Gospel of Mark Introduction

Not my notes but using

"THE GOSPEL OF MARK"

Introduction

INTRODUCTION

"The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God"...

So begins the Gospel according to Mark - Mk 1:1The shortest of the four gospels, likely the first one writtenOften overlooked because of the gospels of Matthew and LukeYet the Believer's Bible Commentary notes that because of its brevity...

Mark's gospel is an ideal introduction to the Christian faithIn mission fields it is often the first book translated into a new language

[Who was Mark? What makes his gospel unique? Let's start with...]

AUTHOR AND DATE OF THE GOSPEL

JOHN MARK...

Who apparently came from a wealthy family

His mother was Mary, who had a large house in Jerusalem - Ac 12:12

Some speculate the Last Supper took place in her home (RWP)Also that Mark may have been the young man who fled naked - Mk 14:51-52His cousin was Barnabas, a Levite from Cyprus - Ac 4:36-37; Col 4:10Who traveled with Paul and Barnabas

Starting out on their first missionary journey, but turned back - Ac 13:5,13Which caused trouble between Paul and Barnabas - Ac 15:36-41He later became a fellow laborer and comfort to Paul - Phe 1:24; Col 4:10-11In Paul's final words, Mark proved "useful to me for ministry" - 2Ti 4:11Who also accompanied Peter

Who called him "his son" (his convert?) - 1Pe 5:13Who was in "Babylon" (possibly Rome) at the timeTraditions outside the Bible state:

Mark was an interpreter for Peter - Papias, 130 A.D.Mark composed his gospel mostly from Peter's memoirs - Justin Martyr, 150 A.D.Mark went to Alexandria in Egypt where he died in 64 A.D.-- The early and unanimous opinion is that John Mark wrote this gospelBEFORE 64 A.D....

Certainly so, if written by one who died in 64 A.D.Barnes suggests between 56 and 63 A.D.Some scholars date the book in the early 50's-- A plausible date would 57-59 A.D. (Bible Knowledge Commentary)

[Now for some information about Mark's gospel in particular...]

THEME AND OUTLINE OF THE GOSPEL

ITS THEME OR PURPOSE...

Written to Gentiles, perhaps Christians in Rome (BKC); note the following:

Jewish customs are explained - e.g., Mk 7:3-4Aramaic expresses are translated into Greek - e.g., Mk 3:17; 5:41; 7:11Roman reckoning of time is used - e.g., Mk 6:48; 13:35Only Mark identifies Simon of Cyrene as the father of Rufus - cf. Mk 15:21; Ro 16:13Few OT quotations are usedThe focus appears to be on Jesus as the Perfect Servant (BBC)

Mark emphasizes the deeds of the Lord more than His wordsHe records nineteen miracles, but only four parablesThe deeds of one who "did not come to be served, but to serve" - Mk 10:45-- Thus one could say that the theme is: "Jesus, Servant of Man"A SIMPLE OUTLINE...

The preparation for Jesus' ministry - Mk 1:2-13His ministry in Galilee - Mk 1:14-9:50His journey to Jerusalem - Mk 10:1-52His ministry in Jerusalem - Mk 11:1-13:37His suffering and death in Jerusalem - Mk 14:1-15:47His resurrection and appearances - Mk 16:1-13His great commission and continued work from heaven - Mk 16:14-20-- Jesus came from heaven to serve, and returned to heaven to serve!

[Perhaps of further interest are some...]

SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE GOSPEL

AN EARLY GOSPEL...

Probably the first one writtenAll but 31 verses are quoted in the other gospelsLeading many to conclude that Matthew and Luke based their gospels on MarkA CONCISE GOSPEL...

The shortest of the four gospelsLuke has 1151 verses, Matthew 1071, John 879, Mark 661Mark's entire gospel can be read aloud in 1.5 hoursA FAST-PACED GOSPEL...

Over 40 times he uses a word translated "straightway" or "immediately"Two-thirds of the verses begin with "and"The present tense is used frequently (e.g., they come...He says...He sends...)A VIVID GOSPEL...

