Connect What has it cost you to follow Jesus? Do you think God is asking anything else of you?

Warm-Up

1. What do you think most Australians (who are not yet Christians) would like to ask God to do? What do you think people most often ask God to do for them today?
2. Do you think you ever ask too little of God or for lesser things from God? Is God still interested in the small things (and what gives you that confidence)?

Read Mark 10:46-52

3. What has just happened prior to this encounter? Where are Jesus and the disciples headed now?
4. What would it have been like for Bartimaeus as a blind person in the first century?
5. Why was Bartimaeus sitting by the roadside? Who would Bartimaeus have been hoping to help him?
6. How do you feel in the face of need? What are some of the blockers that prevent you from helping?
7. What title does Bartimaeus attribute to Jesus? What is the significance of this? 
8. How does Bartimaeus demonstrate significant spiritual insight about the identity of Jesus?
9. How does the cry for mercy reflect the regular plea of the psalmists? Who did the psalmists cry out to? What might this also indicate about who Bartimaeus recognised (at least in part) Jesus to be?
10. How does Jesus respond to the cry of Bartimaeus? How does this compare with the response of others?
11. How should Jesus’ compassion give us confidence to bring our needs to him? What stops you?
12. Why do you think that Jesus asked this question of Bartimaeus? Wasn’t it obvious what Bartimaeus wanted and needed? What would you say if he asked you?
13. What was Bartimaeus’ greatest need? How does he respond when healed?
14. What is our greatest need? How has Jesus already gone ahead of us to fulfil that need?
15. What gives you confidence that Jesus is both interested in our needs and powerful to do something?
16. What did Jesus mean, by “your faith has healed you”? Does this mean everyone can be healed of every physical ailment? How is this a pointer to the shape of God’s coming Kingdom?
17. How—throughout the entire encounter—has Bartimaeus—demonstrated an enthusiastic response to Jesus and trust in him.
18. What does Jesus command Bartimaeus to do? How does he respond with his whole life?
19. What is the ultimate thing that we can ask of Jesus to do for us now?
20. As you seek to follow Jesus everyday, what should you ask of him in order to better seek out his ways to be equipped for his purposes? 

Apply Who is one person you can more actively pray for and point to the merciful (and saving love) of Jesus?

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On Your Frontline this Week

Look for an opportunity to be generous with your time this week.

For Families

• Download: some of the family resources to use at home: stbartskids.org

Listen, Watch, and Read

• Listen (sermon): “The Call of Christ” by Tim Plyming:
  https://www.allsouls.org/Groups/139869/L099_New_Year_Foundations.aspx 
• Listen (sermon): “Gospel Discipleship” by Dick Lucas
  https://www.st-helens.org.uk/resources/talk/1226/ 
• Listen (sermon): “I have a message from God to you” by Charlie Skrine:
  https://www.allsouls.org/Groups/367494/B038_Introducing_Jesus.aspx 
• Listen (sermon): “The Call of God’s King” by Suresh Menon:
  https://stebbes.org/sermons/the-call-of-gods-king/ 
• Watch (video): “Mark” overview by the Bible Project:
  https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/mark/ 

Series Resources

• Read (book): “Lent” by Esau McCaulley 📚
• Read (book): “Lent for Everyone (Mark)” by Tom Wright
• Read (children’s book): “The Friend and the Traveller” by Sam Brewster & Hannah Green 📚
• Read (devotional): Daily Lenten Devotional by Gospel in Life (Keller)
  gospelinlife.com/devotional/lent/ 
• Pray (prayer guide): “For the Persecuted Church” by Open Doors
  www.opendoors.org.au/get-involved/prayer/
  
  

📚 Available to borrow in the Church library

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