Not Far

Priorities

Mark 12:29 NLT

Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord.

Mark 12:30–31 NLT

And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”

Mark 12:32 NLT

The teacher of religious law replied, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth by saying that there is only one God and no other.

Mark 12:33 NLT

And I know it is important to love him with all my heart and all my understanding and all my strength, and to love my neighbor as myself. This is more important than to offer all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices required in the law.”

Mark 12:34 NLT

Realizing how much the man understood, Jesus said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Simon Peter

The Story of Jesus of Nazareth

John Mark

Eye Witness

Mark 1:1 NIV

The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God,

1 Peter 2:23 NLT

He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly.

1 Peter 2:24 NLT

He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed.

1 Peter 1:3 NIV

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

Application, Inspiration, Direction

The BIG Idea

Not because that isn’t true...

Because that’s not the point.

Mark 1:14 NLT

Later on, after John was arrested, Jesus went into Galilee, where he preached God’s Good News.

Map of Capernaum to Jerusalem

Mark 1:15 NIV

“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

Kingdom of the Heart

Kingdom of Conscience

New Covenant

Mark 1:15 NIV

“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

Everybody is invited to participate

Mark 1:16 NLT

One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living.

Mark 1:17 NLT

Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!”

Mark 1:19 NIV

When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets.

Mark 1:20 NIV

Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

Mark 1:21 NLT

Jesus and his companions went to the town of Capernaum. When the Sabbath day came, he went into the synagogue and began to teach.

Mark 1:22 NLT

The people were amazed at his teaching, for he taught with real authority—quite unlike the teachers of religious law.

Mark 1:28 NLT

The news about Jesus spread quickly throughout the entire region of Galilee.