Day 1: Introduction
**Recommended Use**: Listen to the short sermon clip, read and think through the passages, summaries, and questions below, and then meet up to discuss it all with one or more followers of Jesus.
INTRODUCTION OF THE "GOSPEL":
What is the best news you have ever heard? We are going to spend six weeks talking about good news. Did you know that the primary message of the Bible is summed up with a word that means “good news”?
That's what the word "gospel" means. Let's talk about the word, "gospel." The word “gospel” gets used a lot, and it can be confusing. The reason is that the Bible uses it several ways. It’s the…
- The written genre of the four records (Gospels) of the historical Jesus.
- The “good news” message of all the Bible.
- The “good news” that God is accomplishing in Jesus.
- The primary message the church is called to believe, live, and preach.
We have four different Gospel accounts that all date back to the first century and corroborate evidence that was accepted by eye witnesses. They were written, used, and peer-reviewed by eye-witness followers of Jesus. They each show how all the Bible’s good news is being fulfilled in the historical Jesus. Each Gospel account is a narrative witness of the life, teachings, and ministry of Jesus with a distinct emphasis.
How do these Gospel records fit within all the Bible? All the Old Testament books (the Hebrew Bible) give the preceding history, hope, and many fulfilled prophesies that are recorded in the four Gospel accounts. All the other New Testament letters give commentary on and instruction from the four Gospel accounts.
Mark’s Gospel—which many believe to be the earliest—was likely written within 25 years of Jesus’s ministry. It makes a concise claim in the first verse and then backs it up by spending the remainder of the account recording what Jesus said and did and showing how people respond to Him.
Mark's claim is found in the first verse of this Gospel record: Mark 1:1 "The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God." That's an enormous claim! And we are inviting you to examine the evidence and consider this claim.
INTRODUCTION TO THIS SERIES FORMAT:
Our church heard 55 sermons in Mark's Gospel. You can listen to them in our app as you read through Mark, but we recommend you start by listening to the last of those sermons over six days. If you continue with this series, that is what you will do.
The idea is that you go through this (ideally) with someone else by meeting together six times. You will find discussion questions added along the way to help you think critically and engage in meaningful conversation.
Over the six days in Mark's Gospel, we will follow the way John Mark arranged the various accounts of Jesus’s ministry to confront each one who hears it with this question: “What good is the gospel doing you?” Or, “How are you responding to Jesus, His message, and His work?”
More of this is summarized in the series description. It will be helpful to have read that. Also, here's two quick tech tips: (1) Consider using the notes feature to keep your own discussion questions and answers together with each lesson in the app. (2) You can find links to other sermons in our app and website to help you dive deeper on topics that come up.
Any questions so far? If so, talk about them with whoever is going through this with you. Or, reach out to us through our website.
INTRODUCTION TO THE GOSPEL MESSAGE:
Now that we have covered what we will be doing, let's consider what we will be learning. Billions of people in the past and present have been convinced that there is nothing more important than what we will discuss here. It is a matter of life and death. It is about living in joyful fellowship with God according to His good design... or not.
All creation, all of history, all followers of Jesus, all the Bible, and even truths God put in your conscience bear witness to the message of Mark’s Gospel.
Q: Did that get your attention? Be honest, does it sound a bit dramatic to you at this time?
Let’s sum up the gospel in a sentence.
MARK'S GOSPEL IN A SENTENCE:
God eternally redeems and righteously rules a people who repent from sin and believe on the crucified and risen Lord of all—Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
We have also written the summary in a much longer sentence that we have structured into an outline given below. Much of this series follows this outline. This outline and accompanying Bible passages will give us a high-level view and grounding for the next five days of focusing in Mark's Gospel.
THE BIBLE'S GOSPEL MESSAGE OUTLINED:
God’s Gospel is the good news and Kingly announcement revealed in all the Bible that...
1) God Rules: The one true God created us to enjoy and reflect His glory in all His creation.
Genesis 1:1
Genesis 1:26–28
Exodus 34:6
Psalm 90:2
Revelation 4:11
2) Humanity Rebels: We have rebelliously sought our own glory, earning shame and God’s just judgment for our sin.
Genesis 2:15–17
Romans 5:12
Romans 6:23
Revelation 21:8
3) Christ Redeems: As planned and promised, God sent His eternal Son in Christ Jesus to perfectly live, sacrificially die, victoriously rise, sovereignly reign, justly judge, and faithfully save sinners from God’s good wrath.
Genesis 3:15
Genesis 3:21
Exodus 12:13
Leviticus 16:30–34
Isaiah 52:13-53:12
Psalm 22
1 Peter 3:18
4) Repent & Believe the Gospel: God is reconciling back to Himself a beloved people born of His Spirit who, at the hearing of this good news, repent from sin and lovingly follow the Lord Jesus by faith now and for all eternity in the new creation to the glory of God.
Mark 1:14–15
John 3:16–21
Romans 10:8–14
Romans 6:1–11
Acts 2:41–47
QUESTIONS TO ASK:
Q: What has your interest been peaked? Which of those scriptures stood out to you the most and why?
Q: What is something you did not realize that the Bible said before reading this?
Q: What would you like to be made more clear? What do you have a hard time accepting?
Q: How would you summarize the Bible's gospel message in your own words?
Q: How would you have described it before today?