Mark 2:13-17

1. Position yourself to hear God

2. Pore over the passage and paraphrase the main points

3. Pull out the spiritual principles

4. Pose the question

5. Plan obedience and pin down a date

Mark 2:13-17 (NIV)

Jesus Calls Levi and Eats With Sinners

¹³ Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him, and he began to teach them. ¹⁴ As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him.

¹⁵ While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. ¹⁶ When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

¹⁷ On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Paraphrase

• Jesus was teaching the crowd and passed by Levi, the Tax Collector and said to follow Him.  He obeyed.
• Jesus fellowshipped with sinners and tax collectors
• The Pharisees judged Jesus in who He was spending time with.  Jesus explained that it is the sick who need a doctor

Principles

• There was automatic obedience from Levi when Jesus called him
• We need to be spending time with unbelievers as they are the ones that need Jesus
• We are not to be judgmental in how we view people

Questions

• Are there areas in my life where I am not obedient?
• Am I willing to share the Gospel with those that need to hear it?
• Am I judgmental in my thoughts towards people?

Mark 2:1-12

1. Position yourself to hear God

2. Pore over the passage and paraphrase the main points

3. Pull out the spiritual principles

4. Pose the question

5. Plan obedience and pin down a date

 Mark 2:1-12 (NIV)

Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralyzed Man

2 A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. ² They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them.³ Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them.⁴ Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. ⁵ When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

⁶ Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves,⁷ “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

⁸ Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? ⁹ Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? ¹⁰ But I want you to know that the Son of Manhas authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, ¹¹ “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” ¹² He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

Paraphrase

• Jesus was at home and many came to hear the preaching of the Word
• Some men brought a paralytic man and lowered him through a hole in the roof.  His faith in Jesus healed him
• The Pharisees questioned Jesus in what He was doing.  They questioned His authority but the evidence of the healed man brought amazement and glorification to God

Principles

• Jesus preached the Word of God at home and and was not ashamed
• We must persevere in our faith in God to see the amazing works He can do
• We should not be like the Pharisees who stand on the sidelines doubting and judging who Jesus says He is and what He says He can do.

Questions

• Will I trust God for more than I do and believe for greater things?

Mark 1:40-45

1. Position yourself to hear God

2. Pore over the passage and paraphrase the main points

3. Pull out the spiritual principles

4. Pose the question

5. Plan obedience and pin down a date

Mark 1:40-45 (NIV)

Jesus Heals a Man With Leprosy

⁴⁰ A man with leprosy^[a] came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”

⁴¹ Jesus was indignant.^[b] He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” ⁴² Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed.

⁴³ Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: ⁴⁴ “See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” ⁴⁵ Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.

Paraphrase

• A man with leprosy knelt in front of Jesus begging to be healed
• Jesus had compassion on him and healed him
• Jesus told the man to go to the Priest and take an offering with him so that people will know that he was healed
• The man disobeyed and told everyone he saw what happened.  This hindered where Jesus could go

Principles

• Jesus shows compassion to this man and his healing is immediate, complete cleansing and Jesus used touch to do it.
• We need to honour the law of God
• Disobedience hindered Jesus in how free he could come and go in places.  Obedience should be our top priority.

Questions

• What sins do I need to be cleansed from? 
• What sins do I need to talk to Jesus about?
• Am I pursuing obedience with Jesus or justifying my sin?

Mark 1:29-34

1. Position yourself to hear God

2. Pore over the passage and paraphrase the main points

3. Pull out the spiritual principles

4. Pose the question

5. Plan obedience and pin down a date

Mark 1:29-39New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Heals Many

29 As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. 30 Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her. 31 So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them.

32 That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. 33 The whole town gathered at the door, 34 and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.

Jesus Prays in a Solitary Place

35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. 36 Simon and his companions went to look for him, 37 and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!”

38 Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” 39 So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.

Paraphrase

• Simon’s mother in law was sick and Jesus healed her
• The whole city came to Jesus and He healed many including those who were demon possessed – He didn’t allow the demons to speak
• Rising early Jesus went out into the wilderness and spent time with His father before preaching to more people and healing them

Principles

• Jesus is personal with people and He gets involved.
• Jesus was in complete control when healing people and the demons had no authority
• Jesus ministered to many but He knew when to stop and spend time with His Heavenly Father

Questions

• Do I truly believe that Jesus is personal to me?
• Do I try and help Jesus when He has complete authority over all things?
• Am I running on empty because I haven’t followed Jesus example of spending time with the Father

Plan

• Develop a strong prayer life, pray scripture.

Mark 1:21-28

1. Position yourself to hear God

2. Pore over the passage and paraphrase the main points

3. Pull out the spiritual principles

4. Pose the question

5. Plan obedience and pin down a date

Mark 1:21-28 New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Drives Out an Impure Spirit

²¹ They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. ²² The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. ²³ Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an impure spirit cried out, ²⁴ “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”

²⁵ “Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!” ²⁶ The impure spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.

²⁷ The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits and they obey him.” ²⁸ News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee.

Paraphrase

• Jesus was teaching in the synagogue with authority
• A man with an unclean spirit cried out and the spirit knew who Jesus was
• Jesus was known throughout the region as one who had authority and one who had power

Principles

• Jesus can be trusted in what He says.  He is different to other teachers
• Jesus has power over the enemy
• Jesus teaching spreads because it is radical and life changing

Questions

• Do I spend enough time getting to know Jesus through His Word?
• Do  really know that I don’t need to be afraid of the enemy because Jesus is all                 powerful?
• Does Jesus’s teaching change my life because it should?