His Story

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{GOSPEL ACCOUNTS}

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{BEGINNINGS}
  1. The Salvation of the Lord - {PDF Copy} - ('Jesus’ means “Yahweh saves.” In the man of Nazareth, the salvation promised by the God of Abraham has arrived)
  2. The Living Word - {PDF Copy} - (Jesus is the Word made flesh through whom the glory of God is revealed, the same Word by which God created all things)
  3. The Gospel Begins - {PDF Copy} - (Redemption and God's Kingdom arrived in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, starting with his baptism by John – Mark 1:1-3)
  4. Introduction to Mark - {PDF Copy} - (A brief overview of the history and structure of Mark's gospel account)
  5. The Son of Abraham - {PDF Copy} - (Jesus is the Son of Abraham, the heir of the promises, and the Messiah who implements the inheritance of his people)
  6. The Son of David - (Jesus is the Son of David and heir to the Messianic Throne, the beloved Son of God, and the Servant of the Lord) - {PDF Copy}
  7. King and Servant - (Jesus is the King from the House of David and the Servant of the Lord who endures death to save his people) - {PDF Copy}
  8. The Forerunner - {PDF Copy} - (John the Baptist prepared the way for the Messiah, the herald of the Kingdom of God and the one who baptizes in the Spirit – Mark 1:4-8)
  9. In Spirit and Fire - {PDF Copy} - (John baptized men and women in water, but the Messiah of Israel will baptize in spirit and fire - Matthew 3:11-12)
  10. Rend the Heavens! - {PDF Copy} - (The Spirit of God and the voice from heaven confirmed the calling and identity of Jesus - Son, Messiah, and Servant – Mark 1:9-11)
  11. Jesus and the Spirit - {PDF Copy} - (Jesus is the anointed Son of God whose life and ministry are filled with the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit)
  12. In the Wilderness - {PDF Copy} - (After his baptism, the Spirit drove Jesus into the wilderness where he was tested by the Devil. The Messiah succeeded where Israel failed)
  13. Adversity and Fulfillment - {PDF Copy} - (Jesus began to proclaim the Gospel following the arrest of John, which represented the opposition that came to plague his ministry – Mark 1:14-15)
  14. Servant or Caesar? - {PDF Copy} - (Jesus rejected Satan’s offer of unlimited political power and instead chose the way of the Suffering Servant - Matthew 4:8-11)
  15. The House of God - {PDF Copy} - (Jesus is the true and only way of access to the Father, the Greater Tabernacle, and the House of God – John 1:47-50)

