Th e

L U C A D O L I F E L E S S O N S
S T U D Y B I B L E
M A X L U C A D O
G E N E R A L E D I T O R
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The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible
2010 Thomas Nelson, Inc.
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THE BOOK OF
M
ark
I N T R O D U C T I O N
Te drama of Marks Gospel peaks in Caesarea Philippi.
Its a religious mecca. Every major religion can be found here. Temples dot the landscape.
Priests stride the streets.
Jesus and His followers are here? Why? If Jesus preached a sermon, its not recorded. If He
performed a miracle, we dont know it. As far as we know, all He did was ask two questions.
The rst, Who do people say that I am?
The disciples are quick to respond. Theyve overheard the chatter. Some say you are John
the Baptist. Others say you are Elijah, and others say you are one of the prophets.
Good answers. True answers. But wrong answers.
Jesus then turns and asks them the question. The question. But who do you say I am?
He doesnt ask, What do you think about what Ive done? He asks, Who do you say I am?
He doesnt ask, Who did you think I was
when the crowds were great and the miracles
were many? He asks, Who do you think I
am? Here against the backdrop of religion. Me,
a penniless itinerant surrounded by afuent
temples. Who do you say I am?
He doesnt ask, Who do your friends think
. . . Who do your parents think . . . Who do
your peers think? He poses instead a starkly
personal query, Who do you think I am?
The disciples arent as quick to respond. One
ducks his eyes. Another shufes his feet. A third
clears his throat. But Peter lifts his head. He lifts
his head and looks at the Nazarene and speaks
the words heaven has longed to hear. You are
the Christ.
You have been asked some important
questions in your life:
Will you marry me?
Would you be interested in a transfer?
What would you think if I told you I was
pregnant?
Youve been asked some important
questions. But the grandest of them is an anthill
compared to the Everest found in the eighth
chapter of Mark.
Who do you say I am?
ABOUT THIS BOOK
Author: Mark, also called John Mark
Date Written: c. A.D. 60
Key Themes:
Jesus was a savior and yet a
servant.
Jesus gave His life as a sacrice for
humanitys broken relationship
with God.
Jesus performed miracles through
the power of God.
Jesus taught about the kingdom
of God.
Key Verse:
For even the Son of Man did not
come to be served, but to serve, and to
give His life a ransom for many (Mark
10:45).
Contents:
I. Jesus Introduction and
Preparation 1:12:12
II. Public Ministry 2:138:26
III. Teachings 8:2710:52
IV. Trial, Death, and Resurrection
11:116:20
h
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MARK 1:145
SITUATION
Persecution and martyrdom
in Rome created a
dangerous environment for
Christians. Mark wrote this
Gospel to the Christians in
Rome to encourage and
strengthen their faith. He
recorded Christs baptism,
temptation, and the
beginning of His ministry
with His disciples.
OBSERVATION
Jesus came to be a human
being in the normalness
of human life. He showed
compassion to the people
around Him. He exemplied
tenderness when He healed
the leper by touching Him.
INSPIRATION
You awoke today to a
common day. No butler
drew your bath. No maid
laid out your clothes. Your
eggs werent Benedict, and
your orange juice wasnt
fresh squeezed. But thats
OK; theres nothing special
about the day. Its not your
birthday or Christmas;
its like every other day. A
common day.
So you went to the
garage and climbed into
your common car. You
once read that children
of the queen never need
to drive. Youve been told
of executives and sheiks
who are helicoptered to
their ofces. As for you, a
stretch limo took you to
your wedding reception, but
since then its been sedans
and minivans. Common
cars.
Common cars that take
you to your common job.
You take it seriously, but
you would never call it
extraordinary. Youre not
clearing your calendar for
John the Baptist Prepares the Way
T
he be gin ning of the gospel of Je sus Christ, the Son of God.
2
As it is
written in the Prophets:
a

Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,
Who will prepare Your way before You.
b

3
The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
Prepare the way of the LORD;
Make His paths straight.
a

4
John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism
of repentance for the remission of sins.
5
Then all the land of Judea,
and those from Je ru sa lem, went out to him and were all baptized by
him in the Jor dan River, confessing their sins.
6
Now John was clothed with camels hair and with a leather
belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.
7
And he
preached, saying, There comes One after me who is mightier than
I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose.
8
I
indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy
Spirit.
John Baptizes Jesus
9
It came to pass in those days that Je sus came from Naz a reth of
Gal i lee, and was baptized by John in the Jor dan.
10
And immediately,
coming up from
a
the water, He saw the heavens part ing and the Spirit
de scend ing upon Him like a dove.
11
Then a voice came from heaven,
You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Satan Tempts Jesus
12
Im me di ately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness.
13
And He
was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Sa tan, and was
with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to Him.
Jesus Begins His Galilean Ministry
14
Now after John was put in prison, Je sus came to Gal i lee, preach-
ing the gospel of the kingdom
a
of God,
15
and saying, The time is
fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in
the gospel.
Four Fishermen Called as Disciples
16
And as He walked by the Sea of Gal i lee, He saw Si mon and
An drew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.
17
Then Je sus said to them, Fol low Me, and I will make you become
fishers of men.
18
They immediately left their nets and followed Him.
19
When He had gone a little farther from there, He saw James
the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat
mending their nets.
20
And immediately He called them, and they left
their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went
after Him.
.,
lessons
1:2
a
NU-Text reads Isaiah the prophet.
b
Malachi 3:1 1:3
a
Isaiah 40:3 1:10
a
NU-
Text reads out of. 1:14
a
NU-Text omits of the kingdom.
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Jay Leno or making time to
appear before Congress.
Youre just making sure
you get your work done
before the six oclock
rush turns the Loop into a
parking lot.
Get caught in the evening
trafc, and be ready to
wait in line. The line at the
freeway on-ramp. The line
at the grocery or the line at
the gas station. If you were
the governor or had an
Oscar on your mantel, you
might bypass the crowds.
But you arent. You are
common.
You lead a common life.
Punctuated by occasional
weddings, job transfers,
bowling trophies, and
graduationsa few
highlightsbut mainly the
day-to-day rhythm that you
share with the majority of
humanity.
And, as a result, you
could use a few tips. You
need to know how to
succeed at being common.
Commonhood has its
perils, you know. A face
in the crowd can feel lost
in the crowd. You tend to
think you are unproductive,
wondering if youll leave any
lasting contribution. And
you can feel insignicant.
Do commoners rate in
heaven? Does God love
common people?
God answers these
questions in a most
uncommon fashion. If the
word common describes
you, take heartyoure
in ne company. It also
describes Christ. (From Next
Door Savior by Max Lucado)
APPLICATION
Do you feel like youre
nothing special? Common?
Theres nothing common
about the power of gentle
compassion exemplied by
Jesus. Who do you have
trouble touching because
they are not attractive in
any way? Compassion
requires more than words;
Jesus Casts Out an Unclean Spirit
21
Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the
Sabbath He entered the syn a gogue and taught.
22
And they were
astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having author-
ity, and not as the scribes.
23
Now there was a man in their synagogue with an un clean spirit.
And he cried out,
24
say ing, Let us alone! What have we to do with
You, Je sus of Naz a reth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You
arethe Holy One of God!
25
But Je sus re buked him, saying, Be quiet, and come out of him!
26
And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with
a loud voice, he came out of him.
27
Then they were all amazed, so that
they questioned among themselves, saying, What is this? What new
doc trine is this? For with authority
a
He commands even the unclean
spirits, and they obey Him.
28
And immediately His fame spread
throughout all the region around Gal i lee.
Peters Mother-in-Law Healed
29
Now as soon as they had come out of the synagogue, they
entered the house of Si mon and An drew, with James and John.
30
But
Si mons wifes mother lay sick with a fever, and they told Him about
her at once.
31
So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up,
and immediately the fever left her. And she served them.
Many Healed After Sabbath Sunset
32
At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who
were sick and those who were demon-pos sessed.
33
And the whole city
was gathered together at the door.
34
Then He healed many who were
sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He did not
allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him.
Preaching in Galilee
35
Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight,
He went out and departed to a sol i tary place; and there He prayed.
36
And Si mon and those who were with Him searched for Him.
37
When
they found Him, they said to Him, Eve ry one is looking for You.
38
But He said to them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may
preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth.
39
And He was preaching in their synagogues throughout all Gal i-
lee, and cast ing out demons.
Jesus Cleanses a Leper
40
Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him
and saying to Him, If You are willing, You can make me clean.
41
Then Je sus, moved with com pas sion, stretched out His hand
and touched him, and said to him, I am willing; be cleansed.
42
As
soon as He had spoken, im me di ately the leprosy left him, and he was
cleansed.
43
And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once,
44
and said to him, See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your
way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those
things which Mo ses commanded, as a testimony to them.
1:27
a
NU-Text reads What is this? A new doctrine with authority.
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compassion requires action.
Look for ways to express
compassion to those who
are starving for a tender
touch.
EXPLORATION
Jesus Compassion
Matthew 8:3, 15; 9:36;
14:14; 15:32; 17:7; 20:34;
23:37; Mark 10:1316;
Luke 7:13; 22:51; John
11:35.
45
How ever, he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to
spread the matter, so that Je sus could no longer openly enter the city,
but was outside in deserted places; and they came to Him from every
direction.
Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralytic
2
And again He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was
heard that He was in the house.
2
Im me di ately
a
many gathered
together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even
near the door. And He preached the word to them.
3
Then they came
to Him, bringing a par a lytic who was carried by four men.
4
And when
they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncov ered
the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let
down the bed on which the paralytic was lying.
5
When Je sus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, Son, your
sins are forgiven you.
6
And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their
hearts,
7
Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can
forgive sins but God alone?
8
But immediately, when Je sus perceived in His spirit that they rea-
soned thus within themselves, He said to them, Why do you reason
about these things in your hearts?
9
Which is easier, to say to the para-
lytic, Your sins are forgiven you, or to say, Arise, take up your bed
and walk?
10
But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on
earth to forgive sinsHe said to the paralytic,
11
I say to you, arise,
take up your bed, and go to your house.
12
Im me di ately he arose, took
up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were
amazed and glo ri fied God, saying, We never saw anything like this!
Matthew the Tax Collector
13
Then He went out again by the sea; and all the multitude came
to Him, and He taught them.
14
As He passed by, He saw Levi the son
of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, Fol low Me.
So he arose and fol lowed Him.
15
Now it happened, as He was dining in Levis house, that many tax
collectors and sin ners also sat together with Je sus and His disciples;
for there were many, and they followed Him.
16
And when the scribes
and
a
Pharisees saw Him eating with the tax collectors and sin ners,
they said to His disciples, How is it that He eats and drinks with tax
collectors and sin ners?
17
When Je sus heard it, He said to them, Those who are well have
no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call
the righteous, but sin ners, to repentance.
a

Jesus Is Questioned About Fasting
18
The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were fasting. Then
they came and said to Him, Why do the disciples of John and of the
Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?
19
And Je sus said to them, Can the friends of the bridegroom
.,
lessons
MARK 2:128
SITUATION
Jesus power over illness and
evil spirits quickly became
exciting news to the people
around Him. They came
to Him from everywhere,
looking for help.
OBSERVATION
Jesus offers hope, healing,
and new life to all who
come to Him in faith.
INSPIRATION
Ill never forget Steven. I
met him in St. Louis. His
twenty-three years had been
hard on him, his arm scarred
from the needle and his
wrist scarred from the knife.
His pride was his st and his
weakness was his girl. . . .
He wanted to change.
But his girlfriend would
have none of it. Oh, she
would listen politely and
would be very sweet, but
her heart was gripped by
darkness. Any changes
Steve made would be
quickly mufed as she
would craftily maneuver him
back into his old habits. She
was the last thing between
him and the Kingdom. We
begged him to leave her. He
was trying to put new wine
into an old wineskin.
He wrestled for days
trying to decide what to
do. Finally, he reached a
2:2
a
NU-Text omits Immediately. 2:16
a
NU-Text reads of the. 2:17
a
NU-Text omits
to repentance.
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conclusion. He couldnt
leave her.
The last time I saw Steve
he wept . . . uncontrollably.
I held big, tough, macho
Steve in my arms. The
prophecy of Jesus was true.
By putting his new wine
into an old skin, it was lost.
. . . No friendship or
romance is worth your soul.
Repentance means change.
And change means purging
your heart of anything that
cant coexist with Christ.
You cant put new life
into an old life-style. The
inevitable tragedy occurs.
The new life is lost. (From
On the Anvil by Max
Lucado)
APPLICATION
Do you need a big change
to put your life on course?
Boldly put your life in
Christs hands and let God
do a miracle!
EXPLORATION
Bringing People to Jesus for
MiraclesMatthew 4:24;
8:16; Mark 9:1720; Luke
5:18, 19.
fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the
bridegroom with them they cannot fast.
20
But the days will come
when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they
will fast in those days.
21
No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on
an old garment; or else the new piece pulls away from the old, and
the tear is made worse.
22
And no one puts new wine into old wine-
skins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled,
and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new
wineskins.
Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath
23
Now it happened that He went through the grainfields on the
Sabbath; and as they went His disciples began to pluck the heads of
grain.
24
And the Pharisees said to Him, Look, why do they do what is
not lawful on the Sabbath?
25
But He said to them, Have you never read what Da vid did when
he was in need and hungry, he and those with him:
26
how he went
into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and ate
the showbread, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests, and
also gave some to those who were with him?
27
And He said to them, The Sabbath was made for man, and not
man for the Sab bath.
28
There fore the Son of Man is also Lord of the
Sabbath.
Healing on the Sabbath
3
And He entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who
had a withered hand.
2
So they watched Him closely, whether He
would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might ac cuse Him.
3
And
He said to the man who had the withered hand, Step forward.
4
Then
He said to them, Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil,
to save life or to kill? But they kept silent.
5
And when He had looked
around at them with anger, being grieved by the hard ness of their
hearts, He said to the man, Stretch out your hand. And he stretched
it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other.
a

