The Essential Jesus as

Revealed in the Gospel of Mark

February 14th

Sharpening Our Focus on Christ!

Five passages each week to help us “fix our eyes upon Jesus!”

The Essential Jesus as

Revealed in the Gospel of Mark

Mark’s signature word? - “immediately” (42 times)

Mark’s primary audience? - Romans (“get it done!” mindset)

Mark 3:7-35

A Great Crowd (vv. 7-12, 20)

A Pivotal Decision (vv. 13-19)

A Concerned Family (vv. 21; 31-35)

A Vicious Charge (vv. 22-30)

Mark 3:7-35 (Four scenes)

Mark 3:7Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea . . .

Mark 3:6The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.

Scene 1: A Great Crowd

Mark 3:7-8Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea and a great crowd followed, from Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem and Idumea and from beyond the Jordan and from around Tyre and Sidon. When the great crowd heard all that he was doing, they came to him.

Scene 1: A Great Crowd

IDUMEA

Tyre and SidonPeople were

flocking to Jesus from ALL over Palestine

(and beyond!)

A hindrance?

Mark 3:9-10And he told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, lest they crush him . . .

Scene 1: A Great Crowd

for he had healed

many, so that all who had diseases

pressed around him to touch him.

What was Jesus primaryministry, that of healingthe sick OR heralding the

gospel?

Scene 1: A Great Crowd

Mark 1:14-15Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

Scene 1: A Great Crowd

SO it was in this way that this great crowd pressing upon Jesus was actually

hindering him in his mission: they came to touch him, NOT to hear him!

Scene 1: A Great Crowd

- Was a very large crowd.- Contained more than just “the locals.” - Was a desperate crowd filled with

hurting people. - Contained some who were afflicted by

demons.

Scene 1: A Great Crowd

Mark 3:11-12And whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” And he strictly ordered them not to make him known.

Scene 1: A Great Crowd

Mark 3:13And he went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him.

1. To quiet his spirit2. To gain God’s wisdom

Scene 2: A Pivotal Decision (vv. 13-19)

Mark 3:14-15And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach and have authority to cast out demons.

Scene 2: A Pivotal Decision (vv. 13-19)

Mark 3:16-17He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); Jamesthe son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder);

Scene 2: A Pivotal Decision (vv. 13-19)

Mark 3:18-19Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and Jamesthe son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Scene 2: A Pivotal Decision (vv. 13-19)

1. Nothing extraordinary about these men!

2. Church tradition tells us that every single one of these apostles were martyred for their faith in Christ!

Scene 2: A Pivotal Decision (vv. 13-19)

A Great Crowd (vv. 7-12, 20)

A Pivotal Decision (vv. 13-19)

A Concerned Family (vv. 21; 31-35)

Mark 3:7-35 (Four scenes)

Mark 3:20Then he went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat.

Scene 3: A Concerned Family (vv. 21; 31-35)

Mark 3:21And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.”

Scene 3: A Concerned Family (vv. 21; 31-35)

Scene 4: A Vicious Charge (vv. 22-30)

- The “Unpardonable Sin”

Mark 3:7-35 (Four scenes)

Mark 3:31And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him.

In Mark 6:3 – Mark identifies four of these brothers as being James, Joses, Judas and Simon

Scene 3: A Concerned Family (vv. 21; 31-35)

Mark 3:32And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers are outside, seeking you.”

Scene 3: A Concerned Family (vv. 21; 31-35)

Mark 3:33-34And he answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.”

Scene 3: A Concerned Family (vv. 21; 31-35)

The bonds that hold us together are soaked in the blood of Jesus Christ!

A Great Crowd (vv. 7-12, 20)

A Pivotal Decision (vv. 13-19)

A Concerned Family (vv. 21; 31-35)

A Vicious Charge (vv. 22-30)

Mark 3:7-35 (Four scenes)

1. How often are we like the crowd … coming to Jesus thinking of only the needs of our body while neglecting the more important needs of our soul?

Today’s Takeaways

Mark 8:36-37For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul?

Today’s Takeaways

1. How often are we like the crowd … coming to Jesus thinking of only the needs of our body while neglecting the more important needs of our soul?

Today’s Takeaways

2. When faced with stress that threatens to undo us, we need to follow the example of Jesus:

Get away AND get with God!

Today’s Takeaways

3. Do we cherish the relationships we have with one another in Christ? Do we see our church as “family” and act accordingly?

Today’s Takeaways

The bonds that hold us together are soaked in the blood of Jesus Christ!