Lesson 10: Mark 4:35-5:43
Lesson 10: Mark 4:35-5:43
- Introduction
- Overview of Mark chapter 5 and a bit of chapter 4 (verse 35)
- Title of the teaching: “To Sentence and to Serve”
- Jesus’ Authority
- Jesus’ authority over spiritual beings and human beings
- How Jesus uses His authority with both creations
- Jesus’ Authority to Sentence
- Jesus’ use of authority to sentence the deep (chaos, sin, death)
- The calming of the storm in Mark 4:35-41
- Jesus’ authority over the deep – symbolism of water as chaos
- Jesus’ Authority Over Demons
- Jesus encounters the demoniac in Gerasene
- Explanation of demon possession vs. mental illness
- Jesus’ authority to sentence demons to swine
- Analysis of the demons’ reactions: running, bowing, shrieking, confessing, begging
- Jesus’ Authority Over Disease and Despair
- Story of the woman with the issue of blood (Mark 5:25-34)
- Jesus healing the woman’s disease and ending her despair
- Reflection on why Jesus heals some but not all
- Jesus’ Authority Over Death
- Jesus raises Jairus’ daughter from the dead (Mark 5:35-43)
- Jesus’ authority to overcome death as a foreshadowing of His resurrection
- Responses to Jesus’ Authority
- Begging responses from demons, people of Gerasene, Jairus, and the sick woman
- Judgment responses: Demons, Gerasene people, and those who reject Jesus
- Surrendering to Jesus and being sent by Him
- Jesus’ authority to serve and His compassion through identification, contamination, and resurrection
- Conclusion
- Reflection on personal responses to Jesus’ authority
- Will we beg, be judged, reject, surrender, or be resurrected?
- Philippians 2:5-11: All will bow and confess Jesus as Lord
Lesson 9: Parables
Lesson 9: The Parables of Jesus
- Introduction
- Story about George Frideric Handel and Bob Coughlin
- Purpose of music and its connection to serving others
- Connection to the mission of Jesus
- Purpose of Jesus’ Parables
- Earthly stories with heavenly meanings
- Designed to provoke thought, evoke truth, cloak mystery, and invoke action
- Point 1: Provoke Thought
- Parables were intentionally provocative, sparking deep reflection
- Amusing vs. thought-provoking: Jesus’ stories required meditation
- Example: Parable of the Tenants (Mark 12:1-12)
- Summary of the story
- Message about evil tenants and the son
- Jesus’ reference to Psalm 118:2-3 and its significance
- Point 2: Evoke Truth
- Jesus’ parables were intended to awaken truth about God’s kingdom
- Shift in understanding of the kingdom of God
- Illustration: Art Museum example
- Advice to study parables deeply, like digging for treasure
- Example: Parable of the Tenants in context with Isaiah 5
- Connection between the two stories
- Lesson about unfaithful leadership in God’s vineyard
- Point 3: Cloak Mystery
- Jesus used parables to reveal truth to receptive listeners, while concealing it from the hostile ones
- Reference to Mark 4:11-12: The secret of the kingdom of God
- Parables reveal the hearts of men
- Example: The Parable of the Sower
- Point 4: Invoke Action
- Parables should lead to action
- Example: The Parable of the Tenants teaches us to be humble hearers of God’s word
- Application: Stewardship of our lives, families, and responsibilities
- Call to be doers of the word, not just hearers
- Conclusion
- George Handel’s quote about his music’s purpose: to make people better, not just entertain
- The connection between Handel’s music and the kingdom of God (Revelation 11:15)
- Final prayer: Seeking to be better and recognize our role as tenants under the King of Kings
- Introduction
- Opening remarks and prayer
- Mark’s personal background and connection to farming
- Discussion on Mark Chapter 4:1-34
- Main headline: The “secret of the kingdom of God” (Mark 4:10-12)
- Explanation of the term “secret” or “mystery” in scripture
- The kingdom of God revealed in parables
- Old Testament mystery now revealed through Jesus
- Jesus’ teaching style and purpose of parables
- The Parable of the Sower
- Story of two types of people: those who know Jesus and those who do not
- Interpretation of the parable elements
- The sower as Jesus and His followers
- The seed as the gospel of the kingdom
- The soils as different heart conditions
- Lessons from the Parable of the Sower
- Characteristics of the sower
- Jesus as a humble, unassuming sower
- The sower’s indiscriminate scattering of seeds
- Abundance of seeds symbolizing liberal sharing of the gospel
- Resilience of the sower despite challenges
- Illustrative story about the cost of sowing and farming
- The Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20)
- Call for believers to be sowers of the gospel
- God’s love for all people (1 Timothy 2:1-6)
- Encouragement to share the gospel universally, without judgment
- Personal Reflections and Challenge
- Reflection on personal hesitation in sharing the gospel
- Scriptural encouragement (Colossians 4:5-6)
- Call to prayer for wisdom in sharing the gospel
- Challenge to listeners: Reflect on their own gospel sharing practices
- Invitation to Non-Believers
- Explanation of the gospel message and salvation through Jesus Christ
- Call to repentance and faith in Jesus
- Closing Remarks
- The growth of the kingdom of God from a mustard seed to a global movement
- Exhortation to fulfill the Great Commission
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Jesus often withdrew to pray, despite the relentless demands of the crowd (Mark 3:9-10). Reflect on your current prayer life. What distractions keep you from spending focused time with God, and how can you prioritize prayer to strengthen your relationship with Him?
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In Mark 3:22-27, Jesus challenges the accusation that His work is of Satan by explaining that a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand. How can this principle apply to your own relationships or personal integrity? Are there areas in your life where division or inconsistency is preventing unity or growth?
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Jesus redefines family as those who do the will of God (Mark 3:31-35). What “idols” or misplaced loyalties (e.g., family, career, reputation) might be competing with your devotion to God? How can you re-align your priorities to put God above all else?
