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Reach Through the Crowd

A woman who reached through a crush of people, a dad who got the worst news mid-miracle, and real fears put up against Matthew 10

  • 🔥 Youth 14–15
  • Week 10
  • 📅 Sunday, March 7, 2027
🤔 Forehead Guess🏆 Showdown
💡 The big idea

When I’m afraid or things look hopeless, I can keep reaching for Jesus Christ; He notices every single person in the crowd, and He tells me, “Be not afraid, only believe.”

I can reach for the Savior through my fears and distractions, and trust that He sees me and knows my name.

Study it yourself firstRead Matthew 9–10; Mark 5; Luke 9 in Gospel LibraryCome, Follow Me manualOpen this week (Matthew 9–10; Mark 5; Luke 9)
Know the chapters

Mark 5:21–43 braids two stories together. Jairus is a ruler of the synagogue, an important local leader. He falls at Jesus’s feet and begs Him to heal his dying twelve-year-old daughter. Jesus goes, but on the way He stops for someone else. While He’s still speaking, messengers arrive with the worst news. The girl has died. Mark says that as soon as Jesus heard it, He turned to Jairus. He said, “Be not afraid, only believe,” in Mark 5:36. At the house the mourners laughed at Him. He took the girl by the hand and said, “Talitha cumi.” That means “Damsel, I say unto thee, arise,” in Mark 5:41. She got up and walked, and Jesus told them to give her something to eat. A youth may have lost someone they prayed for. Acknowledge it gently. Faith doesn’t always change the outcome. But Jesus never leaves us, and because of Him everyone will rise again.

The woman in the middle had been bleeding for twelve years. That’s as long as Jairus’s daughter had been alive. She’d spent everything on doctors and only gotten worse, in Mark 5:26. Under the law of Moses, her condition made her ceremonially unclean, in Leviticus 15:25–27. That probably meant years of being kept at a distance. She came up behind Jesus in the crush and touched His clothes. He stopped, asked who touched Him and waited until she came forward, trembling. He didn’t scold her. He called her “Daughter” and sent her away in peace. President Russell M. Nelson spoke about her in April 2017, in “Drawing the Power of Jesus Christ into Our Lives.” Her reach pictures the spiritual stretching we do to draw on the Savior’s power. Fasting is one of those reaches, and some of your class may be fasting today.

Matthew 10 and Luke 9 record Jesus calling the Twelve Apostles. He gives them power to heal and bless and sends them out. He warns them about opposition. Then He gives promises that still work for a nervous teenager. The Spirit will give you words when you need them, in Matthew 10:19–20. Not even a sparrow falls without your Father. And “the very hairs of your head are all numbered,” in 10:29–31. Today living Apostles are called as special witnesses of Jesus Christ, just like the first Twelve.

Luke 9:23–25 is the cost of discipleship. Deny yourself, take up your cross daily and follow Him. The Joseph Smith Translation of Matthew 16:26 explains what taking up your cross means. It’s denying yourself all ungodliness and every worldly lust, and keeping His commandments. For fourteen- to sixteen-year-olds, the biggest crosses are often social. Being the one who leaves the party. Saying what you believe in class. Inviting a friend. Today’s fears game lets them practice.

Only have 5 minutes?

Read Mark 5:21–43 and Matthew 10:19–20, 29–32. Do The Reach with your own sleeve. Tell the story from the Teach Mode screens and ask each scene’s question. Run the bad-news drill with Mark 5:36. Show the fears one at a time and let pairs match a Matthew 10 promise. Close with your testimony that the Savior notices every person in the crowd.

What to bring3 items

Tick what you have. Forgot something? Every step that needs a supply has a no-supplies version in the plan below.

Before class

  1. Read Mark 5:21–43 twice. Flip through the story screens in Teach Mode so you can tell it in your own words.
  2. Mark Mark 5:35–36 and Matthew 10:19–20, 29–32 and 39 in your scriptures, or bookmark them in Gospel Library.
  3. Think of a time you were afraid and reached for the Savior anyway. Or think of when you felt noticed by Heavenly Father. You’ll share it briefly at the end.

If your class is wild

  • In The Reach, the rule is arms down and no shoving. The crowd can only shift their feet and shoulders. Stop the round instantly if anyone gets rough.
  • Tell the story. Don’t read it. Glance at the screen, then look at them. Eye contact holds a teen room better than any prop.
  • If some youth are fasting, they may be low-energy or cranky. Keep things moving and don’t use food as a prize.
  • The fears may land on someone’s real life. Don’t ask anyone to share their own fear out loud. That goes on the private card at the end.
  • If they drift to their phones, say, “Scriptures open, everything else face down. You can check it the second class ends.”

