Introduction
In this session, Luke 7: 1-17, Jesus introduces three states that cause high trauma ( stress) to the agents of change, i.e., the Roman centurion whose servant was sick to death, the widow whose only son had died, and John the Baptist who was imprisoned for preaching Christ (This will be addressed in the next session). Each of the three persons was highly traumatized through terminal sickness, the death of a dear person, and imprisonment for faith. Jesus addressed the three traumas. What is your trauma today? Let’s believe in Jesus Christ for our healing today.
Objectives
By the end of this session, the learner will have:
- Understood how Jesus healed the three main traumatic experiences of the agents of change by ministering to their emotions through words, touch, or deeds, or even speaking on our behalf.
- Appreciated that the biblical response to people’s trauma affects the victims, those near and dear to the victim, and those far off.
- Committed to becoming an agent of trauma healing for victims of terminal illness, the bereaved, and those persecuted for their faith, like John the Baptist
- Developed faith for becoming an agent of healing and change
Outline
- Trauma of people who followed Jesus
- Becoming an agent for healing
Group Study Time
Luke 7: 1-17
Connecting
- Gather with two or more people for a community discovery bible study session.
- Start with a heartfelt prayer, inviting God to guide and bless your understanding.
- Explore the passage by reading it at least twice, using different Bible versions if available, then retell the story together as a group.
- Reflect and share the challenges and blessings you experienced from the previous study.
Comprehending
- Who is an agent of change? How does the agent of change see the people they represent? How does he see himself? How does she see the authority? 2. Read Luke 7:1-10. Retell the story in two minutes. Who was the Roman centurion? What was his view of the people under him, the view of himself, and the view of his master? What shows that he was a man of great faith? What are the levels of faith? Is he being the greatest faith? Verse 9.
- Read Luke 7: 11-17. Retell this story in your group in 2 minutes? What was happening emotionally in the heart of this widow? List 4 things Jesus did or said to address her emotions (to heal her trauma)? Explain what happened to the widow? Her son? the mourners? and to people throughout Judea after Jesus came into the picture?
Committing
- Engage with the Bible—read, study, memorize, meditate, pray, listen, and live it out.
- List three lessons you have learnt as an agent of change that you would like to put into practice and teach others about.
- Take time and worship Jesus with the attributes revealed about Christ.
- Use the SPACEPETS model, to assist you in putting God’s word into practice. Look for:
- Sin to confess
- Promise to claim
- Attitude to change
- Command to keep
- Error to change
- Prayer to make
- Example to copy
- Truth to obey and
- Something praiseworthy
Communicating
- Identify one person you can connect with and share the valuable insights and lessons you gained from this session.
- Reach out to a new believer—either in person or by phone—and pray with them to support them through their challenges, including any concerns about attending church.
- Create a new group and guide others through this study to help them grow in their understanding.