A Season of Providing Teaching Helps is Coming to an End this Week

After serving at Lifeway for 13 years, I moved back to serving on a local church staff in 2012.  During those 13 years I had made notes of things I would do differently as a minister if I were to make this transition. One of those changes focused on helping Sunday School/Group leaders learn how to customize their teaching plans. My goal was to demonstrate how I assimilate personal Bible study, the resources provided by Lifeway, the context of current events, and the needs of my group into a customized plan. Because I teach a group each week, I began sharing my finished teaching plans with my church group leaders every week via a blog post.

Over the years, other church leaders asked if I could share this finished plan with their leaders. Individual group leaders also asked to be added to a list so they could receive the helps as well. This had grown to the point that delivery via a public blog was the best approach to sharing this information.  Again, the goal was to help leaders learn the art of customizing their plans in their context.

After some discussions with Lifeway, I feel it is time to discontinue this practice via my website  and email effective this week.

It's my prayer, if you use Lifeway's Explore the Bible curriculum, that you will continue to customize your plans each week based on your study of God's Word, Lifeway's helps, and the context of your group. To those who have discovered the Explore the Bible curriculum through this regular post, I hope you will explore the use of that curriculum further. As always, I am available to train group leaders if you need that ministry in your church.

If you should have questions regarding Lifeway curriculum please contact Dwayne McCrary at dwayne.mccrary@lifeway.com.

Thanks again for all your words of encouragement, support, and other kind words over these past years. 

My prayer for you can't be stated any better than Paul's words to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:14-17:

"But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed. You know those who taught you, and you know that from infancy you have known the sacred Scriptures, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work."

With that said, below are the downloadable teaching helps focused on Mark 15:21-39 where the gospel story finally reaches its climax as the perfect Son of God gives Himself as a final sacrifice to pay the penalty for man’s sins. He bridges the gap for those who willingly respond to His invitation to follow Him! Let’s rejoice for the gift Jesus gave as we observe the sacrifice Jesus made for us!

Downloadable Teaching Helps

These helps include additional ideas and my plan I use to teach my Bible study group.

Download PDF Version

Download Word Version

LifeWay Explore The Bible Resources

These teaching helps are intended to be used as a supplement to your study of Lifeway's Explore the Bible curriculum resources. Portions of this material are taken directly from content copyrighted to Lifeway Christian Resources Explore the Bible and is used with permission.  This material has not been reviewed by Lifeway Christian Resources. 

What are you doing to prepare for everything that takes place during the Christmas season? While we are busy preparing to celebrate the birth of Christ, we should not forget the actions Jesus willingly took to prepare for what He was about to face in the last days and hours prior to His death. Some of those actions are examined in Mark 14:3-42.

Jesus knows what lies ahead, but He still has to prepare for what He is about to face. Mark 14:3-42 reminds us that Jesus willingly and intentionally prepared to pay the price for our sin. In the days leading up to His sacrifice, He prepared by allowing others to “pour into His life” and He spent an agonizing time in prayer in order to gain strength for what He was about to face.

We should learn from His experience about the high price Jesus paid for our sins. We should also understand how important it is for us to willingly and intentionally prepare to live for Jesus daily.

Downloadable Teaching Helps

These helps include additional ideas and my plan I use to teach my Bible study group.

Download PDF Version

Download Word Version

LifeWay Explore The Bible Resources

These teaching helps are intended to be used as a supplement to your study of Lifeway's Explore the Bible curriculum resources. Portions of this material are taken directly from content copyrighted to Lifeway Christian Resources Explore the Bible and is used with permission.  This material has not been reviewed by Lifeway Christian Resources. 

Have the current world events caused you to be more patient or less patient regarding Jesus’s promise to come again to gather believers unto Himself? What kind of questions regarding Jesus’s return have the current world events caused you to ask? The Explore the Bible Study: Returning will examine the lessons Jesus teaches that will help you deal with these questions with hope and faith.

Throughout history, when moral depravity is rampant, disasters strike, persecution is prevalent, or world conflict seems imminent it should cause believers to pause and consider if this might be the time when Jesus would return as He promised. Our current world circumstances are certainly one of those times as we observe the events unfolding in the Middle East and around the world.

Jesus promised His disciples that He would return again to gather His believers unto Himself. For over 2000 years, believers have been waiting for that promise to be fulfilled. Sometimes believers have waited patiently and at times impatiently. Some have questioned whether Jesus was telling the truth or wonder if He has taken back that promise. No matter the case, our circumstances can impact our faith, mind, and emotions as we wait for Jesus’s promised return.

As you live your life this week, remember the promises throughout the Scripture regarding Jesus’ return. Hopefully this passage from 1 Thessalonians will be an encouragement as you become more alert and watch for Jesus’ return:

“For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, in the same way, through Jesus, God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep. For we say this to you by a word from the Lord: We who are still alive at the Lord’s coming will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are still alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:14-18)

Downloadable Teaching Helps

Includes additional ideas and my plan I use to teach my Bible study group.

Download PDF Version

Download Word Version

LifeWay Explore The Bible Resources

These teaching helps are intended to be used as a supplement to your study of Lifeway's Explore the Bible curriculum resources. Portions of this material are taken directly from content copyrighted to Lifeway Christian Resources Explore the Bible and is used with permission.  This material has not been reviewed by Lifeway Christian Resources. 

Why do people pray? What do they expect when they pray? When people pray, do they consider the condition of their own hearts or only what they desire to get from God? These questions will be addressed in the Explore the Bible Study: Clears.

Prayer is the one event that takes us into the very presence of God. Yet, praying can become a routine or a ritual. People often say things like, “I’m praying for you” in order to comfort someone, yet forget to pray for that person. We might publicly say that someone facing a tragedy is “in our thoughts and prayers.” In light of world events, we see social media posts encouraging everyone to pray.

Yet prayer is more than asking God to change our circumstances or meet someone’s needs. Prayer should lead us examine our own lives as we approach God with our requests. It’s through our prayers that we should realize our own shortcomings and sins. It’s through prayer that we should seek to remove any obstacles that might cause us to approach prayer with Holy God in a manner that is careless, arrogant, or selfish. 

Prayer must be for the right reasons and for the right motives and with the desire to completely leave the answer in God’s hands. This is the kind of faith one must learn to have when praying to God. If prayer is used to exploit others, for selfish gain, or with arrogant motives or harbored anger, then prayers will not reach the throne room of God. When prayers are lifted as we knowingly harbor unconfessed resentment or other sin in our lives, then we should not expect God to respond.

To pray effectively, one needs faith in God, not faith in the object of one’s request or the goal one wishes to achieve.

Jesus gave us an example as He was facing that grueling day on the cross. While in the garden He prayed, “Abba, Father! All things are possible for you. Take this cup away from me. Nevertheless, not what I will, but what you will.” (Mark 14:36). May this be our prayer.

Downloadable Teaching Helps

Includes additional ideas and my plan I use to teach my Bible study group.

