His Story

{GOSPEL ACCOUNTS}

[Click on the title below to open an article]


{BEGINNINGS}
  1. His Name is Jesus! - {PDF Copy} - (The name ‘Jesus’ means ‘Yahweh saves.’ In the Nazarene, the salvation promised to Israel has arrived in all its glory)
  2. Introduction to Mark - {PDF Copy} - (A brief overview of the history and structure of Mark's gospel account)
  3. The Son of Abraham - {PDF Copy} - (Jesus is the true son of Abraham and the heir of the promises. He is the one who confirms and implements the inheritance for his people)
  4. The Messiah Arrives - {PDF Copy} - (In the ministry of Jesus, the kingdom of God arrived, commencing with his baptism in the Jordan by John the Baptist – Mark 1:1-3)
  5. John, the Forerunner - {PDF Copy} - (John the Baptist prepared the way for the Messiah, the herald of the Good News of the Kingdom of God – Mark 1:4-8)
  6. In Spirit and Fire - {PDF Copy} - (At his baptism, the Spirit of God descended on Jesus, equipping him for his messianic mission – He is the one who baptizes in the Spirit)
  7. Son, Messiah, Servant - {PDF Copy} - (The Spirit of God and the voice from heaven confirmed the calling and identity of Jesus - Son of God and Messiah of Israel)
  8. Kingdom Herald - {PDF Copy} - (Victorious over the Devil and empowered by the Spirit, Jesus appears in Galilee of the Nations and proclaims the Kingdom)
  9. Opposition and Fulfillment - {PDF Copy} - (Jesus commenced proclaiming the Kingdom following the arrest of John as opposition appeared even at the start of his mission – Mark 1:14-15)
  10. The Son of David - (Jesus is the son of David and heir to the Messianic Throne, the beloved Son of God, and the Suffering Servant of Yahweh) - {PDF Copy}
  11. Servant or Caesar? - {PDF Copy} - (Satan offered Jesus unlimited political power to achieve his messianic mission if only he acknowledged the Devil as his overlord - Matthew 4:8-11)

{IN GALILEE}
  1. Four Disciples Called - {PDF Copy} - (In Galilee, Jesus summoned four fishermen to leave their livelihoods to follow him and become his disciples – Mark 1:16-20)
  2. Authority over Satan - {PDF Copy} - (Jesus demonstrated his authority over Satan’s domain by driving his forces out of the children of Israel – Mark 1:21-28)
  3. 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)
  4. 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)
  5. 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)
  6. THAT Son of Man - {PDF Copy} - (The one like a Son of Man in Daniel’s vision is the source of Christ’s self-designation as the Son of Man authorized to rule the Kingdom)
  7. Tax Collector Summoned - {PDF Copy} - (Forgiveness links the call of the tax collector to the preceding story of the healing of the paralytic - the Son of Man’s authority to discharge sins – Mark 2:13-17)
  8. 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)
  9. The Son of Man has Authority - {PDF Copy} - (He is the Son of Man foreseen by Daniel, the Messiah who has absolute authority from Yahweh over the Earth)
  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. Suffering Son of Man - {PDF Copy} - (The Son of Man is revealed and comprehended in his sufferings and death for others on a Roman Cross)
  14. Sowing Gospel Seed - {PDF Copy} - (The Son of Man sows the seed of the Gospel in the world where it is growing into the Kingdom of God until the consummation of the age – 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 tremendous miracle of calming a tempest on the Sea of Galilee, the disciples still did not recognize the Son of Man – Mark 4:35-41)
  17. Who is this Man? - {PDF Copy} - (No one recognized who Jesus was except the demons cast out by him. Only in his sacrificial death is his identity be understood)
  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 in Nazareth - {PDF Copy} - (Mark 6:1-6 - Jesus is rejected by his hometown despite his miracles and wise teaching)
  21. The Cost of Discipleship - {PDF Copy} - (To be his disciple means taking up the cross and following in his footsteps, even if it results in 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 explains to his disciples just what it means to be the Messiah of Israel)
  27. Embracing the Cross - {PDF Copy} - (To be the Messiah of Israel meant suffering and death for others, and Jesus summoned his disciples to follow that same path – Mark 8:31)

{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. Discipleship - {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 Imminent Death - {PDF Copy} - (Jesus explained that he was ON THE WAY to Jerusalem where he as the Son of Man would be arrested, tried, and executed – Mark 10:32-34)
  8. Ransom for Many - {PDF Copy} - (His disciple is called to engage in self-sacrificial service for others just as Jesus gave his life as a ransom for manyMark 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. Deceivers and Catastrophes - {PDF Copy} - (Jesus warns us of coming false prophets, deceivers who will mislead many and disseminate false information about the future)
  6. His Repeated Warning - {PDF Copy} - (On the Mount of Olives, Jesus reiterated key information that is necessary for his disciples to avoid deception by false prophets)
  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 witness the Son of Man arriving on the clouds to gather his elect to himself)
  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. Days of Noah - {PDF Copy} - (Just as unprepared men were destroyed by the Flood, so unrepentant men and apostates will be overtaken by destruction when Jesus arrives)

POPULAR POSTS

Language of the New Testament

Two Little Horns?