Mark 1-8 – The Call of Jesus

MARK 1-8
THE CALL OF JESUS


7 Jan 2018
Introducing Jesus (Mark 1:1-13)
by Tan Huai Tze

Mark’s Gospel is an eyewitness account of the life of Jesus. In the preface, he shows that Jesus is God’s King, God’s Son, and God himself! He has come to establish God’s Kingdom on earth. He makes it safe for people to dwell in this Kingdom by being a substitute for those who believe the Gospel.


14 Jan 2018
Jesus Calls (Mark 1:14-20)
by Tan Huai Tze

Jesus himself issues a call to respond to the gospel. In a world hostile to God, Jesus is establishing a new reign. Therefore he calls people to everywhere to repent, believe and follow him. This involves making Jesus our priority over every other thing in life.


21 Jan 2018
The Authority of Jesus (Mark 1:21-45)
by Tan Huai Tze

Over a weekend, Jesus teaches with great authority and demonstrates his power over demons and disease. His shunning the eager crowd shows us his priority to bring the gospel for the forgiveness of sins. His encounter with the leper shows us the great cost to himself to cleanse and reconcile: on the cross, he was declared unclean to make clean the unclean, and he was cast out, so that we can be brought in.


28 Jan 2018
The Son of Man (Mark 2:1-17)
by Lim Soon Beng

Jesus boldly proclaimed that he was the Son of Man and had authority on earth to forgive sins. He calls on everyone who sees their need of forgiveness of sins to draw near to him and follow him. Do you see your need? What is your response to the Son of Man?


4 Feb 2018
True Religion (Mark 2:18 – 3:6)
by Tan Huai Tze

Jesus shows us that true religion is not about performing or obeying in order to be accepted by God, but rather to obey because you have been accepted in Christ. This brings joy, and renewal, but is also highly offensive to religious people who keep depending on their own righteousness. This joy and renewal can be ours only when we turn from our own works, and trust completely in the one who lived and died for us.


11 Feb 2018
Following Jesus (Mark 3:7-35)
by Tan Huai Tze

Who really follows Jesus? It’s the crowds who want something from Jesus, but not Jesus himself. It’s not being his biological family. It’s not even being steeped in religion. It’s about recognizing your need for forgiveness. It’s about responding to Jesus’ gracious call to be with him, and to do his will.


18 Feb 2018
The Story of the Kingdom (Mark 4)
by Tan Huai Tze

Jesus’ parables teach us about the growth of the Kingdom of God. Jesus grows the kingdom through the teaching and preaching of the Word, and people receive the kingdom by listening to the Word with faith in Christ. Kingdom growth is guaranteed to be great, in spite of present appearances.


25 Feb 2018
Hope for the Helpless (Mark 5)
by Kenneth Teo

The plight of sinners in a fallen world is a desperate one. But King Jesus offers hope for the helpless as he tenderly embraces the broken and demonstrates his power to reverse the effects of sin. Sin has shattered this world. But the pictures of rescue in this passage point towards ultimate redemption at the cross. Jesus calls the helpless to turn away from a godless fearfulness and put their faith in him, the King who is powerfully bringing in God’s kingdom.


4 Mar 2018
Dealing with Rejection (Mark 6:1-29)
by Tan Huai Tze

Jesus sends his disciples out on mission, with the message of the Gospel. He wants us to know that we will face rejection. However, we don’t need to be dejected because people who reject the Gospel are ultimately rejecting Jesus, not us. In fact, God’s eternal acceptance of us, washes away all our temporal rejections.


11 Mar 2018
The Misunderstood Deliverer (Mark 6:30-56)
by Kenneth Teo

King Jesus comes as God’s compassionate Shepherd King. He comes to meet our deepest need – deliverance from the slavery of sin. He performs miracles that point to his identity as the Saviour who will bring about this new exodus. Yet, he is met with misunderstanding from the crowds and even the disciples, who in their hardness of heart are spiritually blind. In what ways might we also misunderstand the Saviour’s identity and mission?


18 Mar 2018
Were the Pharisees OCD? (Mark 7:1-30)
by Tim Mountfort

The Pharisees were meticulous in trying to uphold the Law of God. However, they failed to see that they were not really fully upholding the law, but rather misusing the law. The law was meant to drive people to the grace of God, not to save people. In the end, it is the ‘unclean’ Gentile woman that is saved because she turns to Christ as her only hope.


25 Mar 2018
Do You See Jesus? (Mark 7:31 – 8:26)
by Tan Huai Tze

To see Jesus for who he really is, we need to see beyond the miracles to see that He is the Messiah. You need to recognize that Jesus is God who owns all things and leave your material concerns with him. Finally you need to see him as the Redeemer of all who have faith in him, and not just a tribal deity.


30 Mar 2018
The King’s Cross (Mark 8:27 – 9:1)
by Tan Huai Tze

Jesus is the “king to end all kings”, he is the king who has come to set all things right. And yet, he does this not by conquering force, but through his sacrificial suffering on the cross: he is the King who goes to the cross. And, he makes an audacious claim on your life. He says, you need to “deny yourself”, “take up the cross”, and “follow him”: you have to stop building your life on the things in this fleeting world, but on him and his eternal kingdom.


1 Apr 2018
The Servant’s Crown (Luke 24)
by Kenneth Teo

Hope is kindled as Jesus rises from death to life. The Resurrection crowns Jesus as God’s Servant King, the Messiah. The Resurrection means that all who turn from sin and trust in him have their sins forgiven and look forward to the certain hope of being raised to eternal life with him. The Resurrection inaugurates the Kingdom of God and points us to a day where there will be no sin or suffering in God’s new creation.