6
Then the
Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians
against Him, how they might destroy Him.
A Great Multitude Follows Jesus
7
But Je sus withdrew with His disciples to the sea. And a great
multitude from Gal i lee followed Him, and from Judea
8
and Je ru sa lem
and Idumea and beyond the Jor dan; and those from Tyre and Sidon,
a great multitude, when they heard how many things He was doing,
came to Him.
9
So He told His disciples that a small boat should be
kept ready for Him because of the multitude, lest they should crush
Him.
10
For He healed many, so that as many as had afflictions pressed
about Him to touch Him.
11
And the unclean spirits, whenever they
saw Him, fell down before Him and cried out, saying, You are the
Son of God.
12
But He sternly warned them that they should not make
Him known.
.,
lessons
MARK 3:135
SITUATION
Mark afrmed the spiritual
authority and power present
in Jesus ministry. Jesus
properly interpreted the
Mosaic law. His power was
greater than evil spirits. This
passage also revealed Jesus
ministry to call His spiritual
brothers and sisters to do
the will of God.
OBSERVATION
Jesus demonstrated
remarkable patience.
Though many questioned
His authority, He patiently
refuted them. When His
immediate family thought
that Jesus was a lunatic,
He expanded the concept
3:5
a
NU-Text omits as whole as the other.
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of His family to include the
kinship of people who love
God.
INSPIRATION
Can you still remember? Are
you still in love with Him?
. . . Remember Jesus. Before
you remember anything,
remember Him. If you forget
anything, dont forget Him.
Oh, but how quickly we
forget. So much happens
through the years. So many
changes within. So many
alterations without. And,
somewhere, back there,
we leave Him. We dont
turn away from Him . . . we
just dont take Him with
us. Assignments come.
Promotions come. Budgets
are made. Kids are born,
and the Christ . . . the Christ
is forgotten.
Has it been a while since
you stared at the heavens in
speechless amazement? Has
it been a while since you
realized Gods divinity and
your carnality?
If it has, then you need to
know something. He is still
there. He hasnt left. Under
all those papers and books
and reports and years. In
the midst of all those voices
and faces and memories
and pictures, He is still there.
(From Six Hours One Friday
by Max Lucado)
APPLICATION
Have you forgotten Jesus?
Has your love for Him
slipped through time? Let
Christ renew your love and
let it ow freely again, as it
once did.
EXPLORATION
Spiritual FamilyIsaiah
63:16; John 1:12; Galatians
4:6; Ephesians 2:19;
Hebrews 2:11.
The Twelve Apostles
13
And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those
He Himself wanted. And they came to Him.
14
Then He appointed
twelve,
a
that they might be with Him and that He might send them
out to preach,
15
and to have power to heal sicknesses and
a
to cast out
demons:
16
Si mon,
a
to whom He gave the name Pe ter;
17
James the son
of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom He gave the name
Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder;
18
An drew, Philip, Bartholomew,
Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Si mon the
Cananite;
19
and Ju das Iscariot, who also betrayed Him. And they went
into a house.
A House Divided Cannot Stand
20
Then the multitude came together again, so that they could not
so much as eat bread.
21
But when His own people heard about this,
they went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, He is out of His mind.
22
And the scribes who came down from Je ru sa lem said, He has
Beelzebub, and, By the ruler of the demons He casts out demons.
23
So He called them to Him self and said to them in parables: How
can Sa tan cast out Sa tan?
24
If a kingdom is divided against itself, that
kingdom cannot stand.
25
And if a house is divided against itself, that
house cannot stand.
26
And if Sa tan has risen up against himself, and
is divided, he cannot stand, but has an end.
27
No one can enter a
strong mans house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the
strong man. And then he will plunder his house.
The Unpardonable Sin
28
As suredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men,
and whatever blasphemies they may utter;
29
but he who blasphemes
against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal
condemna tion
30
be cause they said, He has an unclean spirit.
Jesus Mother and Brothers Send for Him
31
Then His brothers and His mother came, and standing outside
they sent to Him, calling Him.
32
And a multitude was sitting around
Him; and they said to Him, Look, Your mother and Your brothers
a
are
outside seeking You.
33
But He answered them, saying, Who is My mother, or My broth-
ers?
34
And He looked around in a circle at those who sat about Him,
and said, Here are My mother and My brothers!
35
For whoever does
the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother.
The Parable of the Sower
4
And again He began to teach by the sea. And a great multitude
was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on
the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea.
2
Then He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in
His teaching:
3:14
a
NU-Text adds whom He also named apostles. 3:15
a
NU-Text omits to heal
sicknesses and. 3:16
a
NU-Text reads and He appointed the twelve: Simon. . . .
3:32
a
NU-Text and M-Text add and Your sisters.
41-Mark-LIB.indd 1357 5/17/2010 12:54:49 PM
&
K
a
7
&
K
a
7
...

ts like a crammed and jammed elevator. People thrust together by chance on

a short journey, saying as little as possible. The only difference is youll eventually
get off the elevator and never see these folks againnot so with the difcult relative.
Family reunions, Christmas, Thanksgiving, weddings, funeralstheyll be there.
Does Jesus have anything to say about dealing with difcult relatives? Is there an
example of Jesus bringing peace to a painful family? Yes, there is.
His own.
It may surprise you to know that Jesus had a difcult family. It may surprise you to
know that Jesus had a family at all! You may not be aware that Jesus had brothers and
sisters. He did. Quoting Jesus hometown critics, Mark wrote, Is this not the carpenter,
the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters
here with us? (Mark 6:3).
And it may surprise you to know that His family was less than perfect. They were. If
your family doesnt appreciate you, take heart, neither did Jesus.
Its worth noting that He didnt try to control His familys behavior, nor did He let their
behavior control His. He didnt demand that they agree with him. He didnt sulk when
they insulted Him. He didnt make it His mission to try to please them.
When Jesus brothers didnt share His convictions, He didnt try to force them. He
recognized that His spiritual family could provide what His physical family didnt. If Jesus
Himself couldnt force His family to share His convictions, what makes you think you can
force yours?
I cant assure you that your family will ever give you the blessing you seek, but I know
God will. Let God give you what your family doesnt. If your earthly father doesnt afrm
you, then let your heavenly Father take his place.
Study Guide
Read Mark 3:2035.
What circumstances or situations make family gatherings stressful?
List several reasons why family relationships can be so challenging.
How can jealousy divide and destroy families?
How can having different convictions than members of your family cause strife
and tension?
List several things you expect to receive from your family.
In what ways have Christian friends become like family members to you?
How are our expectations different with friends than with family members?
Describe what you believe is your responsibility to your family.
How can you look to God to fulll the needs that your family has not met in your
life?
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MARK 4:141
SITUATION
Jesus used parables to
teach. These stories
contained great truths
and insights about God
and man. While quoting
from Isaiah, Jesus also
demonstrated how He
fullled prophecy through
his stories. Mark related not
only the power of Jesus in
stories but also His authority
over creation in His
command of the weather
at sea.
OBSERVATION
Even in the middle of a
dangerous sea, when Jesus
patiently calmed the storm,
He showed the fearful
disciples that He truly cared
for them. Sometimes even
those close to Jesus were
slow to realize how much
He loved them.
INSPIRATION
God, dont you care?
Such an honest cry, a
doggedly painful cry. Ive
asked that one before,
havent you? Its been
screamed countless
times. . . .
A mother weeps over a
stillborn child. A husband
is torn from his wife by a
tragic accident. The tears
of an eight-year-old fall on
a daddys casket. And the
question wails.
God, dont you
care? Why me? Why
my friend? Why my
business? Dont you
care?
Its the timeless question.
The question asked by
literally every person that
has stalked this globe. There
has never been a president,
a worker, or a businessman
who hasnt asked it. There
has never been a soul who
3
Lis ten! Behold, a sower went out to sow.
4
And it happened, as
he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the
air
a
came and devoured it.
5
Some fell on stony ground, where it did
not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had
no depth of earth.
6
But when the sun was up it was scorched, and
because it had no root it withered away.
7
And some seed fell among
thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop.
8
But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang
up, increased and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some
a hundred.
9
And He said to them,
a
He who has ears to hear, let him hear!
The Purpose of Parables
10
But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked
Him about the parable.
11
And He said to them, To you it has been
given to know the mys tery of the kingdom of God; but to those who
are outside, all things come in parables,
12
so that
Seeing they may see and not perceive,
And hearing they may hear and not understand;
Lest they should turn,
And their sins be forgiven them.
a

The Parable of the Sower Explained
13
And He said to them, Do you not understand this parable? How
then will you understand all the parables?
14
The sower sows the word.
15
And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown.
When they hear, Sa tan comes immediately and takes away the word
that was sown in their hearts.
16
These likewise are the ones sown on
stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it
with gladness;
17
and they have no root in themselves, and so endure
only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for
the words sake, immediately they stumble.
18
Now these are the ones
sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word,
19
and the
cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for
other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruit ful.
20
But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the
word, ac cept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some
a hundred.
Light Under a Basket
21
Also He said to them, Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket
or under a bed? Is it not to be set on a lampstand?
22
For there is noth-
ing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept
secret but that it should come to light.
23
If anyone has ears to hear,
let him hear.
24
Then He said to them, Take heed what you hear. With the same
measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear,
more will be given.
25
For whoever has, to him more will be given; but
.,
lessons
4:4
a
NU-Text and M-Text omit of the air. 4:9
a
NU-Text and M-Text omit to them.
4:12
a
Isaiah 6:9, 10
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hasnt wrestled with this
aching question. Does my
God care? Or is my pain
Gods great goof?
As the winds howled and
the sea raged, the impatient
and frightened disciples
screamed their fear at the
sleeping Jesus. Teacher,
dont you care that we are
about to die? He could
have kept on sleeping. He
could have told them to
shut up. He could have
impatiently jumped up and
angrily dismissed the storm.
He could have pointed out
their immaturity. . . . But He
didnt.
With all the patience
that only one who cares
can have, He answered
the question. He hushed
the storm so the shivering
disciples wouldnt miss His
response. Jesus answered
once and for all the aching
dilemma of manWhere
is God when I hurt?
Listening and healing.
Thats where He is. He cares.
(From On the Anvil by Max
Lucado)
APPLICATION
What stories of Jesus love
and ministry can you share
with others? Consider the
impact of stories that have
taught you. Dare yourself
to discover the ways God
shows He cares for you in
the storms of your life.
EXPLORATION
Christ as a Teacher
Matthew 4:23; 5:2; 7:29;
Mark 6:34; Luke 4:15; 5:3;
John 3:2; 7:14; 8:2. Divine
PowerExodus 4:21;
15:11; Joshua 3:5; Psalm
77:14; Daniel 4:3; Joel 2:30;
Acts 6:8.
whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from
him.
The Parable of the Growing Seed
26
And He said, The kingdom of God is as if a man should scat ter
seed on the ground,
27
and should sleep by night and rise by day, and
the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how.
28
For
the earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that
the full grain in the head.
29
But when the grain ripens, immediately
he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.
The Parable of the Mustard Seed
30
Then He said, To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or
with what parable shall we picture it?
31
It is like a mustard seed which,
when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth;
32
but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs,
and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest
under its shade.
Jesus Use of Parables
33
And with many such parables He spoke the word to them as they
were able to hear it.
34
But without a parable He did not speak to them.
And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples.
Wind and Wave Obey Jesus
35
On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them,
Let us cross over to the other side.
36
Now when they had left the
multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little
boats were also with Him.
37
And a great windstorm arose, and the
waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.
38
But He was
in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him,
Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?
39
Then He arose and re buked the wind, and said to the sea, Peace,
be still! And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.
40
But He
said to them, Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no
faith?
a

41
And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, Who
can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!
A Demon-Possessed Man Healed
5
Then they came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the
Gadarenes.
a

2
And when He had come out of the boat, immedi-
ately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an un clean spirit,
3
who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind
him,
a
not even with chains,
4
be cause he had often been bound with
shackles and chains. And the chains had been pulled apart by him,
and the shackles broken in pieces; nei ther could anyone tame him.
5
And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the
tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones.
6
When he saw Je sus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him.
7
And
4:40
a
NU-Text reads Have you still no faith? 5:1
a
NU-Text reads Gerasenes.
5:3
a
NU-Text adds anymore.
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MARK 5:143
SITUATION
Jesus ministered to the most
important people and the
most despised people in
town. His power surpassed
demons, sickness, and
death.
OBSERVATION
Although Jesus brought
life to those who were
physically dead, He spent
most of His energy reaching
those who were spiritually
dead. He wanted to give
them a new spiritual life.
INSPIRATION
The funeral had begun. The
people thought the best
Jesus could do was offer
some kind words about
Jairuss girl. Jesus had some
words all right. Not about
the girl, but for the girl.
My child, stand up! . . .
The next thing the father
knew, she was eating, Jesus
was laughing, and the hired
mourners were sent home
early. . . .
Hell do it again, you
know. Hes promised He
would. And Hes shown that
He can.
The Lord Himself will
descend from heaven with
a shout (1 Thessalonians
4:16).
The same voice that
awoke the boy near Nain,
that stirred the still daughter
of Jairus, that awakened
the corpse of Lazarusthe
same voice will speak again.
The earth and the sea will
give up their dead. There
will be no more death.
Jesus made sure of that.
(From He Still Moves Stones
by Max Lucado)
APPLICATION
What could you do to show
love and acceptance for a
homeless beggar in rags?
he cried out with a loud voice and said, What have I to do with You,
Je sus, Son of the Most High God? I im plore You by God that You do
not torment me.
8
For He said to him, Come out of the man, unclean spirit!
9
Then
He asked him, What is your name?
And he answered, saying, My name is Legion; for we are many.
10
Also he begged Him earnestly that He would not send them out of
the country.
11
Now a large herd of swine was feeding there near the mountains.
12
So all the demons begged Him, saying, Send us to the swine, that
we may enter them.
13
And at once Je sus
a
gave them permission.
Then the unclean spirits went out and entered the swine (there were
about two thousand); and the herd ran violently down the steep place
into the sea, and drowned in the sea.
14
So those who fed the swine fled, and they told it in the city and
in the country. And they went out to see what it was that had hap-
pened.
15
Then they came to Je sus, and saw the one who had been
de mon-pos sessed and had the legion, sit ting and clothed and in his
right mind. And they were afraid.
16
And those who saw it told them
how it happened to him who had been demon-pos sessed, and about
the swine.
17
Then they began to plead with Him to depart from their
region.
18
And when He got into the boat, he who had been demon-pos-
sessed begged Him that he might be with Him.
19
How ever, Je sus did
not permit him, but said to him, Go home to your friends, and tell
them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has
had compassion on you.
20
And he departed and began to pro claim
in Decapolis all that Je sus had done for him; and all mar veled.
A Girl Restored to Life and a Woman Healed
21
Now when Je sus had crossed over again by boat to the other
side, a great multitude gathered to Him; and He was by the sea.
22
And
behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue came, Jairus by name. And
when he saw Him, he fell at His feet
23
and begged Him earnestly, say-
ing, My little daughter lies at the point of death. Come and lay Your
hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live.
24
So Je sus
went with him, and a great multitude followed Him and thronged
Him.
25
Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years,
26
and
had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all
that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse.
27
When she
heard about Je sus, she came behind Him in the crowd and tou ched
His garment.
28
For she said, If only I may touch His clothes, I shall
be made well.
29
Im me di ately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt
in her body that she was healed of the af flic tion.
30
And Je sus, imme-
diately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned
around in the crowd and said, Who touched My clothes?
31
But His disciples said to Him, You see the multitude thronging
You, and You say, Who touched Me?
.,
lessons
5:13
a
NU-Text reads And He gave.
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chronic menstrual disorder. A perpetual issue of blood. Such a condition would