Mark presents "lively little touches" not found in the other gospels - Hendriksen"...he wrote with all the graphic distinctiveness and vividness of an eyewitness - ErdmanIt may have been Peter's reminiscences, or perhaps his own, that account for such detailsAN EVANGELISTIC GOSPEL...

It opens with "The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ..." - Mk 1:1It closes with "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature" - Mk 16:15

CONCLUSION of intro

What Mark accomplished with his gospel in the first century was significant...

He left a record of the gospel preached by PeterWhich emphasized the things that Jesus did - cf. Ac 10:36-39That stressed the servitude of Jesus as the Son of Man - cf. Mk 10:45It can serve an important purpose for us today, reminding us...

That Jesus came to serve, and continues to serve - cf. He 7:25That Christian discipleship likewise involves service - cf. Ga 5:13Mark's own life was one of early failure, redeemed by later devotion (Erdman)...

He got off to a rocky start in his service for the gospel of ChristBut he persevered and proved to Paul that he was "useful...for ministry"

May his gospel of Jesus Christ, who came to serve, inspire us to become servants who are also:

"useful for the Master, prepared for every good work" - 2Ti 2:21

_______ Waughtown Application

Application

Waughtown you will be moving forward as Christians away from this very location, but not as away from the church. The church is made up of believers and united in Christ.

So why are we going through Mark as the last series together and what do I hope you get out of it?

A. That you would know the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Mark 1:1 “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;” Many of you sitting here have known many Preachers who have come through these walls. Many of you have been here since youth. But all of us here still need Christ.

Christ in our life can be forgotten even when attending church for multiple generations or serving in the church. Christ can be forgotten.

Let me point to you how Christ is forgotten even within the church.

1. Within the individual. Life for everyone is busy and for whatever reason in the West (myself included) we are not comfortable being told to stop and listen to the Lord. In our busy life we may fit in 5-10 minutes of bible reading or turn on an uplifting worship song counting that as a time of devotion. It’s not, it’s not meeting with God , it is simply putting a check box of disciplines you know are required as a good little Christian.

It is easier to sit watching four to eight hours of sports, movies, or for the readers to read the next great American novel. None of these things are in themselves sin or evil, but take that time in whatever hobby you have and compare to how much time you gave to Jesus in the week?

I’m not talking about work hours, you were designed to work six days a week that honors God. Go and labor, present at work. (Within balance)

But that down time, how is it spent with the Lord? Is it spent in prayer? Is it spent in doing the ministry he has called you to? Chances are the answer is a profound no.

Christ is forgotten among your heart, and repentance is needed.

2. Within family

Salvation is of the Lord, your child may have walked away from Jesus, may never have been saved to begin with. Their salvation is not your problem, salvation belongs to Christ and whom the Father has chosen to give over to the Son. The doctrine of election I have preached on multiple times.

Yet the spiritual tone of your family is the calling of Husbands with the wife in submission, if children are still present with their submission.

Is your family spending time in devotion with the Lord together? Are you praying together? Are you serving together? Are you worshiping together? Men, will your spouse claim you are the spiritual head of the family and that the family knows Christ. If not, Christ has been forgotten, maybe never even had within your home. Repent and believe the gospel.

3. Within the Church

The clear signs of a church that has forgotten Christ is a dry baptismal which is the sign the gospel has not been preached faithfully for sometime, the zeal for the Lord has subs comb to Sunday meetings for the sake of this is just what we do, the church is no longer part of her community. She rejects repentance and death self desire for the sake of a false church government called congregational polity which is really they who control the money tell the Pastor what is going to be done.

The evidence is a church whose meetings are nothing more than a religious Elk lodge or country club gathering. So long as a man is at the pulpit and that man lets the church do whatever she desires there is no issue. For the membership fee pays your salary, so stay quiet.

The church will loose the community within a generation. But repentance can be had and I have heard stories of churches down to three members becoming well over 100 members and growing in areas with less population than ours.

But that church repented, gave over full authority to the elders called and the older members backed off their harden ways. Revitalization can happen with hard changes and a soften hard that keeps their eyes on Christ.

