Mark

By Joyce Webb 2022

Chapter 1 Verses 1-11

Introduction:

John Mark was the young man who traveled with Paul and Barnabas.

John Mark was cousin to Barnabas.

Paul and Barnabas were in Jerusalem and were planning to go to Antioch to the church there. They took John Mark with them on this trip.

Part way through their time there, John Mark did not want to continue. He wanted to leave and go home.

The Bible does not say why.

Later when Barnabas wanted to take John Mark with them on a trip again, Paul did not want to do take him. Barnabas and Paul disagreed about it.

So Barnabas took John Mark and they went on a trip to preach. Paul took Silas and they went somewhere else to preach.

Later in Paul’s ministry, he said that John Mark had been helpful. When Timothy traveled to see Paul,—- when Paul was in prison in Rome, —-Paul asked that Mark come along also—-because of his usefulness in the ministry.

I think we can learn from this—-we are often weak and fail when we try something new—-but that does not mean we are a “failure” and can not do it. It means we need more time, practice,
and maybe someone like Barnabas to help us learn.

This speaks well of Barnabas. We could all be more like Barnabas—encouraging others when they fail, and helping them succeed. Giving them a second chance to do better.

While Mark was in Rome, he wrote about Jesus’ life.

Mark wrote about the things Jesus did,—- more than the words Jesus said. He wrote more things about the last week of Jesus’ life —than some of the other writers.

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Chapter 1

Verse 1-3 John Mark begins by saying: Here is the gospel (good news) about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God.

He quotes a verse from the Old Testament—– ”Look, I am sending a messenger before you, he will prepare a way before you.”
Malachi 3:1

Isaiah 40:3 “He is a voice crying in the wilderness. Prepare a pathway for the Lord. Make a straight path for him.”

Verse 4 John the Baptist was the voice preaching. John lived in the wilderness area.

(John the Baptist was Jesus’ cousin. He was another special birth to a mother who was older and had not been able to have children.)

Verse 4 John preached that people should repent of their sins. He baptized them in the river Jordon.

Verse 5 Many people went out to hear John preach. Many were baptized.

Verse 6 John lived a separate life out in the wilderness. He wore clothing made from camel’s hair. (like wool or felt). He ate locusts (like grasshoppers) and wild honey.

Verse 7 He preached: There is a person coming who is greater than I am. I am is not worthy to take off his shoes.
(This is a job a servant would do to wash a person’s feet.)

Verse 8 I have baptized you in water, but he will baptized you with the Holy Ghost (Holy Spirit).

Verse 9 Later, one day, Jesus came to John the Baptist.
Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee.

Verse 10 After John baptized Jesus—as Jesus came up out of the water—John saw the heavens open and the Holy Spirit came down—like a dove—upon Jesus.

Verse 11 There was a voice from heaven. It said: “You are my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.”

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Here is an example of the Trinity. Meaning 3 in 1.

Jesus in body. The Holy Spirit as a dove. The voice of the Father from heaven saying Jesus was His son.

Some people have a hard time understanding the trinity. How can God be one God —-and be 3 forms all at the same time?

Let us think about this example: water

Water comes in 3 forms—liquid, solid (ice), gas (steam)

Yet it is always H2O. Two parts hydrogen, one part oxygen.

In whatever form it is in—it is still H2O.

God is still the same God in whatever form he shows Himself.

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