be difcult for any woman of any era. But for a Jewess, nothing could be worse.
No part of her life was left unaffected.
Sexually . . . she could not touch her husband.
Maternally . . . she could not bear children. Domesticallyanything she touched was
considered unclean. No washing dishes. No sweeping oors.
Spiritually . . . she was not allowed to enter the temple.
She was physically exhausted and socially ostracized.
She had sought help under the care of many doctors . . .
She was a bruised reed. She awoke daily in a body that no one wanted. She is down to
her last prayer. And on the day we encounter her, shes about to pray it.
By the time she gets to Jesus, He is surrounded by people. Hes on His way to help the
daughter of Jairus, the most important man in the community. What are the odds that
He will interrupt an urgent mission with a high ofcial to help the likes of her? Very few.
But what are the odds that she will survive if she doesnt take a chance? Fewer still. So she
takes a chance.
If I can just touch His clothes, she thinks, I will be healed.
Risky decision. To touch Him, she will have to touch the people. If one of them
recognizes her. . . . But what choice does she have? She has no money, no clout, no
friends, no solutions. All she has is a crazy hunch that Jesus can help and a high hope
that He will. . . .
There was no guarantee, of course. She hoped Hed respondshe longed for it . . . but
she didnt know if He would. All she knew was that He was good. Thats faith.
Faith is not the belief that God will do what you want. Faith is the belief that God will
do what is right.
Blessed are the dirt-poor, nothing-to-give, trapped-in-a-corner, destitute, diseased,
Jesus said, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:6, my translation).
Gods economy is upside down (or rightside up and ours is upside down!) God says that
the more hopeless your circumstance, the more likely your salvation. The greater your
cares, the more genuine your prayers. The darker the room, the greater the need for light.
A healthy lady never would have appreciated the power of a touch of the hem of His
robe. But this woman was sickand when her dilemma met His dedication, a miracle
occurred.
Her part in the healing was very small. All she did was extend her arm through the
crowd.
If only I can touch Him.. . .
Healing begins when we do something. Healing begins when we reach out. Healing
starts when we take a step.
Study Guide
Read Mark 5:2142.
Think of a time when you took a step of faith. What did you do and how did God
respond?
Why do you suppose Jesus stopped to point out this woman?
Many people touched Jesus as He passed by. Why did Jesus power affect this
woman and no others?
What does this womans story reveal about faith?
In what ways can you identify with this woman?
What makes it difcult to step out in faith?
In what area of your life do you need to experience Christs healing power?
What practical steps of faith do you need to take?
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Could you share Gods
love with an alcoholic, a
street gang member, an
AIDS victim? These people
are worthy of Gods love
and your love, too. Join
with other Christians this
week in an effort to share
Gods Word with people
you would not normally
approach.
EXPLORATION
ImpartialityRuth 1:16;
Luke 5:13; Galatians 3:28.
32
And He looked around to see her who had done this thing.
33
But
the woman, fear ing and trembling, knowing what had happened to
her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth.
34
And He said to her, Daugh ter, your faith has made you well. Go in
peace, and be healed of your affliction.
35
While He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the
synagogues house who said, Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the
Teacher any further?
36
As soon as Je sus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the
ruler of the synagogue, Do not be afraid; only be lieve.
37
And He per-
mitted no one to follow Him except Pe ter, James, and John the brother
of James.
38
Then He came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue,
and saw a tumult and those who wept and wailed loudly.
39
When He
came in, He said to them, Why make this commo tion and weep? The
child is not dead, but sleep ing.
40
And they ridiculed Him. But when He had put them all outside,
He took the father and the mother of the child, and those who were
with Him, and entered where the child was lying.
41
Then He took the
child by the hand, and said to her, Talitha, cumi, which is trans-
lated, Lit tle girl, I say to you, arise.
42
Im me di ately the girl arose and
walked, for she was twelve years of age. And they were over come with
great amazement.
43
But He commanded them strictly that no one
should know it, and said that something should be given her to eat.
Jesus Rejected at Nazareth
6
Then He went out from there and came to His own country, and
His disciples followed Him.
2
And when the Sabbath had come,
He began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were
as ton ished, saying, Where did this Man get these things? And what
wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are per-
formed by His hands!
3
Is this not the carpen ter, the Son of Mary, and
brother of James, Joses, Ju das, and Si mon? And are not His sisters here
with us? So they were offended at Him.
4
But Je sus said to them, A prophet is not without honor except
in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.
5
Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His
hands on a few sick people and healed them.
6
And He marveled
because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit,
teaching.
Sending Out the Twelve
7
And He called the twelve to Him self, and began to send them
out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits.
8
He com-
manded them to take nothing for the journey except a staffno bag,
no bread, no copper in their money belts
9
but to wear sandals, and
not to put on two tunics.
10
Also He said to them, In whatever place you enter a house, stay
there till you depart from that place.
11
And who ever
a
will not receive
you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust
under your feet as a testimony against them.
b
As suredly, I say to you,
.,
lessons
MARK 6:17:23
SITUATION
This record of a particularly
busy day is found in all
four Gospels. Particularly
signicant is the feeding of
the ve thousand.
OBSERVATION
Jesus experienced stressful,
chaotic days like ours. He
knows what the pace of our
life is like.
INSPIRATION
A day in the Life of Christ.
. . .
[A] day in which Jesus
experiences more stress
than he will any other day
of his lifeaside from
his crucixion. Before the
morning becomes evening,
he has reason to weep . . .
run . . . shout . . . curse . . .
praise . . . doubt.
From calm to chaos. From
peace to perplexity. Within
moments his world is turned
upside down. . . .
The morning has
been a jungle trail of the
unexpected. First Jesus
grieves over the death of
a dear friend and relative.
Then his life is threatened.
Next he celebrates the
triumphant return of his
followers. Then he is nearly
suffocated by a brouhaha of
humanity.
6:11
a
NU-Text reads whatever place.
b
NU-Text omits the rest of this verse.
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Bereavement . . . jeopardy
. . . jubilation . . . bedlam.
. . .
Ponder this the next time
your world goes from calm
to chaos. . . .
Jesus knows how you
feel.
A friend of mine was
recently trying to teach his
six-year-old son how to
shoot a basket. The boy
would take the basketball
and push it as hard as he
could toward the goal, but
it always fell short. The
father would then take the
ball and toss it toward the
basket, saying something
like, Just do it like this, son.
Its easy.
Then the boy would try,
and miss, again. My friend
would then take the ball
and make another basket,
encouraging his son to push
the ball a bit harder.
After several minutes
and many misses, the boy
responded to his fathers
encouragement by saying,
Yeah, but its easy for you
up there. You dont know
how hard it is from down
here.
You and I can never
say that about God. Of
the many messages Jesus
taught us that day about
stress, the rst one is this:
God knows how you feel.
(From In the Eye of the
Storm by Max Lucado)
APPLICATION
Follow Jesus example in
handling stress. If today
starts to get hectic, take
ve minutes to be alone
with God. If your work
gets interrupted, ask God
for patience to deal with
the interruption and for
endurance to nish the task.
EXPLORATION
StressIsaiah 26:3;
Matthew 11:28; Luke
10:3842; Philippians 4:6.
it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judg-
ment than for that city!
12
So they went out and preached that peo ple should repent.
13
And
they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were
sick, and healed them.
John the Baptist Beheaded
14
Now King Herod heard of Him, for His name had become well
known. And he said, John the Baptist is risen from the dead, and
therefore these powers are at work in him.
15
Others said, It is Elijah.
And others said, It is the Prophet, or
a
like one of the prophets.
16
But when Herod heard, he said, This is John, whom I beheaded;
he has been raised from the dead!
17
For Herod himself had sent and
laid hold of John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias,
his brother Philips wife; for he had married her.
18
Be cause John had
said to Herod, It is not lawful for you to have your brothers wife.
19
There fore Herodias held it against him and wanted to kill him,
but she could not;
20
for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just
and holy man, and he protected him. And when he heard him, he did
many things, and heard him gladly.
21
Then an opportune day came when Herod on his birthday gave
a feast for his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Gal i-
lee.
22
And when Herodias daughter herself came in and danced,
and pleased Herod and those who sat with him, the king said to the
girl, Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you.
23
He also
swore to her, What ever you ask me, I will give you, up to half my
kingdom.
24
So she went out and said to her mother, What shall I ask?
And she said, The head of John the Baptist!
25
Im me di ately she came in with haste to the king and asked, say-
ing, I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a
plat ter.
26
And the king was exceedingly sorry; yet, because of the oaths
and because of those who sat with him, he did not want to refuse
her.
27
Im me di ately the king sent an executioner and commanded
his head to be brought. And he went and beheaded him in prison,
28
brought his head on a plat ter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl
gave it to her mother.
29
When his disciples heard of it, they came and
took away his corpse and laid it in a tomb.
Feeding the Five Thousand
30
Then the apostles gathered to Je sus and told Him all things,
both what they had done and what they had taught.
31
And He said
to them, Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a
while. For there were many coming and going, and they did not even
have time to eat.
32
So they departed to a deserted place in the boat
by themselves.
33
But the multitudes
a
saw them depart ing, and many knew Him
and ran there on foot from all the cities. They arrived before them
6:15
a
NU-Text and M-Text omit or. 6:33
a
NU-Text and M-Text read they.
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6:36
a
NU-Text reads something to eat and omits the rest of this verse. 6:44
a
NU-Text and M-Text omit about.
7:2
a
NU-Text omits when and they found fault. 7:7
a
Isaiah 29:13
and came together to Him.
34
And Je sus, when
He came out, saw a great multitude and was
moved with compassion for them, because
they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So
He began to teach them many things.
35
When
the day was now far spent, His disciples came
to Him and said, This is a deserted place, and
already the hour is late.
36
Send them away,
that they may go into the surrounding country
and villages and buy themselves bread;
a
for
they have nothing to eat.
37
But He answered and said to them, You
give them something to eat.
And they said to Him, Shall we go and buy
two hundred denarii worth of bread and give
them something to eat?
38
But He said to them, How many loaves do
you have? Go and see.
And when they found out they said, Five,
and two fish.
39
Then He com manded them to make
them all sit down in groups on the green
grass.
40
So they sat down in ranks, in hun-
dreds and in fifties.
41
And when He had taken
the five loaves and the two fish, He looked up
to heaven, blessed and broke the loaves, and
gave them to His disciples to set before them;
and the two fish He divided among them all.
42
So they all ate and were filled.
43
And they
took up twelve baskets full of fragments and
of the fish.
44
Now those who had eaten the
loaves were about
a
five thousand men.
Jesus Walks on the Sea
45
Im me di ately He made His disciples get
into the boat and go before Him to the other
side, to Bethsaida, while He sent the multitude
away.
46
And when He had sent them away,
He de parted to the mountain to pray.
47
Now
when evening came, the boat was in the
middle of the sea; and He was alone on the
land.
48
Then He saw them straining at rowing,
for the wind was against them. Now about the
fourth watch of the night He came to them,
walking on the sea, and would have passed
them by.
49
And when they saw Him walking
on the sea, they supposed it was a ghost, and
cried out;
50
for they all saw Him and were
troubled. But immediately He talked with
them and said to them, Be of good cheer!
It is I; do not be afraid.
51
Then He went up
into the boat to them, and the wind ceased.
And they were greatly amazed in themselves
beyond measure, and marveled.
52
For they
had not understood about the loaves, because
their heart was hardened.
Many Touch Him and Are Made
Well
53
When they had crossed over, they came
to the land of Gennesaret and anchored there.
54
And when they came out of the boat, imme-
diately the people recognized Him,
55
ran
through that whole surrounding region, and
began to carry about on beds those who were
sick to wherever they heard He was.
56
Wher-
ever He entered, into villages, cities, or the
country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces,
and begged Him that they might just touch
the hem of His garment. And as many as
touched Him were made well.
Defilement Comes from Within
7
Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes
came together to Him, having come from
Je ru sa lem.
2
Now when
a
they saw some of His
disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, with
un washed hands, they found fault.
3
For the
Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless
they wash their hands in a special way, hold-
ing the tra di tion of the elders.
4
When they
come from the marketplace, they do not eat
unless they wash. And there are many other
things which they have received and hold, like
the washing of cups, pitchers, copper vessels,
and couches.
5
Then the Pharisees and scribes asked
Him, Why do Your disciples not walk accord-
ing to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread
with unwashed hands?
6
He answered and said to them, Well did
Isaiah prophesy of you hyp o crites, as it is
written:
This people honors Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.
7
And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the
commandments of men.
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. .
,
e departed to the mountain to pray.
Jesus faced an impossible task. More than ve thousand people were ready to
ght a battle He had not come to ght. How could He show them that He didnt come to
be a king, but to be a sacrice? How could He take their eyes off an earthly kingdom so
that they would see the spiritual one? How could they see the eternal when they only had
eyes for the temporal?
What Jesus dreamed of doing and what He seemed about to do were separated by an
impossible gulf. So Jesus prayed.
He prayed for the impossible to happen.
Maybe He didnt ask for anything. Maybe He just stood quietly in the presence of the
Presence and basked in the majesty.
Maybe He lifted His head out of the confusion of earth long enough to hear the
solution of heaven. Perhaps He was reminded that hard hearts dont faze the Father. That
problem people dont perturb the Eternal One.
We dont know what He did or what He said. But we do know the result. The hill
became a steppingstone; the storm became a path, and the disciples saw Jesus as they
had never seen Him before.
During the storm, Jesus prayed. The sky darkened. The winds howled. Yet He prayed.
The people grumbled. The disciples doubted. Yet He prayed. When forced to choose
between the muscles of men and the mountain of prayer, He prayed.
There are crevasses in your life that you cannot cross alone. There are hearts in your
world that you cannot change without help. There are mountains that you cannot climb
until you climb His mountain.
Climb it. You will be amazed.
Study Guide
Mark 6:4552
Describe a time when you or someone you know needed a miracle.
What keeps us from choosing prayer when we face the impossible?
Why do you think prayer seems like such a passive activity at times?
In what ways does prayer make such a difference in the impossible situations we
face?
How do you think your life would be different if you prayed more frequently and
more fervently?
How do you know if a prayer has been effective?
Describe the most amazing answer to prayer you have ever witnessed or heard
about.
Why do you think prayer is the key to the impossible?
What impossible situation do you need to turn over to God in prayer?
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MARK 7:248:38
SITUATION
The Pharisees doubted
Jesus divine nature. They
asked Him for a sign from
heaven that would proclaim
Him as Messiah.
OBSERVATION
To see Gods presence at
work, we must look at the
power behind the miracle
rstGod.
INSPIRATION
His lunch wasnt much.
In fact, it wasnt anything
compared to what was
needed for more than ve
thousand people.
He probably wrestled with
the silliness of it all. What
was one lunch for so many.
How far could one lunch
go?
I think thats why he
didnt give the lunch to the
crowd. Instead he gave it
to Jesus. Something told
him that if he would plant
the seed, God would grant
the crop.
So he did.
He summoned his
courage, got up off the
grass, and walked into the
circle of grownups. He must
have been nervous. No one
likes to appear silly.
Someone probably
snickered at him.
If they didnt snicker, they
shook their heads. The
little fellow doesnt know
any better.
If they didnt shake their
heads, they rolled their eyes.
Here we have a hunger
crisis, and this little boy
thinks that a sack lunch will
solve it.
But it wasnt the mens
heads or eyes that the boy
saw; he saw only Jesus.
(From In the Eye of the
Storm by Max Lucado)
8
For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition
of men
a
the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such
things you do.
9
He said to them, All too well you re ject the commandment of
God, that you may keep your tradition.
10
For Mo ses said, Honor
your father and your mother;
a
and, He who curses father or mother,
let him be put to death.
b

