Mark (2020)

The Gospel of Mark covers the timeless hope offered by the arrival of a long-promised messiah to earth. As Jesus is about to emerge in his public ministry, John the Baptist shares the important message of preparation--the need to acknowledge our sins. It opens the door to being able to enjoy the forgiveness and freedom Jesus came to bring.

Before Jesus begins his long-awaited public ministry he travels to the Jordan River to be baptized by John the Baptist. What follows is a fascinating interaction of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Here we learn about the anointing of the Holy Spirit, the Father's delight in the Son, and their implications for the privileges believers enjoy in Christ under the New Covenant.

Before Jesus begins his public ministry, he travels to the desert wilderness to meet his ancient enemy head-on. Here we learn some key truths about the nature of temptation and how to overcome it. Join us as we study this important time in the life of the only one who has been tempted in every way, and yet was without sin.

What would it take for people in Jesus' day to believe that he was the Messiah and the son of God? Already Mark showed that John the Baptist, God the Father, and even Satan have borne witness to who Jesus is. Now comes another powerful witness--the witness of miracles.

The religious consensus in Jesus' day called God's followers to avoid "sinful" people. Jesus decisively rejected this false teaching and replaced it with humility and love for all people.

Although traditions can be fun (like Christmas traditions) in historic Judaism and Christianity, tradition has too often replaced God's word. This is the "problem of wineskins" that Jesus takes on in Mark 2 and 3.

In this parable, Jesus gives a large audience a series of insightful analogies. The problem is, they don't understand, although a small group of Jesus' closest disciples do seek insight from Jesus. They receive not only an explanation of the parable, but deep spiritual insight that yields practical wisdom for us all.

In this passage Jesus gives us three parables: The first is the responsibility of the rescued. The second, the responsibility of the Rescuer. Finally, Jesus gives us the results of this cooperation. In these parables Jesus reminds his followers of what we can expect when we cooperate with the Master Sower.

In this famous passage, Jesus works a miracle stopping a storm over the Sea of Galilee. This story offers us deep and personal application for our lives. Jesus provides the antidote for the fear of his disciples and he can do the same for us.

Reaching the other side of the lake, Jesus is immediately confronted with another challenge, a man possessed by a hive of demons. This passage gives us a commentary on Satan, society, and our savior.

In God's original perfect creation, humans were never meant to get sick or die. But death and disease have long ravaged the human race as part of the curse on this fallen world. One day God will do away with death and illness, and in Mark 5 Jesus shows his power over both of them.

The disciples have spent over a year learning from the Master. Now it's time for them to go out and put into practice what they have learned. Jesus sends them out on their first mission and gives them specific instructions about how to serve as his representative. We'll study his instructions and draw application for our lives today.

The disciples return from their first ministry trip expecting to get some time away with Jesus. Instead, he performs the biggest miracle of his life - the only one recorded in all four gospels. By feeding the 5000, Jesus teaches his disciples three important lessons about ministry - ones they will never forget as they spend the rest of their lives feeding a hungry world.

In one of Jesus' most famous miracles, we discover insights into the nature and identity of Jesus, as well as what this means for those of us who desire to follow him. He calls us to focus on him and his love and power, and to take steps of faith, knowing that he is with us.

In this passage, we will look at a passage where Jesus confronts the religious thinking of his day that prevented people from seeing their problems clearly and experiencing God's grace. Not surprisingly, we see the same religious thinking pervading the thinking of our own day. Join us as we study this passage and examine parallels it contains today.

In this passage, Jesus asks his disciples a question of critical importance, "Who do you say that I am?" It's one that Jesus' disciples had to answer and one we will ultimately have to answer.

In this passage we examine the significance of Jesus' transfiguration. What was God trying to communicate through it? In addition to this, we will discuss our own "mountaintop experiences" with God and answer this question. How much weight should we put on them and why does he give them to us?

In this passage Jesus redefines greatness. Unlike the world, greatness in his kingdom will be characterized by both faith and humility. Jesus gives two stories that illustrate these two qualities.

What was Jesus' view of sex, marriage, and divorce? What can we learn from him for our contemporary lives today?

What does it take to get to heaven? Jesus gives a surprising answer to a young man who asks him this very question, indicating that it's not what you do, but instead who you trust.

In a world full of selfishness and scandals, Jesus defines leadership as sacrificial serving--putting ourselves below others, willing to give of ourselves, not looking for power.

Mark records many miracles of Jesus. Are miracles plausible? If so, how should a belief in miracles affect our spiritual lives?

On the day of Jesus' triumphal entry to Jerusalem, while everyone around him was cheering, Jesus wept. He knew the praise was superficial. They had failed to recognize "the time of their visitation," prophesied by Daniel.

Toward the end of his life, Jesus somewhat violently confronts those selling "acceptable" sacrifices at the Temple, who were actually profiting off people's desire to sincerely seek out God. As a result, the religious leaders started to plot how to kill Jesus. Through an exchange in Mark 11, Jesus calls out and upends their insincere questions, which were, in fact, designed to trap Jesus.

As Jesus' conflict with the religious leaders intensified during the last week of his life, Mark records Jesus' parable of the evil vintners, and the leaders try repeatedly to trap him saying something illegal.

Jesus' final confrontation with the religious leaders was the most furious one. What is Jesus so upset about that he resorts to name-calling?

Chapter 13 is devoted to one of the final teachings Jesus gave his disciples. He answers the question, "what will be the signs of the end of the age?"

In this passage Jesus describes his second coming. He gives us a well-rounded understanding of this incredible future event.

Jesus moves from prophecy of the end to the practical implications for us. Together we will consider how we should live in light of the end.

There is a stark contrast between how Mary and Judas expressed their devotion. Through their examples in this passage Jesus challenges us to examine our commitment to him.

Jesus' last Passover dinner with his disciples tied the Old Testament types together with his work on the cross. As the Passover lamb was offered in the temple, the Lamb of God hung on the cross causing God to pass over our judgment.

Comparing Peter's and Judas' moral failure brings to light what really goes on in the heart. What does true repentance look like?

Jesus' crucifixion is clearly the most important event in human history, as it opened the door for man to be reconciled to God. Through the event, Jesus willingly experienced terrible suffering--physically, psychologically, and spiritually--as people mocked and tortured him. In addition he experienced the spiritual agony of being rejected by God, as he took on the punishment for all of man's sins--God's intense wrath toward sin. He did this out of love, allowing us to receive his gift of payment for our sins, and begin a relationship with God.

Here we see that after Jesus' death on the cross, he is found by his followers to be raised from the dead. The question of the reality of Jesus' actual, real, physical resurrection either establishes or destroys the Christian faith--the belief that you can have your sins forgiven and can enter into a relationship with God. It's essential for us to examine the evidence and render a verdict.