Gospel

Mark 14:8-12 - She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial. And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.” Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them. And when they heard it, they were glad and promised to give him money. And he sought an opportunity to betray him. And on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, “Where will you have us go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?” Mark 1:1 - The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Mark 8:31 - And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. Exodus 12:5-7,11 - Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats, and you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill their lambs at twilight. “Then they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it…In this manner you shall eat it: with your belt fastened, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. And you shall eat it in haste. It is the Lord's Passover. 1 Corinthians 5:7 - Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Application: · The good news is that God has provided salvation through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. · The Son of Man is pictured as a heavenly figure who in the end times is entrusted by God with authority, glory and sovereign power. · Jesus was like a lamb without blemish or defect. · Blood symbolizes a sacrifice offered as a substitute, one life laid down for another. · The Lord would pass over and not destroy the occupants of houses that were under the sign of the blood. · In His death on the cross, Christ fulfilled the true meaning of the Jewish sacrifice of the Passover lamb. All Scripture verses taken from ESV

The Poor You Will Always Have With You

Mark 14:5-7 - For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they scolded her. But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me. Deuteronomy 15:11 - For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’ Luke 4:18-19 - “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.” Application: · The needs of the poor lay close to Jesus’ heart. · Do I extend generosity and kindness to the poor? · The Lord was anointed with the Holy Spirit to preach good news to the poor. All Scripture verses taken from ESV

Firm To The End

Mark 13:6-13 - Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains. “But be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them. And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations. And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. And brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death. And you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. John 15:21 - But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. Hebrews 3:14 - For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. Hebrews 6:11-12 - And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. Application: · Standing firm to the end is a sure indication of salvation. Am I standing firm? · Because Christians do not belong to the world, persecution from the world is inevitable. · Do I belong to Him? Am I participating in His blessings? · Am I persevering in faith? · Am I imitating those who will inherit what has been promised? All Scripture verses taken from ESV

Thrown Down

Mark 13:2-5 - And Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” And as he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?” And Jesus began to say to them, “See that no one leads you astray. Luke 19:43-44 - For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation. Mark 1:17 - And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” Application: · God came to the Jews in the person of Jesus the Messiah, but they failed to recognize Him and rejected Him. · Am I totally committed to my call to discipleship? · Am I alert to the danger of deception? All Scripture verses taken from ESV

There Is No Other Besides Him

Mark 12:32-33 - And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” Deuteronomy 4:35 – To you it was shown, that you might know that the Lord is God; there is no other besides him. Isaiah 45:14 – Thus says the Lord: “The wealth of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush, and the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over to you and be yours; they shall follow you; they shall come over in chains and bow down to you. They will plead with you, saying: ‘Surely God is in you, and there is no other, no god besides him.’” 1 Samuel 15:22 – And Samuel said, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. Hosea 6:6 – For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. Micah 6:6,8 – “With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?...He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Application: · Is my belief in one God total and uncompromising? · One day the nations will acknowledge Israel’s God. · Do I bring my sacrifices to the Lord with an attitude of obedience and devotion to Him? · Do I show my obedience by showing right conduct toward my fellow man and showing loyalty to the Lord? · It does me no good to be sacrificial for the Lord without obedience. · Do I show my obedience by acting justly and loving mercy? All Scripture verses taken from ESV

Son Of Man

Mark 10:39-45 - And they said to him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized, but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John. And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 8:31 - And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. Application: · Is my life characterized by humble and loving service? · Jesus gave His life to release me from bondage to sin and death. · The Son of Man, Jesus, is entrusted by God with authority, glory and sovereign power. All Scripture verses taken from ESV

Gospel

Mark 10:26-30 - And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” Peter began to say to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you.” Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. Matthew 4:19 - And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Mark 1:1 - The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Application: · Am I attempting to enter the kingdom on the basis of my achievements or merits? · Evangelism was at the heart of Jesus’ call to His disciples. · The good news is that God has provided salvation through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. All Scripture verses taken from ESV