Mark 1 Why do we need 4 different gospels? God is taking us down a journey through 4 different lenses: • Mathew presents Christ as the Messiah • Mark presents Christ as the Servant • Luke presents Christ as the Son of Man • John presents Christ as the Son of God These 4 angles allow us to see Christ in totality. John Mark was the son of a wealthy woman named Mary, probably a widow, whose home was large enough to serve as a meeting place for many of the early disciples after the Pentecostal outpouring (Acts 12:1-19) Mark 10:17-22 relates the rich young ruler questioning Christ about what he needed to do to inherit eternal life. Mark includes a detail that Matthew and Luke failed to mention: “And Jesus looking upon him loved him…” This hints at the possibility that young John Mark himself may have been that rich young man. Mark accompanied Paul and Barnabas to Cypress, but later returned to Jerusalem, which deeply disappointed Paul (Acts 12:25; 13:13, 15:37-39). Having felt abandoned, Paul refused to take him on the second journey, and thus began a bitter quarrel between Paul and Barnabas, to whom Mark was related. Silas accompanied Paul in retracing his steps; Mark accompanied Barnabas to Cypress. Paul and Mark later reconciled when Paul was in prison in Rome. Mark served as his aide and then as a delegate on an important mission to Asia Minor (Phil. 24 and Col. 4:10). Later Paul would ask Timothy to bring Mark back with him to Rome because he was useful in service (2 Tim. 4:11) When Peter was writing 1st Peter, he affectionately called Mark “his son” (1 Pet. 5:13). It may well have been Peter that originally led him to Christ. It was Mark’s intimacy with Peter that resulted in this intimate portrait of Christ. Mark continually uses a word eutheos, which is translated “Immediately, straightway, forthwith, anon, etc.” It appears over 40 times – about equal to the rest of the New Testament. Only seven times in Matthew; once in Luke. Mark is a gospel of action! Mark uses the “historical present tense” 150 times. Jesus comes, Jesus says, Jesus heals – all in the present tense. There are more miracles recorded in Mark than in the other Gospels, despite it’s being shorter. Mark’s focus is Servanthood. The key verse is: “For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45 Preaching of John the Baptist 1The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. • The Gospel is not a philosophy; it is not a system of morality: it is a history of a person! 2As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “Behold, I send My messenger ahead of You, Who will prepare Your way; 3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord, Make His paths straight.’” • This is how we need to think of ourselves…are we doing this on a daily basis? 4John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness ◙ preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. • The origins of the word baptism precede any concept of immersion in water. Five hundred years before Christ, the word immerse was used to describe the process of turning a piece of pink cloth into blue cloth, or yellow cloth in to black cloth – the process of cleaning and dyeing. The dyer was called a “Baptist.” You took your cloth to Sam the Baptist to change its appearance and, hence, its identity. • John came and began to baptize in the desert, proclaiming baptism as a mark of a complete change of heart and recognition of the need for forgiveness of sins. 5And all the country of Judea was going out to him, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. • There were so many attending these gatherings (walking over 20 miles) that the Temple authorities sent an inquiry team (John 1:19) 6John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist, and his diet was locusts and wild honey. • Certainly not like the world…later Christ says none was greater than Him…we need to look nothing like this world. 7And he was preaching, and saying, “After me One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to stoop down and untie the thong of His sandals. 8“I baptized you ◙ with water; but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” The Baptism of Jesus 9In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. • Why would Jesus be baptized? Seems like a contradiction in that he is the one that takes away sins. • Gal 4:4,5 • Jesus was voluntarily identifying Himself as a man, undertaking the obligation to fulfill the requirements of the Law, to accomplish His purpose to save His people from their sin. 10Immediately coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opening, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him; 11and a voice came out of the heavens: “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.” • We will hear this voice again say the same thing in Mark 9:7 12Immediately the Spirit impelled Him to go out into the wilderness. 13And He was in the wilderness forty days being tempted by Satan; and He was with the wild beasts, and the angels were ministering to Him. Jesus Preaches in Galilee 14Now after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, 15and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” 16As He was going along by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen. 17And Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” • Follow Me!!! Jesus took the initiative to call them, it wasn’t something they had to do to change or earn the right to be called. This was not their initial call to faith and salvation; it was an initial call to discipleship. • Many of you reading this may have accepted Christ as your Savior but when the call has come to follow him with your discipleship…how have you responded? 18Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. 19Going on a little farther, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who were also in the boat mending the nets. 20Immediately He called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went away to follow Him. 21They went into Capernaum; and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and began to teach. • This is where our Lord and His mother and brethren had moved to from Nazareth (Mt. 4:13; Jn. 2:12). But Mark focuses on His deeds, not words. • Synagogues could be formed whenever there were at least 10 Jewish men above the age of 12. They welcomed visiting teachers to read and teach; Paul always took advantage of these opportunities (Acts 13:14-16; 14:1; 17:1-4). 22They were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. 23Just then there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, 24saying, “What business do we have with each other, Jesus ◙ of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” • The demons & spirits are scared of Christ it isn’t the Devil vs. God…it is God and He is allowing the demons to exist until he says enough is enough. 25And Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” • Jesus didn’t care that the demons were testifying about Him, He doesn’t need testimony from demons. Jesus uses the same terms when stilling the storm (Mk. 4:39). Nature testifies of Him but He doesn’t need that either. 26Throwing him into convulsions, the unclean spirit cried out with a loud voice and came out of him. 27They were all amazed, so that they debated among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” 28Immediately the news about Him spread everywhere into all the surrounding district of Galilee. Crowds Healed 29And immediately after they came out of the synagogue, they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30Now Simon’s mother-in-law was lying sick with a fever; and immediately they spoke to Jesus about her. 31And He came to her and raised her up, taking her by the hand, and the fever left her, and she ◙ waited on them. • Mark notes the taking of the hand. He also does this with Jairus’ daughter (mark 5:41) the blind man (Mark 8:23) demon possessed child (Mark 9:27) and picking up the child (Mark 9:36-37). This taking of the hand is a sign to us of the importance of teach and Christ’s human side. 32When evening came, after the sun had set, they began bringing to Him all who were ill and those who were demon-possessed. 33And the whole city had gathered at the door. 34And He healed many who were ill with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He was not permitting the demons to speak, because they knew who He was. 35In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there. • He is God & yet models the need to get away to spend time with God. It’s not just important it is a core value. • We must be in prayer on a daily basis…make it a habit that you set time for daily. 36Simon and his companions searched for Him; 37they found Him, and said to Him, “Everyone is looking for You.” 38He said to them, “Let us go somewhere else to the towns nearby, so that I may preach there also; for that is what I came for.” 39And He went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, preaching and casting out the demons. 40And a leper came to Jesus, beseeching Him and falling on his knees before Him, and saying, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” 41Moved with compassion, Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” • Lepers were supposed to keep their distance (Lev. 13:45-46). God has made it abundantly clear that He is not willing that sinners perish (2 Pet. 3:9); and that He is willing that all men be saved (1 Tim. 2:4). 42Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed. 43And He sternly warned him and immediately sent him away, 44and He said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” 45But he went out and began to proclaim it freely and to spread the news around, to such an extent that Jesus could no longer publicly enter a city, but ◙ stayed out in unpopulated areas; and they were coming to Him from everywhere. • Christ wasn’t looking for fame…He came for you and I…do you know Him?
Posted on: Tue, 29 Oct 2013 00:53:19 +0000
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