Mark 1:1-20 — Introduction to the Gospel of Mark
A DISCIPLE CAN FOLLOW NO GREATER MASTER THAN JESUS CHRIST, THE ULTIMATE KINGDOM AUTHORITY FIGURE = THE SERVANT KING
Mark 1:21-45 — The Priority of the Amazing, Authoritative Teaching Ministry of Jesus Christ
THE AMAZING, AUTHORITATIVE TEACHING MINISTRY OF JESUS CHRIST MUST TAKE PRIORITY OVER HEALING MIRACLES AND CASTING OUT OF DEMONS
Mark 2:1-12 — Authority to Forgive Sins – Healing of the Paralytic
THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS TRUMPS ALL OF GOD’S MANIFOLD BLESSINGS –
ONLY GOD CAN FORGIVE SINS
Mark 2:13-22 — Life in the New Messianic Age Upsets the Status Quo
DEVOTION TO JESUS REPLACES THE HARSHNESS OF SEPARATIST PREJUDICE AND LEGALISTIC TRADITION WITH THE CELEBRATION OF JOY OF THE NEW MESSIANIC AGE
Mark 2:23 – 3:6 — Abandonment Leaves Jesus All Alone
ONLY THE SUFFERING SERVANT EMBRACES GOD’S PLAN FOR REDEMPTION
Mark 3:7-35 — Pitfalls of Ministry Popularity – Pictures of the Master About His Father’s Business
THE MINISTRY OF JESUS CHRIST BALANCED THE PRESSURE TO REACH THE MASSES WITH THE STRATEGIC VALUE OF INTIMATE DISCIPLESHIP OF KEY LEADERS –
4 INTERACTIONS WITH DIFFERENT GROUPS IN THE CONTEXT OF GROWING MINISTRY POPULARITY AND INCREASING OPPOSITION
Mark 4:1-20 — Parable of the Soils – Do You Have Ears to Hear
RESPONSE TO THE GOSPEL DEPENDS ON YOUR HEART CONDITION — UNDERSTANDING EVANGELISM STARTS WITH UNDERSTANDING THE FOUR DIFFERENT TYPES OF HEART RESPONSES TO THE SOWING OF THE GOSPEL
Mark 4:21-34 — 4 Parables Unlocking the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God
THE MAGNIFICENT TRUTHS OF THE MYSTERIES OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD COME TO US PACKAGED IN PARABLES OF DIVINE INSIGHT
Mark 4:35-41 — Even the Wind and Sea Obey Him
JESUS CAN BE TRUSTED IN THE STORMS OF LIFE BECAUSE HE IS LORD OF ALL –
CONFIDENCE IN THE SUPREME AUTHORITY AND PROVIDENTIAL CARE OF OUR SOVEREIGN SAVIOR SHOULD EMBOLDEN OUR FAITH
Mark 5:1-20 — Domination Over Demons
THE COMPASSIONATE SAVIOR DEMONSTRATES HIS DOMINION OVER THE DESTRUCTIVE POWER OF DEPRAVED DEMONS
Mark 5:21-43 — Faith That Defies Defeat – Dominion Over Disease and Death
IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO TRUST IN JESUS FOR DELIVERANCE —
NEVER MISINTERPRET GOD’S DELAYS TO BE GOD’S DENIALS
Mark 6:1-6 — Familiarity Breeds Contempt – Lesson on Rejection
THE SHOCKING REALITY FOR GOD’S MESSENGERS:
THOSE WHO KNOW YOU THE BEST BELIEVE YOU THE LEAST
Mark 6:7-30 — Delegated Righteous Power vs Depraved Pagan Power
AMBASSADORS FOR JESUS CHRIST ADVANCE GOD’S KINGDOM BY MEANS OF DELEGATED RIGHTEOUS POWER THAT ALWAYS TRUMPS DEPRAVED PAGAN POWER
Mark 6:31-44 — The Bread of Life – The Feeding of the 5,000
4 IMPORTANT LESSONS TO QUALIFY AS A GOOD SHEPHERD
Mark 6:45-56 — Remedial Christianity – For Those Who Just Don’t Get It
HARDENED HEARTS AND MISPLACED PRIORITIES OBSCURE THE IMPACT OF GOD’S SAVING PRESENCE
Mark 7:1-13 — Exposing Self Righteous Religious Tradition
RELIGIOUS TRADITION CREATES HYPOCRITES IN THE SIGHT OF GOD BY UNDERMINING THE AUTHORITY OF GOD’S WORD
Mark 7:14-23 — Exposing the Source of True Defilement = The Depraved Heart of Every Man
YOU MUST LOOK WITHIN YOUR OWN HEART TO FIND THE SOURCE OF TRUE DEFILEMENT — DON’T MAKE EXCUSES OR TRY TO COVER UP YOUR SIN WITH LEGALISM
Mark 7:24-37 — Outsiders Can Become Insiders
JESUS GRACIOUSLY EXTENDS HIS HEALING POWER TO DESPERATE GENTILES – IN RECOGNITION OF REMARKABLE FAITH AND EVOKING REMARKABLE TESTIMONY
Mark 8:1-26 — Examining Our Spiritual Vision
OUR EYES OF FAITH NEED CLEAR VISION OF THE POWER AND SUFFICIENCY OF OUR SAVIOR
Mark 8:27-30 — Who Is This Jesus?
