MESSAGE NOTES, 4/27/25
The reality is—we all have stuff. Stuff we carry quietly, things we are working out with others, and challenges we wish would just go away. Death, disease, depression, disappointment, dependence, and even demons—these are the real struggles that weigh us down. But we don’t have to face them alone. In this series, we’ll explore each of these challenging topics and see how Jesus meets us with His peace and power to get through.
This week, our focus is on facing disease.
CONNECT
- When it comes to disease, what questions do you have for God? Who are meaningful people in your life that have been impacted by disease? What are the emotions that arise in you when it comes to pondering disease in this world? (glad, mad, sad, scared, shamed, shocked, etc.)?
REFLECT
- Have you ever thought of sin as a spiritual disease? Read Genesis 3:14-18. What did God promise in response to sin? And how is this an act of God’s mercy, though we call it a “curse”? Why is this struggle for man and woman necessary (what is the temptation according to 3:5)? How did original sin usher in disease?
- People often quote Isaiah 53:5 (1 Peter 2:21-25) “by His stripes (wounds) you were healed” as if the purpose of Jesus’ death on the cross was to heal us of our temporary diseases. Read Isaiah 1:4-6. What is the “disease” from which we need healing according to Isaiah?
- Read Mark 2:1-17. How does Jesus’ response to the paralytic align with Isaiah’s message? What is our greatest “disease?” What was the purpose of Jesus physical healing in this story? What is promised and what is not promised regarding sin and physical disease? In what way is disease a picture of the greater disease of sin? Why is this important to understand? (2:17)
- Read this quote from the Sunday message and share what stands out to you about the statement. “Physical disease is in essence a metaphor, a picture of the ultimate disease, and the ultimate disease reminds us we need the ultimate healing that can only come through Jesus Christ. What we are not saying is if you have a disease, an illness, a physical suffering, it’s because of your sin and God is punishing you. What we are saying is because of the fall, because this is a fallen world, because of sin in the world, the disease and suffering and physical ailments are part of the journey of this life. Whether you are struggling with those diseases yourself or with someone you love, they remind us that we are not God and that we need help. Is there anywhere in the Bible where God promises that, if you have enough faith, your physical disease will be healed in this life? And the answer is, “No, there’s nowhere where God promises that.” Does God have the power to heal? Absolutely He does! Should we ask for that? Absolutely we should! No physical disease is hopeless. At any moment God may choose to step in and bring about miraculous healing. You have to believe that. But does that mean God always will? No. Sometimes He will and sometimes He won’t.”
- How does the truth of this lesson help you process disease and suffering in this world?
How might “What?” be a better question than “Why?” when facing disease?
PRAY for those who need healing – use Blessing (below) or your own words
A Blessing for When You’re Sick But Have No Answers
Yours is the body that bears the burden,
the heart that carries the disappointment
when operations are unsuccessful when medications cause side effects,
—or don’t work at all.
Yours is the life being dominated by an illness
that shouts so loudly, but in a language no one seems to understand.
Yours is the arrival that causes the consternation of experts,
the discomfort of friends, and the heartache of family.
Blessed are you, dear one,
for you are not the problem nor the cause.
You who are trying to hold it all—
the pain and grief and disappointments that keep coming—
when you try to protect others from their own worst fears,
to spare them the hard truths.
Blessed are you, dear heart, for you can set that burden down.
For it is ours too and we embrace it.
For we are the ones who are blessed
to receive the privilege of being with you in it,
of knowing you, seeing you, loving you, and saying with you,
Yes, life is exactly this hard, exactly this uncertain, this fragile, this precious.
This is real.
Kate Bowler – The Lives We Actually Have