solitude – Harmony Bible

Week 31, Section 45

A year since Jesus was baptized his public ministry now includes more healing as he shows his compassion to others and the number of followers and disciples is increasing. Our study today reveals something more about Jesus’ purpose, his manner of ministry, and his concern for our own physical condition.

Scripture:

[one_third last=”no”]Matthew 8:2-4
2 Behold, a leper came to him¹ and worshiped² him, saying, “Lord, if you want to, you can make me clean.”³¯⁴ 3 Jesus stretched out his hand,⁵ and touched him, saying, “I want to. Be made clean.” Immediately⁶ his leprosy was cleansed.

4 Jesus said to him, “See that you tell nobody, but go, show yourself to the priest,⁷ and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”[/one_third]
[one_third last=”no”]Mark 1:40-45
40 A leper came to him, begging him, kneeling down to him, and saying to him, “If you want to, you can make me clean.” 41 Being moved with compassion,⁸ he stretched out his hand, and touched him, and said to him, “I want to. Be made clean.” 42 When he had said this, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was made clean.

43 He strictly warned him, and immediately sent him out, 44 and said to him, “See you say nothing to anybody, but go show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing the things which Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.” 45 But he went out, and began to proclaim it much, and to spread about the matter, so that Jesus could no more openly enter into a city, but was outside in desert places. People came to him from everywhere.[/one_third]
[one_third last=”yes”]Luke 5:12-16
12 While he was in one of the cities, behold, there was a man full of leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell on his face, and begged him, saying, “Lord, if you want to, you can make me clean.”⁹ 13 He stretched out his hand, and touched him, saying, “I want to. Be made clean.” Immediately the leprosy left him. 14 He commanded him to tell no one, “But go your way, and show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing according to what Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.”¹⁰

15 But the report concerning him spread much more, and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities.¹¹ 16 But he withdrew himself into the desert, and prayed.[/one_third]

Group Dialog:

Why does the leper come to Jesus? By doing so, he breaks the rules of Lev 13-14 (Lev 13: 45-46)
How might our perspective of what God wants and what he’s able to do affect the way we approach Him in prayer, worship, and service?
In the midst of serving in ministry, has your prayer life become stronger or less frequent?
What is stopping you from being His witness, sharing your testimony of what God is (and has) done in your life?
Pray for one another’s healing, well-being, and ministry.

Learning Objectives: obedience, compassion toward others, Character of Christ, healing, God’s will, gratitude, testimony, prayer in success, no shame, ask, worship, reverence.

Image: An armadillo seen in a land preserve in Orlando, FL. In America leprosy is most often transmitted by contact or consumption of armadillos.

Study Notes:

Section 44 | Week 30

This week our study illustrates how prayer was an essential aspect of Jesus’ relationship with His Father and an integrated quality of his life, ministry, mission and strategy. In light of this, and instruction throughout the Scriptures we must integrate the same discipline into our lives or suffer the perils of pride, prayer anemia, and spiritual malnutrition.

Scripture:

[one_third last=”no”]Matthew 4:23-35

23 Jesus went about in all Galilee,¹ teaching in their synagogues, preaching the Good News of the Kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness among the people. 24 The report about him went out into all Syria.² They brought to him all who were sick, afflicted with various diseases and torments, possessed with demons, epileptics, and paralytics; and he healed them. 25 Great multitudes from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and from beyond the Jordan followed him.[/one_third]
[one_third last=”no”]Mark 1:35-39
35 Early in the morning, while it was still dark, he rose up and went out, and departed into a deserted place, and prayed there.³ 36 Simon and those who were with him followed after him; 37 and they found him, and told him, “Everyone is looking for you.” 38 He said to them, “Let’s go elsewhere into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because I came out for this reason.”⁴¯⁵ 39 He went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee,⁶ preaching and casting out demons.[/one_third]
[one_third last=”yes”]Luke 4:42-44
42 When it was day, he departed and went into an uninhabited place, and the multitudes looked for him, and came to him, and held on to him, so that he wouldn’t go away from them. 43 But he said to them, “I must preach the good news of God’s Kingdom to the other cities also. For this reason I have been sent.” 44 He was preaching in the synagogues of Galilee.[/one_third]

Group Dialog:

Do you feel close to God?
How has prayer benefited you?
Why do you pray? (brokenness, for family, spouse, faith, fear, defeat, sin, depression, covetousness, something else?)
Read and discuss these other passages of prayer (Ps 34:15,17; Ps 102:17; 1 Jn 5:14-15; Jms 4:3; Jms 5:16; Mt 21:22; Heb 10:19-22; )
What is at risk when we fail to pray? (Heb 2:3; Jer 2:32; Rev 2:4;
What is the most common reason you fail to pray? ☐ Self-Sufficiency ☐ Doubt ☐ Guilt ☐ Feelings of inadequacy ☐ Self-Interest ☐ Don’t know how ☐ Lukewarm Christianity ☐ Different Priorities
What should we pray based on Jesus’ life, prayers, and and teaching?
How does your specific focus in ministry rely on prayer, and your relationship with Christ?

Learning Objectives: prayer, recovery, spirit-filled, silence, strategy, renewal, ministry, priorities, spiritual disciplines,

Image: Looking toward the Caloosahatchee River at Gulf Harbour Yacht & Country Club in Fort Myers, FL (sorry its a sunset, not a sunrise). The palm trees and sun remind me of Psalm 113:3 “From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the LORD is to be praised.”

Study Notes: