Lesson 12: More of Jesus’ Miracles

1. Introduction

• Acknowledgment of participants’ engagement in small groups and Bible study.
• Encouragement to share something impactful about the study during Christmas with friends and family.

2. Overview of Mark Chapter 6:30–56

• Passage Divisions:
  • Verses 30–44: Jesus feeds the 5,000.
  • Verses 45–52: Jesus walks on water.
  • Verses 53–56: Jesus heals the sick in Gennesaret.
• Observation: Headings summarize Jesus’ actions but may miss His deeper identity and mission.

3. Context and Key Actions in Mark Chapter 6

• Chapter Overview:
  • Begins in Nazareth with Jesus teaching and being rejected.
  • Disciples sent out to preach and heal.
  • Interlude: John the Baptist’s execution by Herod.
  • Return of the disciples; Jesus attempts to retreat for rest.
  • Miracles: Feeding the 5,000, walking on water, healing the sick.
• Focus of Teaching:
  • Compassion of Jesus as the Good Shepherd (central theme of verses 30–56).
  • Heart of Jesus revealed in His deep compassion for people.

4. Jesus as the Good Shepherd

• Scriptural Support:
  • Mark 6:34: Compassion for people “like sheep without a shepherd.”
  • Supporting passages: John 10, Ezekiel 34, Psalm 23.
• Jesus’ Compassion in Action:
  • Teaching and feeding the crowds.
  • Leading and caring for the disciples.
  • Healing and restoring the sick.

5. Detailed Analysis of Key Miracles

• Feeding the 5,000 (Verses 30–44):
  • Jesus’ focus on providing spiritual and physical sustenance.
  • Significance of abundance: A demonstration of God’s lavish provision.
• Walking on Water (Verses 45–52):
  • Jesus’ leadership and guidance through trials.
  • Disciples’ lack of understanding due to hardened hearts.
• Healing in Gennesaret (Verses 53–56):
  • Jesus’ power to heal and restore lives, fulfilling His role as the compassionate shepherd.

6. Application and Reflection

• Focus on Jesus’ Identity:
  • Recognize Jesus as the compassionate shepherd in trials and blessings.
  • Depend on Him rather than attempting to control outcomes.
• Sharing the Message:
  • Share personal insights from the study with family and friends during Christmas.

7. Conclusion

• Quotation from John Newton emphasizing the completeness of Jesus as the source of everything.
• Closing prayer for understanding and application of the teaching.

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: 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

Opening Remarks

• Introduction and context before the election
  • Importance of faith over political outcomes
  • Prayer for leaders and the country
• Reminder of the teachings on Jesus’ power and authority

Overview of Mark Chapter 3:7-35

• Review of recent lessons and introduction to this chapter
• Visualization of scenes from the narrative
  • Healing on the Sabbath
  • Crowds seeking Jesus
  • Family’s concern about Jesus
  • Accusations by the scribes
  • Jesus’ response about his true family

Key Themes

Pressure

• Jesus faces immense pressure from various groups
• Sources of Pressure
  • Followers seeking healing
  • Religious leaders feeling threatened
  • Disciples trying to understand his mission
  • Jesus’ humanity under pressure
• Jesus’ response: retreating to pray and selecting disciples

Identity

• Common views of Jesus’ identity
  • Some consider him a teacher or myth
  • Family thinks he is out of his mind
  • Scribes accuse him of being possessed
• C.S. Lewis’ perspective on Jesus’ identity
• Jesus’ response to accusations
  • Refuting claims of demonic possession
  • Warning against blasphemy of the Holy Spirit

… it’s not about specific actions like cursing, murder, or adultery, but rather the persistent, willful rejection of the Holy Spirit’s testimony about Jesus’ divinity and role as Savior. It involves repeatedly choosing to deny the truth of the Gospel, calling light darkness and vice versa. The warning is particularly directed at those who know and understand the message of Christ but continue to ignore it. The focus is on a continuous, habitual rejection, not a one-time lapse, underscoring a deep and ongoing refusal to accept Christ.

Call

• Jesus’ true family: those who do God’s will
• Definition of God’s will: desire for all to be saved
• Personal call to each individual

Applications

• Practical responses to pressure
  • Quiet, pray, involve others
• Reflection questions
  • Where are you with Christ?
    • Encouragement to accept the gospel
    • Support available from leaders and small groups
  • How to help those who have wandered
    • Use love and prayer rather than logic to reach out
    • Importance of kindness in bringing others back to faith

Closing Prayer

• Blessing for those listening and engaging in group discussions