The 25-minute plan24 min + bonus

Bonus steps are for when you have extra time. Steps that mention Teach Mode, the Sound Board or other class games refer to the Gospel Sparks app; on the web you can play Forehead Guess and Scripture Showdown from this page.

1. Hook

The Reach

3 min

Youth feel how hard it is to reach someone through a crowd, which sets up the woman who waited twelve years for her chance.

  1. SAY“Quick challenge. I need one Reacher. Everyone else, make a tight circle around me, facing in. Arms down, no pushing.”
  2. Let your sleeve hang at your side. The Reacher has about twenty seconds to touch it. The circle can only shift feet and shoulders to block.
  3. Ask the Reacher what it took to get through. Ask the circle if they even noticed who was reaching.
  4. SAY“Today a woman does this for real. She’d waited twelve years, and the whole crowd was in her way.”
🌪️ If they’re too wound up for a close-contact game, make the crowd a wall of chairs instead.

Class screen: 🤲 The Reach: can you get through the crowd? · Arms down, no pushing · 20 seconds

2. Story

Tell It: Twelve Years

8 min

The teacher tells Mark 5 as one story, pausing for questions, so youth see a Savior who stops for one person and answers devastating news with “only believe.”

  1. SAY“Two stories happen on the same road, at the same time. Watch the screen and keep track of the number twelve.”
  2. Tell each scene in your own words from the screen. Look up at them, not down at your phone or tablet.
  3. Ask each scene’s question. Take one or two answers before you move on. Short answers are fine.
  4. After scene 5, let the silence sit. Then tell what Jesus said next.
🌪️ If side conversations start, ask the next question to the loudest corner. Most teens will answer a real question.

Class screen: 🤲 Two stories on one road: a reach and a delay · Mark 5:21–43 · Watch for the number twelve

3. Scripture

Be Not Afraid, Only Believe

4 min

Youth see what “only believe” means (and doesn’t mean), then practice answering bad news with the key verse.

  1. SAY“The worst news came while Jesus was helping someone else. Listen to how fast He answered.”
  2. A volunteer reads Mark 5:35–36.
  3. Ask what believing actually looked like for Jairus. Listen for this. He kept walking home with Jesus, even while scared.
  4. Run the bad-news drill. Read each text, and the class answers with Mark 5:36. “You didn’t make the team.” “Can you come home? We need to talk.” “Scores are posted.”
  5. Say the verse together with the motions, then once with the screen covered.

Class screen: 📲 Bad news just came in. What did Jesus say? · Be not afraid · only believe

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: Scriptures for each pair (their own, a classroom set, or Gospel Library on their phones)

  1. SAY“The worst news came while Jesus was helping someone else.”
  2. Read Mark 5:35–36 aloud while it’s on the screen.
  3. Ask what believing actually looked like for Jairus. Listen for this. He kept walking home with Jesus, even while scared.
  4. Run the bad-news drill. Read each text, and the class answers with Mark 5:36. “You didn’t make the team.” “We need to talk.” “Scores are posted.”
  5. Say the verse together with the motions, then once with the screen covered.
4. Talk it over

Fear Draft: Matthew 10

6 min

The promises Jesus gave His nervous Apostles become practical coaching for fears teens actually have.

  1. SAY“When Jesus sent out the Twelve, He warned them it would be hard. Then He packed their bags with promises. Let’s see if they still work.”
  2. Pairs look up the four promises on the screen. A is Matthew 10:19–20. B is 10:29–31. C is 10:32. D is 10:39.
  3. Show one fear at a time, and pairs pick a promise. One pair gives a twenty-second coach talk to a friend facing that fear.
  4. After the last fear, share Elder Jeffrey R. Holland’s words from Conference quotes. They’re from “Fear Not: Believe Only!”
💬 Ask the class
  • Someone in class asks why you don’t drink, and everyone turns to hear your answer. Which promise fits?
  • You want to invite a friend to a youth activity, but they might think it’s weird. Which promise fits?
  • You’re the only one at a sleepover who wants to leave when the movie gets bad. Which promise fits?
  • You posted something about your beliefs and people are mocking it. Which promise fits?
  • You wonder if anyone would even notice if you stopped coming to church. Which promise fits?
🌪️ If a pair goes for laughs, let them. Then ask for a serious fifteen-second version. They usually nail it.

