Mark 2:1–12 (NIV)

¹ A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. ² They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. ³ Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. ⁴ Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. ⁵ When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

⁶ Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, 

⁷ “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

⁸ Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? 

⁹ Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? ¹⁰ But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, ¹¹ “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” ¹² He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

Soul Friends

“I have called you friends.” - Jesus (John 15:15)

Discipleship is learning to follow Jesus as Lord, Savior, Teacher, and Friend.

• Who knows me deeply?
• Who celebrates with me?
• Who tells me the truth?
• Who stands with me when life is difficult?
• Who carries me when I cannot carry myself?
• Who am I becoming that kind of friend for?

“A true friend is a guardian of the spirit.”

— Aelred of Rievaulx, Spiritual Friendship (12th-century Cistercian monk)

Compassionate Perseverance

“When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.’” v.5

Are there times when being a good friend requires us to be creative, persistent, or disruptive?

Soul Friendship Is the Antidote to Our Loneliness Epidemic

Loneliness is a painful experience because we are created with a longing for intimacy, connection, and relationship. Most people intuitively understand that there is a longing within them; yet others resist that longing.

When we hear about God’s offer of transforming friendship, I hope we will recognize it as what we are really looking for, so that we can explore it further. I believe that if we experience such a relationship, our deepest loneliness may be healed. — Trevor Hudson, Beyond Loneliness

Practice

Friendship rarely happens by accident; it grows through intentional presence.

Ask God to help you become the kind of person who notices others, moves toward others, and creates space for meaningful relationships.

CONNECT WITH EACH OTHER 



Before beginning your time in the passage this week, create intentional time getting acquainted or re-acquainted with one another. Choose one or two of the Low Stakes, Hot Takes below to kick off your time together! Do you agree or disagree? Why or why not?

“Pineapple on pizza is just wrong”

“Iced Beverages are better that hot beverages” 

“Google Meet is better than Zoom”

“Going on a cruise is a relaxing way to vacation”

Group Agreement Discussion (10-15 minutes): At the start, discuss your group’s priorities, commitments, and values so that you can come up with an agreement that feels representative of your group’s values. For more questions, see the weekly leader notes which are provided to each designated facilitator via email.

CONNECT WITH GOD 

Prayers as Friendship with God: “A Simple Regimen of Private Prayer” from George Buttrick

https://renovare.org/articles/hints-for-how-to-pray

Spend time reading this guide together, found at the above link. Carve out time together to pause and pray through these guideposts of quiet prayer time. Journal your prayers, if that is helpful. 

“Prayer is friendship with God. Friendship is not formal, but it is not formless: it has its cultivation, its behavior, its obligations, even its disciplines; and the casual mind kills it. So we offer here, as a guide-map not as a chain, a simple regimen of private prayer.”

After this week, we will pay close attention to each of these suggested “orders” of prayer. As we explore what friendship looks like through this series, we also remember that prayer is friendship with God. 

CONNECT WITH EACH OTHER

• Together: Read the poem, “Alone”, by Maya Angelou. 
• Pause and reflect: What themes of this poem resonate most deeply with you? 

• Alone: Read Mark 2:1-12 
• Reflect/journal on the following prompt:
• What captures my attention about friendship through this passage? 
• Who is carrying me, and who am I carrying? 

• Together: Read Mark 2:1-12 and share your reflections in pairs. 

CONNECT WITH SCRIPTURE 

If needed, read the passage again. Then select the best questions or customize the questions for your group.  

• Review the message notes. 
• What stands out to you about this story? 
• Do you have any questions or curiosities? 
• What themes of friendship do you notice in this passage? 
• How does Jesus react to the disruption coming down through the roof? 
• What might “tearing open the roof” look like in contemporary friendship?
• Do you connect with the extravagant friendship displayed in this passage?
• What are the ways our culture makes friendship harder?
• How did God meet you in the message this week? 

ENGAGE AND EXPLORE 

Together: explore the quote below, in connection with the passage and the competing experiences of loneliness and friendship. 

“Right where we are this moment, in the midst of whatever loneliness we may be facing, God meets us and holds out a hand of friendship. At the heart of the Christian faith lies an extravagant, grace-filled, and mind-blowing offer. God passionately longs to be friends with us.” - Trevor Hudson

PRAYER 

Listen to one another’s prayer needs. Pray in intercession for one another. Draw near to the One who invites you into friendship with Him and with one another.