2. “If we only spent more of
our time in looking at
Christ we should soon
forget ourselves.”
D. Martyn If we want to become like
Lloyd-Jones Christ, then we must get
to know Christ!
3. Sharpening Our Focus on Christ!
Five passages each week to help us
“fix our eyes upon Jesus!”
6. Gospel of Mark: Background
▪ The author - “John Mark”
- Mentioned 8 times in the NT
- Was Roman (Marcus)
- Close associate of Apostle Peter
7. Gospel of Mark: Background
▪ The recipients – From evidence from
within the book, it appears that Mark
was writing his gospel primarily for a
Roman audience.
8. Gospel of Mark: Background
▪ “Signature” word: Mark uses a certain
word 42 times in his gospel (a word used
only 7 times in Matthew and once in Luke)
- “eutheos” = immediately, straightway
9. Gospel of Mark: Signature
Word
Mark’s emphasis in his gospel account is
not so much on what Jesus taught as it is
on what Jesus did!
The Gospel of Mark contains :
- Only 18 of the 70 parables of Jesus
- Over half of the 35 miracles of Jesus
10. Gospel of Mark: Signature
Word
The Gospel of Mark is a fast-flowing
narrative. Among the gospels it is the
Gospel of Action!
11. Gospel of Mark: Gospel of
Action
Who was his target audience?
Romans!
12. Gospel of Mark: Signature
Word
The Gospel of Mark is a fast-flowing
narrative. Among the gospels it is the
Gospel of Action!
The Gospel of Mark is also the
Gospel of Passion!
13. Gospel of Mark: The
Emotional Side of Jesus
References to the emotions of Jesus:
Matthew – 6 references
Luke – 7 references
John – 4 references
Mark – 16 references to Jesus’
emotions!
14. Gospel of Mark: Background
The Gospel of Mark is the Gospel of
Action and the Gospel of Passion!
Very relevant to us in 21st century
America as we tend to be both
pragmatic and passionate!
15. Gospel of Mark: Theme
Verse and Structure
Mark 10:45
“For even the Son of Man came not to be
served but to serve, and to give his life as
a ransom for many.”
16. Mark Mark Mark Mark
1:1-14 1:15-10:52 11:1-15:47 16:1-20
ACT 1 ACT 2
An “Even the and to give An
informative Son of Man His life a incredible
PROLOGUE did not ransom for CONCLUSION
come to be many.”
served, but (10:45)
to serve. . .
The The The The
Servant’s Servant’s Servant’s Servant’s
revelation serving sacrifice resurrection
to the world (3 ½ years) (8 months) from the tomb
17. The Servant’s revelation
to the world (1:1-13)
Mark 1:1
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus
Christ, the Son of God.
GOOD NEWS!
18. The Servant’s revelation
to the world (1:1-13)
The Servant’s IDENTITY
Mark 1:1
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus
Christ, the Son of God.
19. The Servant’s revelation
to the world (1:1-13)
The Servant’s IDENTITY
He is JESUS, our Savior, fully man and
fully God, the Messiah of God!
20. The Servant’s revelation
to the world (1:1-13)
The Servant’s IMPORTANCE
Mark 1:2-4a
As it is written in Isaiah the prophet,
“Behold, I send my messenger before your
face, who will prepare your way, the voice
of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the
way of the Lord, make his paths straight,’”
John appeared . . .
22. The Servant’s revelation
to the world (1:1-13)
John the Baptist . . .
▪ He fulfilled prophecy
▪ He experienced a fruitful ministry
23. John the Baptist . . .
Mark 1:4-5
John appeared, baptizing in the
wilderness and proclaiming a baptism
of repentance for the forgiveness of
sins. And all the country of Judea and
all Jerusalem were going out to him
and were being baptized by him in the
river Jordan, confessing their sins.
24. The Servant’s revelation
to the world (1:1-13)
John the Baptist . . .
▪ He fulfilled prophecy
▪ He experienced a fruitful ministry
▪ He practiced a simple lifestyle
25. John the Baptist . . .
Mark 1:6
Now John was clothed with camel's
hair and wore a leather belt around his
waist and ate locusts and wild honey.
