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The Rich Man
Mark 10:17-27
This passage is about who Jesus will welcome into his kingdom. Read the passage, then answer the questions below.
Mark 10:17-32
17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
18 "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No-one is good - except God alone.
19 You know the commandments ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honour your father and mother.’"
20 "Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy."
21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.
23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!"
24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!
25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
26 The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, "Who then can be saved?"
27 Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God."
Questions
Copy the questions, then answer them in your files.
- What did the rich man ask Jesus?
- Who did Jesus say was good?
- What did Jesus tell the man to keep?
- How long had the man kept these?
- What did Jesus then tell him to do?
- What was the rich man’s reaction to this?
- Fill the gaps:
It is much harder for a ________ person to enter the __________ ____ __________ than for a _____________ to go through the _________ of a ___________ .
- Why do you think the rich man did not want to follow Jesus?
- Why do you think it was not enough for the rich man just to keep the commandments.
Activity
Write a letter from the Rich Man to his friend, describing the day that he met Jesus.
The Costs and Rewards of Being a Disciple
Mark 8:34-38, 10:28-31
It isn’t easygoing being a follower of Jesus. Some things must be given up - but there will be rewards too.
Mark 8:34-38
34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
35 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.
36 What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?
37 Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?
38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels."
Mark 10:28-31
28 Peter said to him, "We have left everything to follow you!"
29 "I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no-one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel
30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields - and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life.
31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first."
Activity
Design a poster or leaflet showing how Christians have to make sacrifices. Call it ‘Take up your cross’.
The Poor Widow
Mark 12:41-44
In Jesus time, and even nowadays, people think that the best people are the rich people. This story shows that Jesus didn’t think that way.
Mark 12:41-44
41 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts.
42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny.
43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.
44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything - all she had to live on."
Activity
Can you think of a time when somebody was extremely generous with something that might not have seemed much, but which was very valuable to them? Tell the story in your file.
Design a leaflet or poster with the title ‘Money isn’t everything’.
The Epileptic Boy
Mark 9:14-29
Mark 9:14-29
14 When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them.
15 As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.
16 "What are you arguing with them about?" he asked.
17 A man in the crowd answered, "Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech.
18 Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not."
19 "O unbelieving generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me."
20 So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.
21 Jesus asked the boy’s father, "How long has he been like this?" "From childhood," he answered.
22 "It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us."
23 "‘If you can’?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes."
24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"
25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the evil spirit. "You deaf and mute spirit," he said, "I command you, come out of him and never enter him again."
26 The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, "He’s dead."
27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.
28 After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, "Why couldn’t we drive it out?"
29 He replied, "This kind can come out only by prayer."
Activity
10. In the story Jesus says that ‘Everything is possible for someone who believes.’ He seems to say that God answers the prayers of the person who believes deeply enough. Do you agree? Say why.
The Daughter of Jairus
Questions
Copy the questions and answer them in your files.
What was the name of the synagogue official who came to Jesus?
Why did he come to Jesus?
What did he ask Jesus to do?
What did the messengers say to Jairus?
What did Jesus say when he heard this?
Who went with Jesus to the house?
Why did the people laugh at Jesus?
What words did Jesus say to the little girl in his own language?
What did these words mean?
How old was the girl?
What did Jesus tell them to do?
Further Questions
Why do you think Jesus told the people not to tell anyone what had happened?
Jesus said to the man "Don’t be afraid, only believe." Why might Christians find these words helpful today?
Activities
Choose one of these activities
Do a cartoon version of the story.
Imagine that you are Jairus. Write an entry in your diary about what happened on this day.
Design a leaflet or poster which uses the words of Jesus - "Don’t be afraid, only believe" . Include pictures to show that Jesus helps people who are worried or in trouble.
The Woman with a Haemorrhage
Mark 5:25-34
25 There was a woman who had suffered terribly from severe bleeding for twelve years,
26 even though she had been treated by many doctors. She had spent all her money, but instead of getting better she got worse all the time.
27 She had heard about Jesus, so she came in the crowd behind him,
28 saying to herself, "If I just touch his clothes, I will get well."
29 She touched his cloak, and her bleeding stopped at once; and she had the feeling inside herself that she was healed of her trouble.
30 At once Jesus knew that power had gone out of him, so he turned round in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my clothes?"
31 His disciples answered, "You see how the people are crowding you; why do you ask who touched you?"
32 But Jesus kept looking round to see who had done it.
33 The woman realized what had happened to her, so she came, trembling with fear, knelt at his feet, and told him the whole truth.
34 Jesus said to her, "My daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your trouble." 
Questions
Copy out the questions and answer them in your files.
What medical problem did the woman have?
How long had she suffered from this problem?
What did the woman decide to do?
What happened when she did it?
What did Jesus say to the crowd?
Why did he say this?
- What did the disciples say?
- What did Jesus say had healed the woman?
Further Questions
What healed the woman - was it Jesus’ cloak or her faith?
Why is this (the answer to no. 9) important?
Think of examples of when people may need faith today.
Name: ____________________________________________
Children in the Kingdom
Mark 10:13-16
1. Fill the gaps, using these words:
blessed, bringing, children, disciples, kingdom, little.
People were___________________ bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the___________________ disciples rebuked them.
When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little___________________ children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the___________________ kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a___________________ little child will never enter it."
And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and___________________ blessed them.
Questions
Answer the questions on the sheet
What did Jesus say belongs to the children?
- What will happen to the person who does not receive the Kingdom of God like a little child?
3. What do you think Jesus is trying to teach people about the Kingdom of God when he says these words? | |
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Signposts
is a Painsley