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LESSON FIVE

How to read God's map!

    Mark's gospel is really a "map" in story form.  It tells us about the "Lord's road" - the highway, or path,   that Jesus traveled to the cross, where he died for our sins.

    God sent a messenger named John ahead of the Lord Jesus to open the road, or way, for him.  Read Mark 1:1-5.  Why was he known as John the Baptist? 
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    John told the people about the man who would come after him, the one whose way he was preparing.  What did John the Baptist (not John, who wrote the gospel  of John) say the man who would come after him would do?  (See verse 8.)
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    Read Mark 1:9-11.  What happened when John baptized Jesus in the Jordan River?  (See verse 10.)
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    After Jesus was baptized in water and the Holy Spirit came down upon him, he began his ministry.  He preached and told the people, "Turn away from you  ______________  and believe the ____________  _____________ (verse 15.)

    What did Jesus tell Simon and Andrew they would catch if they came after him?  (Mark 1:16-18.)  __________________________________________________

Read verses 21-28.  How did Jesus teach? (Verse 22.) __________________________________________________

    When Jesus commanded the unclean spirit out of the man in the synagogue, what happened?  (See verse 26.)  
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    The people said, "This man has AUTHORITY!"

    Read Mark 1:32-34.  What kind of diseases did Jesus heal?  __________________________________________________

    In verse 35, when did Jesus pray? __________________________________________________

Where?____________________________________________

    In Mark 1:40-45, a leper came to Jesus for help.   When Jesus touched the leper and said, "Be clean!," how long did it take the leprosy to leave the man? ______________________________

   Jesus came back to his home town after a few days and crowds gathered.  Why did some teachers of the Law get upset when Jesus told a man, "My son, your sins are forgiven?"  (See Mark 2:7.)  
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    How did Jesus prove to them that he had authority on earth to forgive sins?  (Read verses 8-12.) 
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    Jesus passed by a man who was collecting taxes.   Jesus said, "Follow me."  What did the man do?  (See verses 13-14.)
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    Jesus went home to eat with him (Mark 2:15-17.)   Some teachers of the Law who were Pharisees (a very strict religious sect) were disturbed because Jesus ate with outcasts (sinners) and tax collectors.  Read what Jesus told them  in verse 17.  Who did Jesus say that he came to call?  
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    On another occasion, some of the religious people were mad because the disciples (followers and learners) of Jesus were picking grains of wheat to eat as they walked in the fields on the Sabbath (Holy Day of rest).  They said, "Look, it is against our Law for your disciples to do this on the Sabbath!"   How did Jesus answer?  (See verse 27.) 
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    On the same day, Jesus went back to the synagogue, where there was a man who had a crippled hand.  Why were some people watching Jesus very closely?  (Mark 3:2.) 
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    Read Mark 3:3-6.  Jesus asked the people:   "What does our Law allow us to do on the Sabbath?  To help, or to harm?   To save a man's life, or to destroy it?"  Why did Jesus feel sorry for them, even though he was angry at them?  (Verse 5.) 
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    Jesus healed the man's hand, and after that the religious left to meet with some members of Herod's party (the Roman government).   Why?  (Verse 6.)
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    Later on, Jesus picked 12 men who he named as apostles (sent ones).  Even though he would preach and teach to many large crowds, he chose these 12 men to stay with him so that he could teach them to do the same thing he was doing.

    In Mark 3:13-15, Jesus was preparing them to send them out to:

    Some of the religious leaders accused Jesus of having the devil (Beelzebub) in him.  They said that this was how he had the power to drive the demons out.  Look how Jesus answered this in verses 23-30.  What did Jesus say about the person who says evil things against the Holy Spirit?  
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    Read Mark 3:31-35.  Who did Jesus say are his mother and brothers? 
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    Study very carefully Mark 4:2-9.  Now study carefully Jesus' explanation of this parable (teaching) in Mark 4:13-20.  In your own words, tell how Jesus explained what the four soils were like.

    We are to be "good soil!"  Jesus said, You did not choose me; I chose you, and appointed you to go and bear much fruit, the kind of fruit that endures ..."  (John 15:16.)

    The rest of Mark's map tells us how Jesus continued his ministry of forgiving sins, healing the sick, and casting out demons.  Jesus told his 12 followers several times how that he must go to the city of Jerusalem, and suffer many things, and be delivered up to die.  But he also told them how he would rise again from the dead on the third day!

    After Jesus was raised from the dead, he again appeared to his disciples.  (Read Mark 16:14-26.)  He told them to preach the "Good News" to all people!

Your next study (Lesson 6) will be:  How to Walk in the light!.   
 
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Last modified: August 02, 2006
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*a National Heritage Foundation