Download PDF Version

Download Word Version

LifeWay Explore The Bible Resources

These teaching helps are intended to be used as a supplement to your study of Lifeway's Explore the Bible curriculum resources. Portions of this material are taken directly from content copyrighted to Lifeway Christian Resources Explore the Bible and is used with permission.  This material has not been reviewed by Lifeway Christian Resources. 

Do you see people trying to build their reputation with the boss, with hopes of getting a promotion or becoming one of his/her main leaders? How do others view the person who does this? When individuals act like this, do you feel that serving others, or the company is their primary motivation? We see two brothers who tried to "get ahead" in the Explore the Bible Study: Serves. Jesus is quick to teach a lesson they or we should never forget.

Mark reveals in chapter 10 the motives of two brothers regarding the position they desired in Jesus’s kingdom.  These brothers were among the twelve Jesus chose to be His apostles in Mark 3. Jesus described them as the “Sons of Thunder” in Mark 3:17. While we don’t know specifically why Jesus called them the Sons of Thunder, we see in them two powerful personalities who Jesus would disciple and who would become strong leaders in the early church. 

But at this moment in their lives, they had a lot to learn regarding what it means to be a leader in the kingdom of God. Serving Jesus and others is the position one should seek in the kingdom of God. There is no place for position or power seeking as one follows Jesus.

The lesson James and John are about to learn comes as they are making their way to Jerusalem for Jesus’s final days.

Mark 9:30 tells us that the disciples and Jesus “left that place and made their way through Galilee.” Upon arriving in Capernaum another debate arose among the disciples regarding who was the greatest (Mark 9:33). The lesson Jesus teaches the disciples on this occasion regarding greatness is a prelude to the lesson He will teach James and John in Mark 10.

The lessons in Capernaum continued as Jesus and the disciples journeyed through “the region of Judea and across the Jordan” (Mark 10:1). Throughout this journey that would eventually take them to Jerusalem for Jesus’s final days, the lessons continued as the disciples were taught various issues by Jesus including blessing the children, schooling the rich young ruler, and the lessons the disciples were to learn regarding the impossibility for anyone to enter the kingdom of God.

Mark 10:32-45 brings us to Jesus’s third prediction of His death and the lesson James and John were going to learn regarding position and power. Jesus begins the lesson with His own story of what will take place. Jesus, as servant, was going to be a suffering servant as Isaiah described in Isaiah 53.

Downloadable Teaching Helps

Includes additional ideas and my plan I use to teach my Bible study group.

Download PDF Version

Download Word Version

LifeWay Explore The Bible Resources

These teaching helps are intended to be used as a supplement to your study of Lifeway's Explore the Bible curriculum resources. Portions of this material are taken directly from content copyrighted to Lifeway Christian Resources Explore the Bible and is used with permission.  This material has not been reviewed by Lifeway Christian Resources. 

Acknowledging our total dependence on Jesus for everything is the only way one can face the challenges of life. We don’t just set Jesus aside for the times when we need Him. Total dependance only comes through nurturing a relationship with Jesus Christ through prayer and surrender.  This is the lesson for the disciples, a man who was concerned for his son, and for us in the Explore the Bible Study: Strengthens.

Have you ever observed parents, or personally experienced, dealing with teenagers who think they can do something on their own without anyone else’s help? What were some of your thoughts as you observed this taking place? Have you ever had to step in to help or offer a solution?

Jesus had to step in during a very critical event recorded in Mark 9. Jesus, like a loving Father, has more to teach His disciples. They discover an important lesson regarding their need to be totally dependent on Him.

After Jesus’s conversations in Mark 8 with Peter and the disciples regarding His death and resurrection and what it means to take up one’s cross to follow Him, He takes three of His disciples—Peter, James, and John—to a mountain. Mark tells us it was six days later – “After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain by themselves to be alone. He was transfigured in front of them, and his clothes became dazzling—extremely white as no launderer on earth could whiten them.” (Mark 9:2-3)

While this amazing learning experience was taking place, the other disciples were still down in the valley among the crowd. In this crowd was a desperate man who brought his son to the disciples for help. This man’s son was “possessed by a spirit” that “robbed him of speech” (Mark 9:17). These same disciples who had been commissioned earlier by Jesus in Mark 6:7 to go out into the villages and who saw God work through them to preach repentance, drive out demons, anoint the sick, and heal people are not able to help this demon possessed boy.

This is a very embarrassing moment for the disciples and a disappointing moment for the father and son. Additionally, the crowd begins to gather with accusations and arguments regarding the authenticity of Jesus’s authority based upon the actions of the disciples.

This is what Jesus, Peter, James, and John encounter when they come down off the mountain. Mark describes the situation this way in Mark 9:14-16: When they came to the disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and scribes disputing with them. When the whole crowd saw him, they were amazed and ran to greet him. He asked them, “What are you arguing with them about?”

The disciples were struggling. The crowds were growing. The scribes were stirring up trouble. And, sadly, a man and his son were hurting and desperate for help. Now they see Jesus coming and all attention turns to Him.

Just like a parent who steps in to help and to provide a teaching moment for an independent minded teenager, Jesus provides what is needed to offer miraculous healing and to teach an important lesson regarding depending totally on Him.

Downloadable Teaching Helps

Includes additional ideas and my plan I use to teach my Bible study group.

Download PDF Version

Download Word Version

LifeWay Explore The Bible Resources

These teaching helps are intended to be used as a supplement to your study of Lifeway's Explore the Bible curriculum resources. Portions of this material are taken directly from content copyrighted to Lifeway Christian Resources Explore the Bible and is used with permission.  This material has not been reviewed by Lifeway Christian Resources. 

Many adults find it difficult to let someone else lead. There is a sense that they are giving up some of their autonomy. They feel as if they can’t control things, and adults are increasingly pursuing the desire to be in control. When control or being the leader isn’t possible, the path many prefer is a neutral position. When given the options to “lead, follow, or get out of the way,” some would choose the latter. In the Explore the Bible Study: Followed, Mark provides some lessons from the life of Jesus and the disciples regarding what it means to follow Christ.

Mark had learned a lot about following and leading. He was accompanied by Barnabas (his cousin; Colossians 4:10) and Paul during their travels together (Acts 12:25). Yet, he eventually deserted Paul and Barnabas (Acts 15:38) on their first missionary journey, which led to a rift between him and Paul. Yet, as all stories of relationships among those who follow Christ should be, Paul and Mark obviously reconciled (2 Timothy 4:11). Mark had matured in his faith through the years, resulting in Paul now considering him a valuable companion. Mark had learned many lessons about following Christ during that time.

This same Mark is the one who God chose to capture the “beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1). Chapters 1-8 of The Gospel of Mark focused on Jesus revealing to His family, the crowd, the religious leaders, and His own disciples, who He really was. Mark tells us of Jesus’s works of healing the sick, feeding the thousands, and demonstrating His power in amazing ways that continually revealed Jesus as the Son of God.

