The Bible 20/20 - Week 36: "Of Pigs and Men"

In today’s sermon, we explore the story found in Mark 5:1-20 of Jesus freeing a man with an unclean spirit. It is a strange and unsettling story of a deranged man, a multitude of demons, and a large herd of pigs who are drowned in the sea. Yet in the midst of this dis-orienting story, we can discover much about the forces of power that we still encounter in our day. May God give us clarity and hope as we explore the presence and power of fear and evil, and the greater power of Grace that is available to help set the captives free! Discussion Questions: 1. What encouraged you the most from this story? What challenged you the most? Do you agree that there are still modern-day forms of spiritual bondage that we face? 2. Why do you think that people at times minimize or ignore the existence of the spiritual world? Why is it important to recognize the presence and power of this kind of evil? 3. When facing a struggle in your life with some form of bondage - have you experienced being held back by any of the fears addressed in this message? (fear of change, fear of loss, fear of God) If yes, which one? 4. Why do you think that particular fear is a challenge for you? How can you face and overcome that fear? What role does Jesus play in helping us with our fear? 5. What did you learn from this story about the power of grace? What are some of the obstacles that keep us from experiencing God’s grace in the midst of our struggles? What can we do about that? What can Jesus do about that for us?