Class screen: 🎒 Read a fear. Pick a promise. Coach a friend. · A: 10:19–20 · B: 10:29–31 · C: 10:32 · D: 10:39

5. Testimony

Testimony & Your Reach

3 min

End quietly with one private fear and one concrete way to reach for the Savior this week.

  1. SAY“Jesus stopped for one person in a huge crowd. Let me tell you why I believe He still does that.”
  2. Briefly share a time you were afraid and reached for Him anyway. Testify that He knows each of them by name.
  3. Hand out cards. On one side, each person writes a fear that stays private. On the other, one way they’ll reach for the Savior this week.
  4. Show the challenge on the screen. Invite someone to say the closing prayer.

Class screen: 🙏 One fear. One reach. He knows your name. · Write one fear (private) · Write one way you’ll reach

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: One index card or sticky note per person, and a few pens

  1. SAY“Jesus stopped for one person in a huge crowd. Let me tell you why I believe He still does that.”
  2. Share your experience briefly.
  3. Invite everyone to silently choose one fear and one way they’ll reach for the Savior this week. Nobody has to share.
  4. Show the challenge on the screen. Invite someone to say the closing prayer.
6. Wiggle break

All Numbered

2 minBONUS

If the class needs to move, a silent line-up shows that God knows details about us we don’t even know about each other.

  1. SAY“Line up by birthday. January first is at the door. December thirty-first is at the far wall. No talking. Sixty seconds. Go.”
  2. Check the line. Everyone says their birthday in order. Cheer if it’s right. Groan dramatically if it’s not.
  3. Read Matthew 10:29–30.
  4. SAY“We needed a minute and hand signals just to sort birthdays. Your Father knows the hairs on your head.”
🌪️ If someone won’t play silently, make them the official judge who checks the line.

Class screen: 🎂 Silent line-up: order by birthday, no talking · January → December · 60 seconds

7. Game

Scripture Showdown

5 minBONUS

If you have extra time, a fast team quiz reviews the whole lesson.

  1. SAY“Two teams, one captain each. You get ten seconds to huddle. Then only the captain answers.”
  2. Tap Scripture Showdown and play.
  3. Use the steal rule. If a team misses, the other team can steal by naming the chapter.
▶ Play Scripture Showdown on the web

Class screen: 🏆 Scripture Showdown!

Story and questions

Twelve Years

Mark 5:21–43 ↗

Scenes

  1. 🌊👥 A crowd on the shore and a desperate dad

    Jesus crossed back over the Sea of Galilee, and a huge crowd was waiting. Out of it came Jairus. He was a ruler of the synagogue, an important man in town. He fell at Jesus’s feet and begged. His little daughter was dying. Would Jesus please come and lay His hands on her?

    🙌 Ask: “What would it take for an important man to fall at someone’s feet in public?”

  2. 🤲🧥 Twelve years, and one reach

    Jesus went with him, and the crowd shoved in on every side. In that crowd was a woman who had been sick for twelve years. She’d spent everything on doctors and only gotten worse. Under the law of Moses, her sickness made her unclean. So pushing into a crowd was a risk. She thought, if I can just touch His clothes, I’ll be healed. She came up from behind. And she reached.

    🙌 Ask: “Why was reaching into that crowd such a risk for her?”

  3. ✋❓ “Who touched my clothes?”

    Instantly, she felt it. She was healed. And Jesus stopped. He turned around and asked who had touched His clothes. His disciples couldn’t believe it. The whole crowd was bumping into Him! But He kept looking. And meanwhile, Jairus’s daughter was still dying.

    🙌 Ask: “He was in a hurry. Why do you think He stopped anyway?”

  4. 🙇‍♀️💗 “Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole”

    Shaking, the woman came forward. She fell down in front of Him and told Him the whole truth, in front of everyone. He didn’t scold her. He didn’t rush her. He called her “Daughter.” He told her that her faith had made her whole. And He sent her away in peace.

    🙌 Ask: “She wanted to slip away unnoticed. Why did He make sure she was seen?”

  5. 📩💔 The news Jairus dreaded

    While Jesus was still speaking, people came from Jairus’s house. Your daughter is dead, they said. Why bother the Master anymore? Everything Jairus had hoped for seemed to end right there. And it happened while Jesus was helping somebody else.

    🙌 Pause for five seconds. Ask: “If you were Jairus, what would you think about that delay?”

  6. 🫱❗ “Be not afraid, only believe”

    The moment Jesus heard it, He turned to Jairus. Don’t be afraid, He said. Only believe. He took just Peter, James and John. At the house, people were weeping and wailing. When Jesus said the girl was only sleeping, they laughed at Him.