Now Mark brings us to a turning point in his writings and in Jesus’s life. It begins with Peter’s confession of Christ as the Messiah in Mark 8:27-30 while Jesus and the disciples were in Caesarea Philippi. From this point on, Mark’s Gospel prepares us for Jesus’s death. The journey leads from Caesarea Philippi to Jerusalem and to Jesus’s crucifixion and resurrection. As the journey continues, Jesus begins to teach His disciples what it truly means to follow Him. Jesus begins in Mark 8:31-33 by revealing to them that one can’t follow without being obedient.

Following Requires Obedience to God’s Plans—Mark 8:31-33

With the word, “Then,” Jesus’s attention is turned toward Jerusalem and the path to the cross that lay ahead. Peter had made his confession regarding Jesus being the Messiah, and now the lessons would begin. He had so much to teach, and so little time left. The first lesson revealed to them the importance of obedience to God’s plans.

Imagine you were Peter. You have just confessed that Jesus is the Messiah. Jesus has affirmed that your response is correct. Now Jesus tells you that He is going to suffer, be rejected, be killed, and then rise “after three days.” Why did Peter rebuke Jesus for saying this? What do you think was included in Peter’s rebuke (read between the lines)? Would you have responded any differently than Peter did?

Peter could not comprehend a Messiah who was going to suffer, much less die.  

“Jesus’s teaching that the Son of Man must suffer corresponds to Daniel’s prophecies that God was in complete control of the plan for redemption: The Messiah would be cut off (Daniel 9:26); there would be a period of trouble (Daniel 9:27); and the king would come in glory (Daniel 7:13–14). The suffering also recalls Isaiah’s prophecy of the suffering Servant in Isaiah 53. The fact that He was rejected looks back to the rejected “stone” in Psalm 118:22. Jesus was following God’s plan.” [Source: Bruce B. Barton, Mark, Life Application Bible Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1994), 236.]

One must assume that, while Peter was the one doing the rebuking, the other disciples would have shared the sentiment.  The Greek word for “rebuke” is one of a strong admonishment. It means to warn or to criticize sharply. While we don’t know the extent of the rebuke, we know it was harsh based on Jesus’s response. Jesus linked Peter’s “concerns” with Satan.

What is Jesus communicating to Peter when He says, “You are not thinking about God’s concerns but human concerns.”

Both Peter’s rebuke and the temptation in the wilderness that Jesus experienced were attempts to get Jesus to quit following God’s plan for His earthly mission of dying for the sins of all humanity.  Jesus’s response to Peter was extremely severe and emphasized that there would be no shortcut to salvation. 

No one was going to stand in the way of Jesus following His God-given mission. The Father’s plan was totally different from their expectations. God’s plan was the way of the cross.

Do believers today assume that suffering is not part of God’s plan? What if we knew what Jesus knew about His suffering and death? Would we continue to follow that path of obedience?

Now Jesus turns to the disciples and the crowd that was “following Him.” He relates what He has just said about death to what everyone must do to follow Jesus.

Following Requires Death—Mark 8:34-38

Jesus had just described how He was going to suffer and die, yet He would live again. Now He tells the crowd that if they want to be His followers they must do the same.

Had you been in the crowd, how would you have interpreted what Jesus was saying? Based on your understanding of Scriptures, what do you believe He was saying? What elements of this teaching points back to Peter’s rebuke and what we know Peter would eventually do prior to Jesus’s death?

Jesus listed a series of requirements for those who would follow Him. As noted, He wasn’t just speaking to the apostles in this setting. He was offering an open invitation to anyone who was willing to become His disciple. 

• Denying self: Focuses on renouncing something or someone. It means saying no to your own plans and desires.
• Taking up your cross: It would remind the listeners of a disturbing image. It’s the image of condemned criminals who were forced to carry their crosses to their own execution. As we take up our cross to follow Christ, we demonstrate our humility and our submission to God just as Jesus did.
• Following Jesus: Emphasizes allegiance to Jesus regardless of the cost.
• Lose your life: Those who deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Him, will find true life. 

Jesus’s teaching connects directly to His previous interaction with Peter as well. Peter had encouraged Jesus not to deny self but to take the path of self-centeredness to avoid the cross. Peter could not imagine Jesus taking up a cross like a criminal, yet Jesus was willingly following God’s plans to do just that. Jesus was going to follow God’s plans even though it meant losing His life.

Peter was encouraging just the opposite. He was not being a very good follower of Christ at this point. Then, later, Peter would have one more lesson to learn as he committed the final act of disobedience. He was so ashamed of Christ that he denied Jesus three times when Jesus was arrested. Perhaps these words of Jesus were on Peter’s mind after He looked into the eyes of Jesus upon his final betrayal that night (Luke 22:54-62).

How would you personalize each of these requirements for yourself—deny self; take up your cross; follow Jesus; lose your life (because of Jesus and the gospel)? 

Finally, Jesus’s lesson on following Him comes to focal point as He teaches the crowd something about life after death (both physical and spiritual).

Following Jesus Results in Life—Mark 9:1

Mark did not offer any explanation to Jesus’s statement. Jesus was addressing both His disciples and a crowd of other followers.  While there are multiple ways people have interpreted this passage, one must look at the larger picture to possibly understand what Jesus was saying. This larger picture takes us to what takes place at the transfiguration.

Three of the disciples would see Jesus’s transfiguration and later provide testimony to His glory (Mark 9:2-8; 2 Peter 1:16-18). On the mountain, Peter, James, and John saw God’s power and glory in a way no one could imagine. Also, many in the crowd would serve as witnesses to Jesus’s resurrection and the Spirit’s arrival at Pentecost, which were powerful demonstrations of God’s power and glory on earth. 

Likewise, we can affirm that God’s power still moves in the lives of people. Every time someone accepts Jesus as Savior, He reveals His power. And perhaps Mark is reminding us that, when we follow Jesus, we are promised eternal life and the ongoing presence of Jesus in our lives. We will taste physical death, but the one who follows Christ will experience the power of the kingdom of God now and for eternity in ways one can’t imagine or even explain.

Are you really following Jesus?

We began with Peter not considering God’s purposes, but only his own natural human desires and feelings. His was a self-centered reaction. He desired a conquering king and not a suffering Servant as prophesied in Isaiah 53. He desired to experience the glory of following the Messiah but rejected the thought of persecution.

Make a list of ways in which people try to “gain the whole world” instead of following Jesus? Are there any of those ways that are a particular temptation to you? Ask God for the strength to turn away from them.

According to Jesus, what sort of attitude and behavior characterizes the person who “wants to save their life” (Mark 8:35)? Consider people you know who reflect this lifestyle and consider ways in which you can pray for them.

Bruce B. Barton states: “The Christian life is not a paved road to wealth and ease. It often involves hard work, persecution, deprivation, and deep suffering. Peter saw only part of the picture. Don’t repeat Peter’s mistake. Satan wants to deter us from sacrifice and service by telling us that our difficulties are meaningless, our pain is futile, and that evil will win anyway. Instead, focus on the good that God can bring out of suffering and on the resurrection that follows crucifixion.” [Source: Bruce B. Barton, Mark, Life Application Bible Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1994), 238.]

When we give our lives completely to following Christ, we will discover the real purpose of living.

