MayWeek1 Lesson: Jesus Lunches His Ministry

LESSON  19.  MAY 7, 2017

TOPIC:  JESUS  LAUNCHES  HIS  MINISTRY

MEMORY VERSE:  MARK 1: 27. And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him. (KJV)

LESSON TEXT: MARK 1:9-39.

LESSON OUTLINE:

1.    Jesus Exemplifies  Obedience to God.

A.      Obedience In Baptism.

B.       Obedient in Ministry

2.       Jesus  Calls Disciples.

A.      Proclaiming The Gospel.

B.       Calling His First Disciple.

3.       Jesus Demonstrates His Power.

A.      Power Over Demons

B.       Power Over Sickness

CENTRAL TRUTH:    Jesus’ ministry on Earth was grounded in Obedience to the Father.

FOCUS:     To study the beginning of Jesus’ ministry and determine to follow Him.

LESSON OBJECTIVES:

At the end of this Lesson, students will be able to :

1. Explain how Jesus fulfilled the Father’s will from the beginning of his ministry.

2. Acknowledge that following Jesus requires obedience to the Father.

3. Commit to obeying God in every aspect of life.

                        

   

Mark 1:9-17

9 And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead.

10 And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean.

11 And they asked him, saying, Why say the scribes that Elias must first come?

12 And he answered and told them, Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things; and how it is written of the Son of man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought.

13 But I say unto you, That Elias is indeed come, and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him.

14 And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them.

15 And straightway all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him.

16 And he asked the scribes, What question ye with them?

17 And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit;

18 And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not.

19 He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me.

20 And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.

21 And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child.

22 And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.

23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.

26 And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead.

27 But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose.

28 And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out?

29 And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.

30 And they departed thence, and passed through Galilee; and he would not that any man should know it.

31 For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day.

32 But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him.

33 And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way?

34 But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest.

35 And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.

36 And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them,

37 Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.

38 And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us.

39 But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me.

               INTRODUCING THE LESSON:

Question: What does it mean to follow Jesus?

To answer this question, some people think of things they should do, such as reading the Bible, praying and giving financially and serving in the church. Others think following Christ involves full-time ministry. This Lesson, however, reminds us that following Christ is not confined to following a list of rules or entering a ministry vocation. Following Christ is a relationship build on Love, which motivates Obedience to the Father.

                             COMMENTARY AND APPLICATION

1.    JESUS EXEMPLIFIED OBEDIENCE TO GOD.

A.   Obedient In Baptism.  Mark 1:9-13

Unlike the other Gospels, which give detailed accounts of Christ’s birth or a summary of His purpose in coming of earth, Mark began his Gospel with the ministry of John the Baptist. God had sent John to introduce the Messiah and urge people to prepare for His arrival (Mark1:7-8) .

            John drew immense crowds through his ministry, preaching a baptism of repentance (Mark 1:4). However, on one monumental day Jesus-the sinless son of God-approached  John to be baptised ( Verse 9). There was no confession of sins in Jesus’ case. None was needed.

Question: Why did Jesus submit himself to John’s baptism?

          Jesus’ baptism may have served multiple purposes. In Mathew3:15. Jesus said His baptism was necessary to fulfill all righteousness. As Messiah, Jesus is our High Priest

 ( Hebrew4:14-15). Some scholars said Leviticus 16:1-4 prescribes some purification process for the Old Testament priest. By submitting to this act, He fulfilled God’s righteous requirement.

        In addition, Jesus baptism enabled him to identify fully with sinners and set an example for them. Jesus was fulfilling God’s plan and was Obedient to what the father had called him to do ( Matthew 3:15).

Question: Why is it important for Believers to be Baptised in water?

        Jesus commanded His disciples to baptize new believers as part of the discipleship process (Matthew28:19-20). Through water baptism, we identify with Christ’s death, burial and resurrection.

         Jesus’ baptism was marked by several events ( Mark1:10-11). First, the heavens “Opened” (verse10,KJV),  or were “torn open”(NIV). The dramatic nature of the verb translated “torn” speaks to a vivid style of writing seen  in Mark, which can  be observed at other points in the Gospel. Note that Matthew and Luke used simpler verb “open” in Matthew 3:16 and Luke 3:21). It was clear God was about to make pronouncement of Highest importance.

       The second event was Holy Spirit descending on Jesus in the form of a dove (verse 10). In baptism, God anointed  Jesus for ministry. Commentators noted that it was fitting Jesus would be indwelt by the Holy Spirit during his earthly ministry, just as His followers would be baptized in the Holy Spirit for empowerment to proclaim Christ.

