Step 2

 

THE GOSPEL ABOUT JESUS CHRIST

 

Mark 1:1-20

Key Verse 1:15

 

“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!”

 

Intro: The good news and forgiveness of sins for the kingdom of God is near. 

**        I WILL SEND MY MESSENGER AHEAD OF YOU (1-8)

Read verses 1-3. What is the gospel about? Where does it begin? (1-2a) Who does the author say Jesus is? (1, 3b) 

** The gospel is about Jesus, the Son of God.

** In the Old Testament Scriptures. This shows that the gospel comes from God. It tells us that God has been preparing this good news of salvation througout history. He spoke about it through the Old Testament prophets and was fulfilling now in and through Jesus.

** 1) The Son of God; 2) the Lord. 

-> Jesus is not a sinner, nor just teacher or good guy or merely a prophet. Jesus has divine origin and rule.

Read verses 4-8. What did John do to prepare the way for the Lord? (4) How does confessing one’s sins and repenting prepare the way for Jesus? What did John say about who Jesus is and what he would do? (7-8, 4b) 

** baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. (verse 4)

** Helps us to see our need for him. The word baptism means “immersed in”. The meaning of John’s baptism was being immersed in repentance. Repentance means “to turn.” It is more than feeling sorry or guilty for our sins, but practically turning from sin to God.

** 7 And this was his message: “After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

He is: More powerful than John. 

He would baptize with the Holy Spirit.

** supports what Mark says about the Scriptures regarding Jesus, that he is the Son of God, the Lord, and through him we have forgiveness of sins. 

->What is the baptism of the Holy Spirit? (Who is the Holy Spirit? The Spirit of God.) To be immersed in the Spirit of God means sins are forgiven. Water baptism represents the repentance for forgiveness, the baptism of the Spirit from Jesus is restored fellowship with God, signifying forgiveness in him, for God is Holy and not sinful.

**        JESUS WAS BAPTIZED AND TEMPTED (9-13)

Read verses 9-11. What happened during Jesus’ baptism? (10-11) Did Jesus need to be baptized by John? (10-11)

** 10 As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

** 1) Jesus’ baptism validated John’s ministry. These events showed that John came from God.

2.These events also confirm John’s message about who Jesus is and what he came to do.

Jesus is without sin. The voice from heaven said: 1) You are my “son”. And 2) “with you I am well pleased.” God is not pleased by sinners. 

Read verses 12-13. What happened immediately after Jesus was baptized? (12) How long was tempted by the devil? (13) What does this tell us about Jesus? 

** verses 12-13: 12 At once the Spirit sent him out into the desert, 13 and he was in the desert forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.

** 40 days. 

** He suffered. He knows our suffering and by overcoming can help us. (Hebrews 2:18: Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.) 

 

 

**        JESUS CALLS FISHERS OF MEN (14-20)

Read verses 14-15. What did Jesus do after John was put in prison? (14) What was the “good news of God” Jesus proclaimed? (15) What does it mean that the “kingdom of God is ‘near’ ”? How can we prepare for it? (15)

** 14 After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15 “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!”

** Verse 15. 

** Repenting and believing. This tells us that kingdom of God is not a physical place or time, but God ruling over us, beginning from the inside out.

Read verses 16-20. What did Jesus do next? (16) What does verse 17 show us about the purpose of Jesus’ calling? How did they respond?

** 16 As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”

** 1) that we would be with him; 2) to do his work and bring people to God. Jesus works with and through his disciples to spread the gospel. 

** they followed “at once” and “without delay” and left everything behind.

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