26. The Servant’s revelation
to the world (1:1-13)
John the Baptist . . .
▪ He fulfilled prophecy
▪ He experienced a fruitful ministry
▪ He practiced a simple lifestyle
27. From outside of Mark . . .
John the Baptist . . .
▪ All four gospel writers begin their
accounts of the ministry of Jesus with
the ministry of John the Baptist! (as do
Peter and Paul in their sermons in the
book of Acts!)
28. From outside of Mark . . .
John the Baptist . . .
▪ Even later in his ministry, Paul
encountered disciples of John in far off
Ephesus (Acts 19:4)
29. From outside of Mark . . .
John the Baptist . . .
▪ Jesus had this to say about his cousin,
“Truly, I say to you, among those born
of women there has arisen no one
greater than John the Baptist.”
(Matthew 11:11)
30. The Servant’s revelation
to the world (1:1-13)
Mark 1:7-8
And he preached, saying, “After me
comes he who is mightier than I, the
strap of whose sandals I am not worthy
to stoop down and untie. I have baptized
you with water, but he will baptize you
with the Holy Spirit.”
31. The Servant’s revelation
to the world (1:1-13)
The Servant’s IDENTITY
The Servant’s IMPORTANCE
The Servant’s MISSION
Mark 1:9
In those days Jesus came from Nazareth
of Galilee and was baptized by John in
the Jordan.
32. The Servant’s revelation
to the world (1:1-13)
Matthew 3:14-15
John would have prevented him, saying,
“I need to be baptized by you, and do
you come to me?” But Jesus answered
him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is
fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.”
Then he consented.
33. The Servant’s revelation
to the world (1:1-13)
2 Corinthians 5:21
For our sake he made him to be sin who
knew no sin, so that in him we might
become the righteousness of God.
34. The Servant’s revelation
to the world (1:1-13)
Mark 1:10-11
And when he came up out of the water,
immediately he saw the heavens being
torn open and the Spirit descending on
him like a dove. And a voice came from
heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with
you I am well pleased.”
35. The Servant’s revelation
to the world (1:1-13)
In allowing John to baptize him, Jesus
was making his mission known. He was
here to save sinful humanity! To take
man’s place on the cross! His baptism
marked the public declaration of his
mission!
36. The Servant’s revelation
to the world (1:1-13)
The Servant’s IDENTITY
The Servant’s IMPORTANCE
The Servant’s MISSION
The Servant’s CONFIRMATION
37. The Servant’s revelation
to the world (1:1-13)
Mark 1:12-13
The Spirit immediately drove him out
into the wilderness. And he was in the
wilderness forty days, being tempted
by Satan. And he was with the wild
animals, and the angels were
ministering to him.
38. The Servant’s revelation
to the world (1:1-13)
Hebrews 1:14
Are they not all ministering spirits sent
out to serve for the sake of those who
are to inherit salvation?
39. The Servant’s revelation
to the world (1:1-13)
So what is the significance
of Christ’s temptation by
Satan?
- Stones to bread
- Worship Satan for world’s glory
- Jump off Temple to see God save
40. The Servant’s revelation
to the world (1:1-13)
Each temptation was an enticement
for Jesus to take a short cut --- to go
the easy way rather than God’s way.
With each temptation, Jesus
withdrew a sword from its scabbard
and he slew the temptation with
three simple words: “It is written!”
41. The Servant’s revelation
to the world (1:1-13)
In turning back the Tempter’s
temptations, Jesus confirmed that
He was indeed qualified to be the
sin-bearer of all humanity!
Mark introduces us to the servant’s
identity, importance, mission and
confirmation.
42. Today’s Takeaways
1. God calls us all to live for Christ and
to point others to Him! Does your life
reflect that? And does your lifestyle
help or hinder you in the fulfilling of
this call?
43. Today’s Takeaways
2. If Jesus Christ, the Son of God
required the anointing of the Holy
Spirit to fulfill his mission and a
knowledge of God’s Word to apply as
he resisted temptation … how much
more do we need the Spirit and the
Word in our lives?!!