4. Pastors and Deacons

Pastors and Deacons are not immune to loosing Christ. Ministry became an idol and Jesus became a source of money. (ask yourself that question when a Pastor is receiving money but not in love with Christ or shepherding the souls where is His heart?)

Ministry became a notch a belt to achieve a seat in the larger churches. Rather than serving for the sake of knowing Christ.

His devotional life takes a beat seat to his sermon preparation.

Deacons ministry can become an idol for you; you are a voice the elders will listen to before the congregation. Trusted men and while not in authority have influence. Power is just as tempting and money.

Many men loose their love of Christ, their love of the Church within ministry. There are many reasons why they loose their focus on Christ.

For some money and power , for others it’s the question of if I am not in ministry who I am as a Christian, and sometimes the congregation is dead or hostile to any leadership changes that the Pastor falls into despair and questions everything about his rightful calling.

B. That you would learn from Christ

My prayer is as your see Christ, the servant King you will learn to serve and not just be sitting down waiting to be served.

My grandfather until the last few months of his life would always serve. There was never a day that I knew my Grandfather that he was not serving someone in the name of Jesus.

He was no great theologian, his theology was the bare essentials and we never really spoke theology. But I can tell you this he served like Jesus. I learned a lot of that from him.

He was still serving up until the last few weeks of his life. He could no longer walk but still found ways to serve.

Another man, Rev. RC Sproul preached a sermon just a couple weeks before his death on oxygen.

Don’t let your age keep your from serving. You don’t have to serve in mighty ways, but many of you are still able to stand, I know many of you can talk, I know you know how to pray.

Find your ministry, I have brought many things to you to encourgae you to find your ministry. Rather that is serving the homeless, ministrying to a young man at Salem Pregnancy, or creating ministries to step into.

Money is useful, donations are useful to the cause of ministry. Yet doing is what our Master did and doing is the work of the KIng and the works he has called us too.

Do not let your age get a hold of you, rather get a hold of your age and die in service to the King.

C. That you go proclaim the gospel message

Mark’s gospel leaves us with the great commission to make disciples. If you know Christ, make Him known. You are in the best stage of life being retired and for most of you, you still have your health.

Jesus in his ministry, he did a lot of what we call street preaching. But he also did a lot of eating with people, fellowship and discussing the Kingdom of God.

The there is this story which really applies to you;

I was serving with my family in nursing/assistant living homes. The mind was still present with many and for the most part their health was fine too. Every Sunday for I think a couple of years we basically had church. It was very similar to what we do here, even brought out the hymnals a couple times. It was beautiful. If not for COVID would still be doing it. It was a church.

I remember serving the Lord’s supper one Sunday to the residents and staff. That very Sunday before service began I was walking the halls with a CNA, young lady around my age. She knew of me, but did not know me. We stopped in the hallway, she starts to pour her heart out to me with some troubles she was facing.

I listen, I spoke truth, I prayed. She took the supper and the Lord was present.

You are in a position of life where you can spend time talking with a waitress (don’t worry about the food getting cold, or your coffee not being hot) Yes it’s awful service I get it. But you also don’t know the woman behind the apron serving you.

Did her family just get into a car accident, is their a death in her family? Is she sick with cancer? Is she struggling to keep the lights on while her son with Autism can’t receive the services he needs.

You won’t know if you too focused on the salt shaker being just right at your table. Maybe all she needs is the word of Christ and a gentle Christian to say you know what I got you today how can I serve you and share Christ to you?

Next thing you know you are in a discipleship with this person and she is sitting down at your table having coffee. (Make sure she get’s hot coffee, teaching moment)

The gospel among you

Yes, while all of us in this room have much to repent from as individuals, as households, as a church, I as a Pastor. Yet the gospel message is this that Christ died for sinners to give them new life unto the glory of God.

My prayer is for you to make Christ kown, be a part of a local church doing this. I tell you as your Pastor in this season of shepherding you unto another fold, it is time to move forward.

Don’t loose sight of Christ, you did well for the healthy season of Waughtown Baptist, allow her to go and place Christ before in the calling He has for you.

The gospel of Mark begins with the gospel of Jesus Christ and the ending of Mark is the going forward with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Be obedient to His word and go!

Repent and believe the gospel!