a recent conversation with someone whose beliefs differ from yours. Where could you have shown more patience or curiosity, and what might help you speak naturally about Jesus when an opportunity comes? [40:10]
- Is there a failure that has made you hesitant to serve God or reach out again? Share only what you are comfortable sharing. How might trusting God’s continuing work help you take a next step? [53:36]
- Is there an area where you need to move beyond feeling sorry toward a changed direction? What might confession, repairing harm where possible, or one practical change look like—and how could this group support you? [50:18]