Do you struggle with wondering if being inclusive means compromising what you believe? How can being inclusive demonstrate mercy and open the doors for gospel conversations? It is hard to be truly inclusive when we observe behavior in others that doesn’t align with biblical commands. The Explore the Bible Study: Includes examines a new lesson Jesus had for the disciples, and for us, concerning how we should reach out to people who aren’t like us.

We tend to prefer hanging out with people that share our experiences, backgrounds, passions, and moral convictions. Showing true concern to those of another ethnicity, religion, or lifestyle is demanding.

Mark 7 takes Jesus beyond the region of Galilee. In the first part of Mark 7 (verses 1-23), Jesus was once again met with resistance from the Pharisees and Scribes who had traveled from Jerusalem. The resistance was so serious that Jesus and His disciples withdrew from the region and went to “the region of Tyre” (Mark 7:24).

The passage in this session examines two of Jesus’ works that demonstrate how He went out of His way to show compassion to all people, whatever their ethnicity, or physical or social barriers. As you examine Mark 7:24-37, consider the actions you can take to overcome your struggles to know how you can extend mercy to people as Jesus did.

The Dejected in Tyre – Mark 7:24-30

Notice the barriers Jesus overcame in this passage.

• Privacy (v.24) – He desired to keep His visit private at this point, but the needs were greater and more important than His privacy.
• Gender (v.25) – In that culture, women were not viewed the same way as men.
• Ethnicity (v26) – She was a Gentile. Gentiles were considered “unclean.” Specifically, she was a “Syrophoenician by birth,” which meant she was a native to that region.

But the fact that she “fell at His feet” indicates that she was a desperate mom. She had a daughter who was suffering and needed what she knew only Jesus could offer.

When one examines Jesus's response in verses 27-28 it might sound harsh. Perhaps the following questions will help you learn more about this conversation.

Who are the children to whom Jesus is referring in verse 27? (Jews) Who are the dogs? (Gentiles) 

What does Jesus’ use of the word “first” indicate about the message of the gospel? 

The word "first" indicates that there was hope for the Gentiles. We know that, while Jesus walked this earth, His message of repentance was primarily to the Jews. Eventually, the message of the gospel was to be taken to all, including the Gentiles.

Notice though how the woman responded. She was humble. She came to Jesus helpless, without pride, without anything except her need.

Her faith was not swayed by Jesus’ difficult questions. It only strengthened her resolve to petition Jesus for mercy and help! We see from this woman how all of us must come to Jesus. None of us deserve His mercy. We come to Him helpless, without pride, without any agenda, without any feelings that we somehow deserve anything from Him. When we come to Him in this way, He demonstrates His love toward us. This is the only way any of us can approach Jesus!

When are people most likely willing to seek Jesus? What can you learn from Jesus’s response regarding how to include those who might otherwise be rejected by others?

This woman did not have a problem approaching Jesus because she was desperate. She had heard about Jesus and knew that He could help her daughter. This need trumped all barriers that might have existed. Jesus responded to her need by helping her express her faith and demonstrated His grace to her by healing her daughter.

After this, Jesus and the disciples continue to travel through the region. He travels northward along the Mediterranean coast, traveling about 22 miles to the region of Sidon. (This region is now part of the country of Lebanon.) Jesus then loops back southward, skirting the Sea of Galilee, eventually making His way to the region of Decapolis.

Let’s see who Jesus includes when he arrives in this region.

The Disabled in Decapolis – Mark 7:31-35

This man had most likely been subject to ridicule as long as he’d been deaf. This is an example of a physical challenge that we might encounter. Since this occurred in the Decapolis, it’s likely he was also a Gentile. Mark didn’t specify. None of these barriers stopped Jesus from responding. But we also see something different in this encounter as well.

Notice how this man was able to get to Jesus. This man’s friends brought him to Jesus. 

What how Jesus communicated as He performed these actions. The Holman NT Commentary describes the amazing interaction this way: 

“Jesus took the man away from the crowd so the healing would be private, and the man would not attract public attention. Then Jesus communicated with him in a way that he could understand. Is not this like Jesus? He meets us where we are so he can take us where he wants us to go. Notice that Jesus placed his fingers in the man's ears. This seems to indicate his hearing would be restored. Saliva on the tongue indicated that his tongue would be healed so he could talk. Jesus then looked up to heaven, indicating the source of his power for healing (see John 11:41; 17:1). 

Jesus then gave a deep sigh. This showed the incredible empathy of Jesus. This was an inward groan indicating Christ's compassionate response to the needs of this man. He not only felt for him—he felt with him (see Romans 8:23; 8:26). Jesus uttered a one-word prayer— Ephphatha —which is Aramaic for "be opened." Mark felt the need to explain this to his Roman readers. Jesus' prayer was answered immediately. This man's ears were opened, his tongue was loosed, and his speech impediment was gone.” (Source: Holman New Testament Commentary - Mark (p. 114) B&H Publishing Group.)

We all know that people can be cruel to people with disabilities or other challenges. Some might make assumptions regarding their spiritual capabilities because of their disabilities. 

How do you view people with disabilities? Do you view them with compassion? Do you believe Jesus can change their lives, or do your actions reflect that you assume that Jesus is only able to work through those who aren’t disabled?

Jesus demonstrates through this healing that there are no barriers – racial, cultural, or physical – beyond the grace and goodness of God! 

If our lives have been changed by Jesus, then we know what He can do for others. We should look for people who need to be brought to Jesus and look for ways to get them to Him so their lives can be changed! If he changed us, then we KNOW He can change others, this should motivate us to bring others to Him, even if they are different from us!

Let’s learn how we should respond when Jesus brings healing to those who were once excluded.

The Astounded Crowd—Mark 7:36-37

When someone’s life is changed by Jesus, we can’t and shouldn’t remain silent! When we truly see God at work, we will have to tell others! Wouldn’t it be great if what was said of this group was said of us as believers today: “the more He ordered them, the more they proclaimed it.” (v.36)

Are you still amazed at how Jesus does “everything well”? Do you truly believe this? If you do, it will be reflected in how you overcome barriers to bring others to Him so they can be transformed by the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Jesus included the dejected of Tyre and the disabled in Decapolis. He went beyond the barriers of gender, ethnicity, and human disabilities to express compassion and to provide healing.  

What barriers might you have to overcome to share and show the love of Jesus to others? 

What do you need to do to overcome those barriers?

The downloadable teaching helps provide more details for this study, along with some tools you can use in guiding a group Bible study. 

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LifeWay Explore The Bible Resources

These teaching helps are intended to be used as a supplement to your study of Lifeway's Explore the Bible curriculum resources. Portions of this material are taken directly from content copyrighted to Lifeway Christian Resources Explore the Bible and is used with permission.  This material has not been reviewed by Lifeway Christian Resources. 

Do you tend to answer customer experience surveys only when you have had a bad experience? We live in a culture where dissatisfaction is rampant and even encouraged because it provides opportunities for others to manipulate our lives. Not being satisfied with everyday life isn’t a new issue. Dissatisfaction nags at us because we live in a sin-broken world. Even as believers we wrestle with being satisfied in Jesus. The Explore the Bible Study: Satisfies examines a time when people, for a moment, were completely satisfied.

