Mark 1:14-20

Mark 1:14-20

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 1:14-20(NIV)

Jesus Announces the Good News

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 has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

Jesus Calls His First Disciples

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 send you out to fish for people.” 18 At once they left their nets and followed him.

19 When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. 20 Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

Paraphrase

• John was put in prison (see Mark 6) and Jesus went to Galilee preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God.  He called men and women to repent and believe the Gospel.
• Jesus picked ordinary men doing an ordinary job to follow Him
• They left their fisherman jobs immediately to follow Jesus, there was no delay
• These men were going to be fishers of men not fishers of fish from now on

Principles

• I am an ordinary person also but God works through the ordinary person if they are willing to be submissive to His will
• I need to be obedient to His calling and act on it.  This is not passive but active.
• Jesus would train the fishermen to be fishers of men and He trains us throughout our life if we seek to live a life for Him

Pose the Question

• Do I have an urgency to share the Gospel and teach truth about Jesus to those who don't know Him
• Do I respond immediately to God's calling on my life?
• Do I truly believe that God will work in and through me for the extension of His Kingdom

Plan Obedience

• Praying that I will be truly obedient no matter the cost.  

Mark 1:9-13

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 1:9-13 New International Version (NIV)

The Baptism and Testing of Jesus

9 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 Just 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.”


12 At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, 13 and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted[a] by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.


Paraphase

• Jesus was baptised by John the Baptist in the Jordan River and the spirit of God descended upon Him like a dove.
• God spoke to His Son and expressed His love and pleasure for Him.
• Jesus was in the desert for 40 days being tempted by Satan but he was not alone as angels attended to His needs

Principles

• Jesus had the Holy Spirit come upon Him. That same Holy Spirit is in ever believer.
• God speaks to us at different times assuring us of His great love
• Jesus experienced desert times and so can we. The enemy seeks to tempt us in different ways and yet we are not alone in those times.

Questions

• If I truly believe that the same Spirit that was in Christ is also in me then how should my life look? Do I trust Him to do a work in and through me?
• Do I live my life believing that God loves me more than anyone else ever could?
• How do I manage spiritual dryness or wilderness moments in my life? Do I trust God through them and rely on Him to see me through?

Plan Obedience

• To remember that I don't do life alone but have the Holy Spirit within me to guide, counsel and teach me what I need to know.

Introduction to our study in Mark

Our time in Mark will be slightly different to our time in Judges.  We will be taking smaller chunks of scripture and delving deep.  However, due to this I hope to be posting more often.  We will be using a Bible study method by Priscilla Shirer to do that.  Priscilla Shirer is a Bible study teacher and speaker from the States and you can check her out at http://www.goingbeyond.com/ if you are interested.

Priscilla Shirer uses the 5 P's of Bible Study.  This is explained below from her website at Going Beyond.  As I said we will be using this method as we work through the Gospel of Mark.


AS YOU BEGIN YOUR TIME WITH THE LORD EACH DAY

1. Position yourself to hear from God. Engaging in the spiritual disciplines of silence and solitude always assists in hearing God through the Scriptures.

AS YOU LOOK INTO THE PASSAGE YOU ARE STUDYING

2. Pore over the passage and Paraphrase the major points. Take time to fully engage in each verse you read. Don’t just skim over it; meditate on it. Then paraphrase what you’ve read from each verse either in your workbook or a separate journal.

3. Pull out the spiritual principles. Close your Bible and look at the paraphrases you’ve written down. For each one, record the spiritual principle that it is designed to convey. Is there a command to follow? Is there a promise to heed? Is there an attribute of God revealed?

4. Pose the question. For each of the spiritual principles you’ve pulled out, form a personally directed question. In your daily living, are you following the command, heeding the promise, depending on that attribute of God? As you ask yourself questions from the text, you will find a divine dialogue begin to develop as the Holy Spirit brings answers, conviction, and challenge.

5. Plan obedience and Pin down a date. Consider what God would have you do as a result of the conversation you’ve had with Him and then plan to obey Him. If possible, pin down a date so that you can remain accountable.

New Study - The Gospel of Mark

The break is over and so it is time to dig deep again and start a new study.  This time we will move from the OT to the NT and study the book of Mark.  I am looking forward to getting into this book and seeing what we learn from it and how we apply the truths to our lives.  I will be back with you soon with the first lesson.  Hope you will join me in it.  :)

Time for a wee break

Due to us heading for Home Assignment there will be a break in the Come by the Well Bible studies.  However, it will resume when we return. Thanks for joining me on this challenge.  If there is a topic or Bible book study you would like to see on here then please let me know at Pam.wunderli@maf-uganda.org

It is time to review

We have now finished Judges.  However, I trust and pray that the things that you have learned through this study have been invaluable.  Unfortuntely, for those doing this study from afar you haven't had the benefit of being in our groups, hearing people share of how God has spoken to them in a personal way, through His Word.  For everyone it is something different and that is the amazing thing about God when He speaks.  I realise it hasn't been an easy book to study but there are some great lessons to be learned.  If you are up for it then the last challenge is to send me an email and let me know how God has spoken to you about through the Book of Judges. My email address is pam.wunderli@maf-uganda.org 

Who or what do we worship?

Who or what do we worship?

³“You shall have no other gods before^[a] me.⁴ “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. ⁵ You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God….. Exodus 20:3-4a

 

1.      What is an idol?  How does someone/something become an idol?

 

2.      Name some idols in our world today?

 

3.      How do we identify an idol in our own life?  At what point does something or somebody become an idol in our life?

 

4.      How do we remove an idol from our life and ensure that God stays on the throne of our hearts?

 

20 piercing questions from Tim Keller.

These are great questions to ask ourselves to diagnose heart idols

 

“Life only has meaning/I only have worth if…

1.      I have power and influence over others.” (Power Idolatry)

2.      I am loved and respected by _____.” (Approval Idolatry)

3.      I have this kind of pleasure experience, a particular quality of life.” (Comfort idolatry)

4.      I am able to get mastery over my life in the area of _____.” (Control idolatry)

5.      people are dependent on me and need me.” (Helping Idolatry)

6.      someone is there to protect me and keep me safe.” (Dependence idolatry)

7.      I am completely free from obligations or responsibilities to take care of someone.” (Independence idolatry)

8.      I am highly productive and getting a lot done.” (Work idolatry)

9.      I am being recognized for my accomplishments, and I am excelling in my work.” (Achievement idolatry)

10.  I have a certain level of wealth, financial freedom, and very nice possessions.” (Materialism idolatry)

11.  I am adhering to my religion’s moral codes and accomplished in its activities.” (Religion idolatry)

12.  This one person is in my life and happy to be there, and/or happy with me.” (Individual person idolatry)

13.  I feel I am totally independent of organized religion and am living by a self-made morality.” (Irreligion idolatry)

14.  My race and culture is ascendant and recognized as superior.” (Racial/cultural idolatry)

15.  A particular social grouping or professional grouping or other group lets me in.” (Inner ring idolatry)

16.  My children and/or my parents are happy and happy with me.” (Family idolatry)

17.  Mr. or Ms. “Right” is in love with me.” (Relationship Idolatry)

18.  I am hurting, in a problem; only then do I feel worthy of love or able to deal with guilt.” (Suffering idolatry)

19.  my political or social cause is making progress and ascending in influence or power.” (Ideology idolatry)

20.  I have a particular kind of look or body image.” (Image idolatry)