{IN GALILEE}
  1. Summoning Disciples - {PDF Copy} - (In Galilee, Jesus summoned four fishermen to leave their livelihoods to follow him and become his disciples – Mark 1:16-20)
  2. The Son's Authority - {PDF Copy} - (Jesus is the ‘Son of Man’ foreseen by Daniel, the Messiah with absolute authority over the peoples and nations of the Earth)
  3. Authority over the Devil - {PDF Copy} - (Jesus demonstrated his authority over Satan’s kingdom by driving satanic forces out of the children of Israel – Mark 1:21-28)
  4. Authority over Disease - {PDF Copy} - (Neither social conventions nor purity regulations prevented Jesus from ministering to the physical needs of men and women – Mark 1:29-39)
  5. Authority over Ritual Purity  - {PDF Copy} - (The touch of Jesus cleansed a leper, and the forbidden physical contact failed to render him unclean – Mark 1:40-45)
  6. Discharging Sins - {PDF Copy} - (Jesus healed a paralytic, and by doing so, he demonstrated the authority of the Son of Man to discharge sins – Mark 2:1-12)
  7. The Son of Man - {PDF Copy} - (The figure of the Son of Man in the Book of Daniel is the source of Christ’s self-designation, the Son of Man)
  8. Mercy, not Sacrifice - {PDF Copy} - (Forgiveness connects the call of the tax collector to the healing of the paralytic – Christ’s authority to forgive sins – Mark 2:13-17)
  9. Authority over the Sabbath - {PDF Copy} - (In response to the Jewish leaders that opposed him, Jesus demonstrated that he is Lord even of the Sabbath Day - Mark 2:23-3:6)
  10. Crowds Press, Demons Confess - {PDF Copy} - (Mark 3:7-12 - Jesus silenced demons that professed him to be God's Son)
  11. Twelve Apostles Appointed - {PDF Copy} - (Mark 3:13-21 - Jesus departs to a mountain to summon his twelve disciples)
  12. Unpardonable Sin - {PDF Copy} - (A line is crossed when the activities of God’s Spirit in the words and deeds of Jesus are attributed to Satan – Mark 3:22-35)
  13. The Unwanted Messiah - {PDF Copy} - (Jesus is revealed as the Savior of Mankind in his sufferings and self-sacrificial death for others, including his enemies)
  14. Sower and Seed - {PDF Copy} - (The Son of Man sows the seed of the Gospel in the world where it grows continually into the Kingdom of God until his return – Mark 4:1-20)
  15. Kingdom Parables - {PDF Copy} - (Jesus taught several parables concerning the Kingdom of God, its paradoxical growth, and its status in the world - Mark 4:21-34)
  16. Authority over Sea and Storm - {PDF Copy} - (Despite his miracle of calming a storm on the Sea of Galilee, Christ’s disciples still could not recognize who he was – Mark 4:35-41)
  17. Who is this Man? - {PDF Copy} - (In Mark’s Gospel, no one recognizes who Jesus is except demons. Only in his death on a Roman cross was his identity understood by men)
  18. Jesus and the Demoniac - {PDF Copy} - (Jesus delivered a demonized Gentile while traveling through hostile territory, demonstrating his vast authority over Satan)
  19. Two Women Restored - {PDF Copy} - (Mark 5:21-43 - Christ restores two afflicted women despite barriers raised by the Levitical purity codes)
  20. Rejected at Home - {PDF Copy} - (Despite his miraculous deeds, his hometown rejected his ministry and took offense at the humble origins of Jesus – Mark 6:1-6)
  21. Opposition and Rejection - {PDF Copy} - (To be the disciple of Jesus, one must take up the cross and follow in his footsteps, even if it results in rejection, impoverishment, or death - Mark 6:7-30)
  22. Miraculous Witness to Israel - {PDF Copy} - (Mark 6:31-56 - The feeding of the 5,000 provided Israel with a miraculous witness yet many Jews still rejected Jesus)
  23. Jesus and Tradition - {PDF Copy} - (Jesus undermined the religious rationale for dietary restrictions. With the Messiah’s arrival, the old rituals lost their relevance)
  24. Spiritual Dullness - {PDF Copy} - (Mark 8:1-21 - Mark highlights the unbelief behind the inability of the disciples and others to perceive who he was)
  25. Blind Man Saved - {PDF Copy} - (Mark 8:22-26 - A blind man’s eyes are opened and the man "saved" as Jesus continued on his "way" to Jerusalem)
  26. On the Way - {PDF Copy} - (On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus explained what it meant to be the Messiah and the destiny of the suffering Son of Man - Mark 8:27-38)
  27. Rejection and Suffering - {PDF Copy} - (To be the Messiah entailed suffering and death for others, and Jesus summoned his disciples to follow his example – Mark 8:31)
  28. Recognizing Jesus - {PDF Copy} - (It was only when he died that the Roman centurion in charge of the execution recognized that Jesus was the Son of God)

