Mark 3:7-12

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 3:7-12New International Version (NIV)

Crowds Follow Jesus

7 Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed. 8 When they heard about all he was doing, many people came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon. 9 Because of the crowd he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him, to keep the people from crowding him. 10 For he had healed many, so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch him.11 Whenever the impure spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” 12 But he gave them strict orders not to tell others about him.

Paraphrase

• Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the sea because of the crowds
• Jesus was inundated with those who were sick and needed healing
• Unclean spirits knew who He was, the Son of God.  Jesus told them to be silent

Principles

• Jesus withdrew from the crowds to have some time out. This is good practice
• There are always people in need and the work will never end
• Jesus is who He says He is, even His enemies knew who He was

Questions/Reminders

• Do I have enough alone time with God?  Do I need to create it like Jesus did since the crowd keeps pressing in?
• Not everyone that has a need needs to be solved or met by me
• It is good to be remember who God is and all His attributes.

Mark 1:3 -6

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 3:1-6New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Heals on the Sabbath

3 Another time Jesus went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. 2 Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. 3 Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.”

4 Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent.

5 He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. 6 Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.

Paraphrase

• Jesus entered the synagogue and encountered a man with a withered hand
• The Pharisees were watching Jesus to see if Jesus would heal on the Sabbath
• Jesus challenged the Pharisees on their view of the Sabbath
• Jesus was angry and was grieved by their hardness of heart
• Jesus healed the man despite the Pharisees intent to destroy Him

Principles

• Jesus was compassionate and noticed people
• Our sin affects Jesus and causes Him pain
• Jesus did what was right even though it wasn't popular

Questions

• Do we sometimes stand on the sidelines and judge the work that Jesus is doing in people's lives?
• Do we allow Jesus to challenge us personally on the things we believe and do?

Mark 2:23-28

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 2:23-28New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath

23 One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain. 24 The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”

25 He answered, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? 26 In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.”

27 Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

Paraphrase

• Disciples picked grains on the Sabbath but the Pharisees said it was not lawful
• Jesus gave the example of David eating the consecrated bread because he was hungry
• Sabbath was made for man not man for the Sabbath

Principles

• It is easy to judge when it comes to other people
• We can learn from other people in similar circumstances
• Don't make something that was for our benefit into something binding and legalistic
• Leave the judging to God and pray for the person instead

Questions

• Do I have a tendency towards legalism?  If so, in what areas?
• Am I willing to learn from Jesus example in how he treated people?

Mark 2:18-22

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 2:18-22New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Questioned About Fasting

18 Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. Some people came and asked Jesus, “How is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not?”

19 Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them. 20 But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast.

21 “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. Otherwise, the new piece will pull away from the old, making the tear worse. 22 And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins.”

Paraphrase

• People were being asked Jesus why His disciples were not fasting when John's and the Pharisees were
• Jesus explained that you only fast when the bridegroom is no longer present
• Jesus used the idea of wineskins to prove His point

Principles

• Enjoy the time in the Bridegrooms presence
• Fasting has a spiritual reward if done in the right way
• The new life that Jesus offers us cannot be put into a old form

Questions

• Am I enjoying the Bridegroom and all that He has for me?
• Is fasting something that incorporate into my life as a believer?
• Do I accept the new life Jesus has given me or do I hold onto the old?

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?