19:03 minutes (5.45 MB)
Each Wednesday night our confirmation class begins with a ten-minute small group discussion of the scripture passage for the coming Sunday. It teaches youth how to use the Bible for devotional reflection and preps them for the next worship theme. Two common questions emerged last Wednesday night about our passage from Luke 17, “What are lepers?” And, “What are Samaritans?” So for all of us, I’ll begin with a brief answer to both. Leprosy, or Hansen's disease, is a chronic bacterial disease of the peripheral nerves and the upper respiratory tract; skin lesions are the primary external symptom. Left untreated, leprosy can be progressive, causing permanent damage to the skin, nerves, limbs, and eyes.