{TO JERUSALEM}
  1. The Transfiguration - {PDF Copy} - (The Transfiguration confirms his status as the Messiah and the necessity for Jesus to suffer before receiving glory)
  2. Disciples Stumped by Unbelief - {PDF Copy} - (Unbelief hindered the ability of Jesus to heal some afflicted persons, not the lack of fasting or other ritualistic practices)
  3. Delivered Up - {PDF Copy} - (To be the disciple of Jesus means living a life of self-sacrificial service to others, especially to the weak and the insignificant)
  4. Faithful or Saltless - {PDF Copy} - (Faithful disciples will receive great rewards, but those who harm their weaker brethren risk condemnation to Gehenna)
  5. Question on Divorce - {PDF Copy} - (Opponents question Jesus about divorce to trap him, but he uses the issue to teach the higher ways of the Kingdom of God)
  6. The Young Rich Man - {PDF Copy} - (To follow Jesus means surrendering one’s entire life and following wherever he leads, no questions asked)
  7. His Impending Death - {PDF Copy} - (Jesus journeyed relentlessly toward Jerusalem, where he, “the Son of Man,” would be arrested, tried, and executed – Mark 10:32-34)
  8. Ransom for Many - {PDF Copy} - (Christ’s disciples are called to self-sacrificial service for others just as Jesus gave his life to ransom many from sin’s bondage – Mark 10:35-45)
  9. Blind Bar-Timaeus Saved - {PDF Copy} - (Mark 10:46-52 - Jesus restored the sight of a blind beggar while “on the way” to his death in the city of Jerusalem)
  10. His Triumphal Arrival - {PDF Copy} - (At the end of his journey, his destination was the Temple in the center of the city – Mark 11:1-11)
  11. The Suffering Servant - {PDF Copy} - (Disciples are summoned to adopt the same mind that Jesus had when he poured out his life unto death for the sake of others – Philippians 2:5-11)

{ON OLIVET}
  1. Fruitless Temple - {PDF Copy} - (The cursing of the barren fig tree by Jesus symbolized the coming destruction of the Temple and the fruitlessness of Israel - Mark 11:12-26)
  2. The Desolate Temple - {PDF Copy} - (When he left the Temple for the last time, Jesus pronounced its coming desolation to his opponents, the Pharisees)
  3. In the Temple - {PDF Copy} - (Jesus gave his last discourse on Olivet following his final and symbolic departure from the Temple – Mark 12:41-13:4)
  4. Geographic Scope - {PDF Copy} - (The Olivet Discourse presents two key events linked to different geographic contexts, one regional, the other global)
  5. Many Deceivers - {PDF Copy} - (Jesus warned of coming deceivers who would mislead many and spread false information about his future return)
  6. His Repeated Warning - {PDF Copy} - (Jesus stressed critical information that is vital for his disciples if they wish to avoid deception by false prophets and other deceivers)
  7. The Sign of the End - {PDF Copy} - (According to Jesus, the End will not come until this Gospel of the Kingdom of God has been proclaimed to all nations – Matthew 24:14)
  8. The Abomination of Desolation - {PDF Copy} - (When disciples see the Abomination of Desolation standing where it ought not, they must flee Jerusalem without delay)
  9. "This Generation" - {PDF Copy} - (The generation contemporary with Jesus witnessed the events predicted by him that culminated in the Temple’s destruction – Mark 13:28-31)
  10. Coming on the Clouds - {PDF Copy} - (The whole earth will see the Son of Man arriving on the clouds of Heaven, and he will send his angels to gather his elect –Mark 13:21-27)
  11. The Budding Fig Tree - {PDF Copy} - (The parable of the budding fig tree points to the imminent destruction of the Temple predicted by Jesus)
  12. Knowing Times and Seasons - {PDF Copy} - (Instead of calculating times and seasons, followers of Jesus must always be prepared for his sudden arrival)
  13. The Days of Noah - {PDF Copy} - (Just as unprepared men were destroyed by Noah’s Flood, so unrepentant men and apostates will be overtaken by destruction when Jesus arrives)

Town Wharf, Coupeville, Washington
[Town Wharf, Coupeville, Washington]

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