THE TRUE IDENTITY OF JESUS CONSTITUTES THE ULTIMATE LITMUS TEST
Mark 8:31-33 — Redemptive Mission of the Suffering Servant Introduced
THE REDEMPTIVE MISSION OF JESUS CHRIST CAN ONLY BE EMBRACED BY RELINQUISHING HUMAN AUTONOMY AND SUBMITTING TO DIVINE LORDSHIP [WHICH WILL INCLUDE REJECTION AND SUFFERING]
Mark 8:34-38 — The Heavy Cost of Discipleship
THE REDEMPTIVE MISSION OF JESUS CHRIST CAN ONLY BE EMBRACED BY RELINQUISHING HUMAN AUTONOMY AND SUBMITTING TO DIVINE LORDSHIP AS A GENUINE DISICPLE [WHICH WILL INCLUDE REJECTION AND SUFFERING]
Mark 9:1 — Reassurance Regarding the Mission of Jesus Christ
THE HEAVY COST OF DISCIPLESHIP PALES IN CONTRAST TO THE MIGHTY DISPLAY OF POWER IN THE COMING KINGDOM OF GOD
Mark 9:2-13 — Reassurance Regarding the Identity of the Messiah – and the Connection Between His Suffering and His Glory
THE SON OF MAN MUST SUFFER IN ORDER FOR THE SON OF GOD TO BE SEEN IN THE FULL
Mark 9:30-37 — Greatness in the Kingdom
GREATNESS IN THE KINGOM MUST BE MEASURED FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE CROSS
Mark 9:38-42 — Lesson on Sectarianism
THE PATHWAY TO GREATNESS IS RESPECTING DIVERSITY IN KINGDOM MINISTRY FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE CROSS
Mark 9:43-50 — Lesson on Saltiness– Be Pure . . . Be Potent . . . Be Peaceful
THE PATHWAY TO GREATNESS IS PROTECTING YOURSELF AGAINST THE CANCER OF SIN WHILE POSITIVELY IMPACTING OTHERS FOR CHRIST AND PROMOTING PEACE AMONG BELIEVERS
Mark 10:1-12 — What God Has Joined Together Must Stay Together
HARD HEARTS COMPLICATE SIMPLE COMMANDS IN THE CASE OF DIVORCE AND REMARRIAGE
Mark 10:13-27 — Lesson on Kingdom Requirements – Who Can Enter the Kingdom of God?
ENTERING THE KINGDOM OF GOD REQUIRES A SENSE OF NEEDINESS AND DEPENDENCE VS ENTITLEMENT AND SOPHISTICATION
[ENTERING THE KINGDOM OF GOD CAN BE INCREDIBLY EASY OR INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT]
Mark 10:32-45 — The Way of the Cross Leads to Exaltation
SUFFERING AND SACRIFICIAL SERVICE IS THE PATH TO GREATNESS IN THE KINGDOM – NOT SELF-SEEKING AND SELF-PROMOTION
Mark 10:46-52 — Beggars Can Be Choosers
BLIND BEGGARS CAN ACCESS THE SAVING POWER OF GOD THROUGH FAITH IN THE MERCY OF JESUS
Mark 11:1-11 — The Reception That Wasn’t
EXCITEMENT OVER JESUS THAT STOPS SHORT OF WORSHIPING HIM
AS KING OVER ALL QUICKLY FADES AWAY
Mark 11:12-33 — Hypocrisy Fires Up Jesus
WHAT GOOD IS RELIGION WITHOUT FRUIT OR WORSHIP WITHOUT REALITY?