11
But you say, If a man says to his father
or mother, What ever profit you might have received from me is
Corban (that is, a gift to God),
12
then you no longer let him do
anything for his father or his mother,
13
mak ing the word of God of
no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And
many such things you do.
14
When He had called all the multitude to Him self, He said to
them, Hear Me, everyone, and un der stand:
15
There is nothing that
enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which
come out of him, those are the things that de file a man.
16
If anyone
has ears to hear, let him hear!
a

17
When He had entered a house away from the crowd, His dis-
ciples asked Him concerning the parable.
18
So He said to them,
Are you thus without understanding also? Do you not perceive that
whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him,
19
be cause
it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated, thus
purifying all foods?
a

20
And He said, What comes out of a man, that
defiles a man.
21
For from within, out of the heart of men, pro ceed evil
thoughts, adul ter ies, for ni ca tions, murders,
22
thefts, cov et ous ness,
wickedness, de ceit, lewd ness, an evil eye, blas phemy, pride, foolish-
ness.
23
All these evil things come from within and defile a man.
A Gentile Shows Her Faith
24
From there He arose and went to the region of Tyre and Sidon.
a

And He entered a house and wanted no one to know it, but He could
not be hid den.
25
For a woman whose young daughter had an unclean
spirit heard about Him, and she came and fell at His feet.
26
The
woman was a Greek, a Syro-Phoenician by birth, and she kept ask ing
Him to cast the demon out of her daughter.
27
But Je sus said to her,
Let the children be filled first, for it is not good to take the childrens
bread and throw it to the little dogs.
28
And she answered and said to Him, Yes, Lord, yet even the little
dogs under the table eat from the childrens crumbs.
29
Then He said to her, For this saying go your way; the demon has
gone out of your daughter.
30
And when she had come to her house, she found the demon
gone out, and her daughter lying on the bed.
Jesus Heals a Deaf-Mute
31
Again, depart ing from the region of Tyre and Sidon, He came
through the midst of the region of Decapolis to the Sea of Gal i lee.
.,
lessons
7:8
a
NU-Text omits the rest of this verse. 7:10
a
Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16

b
Exodus 21:17 7:16
a
NU-Text omits this verse. 7:19
a
NU-Text ends quotation with
eliminated, setting off the nal clause as Marks comment that Jesus has declared all
foods clean. 7:24
a
NU-Text omits and Sidon.
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APPLICATION
What do you believe about
miracles? Look for the
amazing things that have
happened in your life: at
work, at home, and with
friends. They are all Gods
blessings. Help meet the
needs of another, and be
a part of Gods miracle in
that life.
EXPLORATION
MiraclesMatthew 8:23
27; Mark 3:2030; Luke
18:3543; John 2:111;
4:4354; 11:144.
32
Then they brought to Him one who was deaf and had an impedi-
ment in his speech, and they begged Him to put His hand on him.
33
And He took him aside from the multitude, and put His fingers in
his ears, and He spat and touched his tongue.
34
Then, look ing up to
heaven, He sighed, and said to him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened.
35
Im me di ately his ears were opened, and the im ped i ment of his
tongue was loosed, and he spoke plainly.
36
Then He commanded
them that they should tell no one; but the more He commanded
them, the more widely they proclaimed it.
37
And they were as ton-
ished beyond measure, saying, He has done all things well. He makes
both the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.
Feeding the Four Thousand
8
In those days, the multitude being very great and having nothing
to eat, Je sus called His disciples to Him and said to them,
2
I have
com pas sion on the multitude, because they have now continued with
Me three days and have nothing to eat.
3
And if I send them away hun-
gry to their own houses, they will faint on the way; for some of them
have come from afar.
4
Then His disciples answered Him, How can one satisfy these
people with bread here in the wilderness?
5
He asked them, How many loaves do you have?
And they said, Seven.
6
So He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.
And He took the seven loaves and gave thanks, broke them and gave
them to His disciples to set before them; and they set them before the
multitude.
7
They also had a few small fish; and hav ing blessed them,
He said to set them also before them.
8
So they ate and were filled, and
they took up seven large baskets of leftover fragments.
9
Now those
who had eaten were about four thousand. And He sent them away,
10
im me di ately got into the boat with His disciples, and came to the
region of Dalmanutha.
The Pharisees Seek a Sign
11
Then the Pharisees came out and began to dispute with Him,
seeking from Him a sign from heaven, testing Him.
12
But He sighed
deeply in His spirit, and said, Why does this generation seek a sign?
Assuredly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation.
Beware of the Leaven of the Pharisees and Herod
13
And He left them, and getting into the boat again, departed to
the other side.
14
Now the disciples
a
had forgotten to take bread, and
they did not have more than one loaf with them in the boat.
15
Then
He charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the
Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.
16
And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we
have no bread.
17
But Je sus, being aware of it, said to them, Why do you
reason because you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive nor
understand? Is your heart still
a
hardened?
18
Hav ing eyes, do you
8:14
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not see? And having ears, do you not hear?
And do you not remember?
19
When I broke
the five loaves for the five thousand, how
many baskets full of fragments did you take
up?
They said to Him, Twelve.
20
Also, when I broke the seven for the four
thousand, how many large baskets full of frag-
ments did you take up?
And they said, Seven.
21
So He said to them, How is it you do not
understand?
CH R I S T T H R O U G H T H E BI B L E
Jesus: Our Hope and Comfort
Jesus is presented with a man who is deaf and has a speech impediment. Perhaps
he stammered. Maybe he spoke with a lisp. Perhaps, because of his deafness, he
never learned to articulate words properly.
Jesus, refusing to exploit the situation, took the man aside. He looked him in
the face. Knowing it would be useless to talk, He explained what He was about
to do through gestures. He spat and touched the mans tongue, telling him that
whatever restricted his speech was about to be removed. He touched his ears.
They, for the rst time, were about to hear.
But before the man said a word or heard a sound, Jesus did something I never
would have anticipated.
He sighed. . . .
No doubt youve done your share of sighing.
If you have teenagers, youve probably sighed. If youve tried to resist
temptation, youve probably sighed. If youve had your motives questioned or
your best acts of love rejected, you have been forced to take a deep breath and
let escape a painful sigh. . . .
All these sighs come from the same anxiety; a recognition of pain that was never
intended, or of hope deferred.
Man was not created to be separated from his creator; hence he sighs, longing
for home. The creation was never intended to be inhabited by evil; hence she
sighs, yearning for the Garden. . . .
And when Jesus looked into the eyes of Satans victim, the only appropriate thing
to do was sigh. It was never intended to be this way, the sigh said. Your ears
werent made to be deaf, your tongue wasnt made to stumble. The imbalance
of it all caused the Master to languish.
So, I found a place for the word sigh. You might think it strange, but I placed it
beside the word comfort, for in an indirect way, Gods pain is our comfort.
And in the agony of Jesus lies our hope. Had He not sighed, had He not felt the
burden for what was not intended, we would be in a pitiful condition. Had He
simply chalked it all up to the inevitable or washed His hands of the whole stinking
mess, what hope would we have?
But He didnt. That holy sigh assures us that God still groans for His people. He
groans for the day when all sighs will cease, when what was intended to be will
be. (From God Came Near by Max Lucado)
For more on Christ Through the Bible, see page XXX.
h
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MARK 9:150
SITUATION
Jesus explained what Gods
kingdom was about. The
disciples could not fathom
Gods eternal plan. Jesus
brought Peter, James, and
John up on a mountaintop.
There Jesus true glory was
revealed, and Elijah and
Moses appeared to the
disciples as God spoke to
them.
OBSERVATION
Even the majestic Son of
God sympathizes with our
most desperate cries.
INSPIRATION
Some of you pray like a
Concorde jetsmooth,
sleek, high, and mighty.
Your words reverberate in
the clouds and send sonic
booms throughout the
heavens. If you pray like a
Concorde, I salute you. If
you dont, I understand.
Maybe you are like me,
more a crop duster than a
Concorde. You arent ashy,
you y low, you seem to
cover the same ground a
lot, and some mornings its
tough to get the old engine
cranked up.
Most of us are like that.
Most of our prayer lives
could use a tune-up.
Some prayer lives lack
consistency. Theyre either
a desert or an oasis. . . . We
go days or weeks without
consistent prayer, but then
something happenswe
hear a sermon, read a book,
experience a tragedy
something leads us to pray,
so we dive in. We submerge
ourselves in prayer and leave
refreshed and renewed. But
as the journey resumes, our
prayers dont.
Others of us need
sincerity. Our prayers are a
A Blind Man Healed at Bethsaida
22
Then He came to Bethsaida; and they brought a blind man to
Him, and begged Him to touch him.
23
So He took the blind man by
the hand and led him out of the town. And when He had spit on his
eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything.
24
And he looked up and said, I see men like trees, walking.
25
Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up.
And he was restored and saw everyone clearly.
26
Then He sent him
away to his house, saying, Nei ther go into the town, nor tell anyone
in the town.
a

Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ
27
Now Je sus and His disciples went out to the towns of Caesarea
Philippi; and on the road He asked His disciples, saying to them,
Who do men say that I am?
28
So they answered, John the Baptist; but some say, Elijah; and
others, one of the prophets.
29
He said to them, But who do you say that I am?
Pe ter answered and said to Him, You are the Christ.
30
Then He strictly warned them that they should tell no one about
Him.
Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection
31
And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer
many things, and be re jected by the elders and chief priests and
scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.
32
He spoke this
word openly. Then Pe ter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him.
33
But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He
re buked Pe ter, saying, Get behind Me, Sa tan! For you are not mind ful
of the things of God, but the things of men.
Take Up the Cross and Follow Him
34
When He had called the people to Him self, with His disciples
also, He said to them, Who ever desires to come after Me, let him
deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
35
For who ever
desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My
sake and the gospels will save it.
36
For what will it profit a man if he
gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
37
Or what will a man
give in exchange for his soul?
38
For whoever is ashamed of Me and
My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of
Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father
with the holy angels.
9
And He said to them, As suredly, I say to you that there are some
standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of
God present with power.
Jesus Transfigured on the Mount
2
Now after six days Je sus took Pe ter, James, and John, and led them
up on a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured
before them.
3
His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like
.,
lessons
8:26
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he pole of power is greasy.

