Bible Study - Class meets on Thursday from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM CST.

[LadyLionness]

Continuing with Mark Chapter 1:

1:1 ... Jesus Christ, the Son of God;

The book portrays Jesus as a man who backed up his words with action that constantly proved who he is - the Son of God.  This is an important point b/c Mark wrote the Gospel for the Christians living in Rome - where many gods were worshiped.  Mark wanted his readers to know that Jesus is the ONE TRUE Son of God.

[LadyLionness]

Continuing with Mark Chapter 1

1:2, 3

There had been no God-sent prophets for 400 years, since the days of Malachi (who wrote the last book of the Old Testament). 

Isaiah was on e of the greatest prophets of the Old Testament.  The second half of the book of Isaiah is devoted to the promise of salvation - that was fulfilled by Jesus Christ. 

Not only did Isaiah wrote about the Messiah, Jesus Christ, he also wrote about the man who would announce his coming... John the Baptist.  John's call to "make his path straight" meant that people should give up their selfish way of living, renounce their sins, seek God's forgiveness, and establish a relationship with the almighty god by believing and obeying his words as written in the Bible.

Had the prophet Isaiah predicted that John the Baptist and Jesus Christ would come?  How did he know?  God promised him that a Deliverer would come to Israel, and that a voice crying in the wilderness would prepare the way for him.  Isaiah's words comforted many people at that time... and now, we too can be comforted by knowing that God keeps his promises. 

As we study the book of Mark, keep in mind that it is more than jsut a story, it is part of God's Word.  In it God is revealing to us his plans for human history.

[cali_lady]

hi ladies and gents...gotta be honest...i've been lagging, haven't been reading lately...but the hub has...

will go back to the chapters and reread 

[LadyLionness]

Cali_Lady,

If you really want to imprint the scriptures on your heart, I would recommend reading from an actual Bible.  If you don't like the pink one he bought you, I would recommend one of the two that I suggested.

The devotional if you want to be a more rounded person for Home... like Imajine was saying, about living the scriptures in his daily interactions with his loved ones.

The leadership one if you work in any sort of leadership role and would like to live the scriptures at work, among your co-workers...

Listening to it is a good overview, but would not give you the same insight as actually reading it on paper... on paper, you can stop and think... allowing the words of God to speak to your heart... in a very personal way... that is not possible with just listening... if you stop to think, you missed out on the next couple of verses... at least that's how it is with me.

[cali_lady]

Cali_Lady,

If you really want to imprint the scriptures on your heart, I would recommend reading from an actual Bible.  If you don't like the pink one he bought you, I would recommend one of the two that I suggested.

The devotional if you want to be a more rounded person for Home... like Imajine was saying, about living the scriptures in his daily interactions with his loved ones.

The leadership one if you work in any sort of leadership role and would like to live the scriptures at work, among your co-workers...

Listening to it is a good overview, but would not give you the same insight as actually reading it on paper... on paper, you can stop and think... allowing the words of God to speak to your... in a very personal way... that is not possible with just listening... if you stop to think, you missed out on the next couple of verses... at least that's how it is with me.

true...thanks for the suggestion, i'll look into it...

[LadyLionness]

Mark Chapter 1:  con't


1:7, 8

Although John was the first genuine prophet in 400 years, Jesus the Messiah would be infinitely greater than he.  What John begin, Jesus finished.  What John prepared, Jesus fulfilled.

1:8 John said Jesus would baptize with the Holy ghost; Jesus would send the Holy Spirit to live within each believer.  John's baptism with water prepared a person to receive Christ's message.  It demonstrated humility and willingness to turn from sin.  This was the BEGINNING of the spiritual process.

When Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit, however, the entire person is transformed by the Spirit's power.  Jesus offers to us both forgiveness of sin and the power to live for him.

[LadyLionness]

Mark Chap 1: con't

1:9

If John's baptism was only for the forgiveness of sin, why was Jesus baptized? 

Although Jesus didn't need forgiveness - he had no sin - he was baptized for the following reasons:

1)  to begin his mission to bring the message of salvation to all people;
2)  to show support for JOhn's ministry
3)  to identify with our humanness and sin;
4)  to give us an example to follow.

John's baptism was also differetn from Christian baptism in the church b/c Paul had John's followers baptized again (see Acts 19:2-5).

[LadyLionness]

Mark Chapter 1 Con't

1:10, 11

The Spirit descended dovelike upon Jesus, and the voice from heaven proclaimed the Father's approval of Jesus as his divine Son.  That Jesus is God's divine Son is the foundation for all we read about Jesus in the Gospels.  Here we see all three members of the Trinity together - God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

[WindComeWindBlow]

OK, where's everybody in their reading?  I am starting chapter 4, I think...

For those who are done already, I would suggest reading it again... lolz.  One of the pastors recommended reading Mark like 20 times until you have it memorized.  I am not sure if I will be able to do that.  Anyway, at least look back through it to formulate some questions.