Mark 6:30-34 finds us looking into Mark’s account of a multitude of people who were hungry both spiritually and physically. They were pursuing Jesus because they desired Him to satisfy their needs. Leading up to this passage, Mark describes a lot of events that took place as He and the disciples moved about the region. From parables to miracles to Jesus raising someone from the dead, Jesus is continually revealing Himself as the Son of God.

Yet, through all of this, Jesus still faced rejection, even in places where He should have been embraced, like His hometown of Nazareth. His return to His hometown revealed the difficulties of satisfying people when they have hard hearts and closed minds.

As you examine this passage, consider how satisfied you are in Jesus.

Trying to satisfy people is exhausting – Mark 6:30-32

Mark has already told us that Jesus had chosen the twelve disciples in Mark 3:13-19. Here he refers to them as apostles. Jesus had commissioned the disciples to go out to do ministry on their own. Mark captures the amazing works of God they experienced earlier in chapter 6 as Jesus commissioned them to go out and meet the needs of others in His name:  

He summoned the Twelve and began to send them out in pairs and gave them authority over unclean spirits. He instructed them to take nothing for the road except a staff—no bread, no traveling bag, no money in their belts, but to wear sandals and not put on an extra shirt. He said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that place. If any place does not welcome you or listen to you, when you leave there, shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” So they went out and preached that people should repent. They drove out many demons, anointed many sick people with oil and healed them. (Mark 6:7-13)

Now they have returned to share their amazing experiences with Jesus.

Imagine you were listening in on the conversations between Jesus and those disciples. What could you imagine took place during these conversations?

It’s important to notice that, while they were reporting these things, the crowds continued to pursue them. There were so many people and so many needs that they couldn’t even eat. Jesus had experienced this (see Mark 1:35) and He knew what these disciples needed. They needed some rest! If they continued to try and satisfy the unending needs of the crowd, there would be nothing left for them to give emotionally, physically, or spiritually.

What are some symptoms that might indicate someone needs to step away for a period of rest after taking care of people’s needs? What actions could prevent you from being drained spiritually, mentally, physically, or emotionally? 

Jesus knew they needed to rest, but even with them pulling away, the crowds kept coming.

Jesus does not ignore those who pursue Him – Mark 6:33-34

What are some things today people might “run to” to experience satisfaction or contentment?

People today might run to drugs, alcohol, entertainment, sports events, money, or countless other things, thinking these might satisfy their emptiness. Yet, at the end of the day, none of these bring satisfaction. They are all temporary and fleeting.

The thing that was different for this crowd on this day was their desire for something different. They had seen or heard about this group of men, especially their teacher, Jesus, and they “ran on foot” to get to Him. But one must ask, 

“WHAT were they desiring for Jesus to satisfy?” 

Did they only desire to satisfy their immediate needs, or did they truly desire to follow Jesus? 

What reasons might people give for “running to” Jesus?

Whatever their motives for running to meet Jesus, it’s obvious they needed something more than what they were presently experiencing, and they felt Jesus could satisfy that need.  Notice how Jesus responded. He was moved with compassion “because they were like sheep without a shepherd.” 

What actions today reveal that people are like sheep without a shepherd? 

Notice how Jesus first began to satisfy their needs—by teaching them. Jesus didn’t send them away or try to remedy their issues with a quick fix so the disciples could rest. His compassion moved Him to take time to teach them about God’s kingdom.

Are you willing to let the needs of people interrupt your season of rest? Is your compassion for people and your passion for the gospel greater than your need for rest?

But Jesus didn’t only teach them. Jesus focused on their physical needs as well. Yet, this was a lesson as well, especially for the disciples!

Trusting Jesus to satisfy needs is a lesson of faith – Mark 6:35-38

What problems were the disciples concerned about regarding the physical hunger of the crowd? 

What steps would you have taken to solve this problem if you were one of the disciples?

Why do you think Jesus commanded them to “give them something to eat?”

Had you been one of the disciples, how might you have responded?

When you read Mark’s account of the feeding of the crowd or this story about the faith of George Muller, what thoughts do you have regarding how you should respond?

Can you recall a story of when God provided for you as you tried to meet the spiritual or physical needs of others?

What practical things can you do to trust Jesus more when you have a problem that seems impossible to solve?

Are you satisfied in Jesus? Or do you expect Him to satisfy your every need? What is the difference in these two questions?

Do you expect Jesus to send you a customer satisfaction survey? Is it Jesus’s goal to make sure you are satisfied with His “product”? How could your view of satisfaction skew your expectations of Jesus?

The downloadable teaching helps provide more details for this study, along with some tools you can use in guiding a group Bible study. 

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These teaching helps are intended to be used as a supplement to your study of Lifeway's Explore the Bible curriculum resources. Portions of this material are taken directly from content copyrighted to Lifeway Christian Resources Explore the Bible and is used with permission.  This material has not been reviewed by Lifeway Christian Resources. 

"Who died and made you the boss?" Have you ever thought or expressed this to someone? It seems that we are hearing more and more people bring up questions regarding the authority others have over them. We have heard questions arise in education, politics, law enforcement, and other arenas regarding the decision-making authority of others. Mark 3:20-30, the focus of the Explore the Bible Study: Questioned, raises questions about the extent of Jesus’s authority. 

Jesus had demonstrated his authority over sickness and the Sabbath by healing a man with a paralyzed hand on the Sabbath. This brought out the critics who questioned where He derived such power. You will discover that even His own family believed He had lost His mind.

Consider the role Jesus’s authority plays in your life as you examine the passages in this session. 

Jesus’s Authority and the Skeptics Response—Mark 3:20-22

Imagine you were in the house that Jesus had entered. This could have been the home of Peter and Andrew in Capernaum, but the Scriptures don’t tell us this exactly. There is such a large crowd that the mealtime was disrupted to the extent that people weren’t even able to eat.

Mark first tells us that His family was skeptical of His authority.

The root of the Greek for the word “restrain” (krateo) implies physical control. Jesus’s family apparently believed that He was a danger to Himself and others. They were so concerned for His mental health that they were willing to restrain Him and take Him away with physical force if necessary. One can’t examine just this passage regarding Jesus’s family response without looking at verses 31-35 as well.

When you read Mark’s account regarding the family setting out to restrain Him, what do you imagine? Do you find it difficult to believe that Jesus’s family responded as they did?

In Mark 3:31-35, Jesus reveals His authority as the Son of God, thus making His works greater than just simply fulfilling the wishes of His birth family: “His mother and his brothers came, and standing outside, they sent word to him and called him. A crowd was sitting around him and told him, “Look, your mother, your brothers, and your sisters are outside asking for you.” 33 He replied to them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” Looking at those sitting in a circle around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”

Then, between Mark 3:20-22 and Mark 3:31-35, Mark sandwiches the actions of another group that was skeptical of His authority—the scribes from Jerusalem.

