Reel Luke

Jesus Heals a Man with Leprosy

Luke 5:12–16

Helpful Stuff to Know

Leprosy is an infectious disease that affects skin, nerves, and sometimes the eyes. It can lead to severe scars and disfigurement.

In the ancient world (and still today) leprosy carried a stigma. People with leprosy were considered “unclean” and were often pushed to the margins of society. It could be a very lonely and isolated existence.

People with leprosy or other skin diseases lived by a set of social rules. For example, they were not allowed to touch other people for fear of “infecting” them.

When someone was cured of leprosy in the ancient world and in Jesus’ day, they followed certain purification ceremonies to show they’d been cured or healed. These were included in the Hebrew Scriptures (what we call the Old Testament) in Leviticus 14.

Be Sure Not to Miss

The man with leprosy seemed to know Jesus was not an ordinary man. He worshipped him and believed he had healing power.

Jesus did the unthinkable: he touched the man with leprosy. Instead of being infected by leprosy himself, he “infected” the sick man with his love and healing power.

Jesus encouraged the man to follow the accepted religious traditions. He upheld the religious foundations of his time. He knew the man would be received back into society if he followed the proper protocol.

Jesus knew that once word got out about his healing power, certain leaders would come after him. That’s why he told the man to not tell anyone about what happened.

Even in his busy life of teaching and healing and traveling from place to place, Jesus regularly spent time alone with his Father in prayer.

Be Careful About

This story doesn’t promise that Jesus will heal anyone who believes in him. During his earthly life, Jesus healed many people in order to show and prove who he was. Now we know who he is because of the evidence of the Bible and the testimony of the Spirit living in us.

Reel Questions

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Reel Setting (place)

Where did this story happen? (Describe the setting — in a house, on a road, by a lake, in a city, etc.)
What do you think that place looked like? smelled like? sounded like?
Do you think it matters that this story happened in that specific place? Why?
What about the place in this story feels familiar? What feels strange?

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Reel People (characters)

Make a list of all the people in this story and give a one-word description of each (include “crowd” if there is one). Why did you choose that word?
What does Jesus say and do in this story? List all the things. Does anything surprise you? Why?
Which person (besides Jesus) is most interesting to you? Why?
What details about the characters do you wish were included or explained in the story? Why?
Why do you think [choose a specific character or the crowd] spoke or acted the way they did?
What are some different things that [the person from previous question] could have said or done? How would that have changed the story?
What do you think the onlookers were thinking and feeling as things were happening in this story? Why?
How do you think the main characters might have changed after this story? Why? (Sometimes it tells us, like with Zacchaeus, but other times it doesn’t.)
How do you think the crowd or onlookers might have changed after this story? Why?
If you’d been there, where would you have been standing or sitting? What would you have been thinking or feeling? Why?

Reel Events (plot)

List all the events in the story.
List some details that aren't included but are assumed in the story.
What do you think are the two or three most important moments in this story? Why?
If this story were a film, when would the music be scary or tense? When would it be joyful or upbeat? Why?
What do you think maybe happened right before this story? What do you think maybe happened right after this story?
Does the biblical story before or after this one matter to this story? How? Why do you think that?
What are some different ways things could have happened or ended in this story?
If this story were happening today in your school or town, what are ways Jesus might have acted or explained things for your context?
What would you call this story if it were a full-length book or movie? Why?

Real Faith

What’s a way people could misunderstand or misuse this story?
Why do you think this story is in the Bible? Why would God want us to read and learn from it?
What are you learning about Jesus (or his Father or the Spirit) from this story?
What are you learning about following Jesus (living for Jesus and living like Jesus) from this story?
After reading this story, what are some questions you have about Jesus and following him?

Story-Specific Questions

Why do you think the man started with, “If you are willing…”?

Why do you think Jesus told the man to follow the traditional religious ceremonies after he was healed?