I will try doing that since I can't wait on some folks.  lol    Thanks for the tip. 

[LadyLionness]

I will try doing that since I can't wait on some folks.  lol    Thanks for the tip. 

Peb tsis free li koj na... lolz... ask your questions... Wind...

[BoyRescue]

Awesome Bible Study session!!   

Question:

Mark 1:1-3


1 The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, 2 as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:

   “I will send my messenger ahead of you,
   who will prepare your way”—
3 “a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
   make straight paths for him.’”

Why was it important for the author to reference the audience back to Malachi 3:1 and Isaiah 40:3?  What's the significance of it?

[LadyLionness]

Why was it important for the author to reference the audience back to Malachi 3:1 and Isaiah 40:3?  What's the significance of it?

To establish the fact that both John and Jesus's ministries were foretold at least 400 years or more... not something made up to follow the other pagan tales as so many people would like to argue.

Some people now a days like to argue that the whole Bible is made up, so that means that even the prophecies in Isaiah and Malachi were made up too, but the Jews at that time know the Old Testament better than they know themselves... so they know that the book of Isaiah and Malachi existed way before John and Jesus were born.  

Archeologists recently found a scroll of the book of Isaiah... very little is missing and it matches the Bible completely... so skeptics saying that the Bible has been changed by men to meet their own needs, etc... are wrong.  The Bible IS God's words and the Spirit of God has been ensuring that it stays accurate and true.

[BoyRescue]

To establish the fact that both John and Jesus's ministries were foretold at least 400 years or more... not something made up to follow the other pagan tales as so many people would like to argue.

Some people now a days like to argue that the whole Bible is made up, so that means that even the prophecies in Isaiah and Malachi were made up too, but the Jews at that time know the Old Testament better than they know themselves... so they know that the book of Isaiah and Malachi existed way before John and Jesus were born. 

Hypothetically speaking, why is it not possible that John the Baptist was heading up a false ministry?  Couldn't anyone claim to be "the voice of one calling in the wilderness" so long as they quote the scripture and live in the wilderness?  Thanks.

[LadyLionness]

Hypothetically speaking, why is it not possible that John the Baptist was heading up a false ministry?  Couldn't anyone claim to be "the voice of one calling in the wilderness" so long as they quote the scripture and live in the wilderness?  Thanks.

It is very possible for people to claim to be a prophet when they are not... just like there are false teachers during their time and in our time.  You see it all around you... and that is why it is so important to know the scriptures so that people can't trick you.

Latest one was the one in October 2011, which said that Christ was coming and many many of the believers in Vietnam gathered together to wait for Jesus... only to alarm the Vietnamese government that lead to a massacre.  Now a days, those of us that READ our Bibles, we know very very clearly that the day of Christ's coming is NOT know, cannot be KNOW, and will NOT be known... no one can predict.  Jesus was very clear in saying that if anyone is to say, "Here is the Christ... he is coming tomorrow... etc..."  Then it's false teaching.  

The measuring stick back then - during John the Baptist's time - and now is still the same.  No matter how much someone claim that something is true, if it does not agree with the scriptures then it is NOT true.  And that is the reason why the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) made so many references back to the scriptures in the Old Testament that had remained unchanged for hundreds of years... as the Jews knew very well.

[BoyRescue]

It is very possible for people to claim to be a prophet when they are not... just like there are false teachers during their time and in our time.  You see it all around you... and that is why it is so important to know the scriptures so that people can't trick you.

Latest one was the one in October 2011, which said that Christ was coming and many many of the believers in Vietnam gathered together to wait for Jesus... only to alarm the Vietnamese government that lead to a massacre.  Now a days, those of us that READ our Bibles, we know very very clearly that the day of Christ's coming is NOT know, cannot be KNOW, and will NOT be known... no one can predict.  Jesus was very clear in saying that if anyone is to say, "Here is the Christ... he is coming tomorrow... etc..."  Then it's false teaching.  

The measuring stick back then - during John the Baptist's time - and now is still the same.  No matter how much someone claim that something is true, if it does not agree with the scriptures then it is NOT true.  And that is the reason why the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) made so many references back to the scriptures in the Old Testament that had remained unchanged for hundreds of years... as the Jews knew very well.

Yeah, that's a very unfortunate story to hear.  

The reason I ask is when a person proclaims to be someone it's not just a matter of "does it match up with the Bible," but it includes "does their LIFE match up with it."  It can't be one or the other, but both.

So when you read Mark 1:1-3, it speaks of biblical confirmation using Malachi 3:1 and Isaiah 40:3.  Then when you read Mark 1:4-8, it speaks of his life that matches Mark 1:1-3.  This is how the audience knew that John the Baptist was a prophet because it was prophesied in the Old Testament and he confirmed it by living that prophetic message.