Spiritual Gifts – Discussion 8

Pray

Pray together for the group meeting, and any pressing needs within the group.

Review

Each week you’ll spend some time reviewing the previous week’s lesson. Did anything happen last week that brought the lesson to mind, and what did you learn from it?

Watch

Watch the following discussion-starter video. It’ll set the topic of discussion for the group.

Read: Mark 16:17-18 “And these signs will follow them that believe; In my name…. they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

As we can see from the above portion of scripture, the laying on of hands is important for us to understand, especially if we want to see the promise of healing fulfilled in the church today.

Unpacking Questions:

1. Describe a time when a minister or saint laid hands on you to pray and God began to move?
2. What do you believe the laying on of hands accomplished?

In the Old Testament the laying on of hands represented a spiritual transfer. In the New Testament the laying on of hands fulfilled the same purpose and also inspired faith. Jesus, the apostles, and early believers laid hands on people for blessing, healing, receiving the Holy Spirit, and consecration or ordination to service.

Blessing

Read, Re-read, Re-tell: Matthew 19:14-15

Unpacking questions:

1. Does this passage indicate that the children were in need of anything specific like healing or such?
2. So why did Jesus lay his hands on them?
3. Has there ever been a time in your life where someone laid their hands on you and prayed a prayer of blessing?

Healing

Read, Re-read, Re-tell: Mark 6:5

Unpacking questions:

1. From this passage, what were the people in need of?
2. Besides healing, what did the laying on of hands bring?
3. How does the laying on of hands encourage faith?
4. Describe, in your life, a time when someone laid hands on you and prayed for healing.

Receiving The Holy Ghost

Read, Re-read, Re-tell: Acts 8:14-17

Unpacking questions:

1. What was the result of laying on of hands?
2. Describe, in your life, what happened when someone laid hands on you and prayed for the Holy Ghost.

Consecration Or Ordination To Service

Read, Re-read, Re-tell: Acts 6:1-6

Unpacking questions:

1. What was taking place in this story?
2. Why do you think it was important for the disciples to lay hands on them before they set them to minister?.

Read, Re-read, Re-tell: 2 Timothy 1:6

Unpacking questions:

1. How did the laying on of hands affect the gift of God?

The laying on of hands has several important purposes.

• First, the laying on of hands symbolizes the transfer of blessings from God to us.
• Second, the practice signifies the joint work of God’s Spirit and God’s church.
• Third, it represents submission to God and His church.
• Fourth, the practice represents consecration to God.
• Fifth, the laying on of hands focuses people’s faith to receive a promise from God at a particular time.

Next Week:  Tongues and Interpretation

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