Mark 1:14-45
In his book The Jesus You Never Knew, Philip Yancey asks, “What was Jesus like?” He imagined himself as a journalist in Jesus’ day. This morning Mark is our ‘journalist’! The man he describes isn’t how we often think of Jesus: a tough guy with a tender side! Let’s meet the Man…
The Jesus You Thought You Knew
• Insipid, tame, weak, timid
• Inclusive, compromising, tolerant
Jesus’ ‘Tough Side’: Man With Authority and Power
• Boldly preaching! (1:14-15)
• Calling disciples (1:16-20)
• Teaching with authority (1:21-22)
• Power over demons (1:23-27, 32-34, 39)
• Power over sickness (1:29-34; 40-42)
• Result: Men follow Him, people seek Him!
Jesus’ ‘Tender Side’: Man of Prayer and (Com)Passion
• Early morning, alone, praying (1:35-36)
o Dependence on His heavenly Father
o Submission to His Father’s will
o Longing for intimacy
• Moved with compassion (1:41)
o Love for people – each and every one
o Intentionally caring – “I am willing!”
…in the early morning…He arose…and departed
to a lonely place, and was praying there…
Mark 1:35
New Braunfels Bible Church September 18, 2011
For Further Study
1. It’s important that we not confuse the “gospel” Jesus preached with the “gospel” we preach today. Compare Mark 1:14-15 with 1 Corinthians 15:1-8. What aspect of His ministry (still future) was Jesus proclaiming? What aspect of His ministry (now completed) was Paul proclaiming? What response does Jesus call for from the Jews (1:15)? What response does God call for from all mankind today (Acts 16:31; Romans 4:4-5)?
2. Reflect on the power of Jesus’ character on display in 1:16-20. What would cause grown men to leave their work and follow another man? What did Jesus promise to make them?
3. Read Mark 1:21-28. Coming into a synagogue (like a church), Jesus exposes spiritual problems. For example, how was His teaching different from their religious leaders’ teaching? What kind of person did He encounter in the synagogue? How might this reflect the state of churches today which stop proclaiming the authoritative Word of God?
4. Mark 1:35-36 is a vivid reminder of the importance of prayer. If the Son of God needed to pray – don’t we?! When will you set aside time to pray this week? Don’t look for a ‘convenient’ time (Jesus got up early); you’ll never find it. Instead, make it!
5. Galatians 6:9 exhorts us not to not “grow weary while doing good.” After being hounded by so many people, what ‘moved’ Jesus to keep on ministering (Mark 1:41)? What helps you to feel compassion for the unsaved?
6. To get a better ‘picture’ of the real Jesus, read Philip Yancey’s The Jesus I Never Knew, or Dorothy Sayers dramatic retelling of Jesus’ life, The Man Born to be King. For parents of younger children, I highly recommend The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones. It reveals the echoes of Jesus in every Bible story – and it will change the way you and your children view Him.
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