The Roman emperor Charlemagne knew that. An interesting story surrounds
the burial of this famous king. Legend has it that he asked to be entombed sitting upright
in his throne. He asked that his crown be placed on his head and his scepter in his hand.
He requested that the royal cape be draped around his shoulders and an open book be
placed in his lap.
That was A.D. 814. Nearly two hundred years later, Emperor Othello determined to
see if the burial request had been carried out. He allegedly sent a team of men to open
the tomb and make a report. They found the body just as Charlemagne had requested.
Only now, nearly two centuries later, the scene was gruesome. The crown was tilted, the
mantle moth-eaten, the body disgured. But open on the skeletal thighs was the book
Charlemagne had requestedthe Bible. One bony nger pointed to Matthew 16:26, For
what prot is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
You can answer that one.
Study Guide
Read Mark 8:3438.
What is the cost of true discipleship?
What is the essence of true power?
How do some people react when they learn that being a true follower of Jesus is
costly?
What does it mean to lose your life for Christs sake?
What does it mean to gain the whole world?
What power would you have to give up in order to deny yourself and take up
your cross?
What is the difference between denying self and self-denial?
What do you need to change to be a true disciple?
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bit hollow, memorized, and
rigid. More liturgy than life.
And though they are daily,
they are dull.
Still others lack, well,
honesty. We honestly
wonder if prayer makes a
difference. Why on earth
would God in heaven want
to talk to me? . . .
If you struggle with
prayer, Ive got just the
guy for you. Dont worry,
hes not a monastic saint.
Hes not a calloused-kneed
apostle. Nor is he a prophet
whose middle name is
meditation. Hes not a too-
holy-to-be-you reminder
of how far you need to
go in prayer. Hes just the
opposite. A fellow crop
duster. A parent with a sick
son in need of a miracle.
The fathers prayer isnt
much, but the answer is,
and the result reminds us:
The power is not in the
prayer; its in the one who
hears it.
He prayed out of
desperation. His son, his
only son, was demon-
possessed. Not only was
he a deaf mute and an
epileptic, he was also
possessed by an evil spirit.
Ever since the boy was
young, the demon had
thrown him into res and
water.
Imagine the pain of the
father. Other dads could
watch their children grow
and mature; he could only
watch his suffer. While
others were teaching their
sons an occupation, he was
just trying to keep his son
alive. . . .
He was desperate and
tired, and his prayer reects
both.
If you can do anything
for him, please have pity on
us and help us.
Listen to that prayer.
Does it sound courageous?
Condent? Strong? Hardly.
One word would have
made a lot of difference.
snow, such as no laun derer on earth can whiten them.
4
And Elijah
appeared to them with Mo ses, and they were talking with Je sus.
5
Then Pe ter answered and said to Je sus, Rabbi, it is good for us to be
here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Mo ses,
and one for Elijah
6
be cause he did not know what to say, for they
were greatly afraid.
7
And a cloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out
of the cloud, saying, This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!
8
Sud denly,
when they had looked around, they saw no one anymore, but only
Je sus with themselves.
9
Now as they came down from the mountain, He commanded
them that they should tell no one the things they had seen, till the
Son of Man had risen from the dead.
10
So they kept this word to them-
selves, questioning what the rising from the dead meant.
11
And they asked Him, saying, Why do the scribes say that Elijah
must come first?
12
Then He answered and told them, In deed, Elijah is coming first
and restores all things. And how is it written concerning the Son of
Man, that He must suffer many things and be treated with contempt?
13
But I say to you that Elijah has also come, and they did to him what-
ever they wished, as it is written of him.
A Boy Is Healed
14
And when He came to the disciples, He saw a great multitude
around them, and scribes disputing with them.
15
Im me di ately, when
they saw Him, all the people were greatly amazed, and running to
Him, greeted Him.
16
And He asked the scribes, What are you discuss-
ing with them?
17
Then one of the crowd answered and said, Teacher, I brought
You my son, who has a mute spirit.
18
And wherever it seizes him,
it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and
becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it
out, but they could not.
19
He answered him and said, O faith less generation, how long
shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me.
20
Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately
the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wal lowed,
foaming at the mouth.
21
So He asked his father, How long has this been happening to
him?
And he said, From childhood.
22
And often he has thrown him
both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do
anything, have compassion on us and help us.
23
Je sus said to him, If you can believe,
a
all things are possible to
him who believes.
24
Im me di ately the father of the child cried out and said with tears,
Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!
25
When Je sus saw that the people came running together, He
re buked the unclean spirit, saying to it, Deaf and dumb spirit, I
command you, come out of him and enter him no more!
26
Then the
9:23
a
NU-Text reads If You can! All things. . . .
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1373 { MA R K 9 : 4 4 }
Instead of if, what if hed
said since? Since You can
do anything for him, please
have pity on us and help
us.
But thats not what he
said. He said if. The Greek
is even more emphatic. The
tense implies doubt. Its as if
the man were saying, This
ones probably out of Your
league, but if You can. . . .
A classic crop-duster
appeal. More meek than
might. More timid than
towering. More like a
crippled lamb coming to a
shepherd than a proud lion
roaring in the jungle. If his
prayer sounds like yours,
then dont be discouraged,
for thats where prayer
begins.
It begins as a yearning.
An honest appeal. Ordinary
people staring at Mount
Everest. No pretense. No
boasting. No posturing. Just
prayer. Feeble prayer, but
prayer nonetheless. (From
He Still Moves Stones by
Max Lucado)
APPLICATION
What is your most desperate
prayer? Does a rebellious
child cause you grief? Is
a parent dying without
Christ? Are you frantic
about tomorrows bills? Tell
God about your grief and
anxiety.
EXPLORATION
Accepting ChristLuke
2:911; 19:620; John
3:120.
spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. And he
became as one dead, so that many said, He is dead.
27
But Je sus took
him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.
28
And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him
privately, Why could we not cast it out?
29
So He said to them, This kind can come out by nothing but
prayer and fasting.
a

Jesus Again Predicts His Death and Resurrection
30
Then they departed from there and passed through Gal i lee, and
He did not want anyone to know it.
31
For He taught His disciples
and said to them, The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands
of men, and they will kill Him. And after He is killed, He will rise the
third day.
32
But they did not understand this saying, and were afraid
to ask Him.
Who Is the Greatest?
33
Then He came to Capernaum. And when He was in the house
He asked them, What was it you dis puted among yourselves on
the road?
34
But they kept silent, for on the road they had dis puted
among themselves who would be the great est.
35
And He sat down,
called the twelve, and said to them, If anyone desires to be first, he
shall be last of all and servant of all.
36
Then He took a little child
and set him in the midst of them. And when He had taken him in His
arms, He said to them,
37
Who ever receives one of these little chil-
dren in My name receives Me; and who ever receives Me, receives not
Me but Him who sent Me.
Jesus Forbids Sectarianism
38
Now John answered Him, saying, Teacher, we saw someone who
does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade
him because he does not follow us.
39
But Je sus said, Do not forbid him, for no one who works a mir-
acle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me.
40
For he who is
not against us is on our
a
side.
41
For whoever gives you a cup of water
to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to
you, he will by no means lose his reward.
Jesus Warns of Offenses
42
But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to
stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around
his neck, and he were thrown into the sea.
43
If your hand causes you
to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather
than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be
quenched
44
where
Their worm does not die
And the fire is not quenched.
a

9:29
a
NU-Text omits and fasting. 9:40
a
M-Text reads against you is on your side.
9:44
a
NU-Text omits this verse.
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MARK 10:152
SITUATION
To serve others rather
than to be served best
exemplied Jesus message
to humanity. People, then
as now, often hoped that
others would meet their
needs. They committed to
ideals such as marriage and
trust in God as long as these
seemed convenient. Giving
up personal freedoms,
wealth, and status to serve
others was too great a price
for many people.
OBSERVATION
Jesus urges us to discard
material security to follow
Him. By sacricing the
treasures of this world,
we gain the treasures of
heaven.
INSPIRATION
Jesus gets to the point.
If you want to be
perfect, then go sell your
possessions and give to
the poor, and you will have
treasure in heaven.
The statement leaves the
young man distraught and
the disciples bewildered.
Their question could be
ours: Who then can be
saved?
Jesus answer shell-shocks
the listeners, With man
this is impossible. . . .
Impossible.
He doesnt say
improbable. He doesnt say
unlikely. He doesnt even say
it will be tough. He says it is
impossible. . . .
Does that strike you as
cold? All your life youve
been rewarded according
to your performance.
You get grades according
to your study. You get
commendations according
to your success. You get
45
And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to
enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into
the fire that shall never be quenched
46
where
Their worm does not die
And the fire is not quenched.
a

47
And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to
enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes,
to be cast into hell fire
48
where
Their worm does not die
And the fire is not quenched.
a

Tasteless Salt Is Worthless
49
For everyone will be sea soned with fire,
a
and every sacrifice will
be seasoned with salt.
50
Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how
will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one
another.
Marriage and Divorce
10
Then He arose from there and came to the region of Judea by
the other side of the Jor dan. And multitudes gathered to Him
again, and as He was accus tomed, He taught them again.
2
The Pharisees came and asked Him, Is it lawful for a man to
divorce his wife? testing Him.
3
And He answered and said to them, What did Mo ses command
you?
4
They said, Mo ses permitted a man to write a certificate of
divorce, and to dismiss her.
5
And Je sus answered and said to them, Be cause of the hardness of
your heart he wrote you this pre cept.
6
But from the beginning of the
creation, God made them male and female.
a

7
For this reason a man
shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife,
8
and the
two shall become one flesh;
a
so then they are no longer two, but one
flesh.
9
There fore what God has joined together, let not man separate.
10
In the house His disciples also asked Him again about the same
mat ter.
11
So He said to them, Who ever divorces his wife and marries
another commits adultery against her.
12
And if a woman divorces her
husband and marries another, she commits adultery.
Jesus Blesses Little Children
13
Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch
them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them.
14
But when
Je sus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, Let the little
children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the king-
dom of God.
15
As suredly, I say to you, who ever does not receive the
.,
lessons
9:46
a
NU-Text omits the last clause of verse 45 and all of verse 46. 9:48
a
Isaiah
66:24 9:49
a
NU-Text omits the rest of this verse. 10:6
a
Genesis 1:27; 5:2
10:8
a
Genesis 2:24
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money in response to your
work.
Thats why the rich young
ruler thought heaven was
just a payment away. It
only made sense. You work
hard, you pay your dues,
and zapyour account
is credited as paid in full.
Jesus says, No way. What
you want costs far more
than what you can pay. You
dont need a system, you
need a Savior. You dont
need a resume, you need
a Redeemer. For what
is impossible with men is
possible with God.
. . . You see, it wasnt
the money that hindered
the rich man; it was the
self-sufciency. It wasnt
the possessions; it was the
pomp. It wasnt the big
bucks; it was the big head.
. . .
Astounding. These people
are standing before the
throne of God and bragging
about themselves. The great
trumpet has sounded, and
they are still tooting their
own horns. Rather than sing
His praises, they sing their
own. Rather than worship
God, they read their
resumes. When they should
be speechless, they speak.
In the very aura of the King
they boast of self. What is
worsetheir arrogance or
their blindness?
. . . God does not save
us because of what weve
done. . . .
And only a great God
does for His children
what they cant do for
themselves.
That is the message
of Paul: What the law
could not do . . . God did
(Romans 8:3).
And that is the message
of the rst beatitude.
Blessed are the poor in
spirit . . . (Matthew 5:3).
The jewel of joy is given
to the impoverished spirits,
not the afuent. Gods
delight is received upon
kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.
16
And He
took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.
Jesus Counsels the Rich Young Ruler
17
Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt
before Him, and asked Him, Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may
inherit eternal life?
18
So Je sus said to him, Why do you call Me good? No one is good
but One, that is, God.
19
You know the commandments: Do not com-
mit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false wit-
ness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and your mother.
a

20
And he answered and said to Him, Teacher, all these things I
have kept from my youth.
21
Then Je sus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, One
thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the
poor, and you will have trea sure in heaven; and come, take up the
cross, and follow Me.
22
But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had
great possessions.
With God All Things Are Possible
23
Then Je sus looked around and said to His disciples, How hard it
is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!
24
And the
disciples were astonished at His words. But Je sus answered again and
said to them, Chil dren, how hard it is for those who trust in riches
a

to enter the kingdom of God!
25
It is easier for a camel to go through
the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.
26
And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves,
Who then can be saved?
27
But Je sus looked at them and said, With men it is impossible,
but not with God; for with God all things are possible.
28
Then Pe ter began to say to Him, See, we have left all and fol-
lowed You.
29
So Je sus answered and said, As suredly, I say to you, there is no
one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or
wife
a
or children or lands, for My sake and the gospels,
30
who shall
not receive a hundredfold now in this timehouses and brothers and
sisters and mothers and children and lands, with per se cu tionsand
in the age to come, eternal life.
31
But many who are first will be last,
and the last first.
Jesus a Third Time Predicts His Death and
Resurrection
32
Now they were on the road, going up to Je ru sa lem, and Je sus was
going before them; and they were amazed. And as they followed they
were afraid. Then He took the twelve aside again and began to tell
them the things that would happen to Him:
33
Be hold, we are going
up to Je ru sa lem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief
priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and
10:19
a
Exodus 20:1216; Deuteronomy 5:1620 10:24
a
NU-Text omits for those who
trust in riches. 10:29
a
NU-Text omits or wife.
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1376 { MA R K 1 0 : 3 4 }
surrender, not awarded
upon conquest. (From The
Applause of Heaven by Max
Lucado)
APPLICATION
Dont let money stand
between you and God.
You cant buy a ticket into
heaven, you only have to
ask in faith. Think about
the rich value of faith
throughout the day.
EXPLORATION
SelshnessProverbs 28:25;
Matthew 19:21, 22; Mark
8:3437; Luke 12:1521;
16:1931; Philippians 2:3.
deliver Him to the Gentiles;
34
and they will mock Him, and scourge
Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. And the third day He will rise
again.
Greatness Is Serving
35
Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying,
Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.
36
And He said to them, What do you want Me to do for you?
37
They said to Him, Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right
hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory.
38
But Je sus said to them, You do not know what you ask. Are you
able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the bap tism
that I am baptized with?
39
They said to Him, We are able.
So Je sus said to them, You will indeed drink the cup that I drink,
and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized;
40
but
to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for
those for whom it is prepared.
41
And when the ten heard it, they began to be greatly displeased
with James and John.
42
But Je sus called them to Him self and said
to them, You know that those who are considered rulers over the
Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority
over them.
43
Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires
to become great among you shall be your servant.
44
And whoever of
you desires to be first shall be slave of all.
45
For even the Son of Man
did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom
for many.
Jesus Heals Blind Bartimaeus
46
Now they came to Jer i cho. As He went out of Jer i cho with His
disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus,
sat by the road begging.
47
And when he heard that it was Je sus of Naz-
a reth, he began to cry out and say, Je sus, Son of Da vid, have mercy
on me!
48
Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more,
Son of Da vid, have mercy on me!
49
So Je sus stood still and commanded him to be called.
Then they called the blind man, saying to him, Be of good cheer.
Rise, He is calling you.
50
And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Je sus.
51
So Je sus answered and said to him, What do you want Me to do
for you?
The blind man said to Him, Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.
52
Then Je sus said to him, Go your way; your faith has made you
well. And immediately he received his sight and followed Je sus on
the road.
The Triumphal Entry
11
Now when they drew near Je ru sa lem, to Bethphage
a
and
Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples;
11:1
a
M-Text reads Bethsphage.
h
[Jesus] comes as
a dove. He comes
bearing fruit from
a distant land,
from our future
home. He comes
with a leaf of hope.
Max Lucado (A Love
Worth Giving)
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MARK 11:133
SITUATION
Jesus and His disciples
made a pilgrimage to the
temple in Jerusalem during
the Passover. The people
heralded Jesus, calling Him
the Messiah. He threw
merchants and money
changers out of the temple
for proting from peoples
worship. During this week,
He traveled between
Bethany and Jerusalem
frequently.
OBSERVATION
Have faith in God. He
always fullls His word.
Jesus promised that through
faith His disciples would
accomplish great things.
INSPIRATION
The story is told about the
time Napoleons steed got
away from him. An alert
private jumped on his own
horse and chased down the
generals horse. When he
presented the reins of the
animal to Napoleon, the
ruler took them, smiled at
his willing private, and said,
Thank you, Captain.
The soldiers eyes widened
at what he had heard. He
then straightened. Saluted.
And snapped, Thank you,
sir!
He immediately went to
the barracks. Got his bags.
Moved into the ofcers
quarters. Took his uniform
to the quartermaster
and exchanged if for
that of a captain. By the
generals word, he had
become a private-turned-
commissioned ofcer. He
didnt argue. He didnt
shrug. He didnt doubt. He
knew that the one who had
the power to do it had done
it. And he accepted that.
If only we would do the
2
and He said to them, Go into the village opposite you; and as soon
as you have entered it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has
sat. Loose it and bring it.
3
And if anyone says to you, Why are you
doing this? say, The Lord has need of it, and immediately he will
send it here.
4
So they went their way, and found the
a
colt tied by the door out-
side on the street, and they loosed it.
5
But some of those who stood
there said to them, What are you doing, loosing the colt?
6
And they spoke to them just as Je sus had commanded. So they let
them go.
7
Then they brought the colt to Je sus and threw their clothes
on it, and He sat on it.
8
And many spread their clothes on the road,
and others cut down leafy branches from the trees and spread them
on the road.
9
Then those who went before and those who followed
cried out, saying:
Hosanna!
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!
a