These skeptics were so concerned that they came all the way “down” from Jerusalem to see if His authority needed to be challenged. They challenged and questioned His authority by associating His good works with Beelzebul. They accused Jesus of being possessed by Beelzebul, therefore acting as a raving madman. Beelzebul was a reference to a false Canaanite god associated with demons. By the first century, the Jews used it as a name for Satan.

Their logic didn’t make sense. They didn’t deny that Jesus freed people from evil spirits, but they believed He did it by using demonic powers. They went even further and stated that he drove out demons by the authority of Satan Himself. 

How do people express skepticism regarding Jesus Christ today? How do they attempt to associate the works of Jesus, especially the gospel, with something evil? Why do people have so much trouble acknowledging Jesus’s authority? 

So, we see that Jesus is called “crazy” by his family and “demon possessed” by the religious leaders. Both completely reject him and demean him.  However, Jesus did not try to run or hide. He confronted their skepticism regarding His authority head on by summoning them and telling a parable.

The Source of Jesus’s Authority Revealed – Mark 3:23-27

Jesus describes two situations in His parable—a kingdom and a house. Neither can stand if it is divided. Both situations are then related back to Satan’s domain.  Satan, the chief of the fallen angels, rebelled against God’s authority, was cast out of heaven, and was the origin of evil—including the temptation that led to humanity’s sin and fall. He remains limited by the hand of God, though He did tempt Jesus during His earthly ministry (Matthew 4:1) and continues to tempt humanity.

The New Testament teaches that the world and culture are the temporary domain (kingdom/house) of Satan; however, one day Jesus will return with all power and authority, fulfilling the eternal judgment of Satan and his followers. 

The scribe’s argument was completely illogical. If Jesus was working alongside Satan to cast out the demons, the enemy would be destroying his own kingdom. It would mean civil war in the kingdom of evil.  “In the same way, a home, with people working against one another, is doomed.” 

Jesus declared that He was working to advance a much different kingdom. The source of His authority was not from Satan but from God the Father.

Who was the strong man in Jesus’s parable?

The Life Application New Testament Commentary states that “Jesus’s parable reflects a situation in the ancient world where wealthy people’s homes were virtual fortresses, and their servants could form a small army. Jesus pictured Satan as the wealthy man (strong man) and his demons as his servants and possessions. The only way those possessions could be carried off would be for someone to first tie up the strong man.

Jesus, as God, has “tied up” Satan. Jesus was not in league with Satan, as the teachers of the law tried to claim; rather, he had overpowered Satan by refusing his temptations and by constantly freeing people held in Satan’s grasp.” 

In what ways might you attribute Satan with more authority than he really has? Are you more afraid of the authority of Satan or more confident in the authority of Jesus? What might your answer reveal about your view of Jesus’s authority versus Satan’s authority?

Jesus demonstrated His superior power by dismantling Satan’s work. The fact that He could cast out demons and defeat evil spirits provided evidence that He was an agent of righteousness, sent by God to do God’s work.  However, the greatest demonstration of Jesus’s authority is revealed in Jesus’s next words. 

The Scope of Jesus’s Authority – Mark 3:28-30

Jesus’s greatest demonstration of authority is through His power to forgive and free people from “all sins and whatever blasphemies they utter.” Yet, this passage has led to a lot of discussions regarding the subject of the unpardonable sin—blaspheming the Holy Spirit.

Do you struggle with believing that people can be forgiven by Jesus for all sins and even blasphemies they utter? What sins might you struggle with believing Jesus could forgive? What are some of your thoughts, opinions, or insight you have regarding when someone has blasphemed the Holy Spirit? 

Too often people miss the promise found in verse 28 and worry more about the warning in verse 29.  Those who believe in Jesus will be forgiven of all sins (evil acts, wrong actions, good actions not done, evil thoughts, evil motives, etc.) and of all blasphemies (evil words said against God). When there is confession and repentance, no sin is beyond God’s forgiveness.

However, we can’t ignore the one sin that cannot be forgiven. One must ask then when does someone cross over to the point of no return? Mark called blasphemy of the Holy Spirit an eternal sin because it involves rejecting Jesus’s identity as the Messiah sent from God and refusing the salvation and forgiveness only He provides. When exactly is this determined?

The Life Application New Testament Commentary provides a good explanation: “Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit refers not so much to a single action or word as to an attitude. Those who defiantly deny Jesus’ divine power and instead attribute it to Satan are blaspheming the Holy Spirit (see also Matthew 12:32). Jesus was not talking about rejecting him, but of rejecting the power behind him.” 

In the case of the scribes, their failure to recognize the Spirit, under whose influence Jesus was actually operating, indicated that they were dangerously close to committing the unforgivable sin. Verse 30 reveals why Jesus warned them of this when Mark tells us it was “because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.” By identifying the Holy Spirit as Satan in Jesus’s life, the religious leaders were committing unspeakable blasphemy. They were rejecting the authority of Christ the Messiah and attributing it to Satan, thereby blaspheming the Holy Spirit.

We must realize that this is not for us to determine. God is the only one who possesses the knowledge to know when one crosses this threshold. The only time we can be most sure is if someone dies completely and blatantly rejecting Christ. Additionally, if you are worried that you have committed this sin, then you most likely haven’t. Someone who has won’t worry about it!

This criteria is also one of many and most certainly one of the major ways of identifying religious groups as cults. If they deny the authority of Christ as the Son of God and/or reject the work and power of the Holy Spirit, then they are blaspheming God.

The Authority of Jesus In Your Life

Do you believe Jesus has just as much authority to heal someone physically as He does to forgive sins? How should your prayer life reflect that belief? How should your conversations with people reflect that belief?

Consider the areas in which you might be denying or questioning Christ’s authority. Spend some time talking with Jesus about your struggles and about surrendering to Him once again.

The downloadable teaching helps provide more details for this study, along with some tools you can use in guiding a group Bible study. 

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These teaching helps are intended to be used as a supplement to your study of Lifeway's Explore the Bible curriculum resources. Portions of this material are taken directly from content copyrighted to Lifeway Christian Resources Explore the Bible and is used with permission.  This material has not been reviewed by Lifeway Christian Resources. 

What do these words have in common: chatty, garrulous, loquacious, talkative, talk your ear off, chatty Cathy, chatterbox? These all describe someone who just can't keep quiet. Even the quietest person will speak up and possibly become more talkative than anyone else in a group regarding a subject that is interesting to them.  Mark 1:35-45, the focus of the Explore the Bible Study: Proclaimed, is all about knowing when to remain silent and when to speak up.

After Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, Mark records Jesus’s interactions with His first disciples and a series of miraculous events that took place in Capernaum.

• Mark 1:21-28 records Jesus displaying His authority over Satan by exorcising a demon from a man who had disrupted Jesus’s teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum. Jesus rebuked the evil spirit and healed the man.
• Mark 1:29-34 then records Mark’s account of Jesus healing Peter’s mother-in-law, along with many other residents of Capernaum.

Then, in Mark 1:35-45, we find Jesus in another part of the Galilee region. Jesus makes a very important decision to separate Himself from the crowds, disciples, and busyness so He can spend time with His Father. 