    🙌 Point to the words on the screen. Ask: “What did believing look like for Jairus right then?”

  7. 🧒🌅 “Talitha cumi”: Damsel, I say unto thee, arise

    Jesus sent the mockers out. He brought in only the girl’s parents and His three disciples. He took her by the hand and said, “Talitha cumi.” It means, “Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.” She stood up and walked. She was twelve. And Jesus told them to get her something to eat.

    🙌 Ask: “The woman and the girl both had twelve years. What does that say about how He sees each person?”

Key verse

Mark 5:36 ↗
“As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.”
In plain words: The second Jesus heard the terrible news, He turned to Jairus and said: don’t be afraid; just keep believing.
🙌 Everyone says the first half. On “Be not afraid,” open your hands palms up; on “only believe,” put one hand over your heart. Then try it with the screen covered.

More verses

Mark 5:34 ↗
“Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.”
In plain words: Jesus called her “Daughter” and told her that her faith had healed her. She could leave in peace.
Matthew 10:29–31 ↗
“Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.”
In plain words: Sparrows cost almost nothing, and God still notices every one. He knows you down to the number of hairs on your head. Don’t be afraid; you matter far more.
Matthew 10:19–20 ↗
“take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.”
In plain words: Don’t panic about what to say when you’re put on the spot. The Spirit will help you know what to say right when you need it.
Luke 9:23–24 ↗
“If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.”
In plain words: Following Jesus means putting Him ahead of yourself every day. People who give their lives to Him end up finding who they really are.

Forehead Guess words16 words

  • 🧔 Jairus
  • 🧒 Talitha Cumi
  • 🗓️ Twelve Years
  • 🧥 Hem of His Garment
  • 👥 Crowd
  • 🩺 Physicians
  • 😭 Mourners
  • 🎣 Peter, James and John
  • ✋ Twelve Apostles
  • 🐦 Sparrow
  • 🪙 Farthing
  • 💇 Hairs of Your Head
  • ✝️ Cross
  • 🐑 Sheep Without a Shepherd
  • 🌾 Labourers
  • 🙏 Fasting
Clues for each word
  • Jairus: Synagogue ruler who begged Jesus to heal his daughter
  • Talitha Cumi: “Damsel, I say unto thee, arise”
  • Twelve Years: How long the woman was sick, and the girl’s age
  • Hem of His Garment: What the woman reached out and touched
  • Crowd: Thronged Jesus on the road
  • Physicians: She spent everything on them and got worse
  • Mourners: Laughed when Jesus said the girl was sleeping
  • Peter, James and John: The only three disciples Jesus took into the house
  • Twelve Apostles: Called and sent out with power in Matthew 10
  • Sparrow: Cheap bird that God still notices
  • Farthing: Tiny coin: two sparrows cost one
  • Hairs of Your Head: All numbered by Heavenly Father
  • Cross: Take it up daily and follow Him
  • Sheep Without a Shepherd: How the crowds looked to Jesus in Matthew 9:36
  • Labourers: The harvest is plenteous, but these are few
  • Fasting: A way to reach for the Savior on the first Sunday
▶ Play Forehead GuessFull screen, 60-second timer, works on any phone.

Scripture Showdown10 questions

  1. What was Jairus’s job?
    • A. Tax collector
    • B. Ruler of the synagogue
    • C. Roman soldier
    Show answer

    ✅ B. Ruler of the synagogue Mark 5:22. An important leader, on his knees for his daughter.

  2. How long had the woman been sick?
    • A. Twelve years
    • B. Three years
    • C. Forty years
    Show answer

    ✅ A. Twelve years Mark 5:25. The same number of years Jairus’s daughter had been alive.

  3. What did the woman think would heal her?
    • A. A priesthood blessing
    • B. Washing in the Jordan
    • C. Touching His clothes
    Show answer

    ✅ C. Touching His clothes Mark 5:28. And she was right.

  4. Why were the disciples surprised Jesus asked “Who touched me?”
    • A. He was alone
    • B. The whole crowd was pressing Him
    • C. It was dark
    Show answer

    ✅ B. The whole crowd was pressing Him Mark 5:31. But He knew someone had reached for Him in faith.

  5. What did Jesus call the woman after she told Him everything?
    • A. Daughter
    • B. Sister
    • C. Friend
    Show answer

    ✅ A. Daughter Mark 5:34. Not a scolding: a name that says she belongs.