10
Blessed is the kingdom of our father David
That comes in the name of the Lord!
a

Hosanna in the highest!
11
And Je sus went into Je ru sa lem and into the temple. So when He had
looked around at all things, as the hour was already late, He went out
to Bethany with the twelve.
The Fig Tree Withered
12
Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He
was hungry.
13
And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went
to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it,
He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.
14
In
response Je sus said to it, Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.
And His disciples heard it.
Jesus Cleanses the Temple
15
So they came to Je ru sa lem. Then Je sus went into the temple and
began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and
overturned the tables of the money chan gers and the seats of those
who sold doves.
16
And He would not allow anyone to carry wares
through the temple.
17
Then He taught, saying to them, Is it not writ-
ten, My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations ?
a
But
you have made it a den of thieves.
b

18
And the scribes and chief priests heard it and sought how they
might destroy Him; for they feared Him, because all the people were
astonished at His teaching.
19
When evening had come, He went out
of the city.
The Lesson of the Withered Fig Tree
20
Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried
up from the roots.
21
And Pe ter, remembering, said to Him, Rabbi,
look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.
.,
lessons
11:4
a
NU-Text and M-Text read a. 11:9
a
Psalm 118:26 11:10
a
NU-Text omits in the
name of the Lord. 11:17
a
Isaiah 56:7
b
Jeremiah 7:11
41-Mark-LIB.indd 1377 5/17/2010 12:55:24 PM
1378 { MA R K 1 1 : 2 2 }
same. If only we would have
the faith of the private. . . .
If only, when God smiles
and says we are saved,
wed salute Him, and live
like those who have just
received a gift from the
commander-in-chief. (From
In the Eye of the Storm by
Max Lucado)
APPLICATION
Develop regular prayer
times when you tell both
your troubles and your joys
to God.
EXPLORATION
FaithMatthew 21:21;
Hebrews 11:16; James
5:1318; 1 John 5:14.
22
So Je sus answered and said to them, Have faith in God.
23
For
as suredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, Be removed
and be cast into the sea, and does not doubt in his heart, but believes
that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.
24
There fore I say to you, what ever things you ask when you pray,
believe that you receive them, and you will have them.
CH R I S T T H R O U G H T H E BI B L E
Jesus: Te One Who
Kept His Focus
One of the incredible abilities of Jesus was to stay on
target. His life never got off track. Not once do we nd
Him walking down the wrong side of the fairway. He
had no money, no computers, no jets, no administrative
assistants or staff; yet Jesus did what many of us fail to
do. He kept His life on course.
As Jesus looked across the horizon of His future, He
could see many targets. Many ags were apping in the
wind, each of which He could have pursued. He could
have been a political revolutionary. He could have been
a national leader. He could have been content to be a
teacher and educate minds or to be a physician and heal
bodies. But in the end He chose to be a Savior and save
souls.
Anyone near Christ for any length of time heard it
from Jesus Himself. The Son of Man has come to seek
and to save that which was lost (Luke 19:10). The Son
of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to
give His life a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).
The heart of Christ was relentlessly focused on one
task. The day He left the carpentry shop of Nazareth He
had one ultimate aimthe Cross of Calvary. He was so
focused that His nal words were, It is nished (John
19:30).
How could Jesus say He was nished? There were still
the hungry to feed, the sick to heal, the untaught to
instruct, and the unloved to love. How could He say He
was nished? Simple. He had completed His designated
task. His commission was fullled. The painter could
set aside his brush, the sculptor lay down his chisel, the
writer put away his pen. The job was done. (From Just
Like Jesus by Max Lucado)
For more on Christ Through the Bible, see page XXX.
h
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1379 { MA R K 1 2 : 1 2 }
MARK 12:144
SITUATION
The time for Jesus death
was approaching quickly.
Nearing His nal hour, Jesus
wanted Gods love to be
made clear through His
teaching and example.
OBSERVATION
As a result of Gods love
for us, we can love God
and others. Gods love also
gives us hope that we have
eternal life.
INSPIRATION
The phrase take up your
cross has not fared well
through the generations.
Ask for a denition, and
youll hear answers like My
cross is my mother-in-law,
my job, my bad marriage,
my cranky boss, or the dull
preacher. The cross, we
assume, is any besetting
afiction or personal hassle.
My thesaurus agrees. It lists
the following synonyms
for cross: frustration, trying
situation, snag, hitch, and
drawback. To take up the
cross is to put up with a
personal challenge. God, we
think, passes out crosses the
way a warden hands out
shovels to the chain gang.
No one wants one. Each
one gets one. Everybody
has a cross to bear, and we
might as well get used to it.
But really. Is Jesus
reducing the Cross to
hassles and headaches?
Calling us to quit
complaining about the y
in the ointment or the pain
in the neck? The Cross
means so much more. It is
Gods tool of redemption,
instrument of salvation
proof of His love for people.
To take up the Cross, then,
is to take up Christs burden
for the people of the world.
Forgiveness and Prayer
25
And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against
anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you
your trespasses.
26
But if you do not forgive, nei ther will your Father in
heaven forgive your trespasses.
a

Jesus Authority Questioned
27
Then they came again to Je ru sa lem. And as He was walking
in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to
Him.
28
And they said to Him, By what au thor ity are You doing these
things? And who gave You this authority to do these things?
29
But Je sus answered and said to them, I also will ask you one
question; then answer Me, and I will tell you by what authority I do
these things:
30
The bap tism of Johnwas it from heaven or from
men? Answer Me.
31
And they reasoned among themselves, saying, If we say, From
heaven, He will say, Why then did you not believe him?
32
But if we
say, From men they feared the people, for all counted John to
have been a prophet indeed.
33
So they answered and said to Je sus,
We do not know.
And Je sus answered and said to them, Nei ther will I tell you by
what authority I do these things.
The Parable of the Wicked Vinedressers
12
Then He began to speak to them in parables: A man planted a
vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a place for the wine vat
and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far
country.
2
Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers,
that he might receive some of the fruit of the vineyard from the vine-
dressers.
3
And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-
handed.
4
Again he sent them another servant, and at him they threw
stones,
a
wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully
treated.
5
And again he sent another, and him they killed; and many
others, beat ing some and killing some.
6
There fore still having one son,
his beloved, he also sent him to them last, saying, They will respect my
son.
7
But those vinedressers said among themselves, This is the heir.
Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.
8
So they took
him and killed him and cast him out of the vineyard.
9
There fore what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come
and destroy the vinedressers, and give the vineyard to others.
10
Have
you not even read this Scripture:
The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.
11
This was the LORDs doing,
And it is marvelous in our eyes?
a

12
And they sought to lay hands on Him, but feared the multitude, for
they knew He had spoken the parable against them. So they left Him
and went away.
.,
lessons
11:26
a
NU-Text omits this verse. 12:4
a
NU-Text omits and at him they threw stones.
12:11
a
Psalm 118:22, 23
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(From Every Day Deserves a
Chance by Max Lucado)
APPLICATION
When you are fed up with
life and utterly exhausted,
look for a way to love
someone around you. Being
patient and maintaining a
caring attitude when you
dont feel like it shows that
you have experienced Gods
love.
EXPLORATION
Gods SacriceRomans
5:8; Ephesians 5:2; 1 John
4:10.
The Pharisees: Is It Lawful to Pay Taxes to Caesar?
13
Then they sent to Him some of the Pharisees and the Herodians,
to catch Him in His words.
14
When they had come, they said to Him,
Teacher, we know that You are true, and care about no one; for You
do not re gard the person of men, but teach the way of God in truth.
Is it lawful to pay taxes to Cae sar, or not?
15
Shall we pay, or shall we
not pay?
But He, knowing their hy poc risy, said to them, Why do you test
Me? Bring Me a denarius that I may see it.
16
So they brought it.
And He said to them, Whose image and inscription is this? They
said to Him, Cae sars.
17
And Je sus answered and said to them, Ren der to Cae sar the
things that are Cae sars, and to God the things that are Gods.
And they marveled at Him.
The Sadducees: What About the Resurrection?
18
Then some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came
to Him; and they asked Him, saying:
19
Teacher, Mo ses wrote to us
that if a mans brother dies, and leaves his wife behind, and leaves no
children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his
brother.
20
Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife; and
dying, he left no offspring.
21
And the second took her, and he died;
nor did he leave any offspring. And the third likewise.
22
So the seven
had her and left no offspring. Last of all the woman died also.
23
There-
fore, in the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be? For
all seven had her as wife.
24
Je sus answered and said to them, Are you not therefore mis-
taken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God?
25
For when they rise from the dead, they nei ther marry nor are given
in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.
26
But concerning the dead,
that they rise, have you not read in the book of Mo ses, in the burn-
ing bush passage, how God spoke to him, saying, I am the God of
Abra ham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Ja cob?
a

27
He is not the
God of the dead, but the God of the living. You are therefore greatly
mis taken.
The Scribes: Which Is the First Commandment
of All?
28
Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning
together, per ceiv ing
a
that He had answered them well, asked Him,
Which is the first commandment of all?
29
Je sus answered him, The first of all the commandments is:
Hear, O Is rael, the LORD our God, the LORD is one.
30
And you shall love
the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your
mind, and with all your strength.
a
This is the first commandment.
b

31
And the second, like it, is this: You shall love your neighbor as your-
self.
a
There is no other commandment greater than these.
32
So the scribe said to Him, Well said, Teacher. You have spoken
the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He.
33
And to
12:26
a
Exodus 3:6, 15 12:28
a
NU-Text reads seeing. 12:30
a
Deuteronomy 6:4, 5

b
NU-Text omits this sentence. 12:31
a
Leviticus 19:18
h
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MARK 13:137
SITUATION
Jesus taught His disciples
about the signs of the end
times. While He taught,
He stood on the Mount of
Olives directly opposite the
temple in Jerusalem. Peter,
James, John, and Andrew
asked Him to explain when
the end would come.
OBSERVATION
Be ready for the return
of Christ. Some of the
signs that will precede His
coming are war, hunger,
earthquakes, false Christs,
false prophets, rumors
of wars, loss of faith,
persecution of believers,
the increase of evil, and the
preaching of the good news
to all the world.
INSPIRATION
Life is a dangerous
endeavor. We pass our days
in the shadows of ominous
realities. The power to
annihilate humanity has, it
seems, been placed in the
hands of people who are
happy to do so. . . . If the
global temperature rises
a few more degrees . . . if
classied information falls
into sinister hands . . . if the
wrong person pushes the
wrong red button . . . What
if things only get worse?
Christ tells us that they
will. He predicts spiritual
bailouts, ecological turmoil,
and worldwide persecution.
Yet in the midst of it all, He
contends bravery is still an
option. . . .
Things are going to get
bad, really bad, before
they get better. And when
conditions worsen, See to
it that you are not alarmed
(Matthew 24:6 NIV). Jesus
chose a stout term for
alarmed that He used on
love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the
soul,
a
and with all the strength, and to love ones neighbor as oneself,
is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.
34
Now when Je sus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him,
You are not far from the kingdom of God.
But after that no one dared question Him.
Jesus: How Can David Call His Descendant Lord?
35
Then Je sus answered and said, while He taught in the temple,
How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of Da vid?
36
For
Da vid himself said by the Holy Spirit:
The LORD said to my Lord,
Sit at My right hand,
Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.
a

37
There fore Da vid himself calls Him Lord; how is He then his Son?
And the common people heard Him gladly.
Beware of the Scribes
38
Then He said to them in His teaching, Be ware of the scribes,
who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the mar-
ketplaces,
39
the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at
feasts,
40
who devour widows houses, and for a pretense make long
prayers. These will receive greater condemna tion.
The Widows Two Mites
41
Now Je sus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people
put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much.
42
Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites,
a
which make
a quad rans.
43
So He called His disciples to Him self and said to them,
As suredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all
those who have given to the treasury;
44
for they all put in out of their
abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her
whole livelihood.
Jesus Predicts the Destruction of the Temple
13
Then as He went out of the temple, one of His disciples said to
Him, Teacher, see what manner of stones and what buildings
are here!
2
And Je sus answered and said to him, Do you see these great
buildings? Not one stone shall be left upon another, that shall not be
thrown down.
The Signs of the Times and the End of the Age
3
Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Pe ter,
James, John, and An drew asked Him privately,
4
Tell us, when will
these things be? And what will be the sign when all these things will
be fulfilled?
.,
lessons
12:33
a
NU-Text omits with all the soul. 12:36
a
Psalm 110:1 12:42
a
Greek lepta,
very small copper coins worth a fraction of a penny
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no other occasion. It means
to wail, to cry aloud,
as if Jesus counseled the
disciples, Dont freak out
when bad stuff happens.
(From Fearless by Max
Lucado)
APPLICATION
If Jesus returned today,
would you be among those
who welcome Him or
among those who dread His
coming? Reconsider your
priorities and stand ready to
go at a moments notice.
EXPLORATION
Ready for Jesus Christs
ReturnMatthew 24:1
25:13; Luke 21:536;
1 Thessalonians 5:111.
5
And Je sus, answering them, began to say: Take heed that no one
deceives you.
6
For many will come in My name, saying, I am He, and
will deceive many.
7
But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do
not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet.
8
For nation will rise against nation, and king dom against kingdom.
And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be
famines and troubles.
a
These are the beginnings of sor rows.
9
But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to coun-
cils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will be brought
a

