Bible ReadingMark 6:1-6 He went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him.
[46:47] And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands?
[47:01] Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.
[47:17] And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.”
[47:24] And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them.
[47:34] And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went about among the villages teaching.
[47:42] Matthew 19:16-22 And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?”
[50:05] And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.”
[50:14] He said to him, “Which ones?”
[50:23] And Jesus said, “You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness,
[50:25] Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
[50:30] The young man said to him, “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?”
[50:51] Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”
[51:05] When the young man heard this, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
[51:43] Acts 9:1-19 But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest
[52:14] and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
[52:47] Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.
[54:47] And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”
[54:52] And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.”
[55:02] The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one.
[55:14] Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.
[55:16] And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
[55:24] Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”
And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying,
[54:44] and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.”
But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem.
And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.”
But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.
For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”
So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
[55:35] And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized;
[55:44] and taking food, he was strengthened.
[55:57] Matthew 4:18-20 While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.
[56:46] And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
[56:55] Immediately they left their nets and followed him.
[57:02] Observation questions- In Mark 6, what reasons do the people of Nazareth give for questioning Jesus, and what details about his ordinary life do they focus on? [47:01]
- In the story of the rich young ruler, what does the man say he has done already, and what specific thing does Jesus then tell him to do? [51:05]
- What are the differences between Saul’s encounter with Jesus and Peter and Andrew’s call by the sea? What stands out about how each opportunity comes? [56:28]
- What three traits describe a “person of peace,” and why might those traits matter when thinking about spiritual opportunity? [01:08:44]
Interpretation questions- Why does familiarity seem to become a barrier in Nazareth? How can knowing a lot about Jesus still fall short of actually trusting him? [47:52]
- The rich young ruler asks, “What do I still lack?” What does that question reveal about the limits of outward morality and religious effort? [50:56]
- Peter and Andrew receive a simple invitation, “Follow me,” and respond immediately. What does that suggest about the relationship between spiritual opportunity and obedience? [57:02]
- Saul’s story includes both Jesus appearing to Saul and Ananias going to Saul. What does that show about the way God works through direct intervention and through ordinary believers? [55:35]
Application questions- Familiarity can make Jesus seem ordinary. Where might that be happening right now—in church life, in Bible reading, in prayer, or in a part of life that has become routine? [47:52]
- The rich young ruler had something that owned his heart. What might be hardest to surrender right now if Jesus said, “Come, follow me,” in a way that touched comfort, control, money, or reputation? [51:47]
- Spiritual opportunities do not always arrive with dramatic signs. What might be quietly knocking right now: a conversation to start, a step of obedience to take, or a new season to enter? [58:28]
- A person of peace is someone who likes, listens, and serves. Is there anyone in everyday life who fits that description—a neighbor, coworker, friend, or family member? What might it look like to take one small step toward a spiritual conversation with them? [01:09:30]
- Asking someone to read the Bible can feel awkward. What fears usually make that hard, and what might help someone move past the awkwardness? [01:09:45]
- Prayer for healing involves risk, but refusing to pray closes the door before anything is even asked. When does fear of disappointment keep someone from praying boldly for healing, help, or filling by the Holy Spirit? [01:14:29]
- Missed spiritual opportunities often become clear only afterward. Can the group think of a time when someone sensed God prompting them and either responded or pulled back? What was learned from that moment? [01:12:05]
