Life of Christ: Ministry/Teaching

Life of Christ: Purpose and Power (Mk 2:1-12)

REVIEW:

Luke 2:1-7 (Birth of Christ) The Messiah enter’s the world as a baby(incarnation), yet the world did not receive him, demonstrated by the phrase “there was no room for them in the inn.” We focused on this phrase to help us to look to our lives to clear out space for Jesus to live in hearts.

Luke 2:41-52 (Jesus in the Temple) Jesus grows from baby to boy (young man) (hypostatic union) (Messianic Consciousness) and demonstrates his undivided devotion to the word of God. We looked to young Jesus as a model for our focus and attention to be on things of God more than any other.

Matthew 3:13-17 (Jesus’ Baptism) Jesus matures from boy to man, and after John the Baptist has prepared the way, Jesus goes to him for Baptism. After his baptism, the spirit and the father appear to confirm the Son’s nature (Divine Nature of Christ) (Suffering Servant) and empower his ministry. His humility is an example for us to follow.

Matthew 4:1-11 (Jesus’ Temptation) Immediately after his baptism, he is tempted in the desert by Satan, resisting his advances by the Spirit of God and the Word of God. It is only by those same powers in our lives that we may resist the temptations of this world.

_____

Introduction:

The last two weeks we looked at the inauguration of Jesus’ earthly ministry through his baptism and temptation. We now will look at his ministry which really takes two divisions: Galilee (North) and Judea (South). Galilee, Jesus’ home region where Nazareth is, receives the beginning of Jesus’ earthly ministry. The first things he does, he does them in Galilee.

Background:

(Need of map of Israel, map of Galilee) John records Jesus’ first miracle ever miracle: turning water into wine at a Wedding in Cana. John identifies the blessing and caution with the sign Jesus performed in John 2:23–25 “Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.”

Gospel of Mark (Mk 2: 1-12 // Lk 5:17-26 // Mt 9:1-8 // similar to John 5: 1-17 )

MODERN ATTEMPTS TO REMOVE THE SUPERNATURAL FROM THE BIBLE, FROM THE WORLD IN GENERAL, THE PRINCIPLES PURVEYED BY THE ENLIGHTENMENT. FAITH vs REASON in the word.

-HEBREW: Lift Up sins, Lift up your mat

Crowds: Hear the noise, wanted to see the grand displays, they wanted a sign from Jesus. Signs, in this story and in ours, are not enough on their own.

Cripple: Desperate, helpless, relying on the help of loving friends, received healing in spirit and afterwards in the body.

Friends: Urgently working on behalf of their loved one, knowing he needed help, striving in faith to the only one who could bring it, unaffected by the looks of others, the comments from culture, and the work it required to grow near to Jesus

Pharisees: Informed, superior, puffed up; theoretically the ones who should have faith, but they are the farthest from it.

4 marks of faith:

Compassionate

Christocentric

Resourceful

Rewarded