Mark: The Beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ

We continue our study of the Gospel of Mark as a church as we examine the life of Jesus and his invitation for us to follow His example. The goal is not to gain an academic understanding of this gospel, but to be transformed by the Jesus we see here. May these discussion questions help you dig into the truth found in this passage and may it have a deep and lasting impact on your life.
What comes to mind when you think about authority?
Are you a person who naturally respects authority, or someone who resists authority?
Can you think of a time when you have seen authority abused?
What about a time when you have seen authority stewarded well?

Read Mark 1:12-28 and look for the authority of Jesus on display.

Authority in Temptation (1:12-13)

Authority in Preaching (1:14-15)

Authority in Calling (1:16-20)

Authority in Healing (1:21-28)
Does anything jump out to you in these quick snapshots into the life of Jesus?
Jesus is driven out to the wilderness, a place devoid of life and sustenance where He is completely dependent on God.
How have you experienced God in the wilderness seasons of your life?
How does the temptation of Jesus encourage you?
Mark presents Jesus as one who has come to make all things right and he is shown doing what Adam didn’t do in the first garden. Our “adversary” (Satan) has a one-dimensional strategy that has been at the core of temptation ever since the garden.
What is it?
Why do you think it is so effective for Satan to cause us to doubt the goodness of God?
Jesus speaks for the first time (v. 15) and clearly states the simplicity of the gospel, “repent and believe.”
How are you tempted to make the gospel more complex than this?
Jesus breaks from social norms when He initiates by calling His disciples.
How have you experienced God’s initiation and pursuit of you?
Jesus teaches and casts out a demon, which causes people to be astonished and amazed at the authority of Jesus.
Do you find yourself resisting or resting in the authority of Jesus?
The authority of Jesus invites us, not to just commit to him, but to surrender.
What is the difference between these two?
How can surrendering to Jesus’ invitation to follow Him be freeing?

We are jumping into the Gospel of Mark as a church and it is our prayer that God will use this gospel to bring conviction to our confession and clarity to our confusion that often surrounds Jesus. May we faithfully align with Jesus’ invitation to follow Him in accomplishing His mission.
What comes to mind when you think about the book of Mark?
What is unique about this gospel in relation to the other three gospels?

Watch the Bible Project Video giving an overview of Mark:

Click Here!

Our desire is not to accumulate knowledge about the book of Mark, but to grow in our understanding and love for Jesus. What excites you as we jump into this study of Mark?

On Sunday, we talked about a couple of key things that give us a solid context for understanding Mark’s gospel.
Author: John Mark Date Written: 60s AD Original Audience: Romans Themes: Immediately and Authority
What was interesting and/or surprising for you about the context of Mark?

We pointed to three key questions in Mark’s gospel:
Who is Jesus? What did Jesus come to accomplish? How will people respond to Jesus?
Why are these questions so important for us today?

Read Mark 1:1-11. What do you learn about Jesus in these verses?
What is something that you learn or are surprised by in this text?

In the first 11 verses, we highlighted four testimonies to the identity of Jesus: Mark declares (1:1), the prophets testify (1:2-3), John prepares (1:4-8), and God Speaks (1:9-11)
What jumps out to you about these testimonies?

How could the first 11 verses of Mark help you explain to a non-Christian friend what you believe about Jesus and why?

Mark wants us to see that Jesus is the long-awaited king who was God, but this King came to prepare a way for us to come back to God. Jesus made it possible for us to share His identity as a son/daughter of God.
How does this encourage you today?
What would it look like for you to live in the truth that you are God’s child?