It’s during this event that we discover something about when we should remain silent and when we should speak up as we follow Jesus.

The Disciples Missed the Silent Part! - Mark 1:35-39

Multiple times throughout the gospel writings, we are told how Jesus would get away from the crowds to be alone with His Father. Seeking God and spending time alone with Him was vital to his mission. He was residing in a human body that functioned with all the personality and emotions of any other human being. He needed time away to recharge, rethink, and refocus.

Yet this time away was not received very well by the young disciples. They totally missed what was unfolding. Notice how Mark includes that, “Simon and his companions searched for him, and when they found him they said, “Everyone is looking for you”?

The disciples seemed oblivious and quite possibly irritated by Jesus’s disappearance. It’s only through Mark’s writings after the fact that we understand why Jesus went away. He desired time with God through prayer. 

If Mark had written this event in real time as it unfolded, he might have said something like this: “I can’t believe Jesus is missing. What was He thinking? Just when things were really starting to look up, he disappeared, and we can’t find Him. All these people are waiting on Him to do more great things. We have an opportunity here to capitalize on the momentum.”

The word “search” most likely describes this type of response. “Search” is derived from a verb that means to “track down.” In the Greek, it was usually used in a hostile way. The disciples were most likely disturbed and maybe even aggravated with Jesus, so they were trying to track Him down. 

Do you sometimes wonder why Jesus isn’t doing something you think He should be doing? Do you ask the same question Simon Peter asks? What can you learn from this scene?

There are a few things we can learn from these verses. 

• First, if Jesus seems silent or absent while you are experiencing a problem or a need, this doesn’t mean He is ignoring you.
• Second, as believers we all need to know when to get away and alone with the Father in prayer. It is during those times that God usually speaks the loudest. However, we should understand that when we are alone with God in prayer that there will be people, situations, and other distractions that will try to pull us away as did the disciples with Jesus.

What activities could keep you so busy that you miss spending time with God?

How can busyness drain you physically and emotionally?

How can busyness distract you from God’s plan for your life?

How can busyness cause you to miss hearing from God?

Where is your “deserted place” that helps you hear from God?

Because Jesus spent time with the Father, He was more resolute regarding His mission and purpose. He knew He could not remain silent.

Jesus Couldn’t Remain Silent – Mark 1:38-39

Jesus always knew why God had placed Him in this world. He hadn’t forgotten, but He had grown tired and possibly distracted by all the needs around Him. After pulling away for awhile, we see Jesus becoming refocused and more resolute about His purpose and His next steps.

Notice how Jesus said, “Let’s go”; then he began talking about what He had come to do personally.

Why did Jesus take His disciples with Him when it was His mission that He had come to fulfill? How would you describe your mission as a believer? Who should you take with you as you go?

Why didn’t Jesus simply stay put and let the people come to Him? Do we sometimes expect people to come to us instead of us going to them?

Jesus had come to preach the good news of God’s kingdom to as many people as possible. His ministry and message involved far more than just one or two towns and He invited His disciples to join Him and learn from Him as we went from town to town.

This should also be our purpose and ministry as believers. We are commissioned to take the good news to those who have not yet heard about Jesus, letting them know that salvation is only available through Him. As we go, we too should take others with us so that they can learn and grow in their faith.

People Who are Looking for Jesus Won’t Remain Silent - Mark 1:40-42

According to the World Health Organization, leprosy still affects more than 200,000 people worldwide today; but it can be treated, and most people are able to live normal lives. In the first century, though, it was a feared and dreadful disease. 

Leprosy during biblical times could have described many skin diseases, but it commonly affected every part of the body. In worst cases, it would slowly eat away and rot the body, putting its victim under a guaranteed death sentence. According to Old Testament writings we know that lepers were isolated from social interactions and placed in leper colonies outside the city. They would have to dress like people in mourning by wearing torn clothes and a face covering. When other people approached, lepers were required to shout out that they were unclean so those people could avoid them.

But this leper did not shout out that he was unclean. He came to Jesus begging to be made clean which was the equivalent to being healed. His boldness was measured with humility, as he fell to his knees and pleaded with Jesus to make him clean. 

What actions demonstrated Jesus’s view of the leper and His needs? How does this compare to how you might respond to someone who is “unclean” because of sin? 

We see in Jesus how all believers should respond, yet we must admit it is easier said than done. Jesus had a compassionate heart toward this man. His compassion for this man’s need was larger than His fear, prejudice, or bias. Jesus reached out and touched this man. Then He healed the leper.

If Jesus could reach out to a leper with compassion, certainly we can offer the healing power of the gospel to someone who might come to us seeking Jesus. If someone reaches out to us because they know they are “unclean” because of sin, we certainly should be ready to reach out to them, demonstrate compassion, and offer them the healing power of the gospel.

People Who Have Been Healed by Jesus Can’t Remain Silent - Mark 1:43-45

Why did Jesus not want the man to tell anyone except the priest? Do you believe Jesus knew this man couldn’t keep his mouth shut? What was the result of the man’s disobedience? Did it stop the spread of the gospel? (No)

Jesus warned him not to tell anyone about being healed. Yet, this man told everyone. His testimony could not be silenced. The fact that Jesus could no longer enter a town openly, was out in deserted places, yet they came to Him from everywhere tells us a lot about the power of the Gospel message. 

When Jesus is revealed to a world desperate for something or someone to heal their lives, they will seek Him wherever He may be found because of the testimonies of those whose lives have been changed by Him.

Consider your times of silence and times when you speak up for the gospel. 

What can you learn from this passage today?

Perhaps you need to learn from Jesus regarding the time you need to be quiet as you let God speak to you through prayer. 

Perhaps you are like the disciples who didn’t know when to keep silent and didn’t understand the silence of Jesus when so many people were seeking Him. 

Perhaps you are like the leper before he was healed. You know you need to come to Jesus for healing. If you come to Him, He will come to you in compassion, reach out and touch your life, and heal you from your sin. 

Or perhaps you think the way the leper responded after he was healed is the way you need to live your life. Perhaps you desire to be so bold that you speak up, even when we are told not to speak up so that others might seek Jesus.

 The downloadable teaching helps provide more details for this study, along with some tools you can use in guiding a group Bible study. 

Download PDF Version

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LifeWay Explore The Bible Resources

These teaching helps are intended to be used as a supplement to your study of Lifeway's Explore the Bible curriculum resources. Portions of this material are taken directly from content copyrighted to Lifeway Christian Resources Explore the Bible and is used with permission.  This material has not been reviewed by Lifeway Christian Resources. 

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL? College season is here, and along with it comes a lot of hype. As you examine this week's Explore the Bible Study: Introduced, think about all the hype that goes into anticipating an upcoming football season. Then compare this anticipation to the long awaited coming of the Messiah. Mark's gospel is going to introduce us to that long-awaited coming. Perhaps the following video will help set the context of the anticipation. Our anticipation of an upcoming football season pales in comparison to the coming of the Messiah, yet the hype was not nearly what one would expect.

While you might not care that college football is beginning again most avid college football fans have been anticipating this time of the year for months. The Gospel of Mark begins with the end of a long wait by the people of God for the coming Messiah. 