before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them.
10
And
the gospel must first be preached to all the nations.
11
But when they
arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premed-
i tate
a
what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour,
speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.
12
Now
brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and chil-
dren will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.
13
And you will be hated by all for My names sake. But he who en dures
to the end shall be saved.
The Great Tribulation
14
So when you see the abom i na tion of desolation,
a
spo ken of
by Dan iel the prophet,
b
standing where it ought not (let the reader
understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.
15
Let him who is on the housetop not go down into the house, nor
enter to take anything out of his house.
16
And let him who is in the
field not go back to get his clothes.
17
But woe to those who are preg-
nant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!
18
And pray
that your flight may not be in winter.
19
For in those days there will be
tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the creation
which God created until this time, nor ever shall be.
20
And unless the
Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the
elects sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days.
21
Then if anyone says to you, Look, here is the Christ! or, Look,
He is there! do not believe it.
22
For false christs and false prophets
will rise and show signs and won ders to deceive, if possible, even the
elect.
23
But take heed; see, I have told you all things beforehand.
The Coming of the Son of Man
24
But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light;
25
the stars of heaven will fall, and
the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
26
Then they will see the Son
of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.
27
And then
He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four
winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven.
The Parable of the Fig Tree
28
Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has
already become tender, and puts forth leaves, you know that summer
h
If you have ever
wondered how
God reacts when
you fail, watch
carefully. Hes
writing. Hes
leaving a message.
Not in the sand,
but on a cross. His
message has two
words: not guilty.
Max Lucado (3:16)
13:8
a
NU-Text omits and troubles. 13:9
a
NU-Text and M-Text read will
stand. 13:11
a
NU-Text omits or premeditate. 13:14
a
Daniel 11:31; 12:11
b
NU-Text
omits spoken of by Daniel the prophet.
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MARK 14:172
SITUATION
Jesus neared the time of
His death. He triumphantly
entered Jerusalem and
chased men from the
temple who exploited
worship. Excitement lled
the air in Jerusalem because
the people considered
Jesus to be the conquering
Messiah. Instead, Jesus
prepared to face the Cross.
OBSERVATION
The people thought that
Jesus would be a glorious
hero and give the nation a
majestic destiny. Instead,
Jesus humbled Himself
according to Gods plan and
won our salvation.
INSPIRATION
Would you do what Jesus
did? He swapped a spotless
castle for a grimy stable. He
exchanged the worship of
angels for the company of
killers. He could hold the
universe in His palm but
gave it up to oat in the
womb of a maiden.
If you were God, would
you sleep on straw, nurse
from a breast, and be
clothed in a diaper? I
wouldnt, but Christ did.
If you knew that only a
few would care that you
came, would you still come?
If you knew that those you
loved would laugh in your
face, would you still care? If
you knew that the tongues
you made would mock
you, the mouths you made
would spit at you, the hands
you made would crucify
you, would you still make
them? Christ did. Would
you regard the immobile
and invalid more important
than yourself? Jesus did.
He humbled Himself. He
went from commanding
is near.
29
So you also, when you see these things happening, know
that it
a
is nearat the doors!
30
As suredly, I say to you, this generation
will by no means pass away till all these things take place.
31
Heaven
and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.
No One Knows the Day or Hour
32
But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels
in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Fa ther.
33
Take heed, watch and
pray; for you do not know when the time is.
34
It is like a man going to a
far country, who left his house and gave au thor ity to his servants, and
to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch.
35
Watch
therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is com-
ingin the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in
the morning
36
lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping.
37
And
what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!
The Plot to Kill Jesus
14
After two days it was the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened
Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they
might take Him by trick ery and put Him to death.
2
But they said, Not
during the feast, lest there be an uproar of the people.
The Anointing at Bethany
3
And being in Bethany at the house of Si mon the leper, as He sat
at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly
oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head.
4
But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and
said, Why was this fragrant oil wasted?
5
For it might have been sold
for more than three hundred de narii and given to the poor. And they
crit i cized her sharply.
6
But Je sus said, Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has
done a good work for Me.
7
For you have the poor with you always,
and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not
have always.
8
She has done what she could. She has come beforehand
to anoint My body for burial.
9
As suredly, I say to you, wherever this
gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will
also be told as a memorial to her.
Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus
10
Then Ju das Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests
to betray Him to them.
11
And when they heard it, they were glad,
and promised to give him money. So he sought how he might conve-
niently betray Him.
Jesus Celebrates the Passover with His Disciples
12
Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they killed the
Passover lamb, His disciples said to Him, Where do You want us to go
and prepare, that You may eat the Passover?
13
And He sent out two of His disciples and said to them, Go
into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water;
.,
lessons
13:29
a
Or He
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angels to sleeping in the
straw. From holding stars to
clutching Marys nger. The
palm that held the universe
took the nail of a soldier.
Why? Because thats
what love does. It puts the
beloved before itself. Your
soul was more important
than His blood. Your eternal
life was more important
than His earthly life. Your
place in heaven was more
important to Him than His
place in heaven, so He gave
up His so you could have
yours.
He loves you that much,
and because He loves you,
you are of prime importance
to Him.
Christ stands in contrast
to the barnyard. He points
to the sparrow, the most
inexpensive bird of His
day, and says, Are not
ve sparrows sold for two
copper coins? And not
one of them is forgotten
before God. . . . Do not fear
therefore; you are of more
value than many sparrows
(Luke 12:6, 7).
God remembers the small
birds of the world. We
remember the eagles. We
make bronze statues of the
hawk. We name our athletic
teams after the falcons. But
God notices the sparrows.
He makes time for the
children and takes note of
the lepers. He offers the
woman in adultery a second
chance and the thief on the
cross a personal invitation.
Christ is partial to the beat
up and done in and urges
us to follow suit. When
you give a feast, invite the
poor, the maimed, the lame,
the blind (Luke 14:13).
Want to love others as
God has loved you? Come
thirsty. Drink deeply of
Gods love for you, and ask
Him to ll your heart with a
love worth giving. (From A
Love Worth Giving by Max
Lucado)
follow him.
14
Wher ever he goes in, say to the master of the house,
The Teacher says, Where is the guest room in which I may eat the
Passover with My disciples?
15
Then he will show you a large upper
room, furnished and prepared; there make ready for us.
16
So His disciples went out, and came into the city, and found it
just as He had said to them; and they prepared the Passover.
17
In the evening He came with the twelve.
18
Now as they sat and
ate, Je sus said, As suredly, I say to you, one of you who eats with Me
will betray Me.
19
And they began to be sorrowful, and to say to Him one by one, Is
it I? And another said, Is it I?
a

20
He answered and said to them, It is one of the twelve, who dips
with Me in the dish.
21
The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written
of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It
would have been good for that man if he had never been born.
Jesus Institutes the Lords Supper
22
And as they were eating, Je sus took bread, blessed and broke it,
and gave it to them and said, Take, eat;
a
this is My body.
23
Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks He gave
it to them, and they all drank from it.
24
And He said to them, This is
My blood of the new
a
covenant, which is shed for many.
25
As suredly, I
say to you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day
when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.
26
And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount
of Olives.
Jesus Predicts Peters Denial
27
Then Je sus said to them, All of you will be made to stumble
be cause of Me this night,
a
for it is written:
I will strike the Shepherd,
And the sheep will be scattered.
b

28
But af ter I have been raised, I will go before you to Gal i lee.
29
Pe ter said to Him, Even if all are made to stum ble, yet I will not
be.
30
Je sus said to him, As suredly, I say to you that today, even this
night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.
31
But he spoke more vehemently, If I have to die with You, I will
not deny You!
And they all said likewise.
The Prayer in the Garden
32
Then they came to a place which was named Gethsemane; and
He said to His disciples, Sit here while I pray.
33
And He took Pe ter,
James, and John with Him, and He began to be troubled and deeply
distressed.
34
Then He said to them, My soul is exceedingly sorrowful,
even to death. Stay here and watch.
14:19
a
NU-Text omits this sentence. 14:22
a
NU-Text omits eat. 14:24
a
NU-Text
omits new. 14:27
a
NU-Text omits because of Me this night.
b
Zechariah 13:7
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APPLICATION
Instead of campaigning at
work or church for a high
and honored ofce, commit
six months to doing what
everyone else avoids. Look
for ways to identify with the
Servant Messiah, Jesus.
EXPLORATION
ServanthoodMatthew
20:2628; Luke 18:14;
John 13:1317; Philippians
2:511.
35
He went a little farther, and fell on the ground, and prayed that if
it were possible, the hour might pass from Him.
36
And He said, Abba,
Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me;
nev er the less, not what I will, but what You will.
37
Then He came and found them sleeping, and said to Pe ter, Si-
mon, are you sleeping? Could you not watch one hour?
38
Watch and
pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but
the flesh is weak.
39
Again He went away and prayed, and spoke the same words.
40
And when He returned, He found them asleep again, for their eyes
were heavy; and they did not know what to answer Him.
41
Then He came the third time and said to them, Are you still
sleeping and resting? It is enough! The hour has come; behold, the
Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sin ners.
42
Rise, let us
be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.
Betrayal and Arrest in Gethsemane
43
And immediately, while He was still speaking, Ju das, one of the
twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the
chief priests and the scribes and the elders.
44
Now His betrayer had
given them a signal, saying, Whom ever I kiss, He is the One; seize
Him and lead Him away safely.
45
As soon as he had come, immediately he went up to Him and
said to Him, Rabbi, Rabbi! and kissed Him.
46
Then they laid their hands on Him and took Him.
47
And one of
those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high
priest, and cut off his ear.
48
Then Je sus answered and said to them, Have you come out,
as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me?
49
I was daily
with you in the temple teach ing, and you did not seize Me. But the
Scriptures must be fulfilled.
50
Then they all forsook Him and fled.
A Young Man Flees Naked
51
Now a certain young man followed Him, having a linen cloth
thrown around his naked body. And the young men laid hold of him,
52
and he left the linen cloth and fled from them naked.
Jesus Faces the Sanhedrin
53
And they led Je sus away to the high priest; and with him were
as sem bled all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes.
54
But Pe ter
followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest.
And he sat with the servants and warmed himself at the fire.
55
Now the chief priests and all the council sought testimony
against Je sus to put Him to death, but found none.
56
For many bore
false witness against Him, but their testimonies did not agree.
57
Then some rose up and bore false witness against Him, saying,
58
We heard Him say, I will destroy this temple made with hands, and
within three days I will build another made without hands.
59
But
not even then did their testimony agree.
60
And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Je sus, saying,
h
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MARK 15:147
SITUATION
Judas betrayed Jesus, and
the religious authorities
arrested Gods Son. The
disciples scattered, and
Peter denied Him three
times. Jesus, beaten and
mocked throughout the
night, provided salvation
through His death and
resurrection.
OBSERVATION
The hours before Jesus
crucixion were extremely
painful for Him, yet He
faced the sacrice with love,
courage, and conviction so
great that He willingly gave
up His life for us!
INSPIRATION
He looked around the
hill and foresaw a scene.
Three gures hung on
three crosses. Arms spread.
Heads fallen forward. They
moaned with the wind.
Men clad in soldiers garb
sat on the ground near the
trio. They played games in
the dirt and laughed.
Men clad in religion
stood off to one side. They
smiled. Arrogant, cocky.
They had protected God,
they thought, by killing this
false one.
Women clad in sorrow
huddled at the foot of the
hill. Speechless. Faces tear
streaked. Eyes downward.
One put her arm around
another and tried to lead
her away. She wouldnt
leave. I will stay, she said
softly. I will stay.
All heaven stood to ght.
All nature rose to rescue. All
eternity poised to protect.
But the Creator gave no
command.
It must be done . . . ,
He said, and withdrew.
But as He stepped back in
Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?
61
But He kept silent and answered nothing.
Again the high priest asked Him, saying to Him, Are You the Christ,
the Son of the Blessed?
62
Je sus said, I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the
right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.
63
Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, What further
need do we have of witnesses?
64
You have heard the blas phemy! What
do you think?
And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death.
65
Then some began to spit on Him, and to blindfold Him, and to
beat Him, and to say to Him, Proph esy! And the officers struck Him
with the palms of their hands.
a

Peter Denies Jesus, and Weeps
66
Now as Pe ter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls
of the high priest came.
67
And when she saw Pe ter warming himself,
she looked at him and said, You also were with Je sus of Naz a reth.
68
But he denied it, saying, I nei ther know nor understand what
you are saying. And he went out on the porch, and a rooster crowed.
69
And the servant girl saw him again, and began to say to those
who stood by, This is one of them.
70
But he denied it again.
And a little later those who stood by said to Pe ter again, Surely you
are one of them; for you are a Gal i lean, and your speech shows it.
a

71
Then he began to curse and swear, I do not know this Man of
whom you speak!
72
A second time the rooster crowed. Then Pe ter called to mind the
word that Je sus had said to him, Be fore the rooster crows twice, you
will deny Me three times. And when he thought about it, he wept.
Jesus Faces Pilate
15
Im me di ately, in the morning, the chief priests held a consulta-
tion with the elders and scribes and the whole council; and
they bound Je sus, led Him away, and de liv ered Him to Pi late.
2
Then
Pi late asked Him, Are You the King of the Jews?
He answered and said to him, It is as you say.
3
And the chief priests accused Him of many things, but He
an swered nothing.
4
Then Pi late asked Him again, saying, Do You
answer nothing? See how many things they testify against You!
a

5
But
Je sus still answered nothing, so that Pi late marveled.
Taking the Place of Barabbas
6
Now at the feast he was accus tomed to releasing one prisoner
to them, whomever they requested.
7
And there was one named
Barabbas, who was chained with his fellow rebels; they had com-
mitted murder in the rebellion.
8
Then the multitude, cry ing aloud,
a

began to ask him to do just as he had always done for them.
9
But
Pi late answered them, saying, Do you want me to release to you the
.,
lessons
14:65
a
NU-Text reads received Him with slaps. 14:70
a
NU-Text omits and your
speech shows it. 15:4
a
NU-Text reads of which they accuse You. 15:8
a
NU-Text
reads going up.
41-Mark-LIB.indd 1386 5/17/2010 12:55:31 PM
1387 { MA R K 1 5 : 3 4 }
time, He heard the cry that
He would someday scream:
My God, my God, why
have you forsaken Me?
He wrenched at tomorrows
agony.
The angel spoke again. It
would be less painful . . .
The Creator interrupted
softly. But it wouldnt be
love. (From In the Eye of
the Storm by Max Lucado)
APPLICATION
What have you given
up for others recently?
Remember how great
Christs generosity was to
you as you think of these
sacrices.
EXPLORATION
Christs SacriceJohn
3:16; Romans 5:68;
Philippians 2:58; Hebrews
12:13.
King of the Jews?
10
For he knew that the chief priests had handed
Him over because of envy.
11
But the chief priests stirred up the crowd, so that he should
rather release Barabbas to them.
12
Pi late answered and said to them
again, What then do you want me to do with Him whom you call the
King of the Jews?
13
So they cried out again, Cru cify Him!
14
Then Pi late said to them, Why, what evil has He done?
But they cried out all the more, Cru cify Him!
15
So Pi late, wanting to gratify the crowd, released Barabbas to them;
and he delivered Je sus, after he had scourged Him, to be cru ci fied.
The Soldiers Mock Jesus
16
Then the soldiers led Him away into the hall called Prae to rium,
and they called together the whole garrison.
17
And they clothed Him
with purple; and they twisted a crown of thorns, put it on His head,
18
and began to salute Him, Hail, King of the Jews!
19
Then they
struck Him on the head with a reed and spat on Him; and bowing the
knee, they worshiped Him.
20
And when they had mocked Him, they
took the purple off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him
out to crucify Him.
The King on a Cross
21
Then they compelled a certain man, Si mon a Cyrenian, the
father of Al ex an der and Rufus, as he was coming out of the country
and passing by, to bear His cross.
22
And they brought Him to the place
Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull.
23
Then they gave Him
wine mingled with myrrh to drink, but He did not take it.
24
And when
they crucified Him, they divided His garments, casting lots for them
to determine what every man should take.
25
Now it was the third hour, and they crucified Him.
26
And the
inscription of His ac cu sa tion was written above:
THE KING OF THE JEWS.
27
With Him they also crucified two robbers, one on His right and the
other on His left.
28
So the Scripture was fulfilled
a
which says, And He
was numbered with the transgressors.
b

