MARK 1:1-13
Lesson One
WILDERNESS AND THE SPIRIT = THE BEGINNING OF THE GOOD NEWS
I. Greetings:
II. Beginnings:
A. Introduction:
Note: The book of Mark is considered by some to be the first of the Gospels written. Church tradition tells us the book is Mark’s account of Peter’s preaching as Mark heard it given, no doubt many times, in Rome. So, in a sense, Mark is possibly the Apostle Peter’s account of the life and teachings of Jesus.
Note: One more thought before we begin. If you struggle with grammar and are not an excellent writer, then you should bond with Mark. The Greek in Mark is poor and his grammar is seemingly full of mistakes. Luke’s Greek is much more beautiful in comparison.
B. The Beginning:
>>>> Have someone read Mark 1:1.
Q This is the beginning of what?
An = the gospel of Jesus Christ
Q What does “gospel” mean?
An = “good news”. Many of us are at the beginning of our faith and some of us would like to begin a new and more challenging life with our Lord. So maybe this can be the beginning of good news in our lives.
C. Mark the Man:
Note: There are 2 sets of 4 short references to Mark the man. Let us read: Acts 12:12; 12:25, 13:13; and 15:37-40 (assign one text to each of four people in the room).
Have the four different people read their texts:
Q What was Mark’s failure responsible for?
An = It split a godly evangelistic team. However, Barnabas took pity, the same Barnabas that took a risk on the shunned Paul in Paul’s early days. Paul confronted the person who made a mistake, whereas Barnabas accepted the person who made the mistake. Perhaps both are serving the Spirit. It seemed to work. Pick four people to read: Col. 4:10; Philemon 24; II Tim. 4:11; I Peter 5:13 (assign one text to each of four people in the room).
>>>Have the four different people read their texts:
Q Is there hope for us if we have failed early in our Christian life?
An = Mark was raised into the Christian movement from earliest days. It was like he was a “church kid” and “church kids” are often those who do not have the toughness to really live the Christian life. If you have been raised in the church, and feel you have failed, then perhaps the very fact that God allowed this failure, this quitter, to write one of the Gospels is a word of encouragement for you.
D. How Does One Begin Speaking of God Coming to Earth?
Note: A gospel is an account of almighty God coming to earth. It is the story of God becoming man.
Q How would you begin such an account? What is the best way, according to Mark, to start learning of Jesus Christ? Mark has structured his story in some remarkable ways. It appears that Mark wanted us to put ourselves into the story so that it becomes our story.
Q How did God begin the preaching of the good news of Jesus to you? How did you first hear it, really hear it?
An = See if some will share what they experienced. Notice what story Mark chose to use in telling the story of the Son of God’ coming to earth.
III. John the Preacher of Repentance:
>>>Have someone read Mark 1:2-4.
Q How did our story open?
An = The story opened with a man named John preaching a singular message.
Q What was the essence of John’s message?
An = Repentance. Mark appears to be saying that if people wish to have God come among them, God will demand that it must begin with repentance.
Q How many Christians, who really lived for Christ, began their walk with God with repentance?
An = Get them to give some of their experiences and then mention that perhaps some of them will really begin to encounter the living Christ when they begin to truly repent. Until they do they are not really ready, no matter what religious background they have, to receive the Son of God.
>>>Have someone read Mark 1:5-6.
Q What did this tell us about John?
An = Note where the messenger comes from, he came from the wilderness. The wilderness or the desert is a double symbol in the Old Testament. It means purity and being in a condition of deprivation.
Q Where did Moses acquire the Law?
An = Moses received the Law from Mt. Sinai, from the desert. To live in the desert is to live a hard life. It is physically very uncomfortable. Moses did not hear the Word of the Lord in the comfortable (but distracting) circumstances of downtown Babylon or Cairo.
Q Who did John remind the people of?
An = Elijah. He too came from the desert or wilderness. He had not lived a soft life nor come from the great seminaries or schools of his day. He came from the desert. Is Mark saying that to be a servant of God and be able to bear the message of Christ to a lost and dying world, one must spend some time in the desert? Must there be some type of discomfort in the training of the messenger?
>>>Have someone read Mark 1:7-8.
Q Who was John promoting?
An = John was promoting Jesus. Like John, our goal too is to point to Jesus, not to ourselves. Our goal is not to have a good career, gain respect, or to be someone substantial in the religious community. Our goal is to point to Jesus, for if we are wise, like John, we realize we are not worthy to untie the thong of His sandals. John was not into phony humility but was truly humble for he saw his work and place in the context of Jesus. He saw his role as promoting Someone else.
Q John the “Baptist” promised the coming one would baptize not with water but with what?
An = the Holy Spirit.
IV. Jesus’ beginnings:
>>>Have someone read Mark 1:8-13.
A. The beginning work of the Spirit.
Q Who descended upon Jesus?
An = the Holy Spirit (Mark 1:10).
Q Who drove Jesus into the wilderness?
An = the Holy Spirit (Mark 1:12). The same Spirit did both. He baptized and drove Jesus into the wilderness.
Q Who does Jesus want to baptize us with?
An = the same Holy Spirit (Mark 1:8).
Note: If we allow the Holy Spirit of Jesus to deal with our lives, and we obey Him, He will baptize, but He will also drive us into the desert.
Q Does the desert symbolize good easy times?
An = No, it is the place of temptation, struggle, and hardship. However, such experiences are not meant for our ruin but for our good.
Q Can you share where a struggle or hardship has blessed you or someone you know?
An = It is only those who have struggled in the bleak aspects of life that can really be able to know the Lord. A sign that you are called, or a sign that you understand who the Lord is, seems to be that you have been through desert experiences. If God has not blessed you with a constant companion of the opposite sex, or the easy, enjoyable job, or the success you would like or deserve, or the health that you desire, that may be a sign that He would like to teach you. He teaches, instructs, prepares, and tests His best ones in the desert, in the wilderness.
Q Can you think of other good beginnings in the Bible that started in the desert?
An = Remember Moses? He had some great disappointments and spent 40 years in the wilderness before becoming the greatest of all God’s prophets.
Remember Israel in the book of Numbers? Jesus’ experience was similar to the great themes of the Pentateuch. After God saved Israel with great power at the Red (Reed) Sea then God took them into a wilderness experience. Remember David in the books of Samuel? He was anointed king at an early age (possibly 15), but he spent another 15 years being hunted by Saul (often in the wilderness) before he became king. Having a wilderness experience is necessary training to be able to live in the “promised land”. Remember Elijah, John, and Jesus and yes our own “quite when things get rough” Mark. Our desert might be now or yet to come, but it means good.
Note: If we read Mark’s story and place ourselves in John the Baptist’s position then to be powerful in introducing others to God we must be placed in the desert. Even Jesus was sent to the desert. If we place ourselves in the role of a reader of Mark’s gospel, Mark seems to be saying the first task of preparation is to repent. Both of these themes are repeatedly in the Old Testament. The necessity of difficulty being part of the training of a messenger and the starting point to get right with God is often repentance.
Note: One final observation: wilderness experiences always end if we are faithful. If we learn discipline in our desert (hardships or failures) then we can turn out like Mark.[:]