A Micro-Group Look at Mark 5:37-43
Pondering Point
Micro-Groups come in a variety of packages. Some you're born into, some you marry into or move into; others come about through community activities like music or sports or spiritual pursuits like church life. Within such groups are MG moments that can shape our lives. Let’s dive into one of Jesus’ micro-group moments with Peter, James, and John. It is recorded for us in Mark 5:35-43:
Mark 5:35-43
35 While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher anymore?”
36 Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”
37 He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. 38 When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. 39 He went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.” 40 But they laughed at him.
After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. 41 He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). 42 Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. 43 He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.
- Put yourself in the sandals of Peter, James, or John. What catches your attention about the above experience as these followers of Jesus take in this MG moment?
MG rule #1:
What is shared
in the group
stays in the group.
It is interesting to note that Jesus tells them to keep this among themselves. There are conversations and experiences in MGs that ought to remain in the group. This is the first rule of our MG life.
Doing so allows for vulnerability and transparency, two aspects that deepen the MG experience. Without these, MGs stay at a surface level – and Jesus did not stay at surface levels in His MGs.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, draw me into MGs with partners and friends like what Peter, James, and John shared – groups where You lead and teach. In Your name Jesus I pray. Amen.
Take note of the intense MG moment Mark records of Jesus having with the woman who had suffered bleeding for twelve years. It starts in 5:24 and culminates in 5:34 right in the middle of a large crowd, with a small group of disciples including the micro-group of Peter, James and John.
Mark 5:24-34
24 So Jesus went with him [Jairus, the father of a dying daughter].
A large crowd followed and pressed around him. 25 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. 26 She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” 29 Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.
30 At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”
31 “You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ”
32 But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 33 Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”
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