Bible Study: Gospel of Mark

We discussed the following notes and points put together by Pastor Phil Steiger of Living Hope Church in Colorado Springs, CO

Life With Jesus: A Journey of Discipleship

What does it mean to be called?

•         Mark 1:14-15

•         John the Baptist was arrested – Mark 9:31; 13:9-12; 15:15; Acts 8:3; 12:4

•         Mark sets the atmosphere early. What is it?

(the seriousness of the decision: an atmosphere of persecution)

•         What John goes through, Jesus goes through. What believers go through, Jesus goes through. Heb 4:14-16

•         “Jesus came…proclaiming the gospel of God.”

•         “gospel” = ?

•         “the kingdom of God is at hand”

•         What did they expect? What did Jesus bring?

•         Acts 9:9-13; 14:19-22; 2 Thess 1:5-7; Romans 14:13-19; 1 Cor 15:50; Gal 5:18-24

(Kingdom of God is about: selfless living; the spiritual rather than material…)

•         The Kingdom of God is the rule and reign of Christ instead of the rule and reign of this world

•         It is “at hand”: in Christ, God’s rule is here. Luke 17:20-21

•         I need to learn what it is and what a Kingdom life looks like

•         “repent”: Acts 2:37-38; 17:30-31; 11:16-18

•         “and believe in the gospel.” If repenting is what we turn from, believing is what we turn toward.

•         What do I believe about God?

•         Mark 1:16-20

•         The traditional path of discipleship included extra schooling and scholastic ability – if you were driven and capable, you could become a Rabbi’s disciple

•         Jesus’ call to discipleship is different

•         First – He calls us to follow him

•         Jesus initiates: I do not work up a ladder to gain his favor. Eph 1:3-5; 1 Cor 1:1, 9; Col 1:12-14

•         Second – All of us can respond to this call

•         Jesus found them doing what they did best and picked them to change the world

•         Being called by Christ does not mean excellence in order to be called, but excellence because of the call

•         Jeremiah 1:4-5; Ezekiel 2; Is 6:4-7; Jonah 1:1-3; Acts 9:3-6

•         Mark 1:29-31

(wow! Despite our inadequacy, our stubbornness, our sin—Christ cleanses us, calls us, and equips us!)

•         Third – it means a journey of following and learning from Christ with each other

•         “I will make you fishers of men”

•         The necessary and inevitable (?) progress of the faith: Philippians 3:12-16

(hold true to what we have learned, and keep stretching for more!)