29
And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wag ging their heads
and saying, Aha! You who destroy the temple and build it in three
days,
30
save Yourself, and come down from the cross!
31
Like wise the chief priests also, mock ing among themselves with
the scribes, said, He saved others; Himself He cannot save.
32
Let the
Christ, the King of Is rael, descend now from the cross, that we may
see and be lieve.
a

Even those who were crucified with Him reviled Him.
Jesus Dies on the Cross
33
Now when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the
whole land until the ninth hour.
34
And at the ninth hour Je sus cried
h
Not only did Jesus
nd good in the
bad, he found
purpose in the
pain. Of the ninety-
eight words Jesus
spoke at his arrest,
thirty refer to the
purpose of God.
Max Lucado (Just Like
Jesus)
15:28
a
Isaiah 53:12
b
NU-Text omits this verse. 15:32
a
M-Text reads believe Him.
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1388 { MA R K 1 5 : 3 5 }
MARK 16:120
SITUATION
Jesus was crucied and His
body buried. His followers
were dismayed because He
did not create a kingdom on
earth. Because He died so
close to the Sabbath (a day
on which Israelites could
do no work), His body was
not completely prepared for
burial. Once the Sabbath
was over, some women set
out, intending to put sweet-
smelling spices on His body.
OBSERVATION
Jesus was not simply a
man who led a good life
and died. He rose from the
dead. Death cannot hold
Him or His followers. God
conquered death, and gave
us hope.
INSPIRATION
The year 1899 marked the
deaths of two well-known
menDwight L. Moody, the
acclaimed evangelist, and
Robert Ingersoll, the famous
lawyer, orator, and political
leader.
The two men had many
similarities. Both were raised
in Christian homes. Both
were skilled orators. . . .
Both drew immense crowds
when they spoke and
attracted loyal followings.
But there was one striking
difference between them
their view of God.
Ingersoll was an agnostic;
he had no belief in the
eternal, but stressed the
importance of living only in
the here and now. Ingersoll
made light of the Bible. .
. . The Bible was a fable,
an obscenity, a humbug, a
sham and a lie. . . .
Dwight L. Moody, had
different convictions.
He dedicated his life to
presenting a resurrected
out with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is
translated, My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?
a

35
Some of those who stood by, when they heard that, said, Look,
He is calling for Elijah!
36
Then some one ran and filled a sponge full
of sour wine, put it on a reed, and of fered it to Him to drink, saying,
Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to take Him down.
37
And Je sus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last.
38
Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.
39
So when the centurion, who stood opposite Him, saw that He cried
out like this and breathed His last,
a
he said, Truly this Man was the
Son of God!
40
There were also women looking on from afar, among whom were
Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the Less and of Joses,
and Salome,
41
who also fol lowed Him and ministered to Him when
He was in Gal i lee, and many other women who came up with Him
to Je ru sa lem.
Jesus Buried in Josephs Tomb
42
Now when evening had come, because it was the Preparation
Day, that is, the day before the Sabbath,
43
Jo seph of Arimathea, a
prominent council member, who was himself waiting for the king-
dom of God, coming and taking courage, went in to Pi late and asked
for the body of Je sus.
44
Pi late marveled that He was already dead;
and summoning the centurion, he asked him if He had been dead for
some time.
45
So when he found out from the centurion, he granted
the body to Jo seph.
46
Then he bought fine linen, took Him down, and
wrapped Him in the linen. And he laid Him in a tomb which had been
hewn out of the rock, and rolled a stone against the door of the tomb.
47
And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses observed where
He was laid.
He Is Risen
16
Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the
mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might
come and anoint Him.
2
Very early in the morning, on the first day of
the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen.
3
And they
said among themselves, Who will roll away the stone from the door
of the tomb for us?
4
But when they looked up, they saw that the
stone had been rolled awayfor it was very large.
5
And entering the
tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on
the right side; and they were alarmed.
6
But he said to them, Do not be alarmed. You seek Je sus of Naz-
a reth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place
where they laid Him.
7
But go, tell His disciplesand Pe terthat He
is going be fore you into Gal i lee; there you will see Him, as He said to
you.
8
So they went out quickly
a
and fled from the tomb, for they trem-
bled and were amazed. And they said nothing to anyone, for they
were afraid.
.,
lessons
15:34
a
Psalm 22:1 15:39
a
NU-Text reads that He thus breathed His last.
16:8
a
NU-Text and M-Text omit quickly.
41-Mark-LIB.indd 1388 5/17/2010 12:55:33 PM
qq qq
THE BOOK OF
M
ark
I N T R O D U C T I O N
Te drama of Marks Gospel peaks in Caesarea Philippi.
Its a religious mecca. Every major religion can be found here. Temples dot the landscape.
Priests stride the streets.
Jesus and His followers are here? Why? If Jesus preached a sermon, its not recorded. If He
performed a miracle, we dont know it. As far as we know, all He did was ask two questions.
The rst, Who do people say that I am?
The disciples are quick to respond. Theyve overheard the chatter. Some say you are John
the Baptist. Others say you are Elijah, and others say you are one of the prophets.
Good answers. True answers. But wrong answers.
Jesus then turns and asks them the question. The question. But who do you say I am?
He doesnt ask, What do you think about what Ive done? He asks, Who do you say I am?
He doesnt ask, Who did you think I was
when the crowds were great and the miracles
were many? He asks, Who do you think I
am? Here against the backdrop of religion. Me,
a penniless itinerant surrounded by afuent
temples. Who do you say I am?
He doesnt ask, Who do your friends think
. . . Who do your parents think . . . Who do
your peers think? He poses instead a starkly
personal query, Who do you think I am?
The disciples arent as quick to respond. One
ducks his eyes. Another shufes his feet. A third
clears his throat. But Peter lifts his head. He lifts
his head and looks at the Nazarene and speaks
the words heaven has longed to hear. You are
the Christ.
You have been asked some important
questions in your life:
Will you marry me?
Would you be interested in a transfer?
What would you think if I told you I was
pregnant?
Youve been asked some important
questions. But the grandest of them is an anthill
compared to the Everest found in the eighth
chapter of Mark.
Who do you say I am?
ABOUT THIS BOOK
Author: Mark, also called John Mark
Date Written: c. A.D. 60
Key Themes:
Jesus was a savior and yet a
servant.
Jesus gave His life as a sacrice for
humanitys broken relationship
with God.
Jesus performed miracles through
the power of God.
Jesus taught about the kingdom
of God.
Key Verse:
For even the Son of Man did not
come to be served, but to serve, and to
give His life a ransom for many (Mark
10:45).
Contents:
I. Jesus Introduction and
Preparation 1:12:12
II. Public Ministry 2:138:26
III. Teachings 8:2710:52
IV. Trial, Death, and Resurrection
11:116:20
h
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1389 { MA R K 1 6 : 2 0 }
King to a dying people. He embraced the Bible as the
hope for humanity and the Cross as the turning point
of history. He left behind a legacy of written and spoken
words, institutions of education, churches, and changed
lives.
Two men. Both powerful speakers and inuential
leaders. One rejected God; the other embraced Him. The
impact of their decisions is seen most clearly in the way
they died. . . .
Ingersoll died suddenly. The news of his death stunned
his family. His body was kept at home for several days
because his wife was reluctant to part with it. It was
eventually removed for the sake of the familys health.
Ingersolls remains were cremated, and the public
response to his passing was altogether dismal. For a man
who put all his hopes on the world, death was tragic
and came without the consolation of hope. . . .
Moodys legacy was different. On December 22, 1899,
Moody awoke to his last winter dawn. Having grown
increasingly weak during the night, he began to speak
in slow measured words. Earth recedes, heaven opens
before me! Son Will, who was nearby, hurried across
the room to his fathers side.
Father, you are dreaming, he said.
No. This is no dream, Will, Moody said. It is
beautiful. It is like a trance. If this is death, it is sweet.
God is calling me, and I must go. Dont call me back.
At that point, the family gathered around, and
moments later the great evangelist died. It was his
coronation daya day he had looked forward to for
many years. He was with his Lord.
. . . There was no despair. Loved ones gathered to
sing praise to God at a triumphant home-going service.
Many remembered the words the evangelist had spoken
earlier that year in New York City: Someday you will
read in the papers that Moody is dead. Dont you believe
a word of it. At that moment I shall be more alive than I
am now. . . . I was born of the esh in 1837, I was born
of the spirit in 1855. That which is born of the esh may
die. That which is born of the Spirit shall live forever.
(From The Applause of Heaven by Max Lucado)
APPLICATION
What do you fear about death? Remember that Jesus
did the impossible by rising from the dead. One day your
body and spirit will rise from the dead.
EXPLORATION
Victory over DeathPsalm 23:4; Hosea 13:14; Romans
8:2; 1 Corinthians 15:5457; Ephesians 2:4, 5.
Mary Magdalene Sees the Risen
Lord
9
Now when He rose early on the first
day of the week, He appeared first to Mary
Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven
demons.
10
She went and told those who had
been with Him, as they mourned and wept.
11
And when they heard that He was alive and
had been seen by her, they did not believe.
Jesus Appears to Two Disciples
12
Af ter that, He appeared in another form
to two of them as they walked and went into
the country.
13
And they went and told it to the
rest, but they did not believe them either.
The Great Commission
14
Later He appeared to the eleven as they
sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbe-
lief and hardness of heart, because they did
not believe those who had seen Him after He
had risen.
15
And He said to them, Go into
all the world and preach the gospel to every
creature.
16
He who believes and is baptized
will be saved; but he who does not believe
will be condemned.
17
And these signs will
follow those who be lieve: In My name they
will cast out demons; they will speak with new
tongues;
18
they
a
will take up serpents; and if
they drink anything deadly, it will by no means
hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and
they will recover.
Christ Ascends to Gods Right Hand
19
So then, af ter the Lord had spoken to
them, He was re ceived up into heaven, and
sat down at the right hand of God.
20
And they
went out and preached everywhere, the Lord
working with them and confirming the word
through the accom panying signs. Amen.
a

16:18
a
NU-Text reads and in their hands they will. 16:20
a
Verses 920 are bracketed in NU-Text as not original.
They are lacking in Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus, although nearly all other manuscripts of Mark contain
them.
41-Mark-LIB.indd 1389 5/17/2010 12:55:33 PM
1389 { MA R K 1 6 : 2 0 }
King to a dying people. He embraced the Bible as the
hope for humanity and the Cross as the turning point
of history. He left behind a legacy of written and spoken
words, institutions of education, churches, and changed
lives.
Two men. Both powerful speakers and inuential
leaders. One rejected God; the other embraced Him. The
impact of their decisions is seen most clearly in the way
they died. . . .
Ingersoll died suddenly. The news of his death stunned
his family. His body was kept at home for several days
because his wife was reluctant to part with it. It was
eventually removed for the sake of the familys health.
Ingersolls remains were cremated, and the public
response to his passing was altogether dismal. For a man
who put all his hopes on the world, death was tragic
and came without the consolation of hope. . . .
Moodys legacy was different. On December 22, 1899,
Moody awoke to his last winter dawn. Having grown
increasingly weak during the night, he began to speak
in slow measured words. Earth recedes, heaven opens
before me! Son Will, who was nearby, hurried across
the room to his fathers side.
Father, you are dreaming, he said.
No. This is no dream, Will, Moody said. It is
beautiful. It is like a trance. If this is death, it is sweet.
God is calling me, and I must go. Dont call me back.
At that point, the family gathered around, and
moments later the great evangelist died. It was his
coronation daya day he had looked forward to for
many years. He was with his Lord.
. . . There was no despair. Loved ones gathered to
sing praise to God at a triumphant home-going service.
Many remembered the words the evangelist had spoken
earlier that year in New York City: Someday you will
read in the papers that Moody is dead. Dont you believe
a word of it. At that moment I shall be more alive than I
am now. . . . I was born of the esh in 1837, I was born
of the spirit in 1855. That which is born of the esh may
die. That which is born of the Spirit shall live forever.
(From The Applause of Heaven by Max Lucado)
APPLICATION
What do you fear about death? Remember that Jesus
did the impossible by rising from the dead. One day your
body and spirit will rise from the dead.
EXPLORATION
Victory over DeathPsalm 23:4; Hosea 13:14; Romans
8:2; 1 Corinthians 15:5457; Ephesians 2:4, 5.
Mary Magdalene Sees the Risen
Lord
9
Now when He rose early on the first
day of the week, He appeared first to Mary
Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven
demons.
10
She went and told those who had
been with Him, as they mourned and wept.
11
And when they heard that He was alive and
had been seen by her, they did not believe.
Jesus Appears to Two Disciples
12
Af ter that, He appeared in another form
to two of them as they walked and went into
the country.
13
And they went and told it to the
rest, but they did not believe them either.
The Great Commission
14
Later He appeared to the eleven as they
sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbe-
lief and hardness of heart, because they did
not believe those who had seen Him after He
had risen.
15
And He said to them, Go into
all the world and preach the gospel to every
creature.
16
He who believes and is baptized
will be saved; but he who does not believe
will be condemned.
17
And these signs will
follow those who be lieve: In My name they
will cast out demons; they will speak with new
tongues;
18
they
a
will take up serpents; and if
they drink anything deadly, it will by no means
hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and
they will recover.
Christ Ascends to Gods Right Hand
19
So then, af ter the Lord had spoken to
them, He was re ceived up into heaven, and
sat down at the right hand of God.
20
And they
went out and preached everywhere, the Lord
working with them and confirming the word
through the accom panying signs. Amen.
a

16:18
a
NU-Text reads and in their hands they will. 16:20
a
Verses 920 are bracketed in NU-Text as not original.
They are lacking in Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus, although nearly all other manuscripts of Mark contain
them.
41-Mark-LIB.indd 1389 5/17/2010 12:55:33 PM