The Gospel of Mark is the second of the four gospel accounts of Jesus’ life. It is called a gospel account because it announces the “good news.” “Gospel” comes from a Greek word “evangelion,” which literally means “good news.” In the New Testament, it refers to the announcement that Jesus has brought salvation to the world through his life, death, and resurrection from the dead.

Mark begins with the introduction of Jesus to the world through a man called John the Baptist. John the Baptist had lived in the wilderness, looked different, wasn’t of royal blood, and was baptizing and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. But his most important job would be to introduce to the world, the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

Mark simply, yet powerfully, introduces Jesus to a primarily Gentile audience. It opens with the phrase in Mark 1:1, “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” With this simple and powerful introduction, Mark takes us down a path to help us understand more fully who Jesus is, why He is the Messiah, and what it truly means that He is the Messiah. 

Even in the introduction of Jesus, we discover that the long-awaited Messiah was going to be much different, yet much more than what the Jewish people anticipated. Through this study of The Gospel of Mark, perhaps you, too, will discover that Jesus as Messiah is much different than what you might expect, and, at the same time, much more than what you ever realized.

Perhaps it will help answer the question or confirm for you regarding why you should follow Jesus. In the first three verses we see that God always sends people to be His messengers of the Good News of Jesus Christ. In this case, it was John the Baptist.

Prepare the Way for the Messiah—Mark 1:1-3

For centuries, the Jewish people had been longing for the Messiah’s arrival. But since they were expecting a military leader who would free them from Roman rule, many missed the significance of Jesus once He burst onto the scene. Mark was led by God to begin with Jesus’ earthly and public ministry instead of His birth and early years as did other gospel accounts. 

His first sentence is a declaration, a title page for the One being introduced: Jesus Christ, the Son of God. This description of Jesus was very important. It presents the entire message of the gospel that is only available through Jesus Christ. 

• “Jesus” – from the Hebrew name “Joshua.” It means “The Lord is salvation.”
• “Christ” – A Greek word meaning “anointed.” Jesus was anointed by God. It also corresponds to the Hebrew world “Messiah.”
• “Son of God” – So as not to leave any doubt, Mark introduces Jesus as the “Son of God” thus proclaiming the deity of Christ and affirming that Jesus is fully God and fully man. This would a recurring theme throughout Mark’s gospel.

We are also introduced to the messenger, John the Baptist, in verse 1. In ancient cultures a forerunner would be sent ahead of a king to prepare for the king’s entrance into a town. He would make necessary arrangements and line out the path in which the king would enter. Jesus was The King. While His kingdom was “not of this world” (John 18:36), as the Son of God, He was anointed to redeem His people who were of this world.

Read Mark 1:3 again. There were two actions this messenger from the wilderness was to take.  How can these actions apply to believers today?

Believers are messengers from the wilderness as well. As believers we will or should be viewed differently from others. Our actions may seem unusual and, at times, very different than most of society. However, we are to be ones who “cry out in the wilderness” the gospel message. We are to remove all barriers so that the Messiah has a clear path to the hearts of men. 

As John prepared the way, he could have become prideful because of the results in his personal ministry. Verse 4-8 reveals this was not the case.

Move out of the way for the Messiah—Mark 1:4-8

Imagine if this were today. Because of what was taking place, would people be more attracted to the ministry of John the Baptist than to the One he was introducing? In what ways did John’s actions and lifestyle demonstrate his humility? Why do you think his humility was necessary in carrying out the mission with which he was charged?

“John was preaching something different than what the first-century Jews had been hearing. As a result, he created a great deal of excitement throughout the region. . . John’s preaching created so much excitement that it had people talking across the region. Great numbers were flocking to the countryside to hear him preach. 

This would not have been an easy trip since the Jordan River is more than twenty miles from Jerusalem, including a descent of around 4,000 feet. Those who traveled to hear him were committed to hearing what he had to say. Going out suggests that people were continually coming.” – Source, ETB Leader Commentary.

John denied any pretense of self-indulgence so that all attention would be directed toward the coming Messiah.

What if John had ignored Jesus and considered his popularity and message more important because of the crowd’s response? 

How does Acts 19:1-4 help you understand why John had to point people to Jesus? How does this help you understand that simply repenting of sin is not enough? What if John had ignored this in order to maintain His popularity?

John knew people needed to be directed to the Messiah for salvation. Yet at this point the Messiah was not present. But this was about to change. While John was preaching repentance and preparing the people for the Messiah, Jesus showed up.

Present the Messiah – Mark 1:9-13

Jesus arrived and was baptized in the Jordan by John. Jesus would have traveled around fifty miles from Nazareth to reach the Jordan River. One should also note that Jesus’ baptism was not for repentance or for salvation. Jesus needed neither. He was completely sinless. Instead, He chose to be baptized out of obedience to the will of His Father (See 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 3:18). Jesus’ baptism signified the beginning of His earthly ministry and was an example for others.

This was an epic event that revealed God’s love for His Son, and the revelation of the Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The introduction of Jesus was not only an affirmation but a demonstration as God’s power. 

Verse 11 gives us a declaration from God that is very much the basis for all we cherish and hold true in our faith. Most of us can relate in a small way to the love and pride God felt as He declared the words of affirmation to His Son.

Notice what took place next in verses 12-13. Notice it was the Holy Spirit that took Jesus to the wilderness. What can you learn about serving God from this passage?

Jesus had just been affirmed by the Father and His Spirit. But the Spirit had an additional task to perform. He was to “drive” Jesus into the wilderness. This is a strong word that indicates that the Spirit was insistent that Jesus go, and Jesus obeyed.

Jesus needed to come face-to-face with everything you and I would face as we seek to follow Him. 

Jesus needed to come face-to-face with everything you and I would face as we seek to follow Him. He was taken into the wilderness to be subjected to the temptations of Satan and to face the dangers of wild animals. But there is one important statement no one should forget. As Jesus was guided by the Spirit into situations where He would face temptations and danger, the angels were there “serving Him!”

How Should You Introduce the Messiah to Others?

Consider these questions as we conclude:

John was to prepare the way and clear the path for the coming Messiah. What actions should we take that prepare others to meet Jesus Christ? What actions indicate that we are clearing the path instead of cluttering the path to the Savior?

How can you remain humble when others begin to respond to you because of your faith in Christ?

How does Jesus obediently following the Spirit into the wilderness to face danger and temptation help you as you follow Jesus?

As you go about your daily routines this week, consider how you can introduce people to Jesus. Perhaps some of the characteristics of John the Baptist and the reality of who Jesus really is will change the way you introduce others to the Good News of the Gospel!

The downloadable teaching helps provide more details for this study, along with some tools you can use in guiding a group Bible study. 

Download PDF Version

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LifeWay Explore The Bible Resources

These teaching helps are intended to be used as a supplement to your study of Lifeway's Explore the Bible curriculum resources. Portions of this material are taken directly from content copyrighted to Lifeway Christian Resources Explore the Bible and is used with permission.  This material has not been reviewed by Lifeway Christian Resources.