August 31, 2024
A video introduction using illustrations, personal stories, metaphors, or active learning examples to begin the discussion.
After the video, prompts are supplied for thinking and sharing with others personal perception and experience. This opening activity prompts participants to think about and relate to the topic, and to share with others.
Welcome to the world of bird naming! Look at birds like the Fork-tailed Storm Petrel, the Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, or the Great Horned Owl. Each name captures unique characteristics of the bird, such as Heart-spotted, Bland-mandibled, Yellow-streaked, Sulphur-winged, Rusty-faced, Plum-crowned, Emerald-collared, Dusky-billed, Dark-sided, and Golden-shouldered.
Now it’s your turn to get creative! Imagine you’ve just discovered a new bird species and need to give it a name. Use descriptive words that highlight its distinctive features—like its color, shape, or markings—to create a name that paints a vivid picture.
Share the name of your fictitious bird with the group.
Why are we talking about birds and leprosy? Read passages Mark 1:40-45 and Leviticus 14:1-7.
Birds are everywhere, and sometimes, they are overlooked or marginalized as a nuisance. As you read more about the healing of the leper, read about the ancient ritual for healing in Leviticus 14:5-7 and see why every leper should see birds differently after being healed.
The Bible discussion begins with a careful reading of the whole passage, either from your own Bibles, or from the provided images below.
Then participants are to ask:
Jesus Heals a Man With Leprosy
40 A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”
41 Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” 42 Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed.
43 Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: 44 “See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” 45 Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.
In Mark 1:40-45, we encounter the story of a leper who approaches Jesus with a specific request for healing. What do you think the leper’s question reveals about his belief about his condition? (‘You can heal me, but do you want to?’)
Leprosy can be seen as a metaphor for the progression of sin in a person's life. It begins subtly with symptoms like exhaustion and headaches, then progresses to aches, pains, and skin abnormalities. Ultimately, it leads to numbness and loss of circulation in the extremities, making even minor injuries potentially life-threatening. This process can be likened to the insidious nature of sin, starting small and gradually causing greater damage.
Reflecting on Jesus' response to the leper's request, what does it teach us about his compassion and willingness to engage with those marginalized by society?
When you read the command in Leviticus 14:5-7, you will see that it describes a ritual performed by a person seeking to be legitimized in society. This ritual involves bringing two birds, sacrificing one, and bathing the live bird in blood and water before setting it free in open fields, which symbolizes the redeeming power of Christ's sacrifice for those plagued by sin.
A parting video clip with a personal invitation to apply the message to “knowing Christ” and “living in Christ” in the coming week.