Bible ReadingMark 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.
[28:12]Judges 13:1-16:31 And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, so the Lord gave them into the hand of the Philistines for forty years. There was a certain man of Zorah, of the tribe of the Danites, whose name was Manoah. And his wife was barren and had no children. And the angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, “Behold, you are barren and have not borne children, but you shall conceive and bear a son. Therefore be careful and drink no wine or strong drink, and eat nothing unclean, for behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. No razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb, and he shall begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines.”... And the woman bore a son and called his name Samson. And the young man grew, and the Lord blessed him. And the Spirit of the Lord began to stir him in Mahaneh-dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol. Samson went down to Timnah, and at Timnah he saw one of the daughters of the Philistines. Then he came up and told his father and mother, “I saw one of the daughters of the Philistines at Timnah. Now get her for me as my wife.”... Then Samson went down with his father and mother to Timnah, and they came to the vineyards of Timnah. And behold, a young lion came toward him roaring. Then the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him, and although he had nothing in his hand, he tore the lion in pieces as one tears a young goat. But he did not tell his father or his mother what he had done... After some days he returned to take her. And he turned aside to see the carcass of the lion, and behold, there was a swarm of bees in the body of the lion, and honey. He scraped it out into his hands and went on, eating as he went. And he came to his father and mother and gave some to them, and they ate. But he did not tell them that he had scraped the honey from the carcass of the lion... And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon and struck down thirty men of the town and took their spoil and gave the garments to those who had told the riddle. In hot anger he went back to his father's house... Then the Philistines seized him and gouged out his eyes and brought him down to Gaza and bound him with bronze shackles. And he ground at the mill in the prison. But the hair of his head began to grow again after it had been shaved. Now the lords of the Philistines gathered to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god and to rejoice, and they said, “Our god has given Samson our enemy into our hand.”... Then Samson called to the Lord and said, “O Lord God, please remember me and please strengthen me only this once, O God, that I may be avenged on the Philistines for my two eyes.” And Samson grasped the two middle pillars on which the house rested, and he leaned his weight against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other. And Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines.” Then he bowed with all his strength, and the house fell upon the lords and upon all the people who were in it. So the dead whom he killed at his death were more than those whom he had killed during his life.
[45:48]Matthew 7:7-8 Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.
[34:43]Mark 11:24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
[35:18]Observation questions- In Mark 5, what words or actions show the difference between the crowd around Jesus and the two people who come to him in faith? [30:56]
- What happens in the story between Jairus asking Jesus for help and Jesus arriving at Jairus’s house, and how does that delay shape the scene? [31:25]
- In Judges, what repeated details show that Samson was set apart by God, and what repeated details show how quickly he started breaking boundaries? [54:21]
- In Samson’s story, where does the passage specifically say his strength came from, and what does the text say happened when he finally fell? [01:04:49]
Interpretation questions- Jairus and the bleeding woman both speak with unusual certainty when they come to Jesus. What does their kind of faith seem to include, and what does it not include? [30:56]
- Jesus stops to heal one person while another family is still waiting in crisis. What does that reveal about the way Jesus handles timing, urgency, and need? [32:21]
- Jesus puts the laughing mourners outside before raising the girl. What might that say about the effect unbelief can have in moments where faith is being tested? [36:59]
- Samson seems to believe his power is tied to his hair, yet the text points to the Lord as the true source. How can a person keep the outward sign of devotion while drifting from the God it points to? [01:05:39]
Application questions- When there is something deeply needed from Jesus right now, is the prayer coming out with bold honesty or with a lot of hedging and self-protection? What would it sound like to ask more like Jairus or the bleeding woman? [29:29]
- Where has waiting started to feel like God’s refusal? Is there an area of life where “delay is not denial” needs to be remembered again? [32:21]
- What voices have been feeding fear, cynicism, or unbelief lately? Are there any voices, habits, or environments that may need to be put outside the room for a season? [39:29]
- Jesus tells Jairus, “Do not be afraid. Just have faith.” In a current situation, what would it look like to return to that sentence when anxiety starts taking over? [33:25]
- Samson’s life warns that a person can enjoy gifts, strength, talent, or calling and still neglect the Source. Where is it easiest to start acting as if personal strength is enough? [01:05:53]
- Samson only seemed to cry out when he was thirsty or broken. What helps build a more steady, everyday connection with God instead of only reaching for him in emergencies? [01:08:12]
- The pen belongs in the Author’s hand. Where is there a temptation to force the story toward personal wants, control, or recognition instead of surrendering to what God wants to write? [01:09:58]