  6. When did Jesus tell Jairus “Be not afraid, only believe”?
    • A. The next day
    • B. After the funeral
    • C. As soon as He heard the news
    Show answer

    ✅ C. As soon as He heard the news Mark 5:36. He didn’t leave Jairus alone with the bad news for a second.

  7. What did the mourners do when Jesus said the girl was sleeping?
    • A. Cheered
    • B. Laughed at Him
    • C. Left quietly
    Show answer

    ✅ B. Laughed at Him Mark 5:40. Jesus put them outside and raised her anyway.

  8. What did Jesus tell the parents to do after the girl arose?
    • A. Tell everyone
    • B. Give her something to eat
    • C. Go to the temple
    Show answer

    ✅ B. Give her something to eat Mark 5:43. A very practical Savior.

  9. Matthew 10:30 says what about the hairs of your head?
    • A. They are all numbered
    • B. They will turn white
    • C. They don’t matter
    Show answer

    ✅ A. They are all numbered He knows every detail about you, and you’re worth more than many sparrows.

  10. Luke 9:23: how often should a disciple take up their cross?
    • A. Once a year
    • B. Only on Sundays
    • C. Daily
    Show answer

    ✅ C. Daily Following Him is an every-day choice, not a one-time event.

▶ Play Scripture ShowdownTeams take turns on one screen.

From general conference

“Yes, we might sometimes want to run away from where we are, but we certainly should never run away from who we are—children of the living God who loves us, who is always ready to forgive us, and who will never, ever forsake us.”

— Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, “Fear Not: Believe Only!,” April 2022

Share at the end of Fear Draft, after the last fear.

Read the talk ↗

Songs

  • How Firm a Foundation Hymns, no. 85

    A hymn full of the Lord’s own “fear not” promises, like the ones He gave Jairus and the Twelve. Find it ↗

  • Called to Serve Hymns, no. 249

    Jesus called the Twelve and sent them out; He still calls disciples today. Find it ↗

  • I Am a Child of God Hymns, no. 301

    You’re worth more than many sparrows, and He knows your name. Find it ↗

This week’s challenge

Reach Week

Pick the fear you wrote down and one reach. Say a sincere prayer each night, fast with a real purpose, focus on the sacrament, or ask for a priesthood blessing. Do it all week. Then notice one person in your own crowd who might feel invisible. Let them know you see them.

Text the parents

Today in class we studied Mark 5. A woman reached through a crowd to touch the Savior’s clothes. Jairus heard that his daughter had died and was told, “Be not afraid, only believe,” in Mark 5:36. We also matched real teen fears to the promises Jesus gave His Apostles in Matthew 10. Ask your teen: what crowd gets between you and the Savior? And which promise from Matthew 10 would help you most right now?

📝 After class

What worked? Who needs a check-in this week? Jot it here on a printed copy, or in the app’s private class notes.

Got extra time?

🎒 Packing List for the Twelve · 5 min

  1. Read Matthew 10:5–10. List what the Apostles were told to do and what not to bring.
  2. Ask: “Why would Jesus send them without money or extra clothes?”
  3. Ask: “If Jesus sent you on a one-week mission at school, what would He tell you to leave behind?”

🐑 Sheep with No Shepherd · 4 min

  1. Read Matthew 9:35–38. Notice what Jesus felt when He saw the crowds. He felt compassion.
  2. Ask: “Who at your school looks scattered, like sheep with no shepherd?”
  3. Ask: “Jesus said to pray for labourers. What if you’re the answer to that prayer?”

🔄 Lose It to Find It · 5 min

  1. Read Luke 9:23–25 and Matthew 10:39.
  2. Share the Joseph Smith Translation insight. Taking up your cross means denying yourself all ungodliness and worldly lust, and keeping His commandments.
  3. Ask: “What’s something you’ve given up for the Savior that turned out to give you more?”

💬 Real Talk · 4 min

  1. Ask: “What’s the crowd that gets between you and the Savior? Noise, phones, busyness, what people think?”
  2. Ask: “Jesus stopped to find one woman in a huge crowd. When have you felt noticed by Heavenly Father, or wished you were?”
  3. Ask: “Jairus had to wait while someone else got helped first. How do you keep believing when your answer is delayed?”
  4. Ask: “What’s one way you can reach for Him this week?” Fasting, prayer, the sacrament, a blessing and the scriptures are all reaches.

Sources

Scripture quotations are from the King James Version, the Bible used by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Tap or click a reference to open it in Gospel Library. Start with the official Come, Follow Me manual; these ideas are here to help it come alive.

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