Family Activity

"Welcome Back" Poster

The condition the man had in these passages should not be confused with the dreaded disease we call "leprosy." (The disease we call "leprosy," Hansen's disease, now can be treated with medicine). In the time of Jesus, many skin conditions were called "leprosy" (even Hansen's disease). Even the mold in building was called "leprosy."

The point of the gospel was not the disease, but the man's alienation as an outcast. He wanted to rejoin the community and partake in everyday life again. His cure was his ticket back to "normal life."

How do we welcome the outcast back? Create a poster to brainstorm ways to bring people back together. Have your family members draw scenes and write phrases that describe how people can invite others back. Share Mark 1:40-45 with your family and, together, imagine the man's return to his friends. Ask your family how they can help others become friends.