Small Group Discussion Guide
Jesus Heals the Leper
Season 1 · Episode 6 - 3:40
How to introduce this clip
“You can argue that no one in the ancient Jewish world knew the pain of rejection and isolation more than lepers. Deemed physically and spiritually unclean because of a disease that made their bodies waste away, they weren’t able to work or worship. Care for infection and pain was severely limited. And for most lepers, it had been months—even years—since they’d felt human touch, let alone love. In one of the episodes from the first season of The Chosen, Jesus and his disciples come face to face with a leper, and I want you to watch how the disciples react—and how Jesus reacts...”
*If your church does not know about The Chosen, before you show the clip, you might also want to tell them the following: “The Chosen is a television show that tells the story of Jesus through the eyes of the people who knew him.”
Discussion Questions
Though leprosy is now quite rare due to medical advances, rejection of people for any number of physical or spiritual reasons is not. Tell us about a time when you experienced rejection that left you in isolation.
Who entered your life and made you feel less isolated and how did they help you move through your pain toward healing?
What do you learn from Jesus's example in this clip? (Follow-up question: how do your actions compare to Jesus’s when you encounter people who have been roundly rejected and left in isolation?)
Who are some of the people who have been rejected by society—and maybe even the church?
What would it take for the church to have compassion for the people we just listed, and what are some practical ways the church can show compassion to them?