Mark 1:34
The verse for this upcoming Sunday is Mark 1:34. This is from the NLT.
This passage speaks about Jesus' ministry of healing people, both of physical illnesses and of casting out demons. Your students might have some questions about how that works today. I have seen actual miracles of healing, and I have seen demons cast out. I think it's more common in other countries because medical technology is often less advanced and there is a greater need. Also, I believe demons in American culture often hide in what we call "addiction." Regardless, it is an interesting study.
More importantly, though, is why Jesus would not allow the demons to speak about who He was. This is an example early in the ministry of Jesus of what we call "The Messianic Secret." Jesus had a purpose for keeping His true identity a secret from the general public. In fact, He didn't even reveal it to His own disciples till much later in His ministry. Discuss with your students why that might have been important and look up some different perspectives on it.
I have two big takeaways from this:
1. Think about how desperate people are to be visible in our culture. Even Christian leaders are constantly trying to get eyes, likes, and exposure. Would things be different if we quietly served the Lord in the background?
2. It was Jesus' enemies that first recognized Him, not the people who knew Him best. Even His own mother tried to stop Him from speaking and thought He had gone mad at one point in His ministry. When you serve the Lord, sometimes it is the enemy who will recognize you first.
Oh...and the "shut up" part is obviously not in the Bible, but Jesus said something. I like to think it would have been the Hebrew version of "shut up."