Day 2: God Rules
**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.
READING:
Mark 1-4
KEY VERSES:
Mark 1:1-3, 10-11; 2:10-11;
3:14-15, 34-35; 4:39-41
BIBLE THEME TO CONSIDER:
God Rules: The one true God created us to enjoy and reflect His glory in all His creation.
BIBLE THEME AS SEEN IN MARK:
The rule and glory of God is most revealed in the God-man: Jesus Christ. Following Jesus is the only way for us to enjoy and reflect God’s glory under God’s good rule. Jesus is the LORD come to us, displaying the glorious heart of God. Mark’s Gospel describes the glory of God seen in Jesus and what it means to follow Him. This is seen in how the Jewish prophet, John the Baptizer, announces Jesus as "the Lord" prophesied to come in Malachi 3. It is made more abundantly clear when with God the Father's announcement and God the Spirit's presence on Jesus at His baptism. Then the life and ministry of Jesus evidences His divinity by Jesus having authority to forgive sins, cast out demons, heal the sick, raise the dead, and more.
QUESTIONS TO ASK:
Q: What have you learned or appreciate more about Jesus?
Q: In what ways do you think most people have the wrong ideas about Jesus?
Q: What do you think about the Bible's claim that the one true God created us to enjoy and reflect His glory in all His creation?
Q: What do you think about Jesus's claim that He is God and the greatest revelation of God's glory?
Q: How are you responding to Jesus?
Q: What passages in Mark 1-4 stood out to you or helped you most and why?
Q: In Mark 1:1-15, what do we learn about Jesus’s identity and message? (Tip: Malachi 3; Isaiah 40)
Q: In Mark 1:16-45, what can we learn about Jesus from just around 24 hours of ministry?
Q: In Mark 2:1-22, what shocking authority does Jesus claim to have, and how does this relate to why He said He came?
Q: In Mark 2:23-3:12, what additional authority does Jesus claim to have, and how do people respond to Him acting according to it? How might this relate to why He said He came?
Q: In Mark 3:13-35, what does Jesus appear to be forming? Why start by calling “twelve” to Himself from on a mountain? Who does Jesus say belong to the people He is forming?
Q: By who’s power do the scribes from Jerusalem accuse Jesus to do His miracles? By Who’s power does Jesus clarify that He is doing miracles (hint: v29). What does Jesus say is the consequence of calling His power unholy? What does He say is true of those who do the will of God?
Q: In Mark 4:1-34, how does Jesus say that the kingdom of God grows? How does Jesus describe those who receive it? Why was Jesus teaching in parables? (Tip: Isaiah 6:9-10)
Q: In Mark 4:35-41, what does Jesus have power over? How do the disciples respond to this? How are you responding to this testimony of eye witnesses?