JESUS CONDEMNS THE HYPOCRISY OF AN UNFRUITFUL NATION WITH ITS EMPTY RELIGIOUS SYSTEM (CENTERED AROUND THE TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM) AND OF ITS EXPLOITATIVE RELIGIOUS LEADERS (THE SANHEDRIN)
TWO OBJECT LESSONS (ACTS OF JUDGMENT) FOLLOWED BY TWO CORRESPONDING APPLICATION LESSONS
Mark 12:1-12 — Respect the Son
REJECTION OF CHRIST MEANS LOSS OF KINGDOM INHERITANCE AND THE UNLEASHING OF THE WRATH OF GOD (FOR THE WICKED RELIGIOUS LEADERS OF ISRAEL)
Mark 12:13-27 — Jesus Has the Answer
HYPOCRITICAL ATTACKS CAN NEVER UNDERMINE THE WISDOM AND AUTHORITY OF GOD
Mark 12:28-34 — Sincerity is No Guarantee of Authenticity – So Close But So Far
KNOWLEDGE PLUS SINCERITY ISN’T ENOUGH TO GET YOU INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD
Mark 12:35-44 — Exposing Religious Frauds
FALSE TEACHERS MUST BE EXPOSED AS RELIGIOUS FRAUDS
Mark 13:1-13 — Be On Alert – Part 1
ISRAEL (WHO WAS ASLEEP AT THE SWITCH FOR CHRIST’S FIRST COMING) HAD BETTER BE ON THE ALERT FOR CHRIST’S SECOND COMING
Mark 13:14-37 — Be On Alert – Part 2
ISRAEL (WHO WAS ASLEEP AT THE SWITCH FOR CHRIST’S FIRST COMING) HAD BETTER BE ON THE ALERT FOR CHRIST’S SECOND COMING
7 REASONS TO BE ON ALERT IN ANTICIPATION OF THE END TIMES
Mark 14:1-11 — Extravagant Devotion vs. Opportunistic Treachery – Broken and Poured OUt
HOW EXTRAVAGANT IS YOUR DEVOTION TO JESUS CHRIST?
Mark 14:12-26 — The Sufficiency of Christ and The Centrality of the Cross
THE SUFFICIENCY OF CHRIST AND THE CENTRALITY OF THE CROSS ARE ANTICIPATED IN THE CELEBRATION OF PASSOVER BUT REALIZED IN THE INSTITUTION OF THE LORD’S SUPPER –
TRANSITION HERE FROM THE OLD COVENANT TO THE NEW COVENANT
Mark 14:27-31 — You Will All Fall Away – Failure Does Not Have to Be Final
WE CANNOT GUARANTEE UNBROKEN LOYALTY TO OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
Mark 14:32-42 — Grappling in Gethsemane — Prepared Hearts or Sleeping Souls?
THE PASSOVER LAMB PREPARES FOR HIS MISSION OF REDEMPTION BY GRAPPLING IN PRAYER WITH HIS HEAVENLY FATHER AMIDST OVERWHELMING ANGUISH AND SLEEPING DISCIPLES
Mark 14:43-52 — Abandonment Leaves Jesus All Alone
ONLY THE SUFFERING SERVANT EMBRACES GOD’S PLAN FOR REDEMPTION
Mark 14:53-72 — Unjust Treatment of the Son of God
JESUS SUFFERED UNJUST TREATMENT BY BOTH HIS HARSHEST ENEMIES AND HIS CLOSEST DISCIPLES WHILE MAINTAINING HIS COMPOSURE AND COMPASSION
Mark 15:1-21 — Unjust Treatment of the Son of God – Part 2
JESUS SUFFERED UNJUST TREATMENT BY THE ROMAN AUTHORITIES WHILE BEING REJECTED BY THE CROWD IN FAVOR OF BARABBAS
Mark 15:22-41 — The Crucifixion
THE VOLUNTARY SUBMISSION OF JESUS TO THE HUMILIATION AND AGONY OF THE UNJUST CRUCIFIXION IN FULFILLMENT OF OT PROPHECY TESTIFIES TO HIS DEITY AND MISSION OF REDEMPTION
Mark 15:42-47 — Burial of Jesus – Overlooked, But Very Significant
EVERY DETAIL OF THE BURIAL OF JESUS CHRIST DEMONSTRATES THE SOVEREIGN OUTWORKING OF THE PROVIDENTIAL PLAN OF GOD
Mark 16:1-8 — The Christian Approach to Easter
OUR APPROACH TO THE REALITY OF THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST CANNOT BE ONE OF CASUAL WORSHIP