mark_bible_study_1.pdf |
Have one person begin with prayer.
Take turns to read and the answer questions below.
Take turns to read and the answer questions below.
Who Wrote It:
Mark, sometimes also called John, who was close to the apostle Peter. Mark's Gospel is usually considered his written record of what Peter passed on to him verbally, written sometime between AD 50 and 70.
To Whom:
Because it explains many Jewish customs, names, etc, this book is thought to have been written to Gentile (non-Jewish) believers, probably in Rome.
General Introduction:
Mark presents Jesus not as the King but as a servant, a slave, who is completely obedient to the will of the Father and unwavering in His service to sinners. Much of the detail in Mark's Gospel focuses on Christ's activities as a servant, from His blessing little children to His healing the sick to His death for us on the cross. Mark 10:45 is the major theme verse: "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many."
While Matthew provides an extensive genealogy for Jesus, Mark provides no genealogy and very little introduction. A king's genealogy must be given to prove he is rightfully king. A servant or slave, however, doesn't receive any fanfare, and his lineage isn't required for him to serve. The gospel of Mark is His service to sinners; He comes to heal sinners and raise them up so that they can serve Him.
In this light, the case of Peter's mother-in-law is a summary of this entire gospel: "Jesus came to her and raised her up, holding her hand, and the fever left her, and she served them." (Mark 1:31) We can only serve Him and others to the extent that He has served us.
Mark, sometimes also called John, who was close to the apostle Peter. Mark's Gospel is usually considered his written record of what Peter passed on to him verbally, written sometime between AD 50 and 70.
To Whom:
Because it explains many Jewish customs, names, etc, this book is thought to have been written to Gentile (non-Jewish) believers, probably in Rome.
General Introduction:
Mark presents Jesus not as the King but as a servant, a slave, who is completely obedient to the will of the Father and unwavering in His service to sinners. Much of the detail in Mark's Gospel focuses on Christ's activities as a servant, from His blessing little children to His healing the sick to His death for us on the cross. Mark 10:45 is the major theme verse: "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many."
While Matthew provides an extensive genealogy for Jesus, Mark provides no genealogy and very little introduction. A king's genealogy must be given to prove he is rightfully king. A servant or slave, however, doesn't receive any fanfare, and his lineage isn't required for him to serve. The gospel of Mark is His service to sinners; He comes to heal sinners and raise them up so that they can serve Him.
In this light, the case of Peter's mother-in-law is a summary of this entire gospel: "Jesus came to her and raised her up, holding her hand, and the fever left her, and she served them." (Mark 1:31) We can only serve Him and others to the extent that He has served us.
Believe in the Gospel
JESUS CAME TO SERVE US
Suppose the President of the United States, after completing his term of office, would serve as a janitor. After being President, he would willingly lower himself to become a janitor to serve others. Would this not be excellent? The excellency of such a man in his presidency could not compare with the excellency in his becoming a janitor. I believe that most citizens would appreciate him more in his being a janitor than in his being a President. With him as a President we would not see as much of the beauty of his humanity. But if he would become a janitor to serve others, we would see the beauty, the virtue, in his humanity. How beautiful for a person, after occupying the high office of President of the United States, to become a janitor! I doubt that any of us would feel comfortable in the presence of a President, but we would all feel comfortable with a janitor. How excellent it would be to see a former President working as a janitor, for we would see in him excellent human virtue!
Answer the Question
1. What do you think it means for the Lord to serve us? Why did the Lord come to serve us and how did He do so?
Suppose the President of the United States, after completing his term of office, would serve as a janitor. After being President, he would willingly lower himself to become a janitor to serve others. Would this not be excellent? The excellency of such a man in his presidency could not compare with the excellency in his becoming a janitor. I believe that most citizens would appreciate him more in his being a janitor than in his being a President. With him as a President we would not see as much of the beauty of his humanity. But if he would become a janitor to serve others, we would see the beauty, the virtue, in his humanity. How beautiful for a person, after occupying the high office of President of the United States, to become a janitor! I doubt that any of us would feel comfortable in the presence of a President, but we would all feel comfortable with a janitor. How excellent it would be to see a former President working as a janitor, for we would see in him excellent human virtue!
Answer the Question
1. What do you think it means for the Lord to serve us? Why did the Lord come to serve us and how did He do so?
Read Mark Chapter 1:1-20
DID YOU KNOW
To repent is mainly in the mind; to believe is mainly in the heart (Rom. 10:9). As used in Mark 1:15, the word “repent” literally means to think differently afterward, that is, to have a change of mind. To repent is to have a change of mind with regret for the past and a turn for the future. To believe in something is to believe into the thing which we believe. It is also to receive the things which we believe into us. To believe in the gospel is mainly to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 16:31), and to believe in Him is to believe into Him (John 3:15-16) and receive Him into us (John 1:12)
RELATED VERSES
Romans 2:4
Or do you despise the riches of His kindness and forbearance and long-suffering, not knowing that God’s kindness is leading you to repentance?
Romans 10:9
That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;
John 1:12
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the authority to become children of God, to those who believe into His name,
DID YOU KNOW
To repent is mainly in the mind; to believe is mainly in the heart (Rom. 10:9). As used in Mark 1:15, the word “repent” literally means to think differently afterward, that is, to have a change of mind. To repent is to have a change of mind with regret for the past and a turn for the future. To believe in something is to believe into the thing which we believe. It is also to receive the things which we believe into us. To believe in the gospel is mainly to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 16:31), and to believe in Him is to believe into Him (John 3:15-16) and receive Him into us (John 1:12)
RELATED VERSES
Romans 2:4
Or do you despise the riches of His kindness and forbearance and long-suffering, not knowing that God’s kindness is leading you to repentance?
Romans 10:9
That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;
John 1:12
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the authority to become children of God, to those who believe into His name,
Answer the Questions:
1. Which verse do you like and why?
2.What are some things people repent from?
3.What led you to repent and believe?
1. Which verse do you like and why?
2.What are some things people repent from?
3.What led you to repent and believe?