This document discusses a fellowship exercise about people that Jesus encountered in the Gospels that were considered outsiders or unacceptable in Jewish society. It prompts reflection on whether and how modern societies, including one's own thoughts, treat some people as outsiders. It suggests Jesus focused on people's faith in Him, their relationship with God, and their actions after their encounter, calling all to repentance, forgiveness and to follow Him.

1. Unacceptable
St. Marks Fellowship
February 3, 2013

2. Who was unacceptable in Jesus time?
Exercise: With the persons sitting next to you, find a story from one
of the Gospels where our Lord Jesus encountered
someone that was unacceptable, or that would otherwise be
considered an “outsider” in day-to-day Jewish society.
1) What about this person made them unacceptable,
or considered an “outsider” to the society?
2) What do you think was really at the core (or root) of why
the Jewish society rejected this person?
(Summarize on the board)
3) What did our Lord Jesus do/say to this person in the
encounter? (Summarize on the board)

3. – Reality Check –
 As a group, are we really acting any differently than the society
at that time? Do we advertently or inadvertently treat people as
unacceptable or as “outsiders”?
 Who do I think of (or maybe treat) as an outsider or being “less”
than me?
 What's going on in my head when I think about others as being
“lower” than me or as outsiders/unacceptable?
Why am I doing that – what’s really behind it?
 What will it take for me to stop thinking this way?
What can I do to start changing the way I think (or act) towards
others?

4. In the stories we wrote about, what
mattered most to our Lord Jesus
about these individuals, or about the
encounter with them?
 The person’s Belief or Faith in God/Jesus
(establishing that Jesus is the Son of God)
 The person’s Relationship with God/Jesus the Savior
(consequence/separation due to sin)
 The person’s Priority or Desires in life
(current actions/focus)
 The person’s Actions & Behaviors after the encounter
(“Follow Me”)

5. Lets look at what our Lord Jesus
says to us in these encounters?
 Matt 9:13 – “I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to
repentance” (Paralytic man)
 Matt 9:1 – “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you”
(Paralytic man)
 Luke 5:27 – “ Follow Me” (St. Matthew the tax collector)
 Luke 7:48 – “Then He said her, Your sins are forgiven”
(Sinful woman that washed his feet)
 Luke 19:10 – “The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that
which was lost” (Zacchaeus the tax collector)
 John 4:24 – “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship
in spirit and truth” (Samaritan woman)
 John 8:11 – “Jesus said to her, Neither do I condemn you, go and sin
no more.” (Adulterous woman)
 John 8:12 – “Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, I am the light of
the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness,
but have the light of life” (Adulterous woman)