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
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?
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?
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?