       In the third event, God spoke from Heaven. According to Mark, God’s voice addressed Jesus by using the pronoun “You” (verse 11). The phrase “You are my son” identifies Jesus as Christ. Psalm 2:7 uses this phrase, first in reference to David but ultimately in reference to Messiah. God affirmation to Jesus pointed to the fact that Jesus was indeed the one sent from God to provide salvation for the world.

       Walking in obedience to God does not always mean life will be easy. Immediately after the baptism and Holy Spirit anointing, the Holy spirit sent Jesus to the Wilderness for a time testing ( Mark 1:12-13). But even in the mist of temptation and danger, the Father was with Him.

B.            Obedient In Ministry.  Mark 1 : 35-39.

The miracle of healing and deliverance recorded in Mark 1:21-34 drew attention to Jesus’ power over diseases and devil. Crowds began to follow Jesus. However, Jesus found a place to be alone and seek the Father in prayers (Mark 1:34; see also 6:46).

Question: Why it is important for Christians to make prayer a regular practice?

  The responsibilities of life and the demands others put on our time can hinder us from doing God’s will . As we seek God, we can properly prioritise our lives in order to please Him.

LESSON TIP: Have students discuss the important elements in daily devotions. Ask them to share various ideas about what a person might include in his or her devotional life.

When the disciples awoke and Jesus was not there, they went looking for Him ( verse 36). The original language of this passage denotes an eager, perhaps agitated attitude on the disciples’ part. They may have been concerned Jesus was not doing what the though He should be doing –healing the sick and casting out demons as He had done the previous day ( verse 37-38). There is the sense of a bewilderment in Simon’s words when   he told Jesus that everyone was looking for Him. Jesus, however, had spent time with God and knew God’s purpose.

  While Jesus performed miracles, that was not His purpose in coming.  Note Jesus’ reply in verse 38. He stated His intension to go preach in small, seemingly insignificant villages rather than return to the crowds. That was the foremost purpose of His ministry, and Mark captured that priority in verse 39.

      Likewise, we need to recognize and accept God’s plan for our lives. God has gifted us for his purpose, not our own. As we spend time with Him each day, we can discover the purpose He has for us.

2.  Jesus Calls Disciples. 

A.   Proclaiming  The  Gospel.  Mark 1 : 14-15

Jesus’ message-the gospel is good news ( Mark 1:14). It is a message of victory, and a message that brings joy. The gospel informs that God has acted to save perishing humanity through the Life, death and resurrection of his son Jesus Christ.

Question: In what sense was the Gospel preached by Christ “Good news” ?

Mark 1: 15 gives us the essence of Christ’s message: the kingdom of God was near. Scripture later reveals that this good news includes Christ’s death,burial, resurrection, and ascension ( 1 Corinthians 15:1-5). The message of God’s kingdom was of great importance to all humanity.

Question: What is the Kingdom of God??

The term kingdom of God is a vital concept of the new testament. It cannot be defined by reflecting upon what we observe in earthy kingdom; they are but a shadow of God’s Kingdom. God’s kingdom is His rules from eternity past till eternity future. All that is in the world, and every hostile force opposed to God, is subservient to Him and His plans. His kingdom resides in those who accept Christ as their savoir ( Luke 17:20-21).

While entrance into God’s kingdom is available to all, only those who repent and believe that Christ is the only way of salvation can enter this kingdom ( John 3:3-8). As citizens of His kingdom, we are to live in Obedience to Him. We surrender to His rule over every aspect of our lives.

B.    Calling His First Disciples.  Mark 1: 16-20

A person who desires to live in God’s Kingdom has repented of sin and believes that Christ is the savoir. He or she is called to serve and obey Him. Belief and obedience forms the foundation of Christ’s call to discipleship.

The account in Mark 1: 16-18 is not the first time Simon and Andrew has meet Jesus ( See John 1: 35-42;2:1-11). They have been with him during his first miracle. But this was different. They would leave their fishing business for a more important calling: to bring people into God’s kingdom.

Mark stated that their obedience to Christ’s call was immediate. They were willing to leave their livelihood and follow Him.

In similar way ,Jesus called James and John who were fishermen. We know from this account that they were willing to leave their business and family to follow Jesus ( Mark 1:19-20). In both instances, there is a strong emphasis on the totality of their act. The abandonment of their formal Lives and pursuits was to be complete.

Question: What is Involved in a commitment to follow Jesus?

Following Jesus involves more than turning from a past sinful Lifestyle; it also means following Him wholeheartedly in the future. This can mean forsaking even the things that seem good in and of themselves. God sometime calls people who are successful in their carriers follow in full-time ministry. He calls all Christians to sacrifices their time in evangelize the lost. What ever his calling on our lives, our obedience to follow Him must follow the example of Christ’s first disciples.

Teaching Tips: Have students Brainstorm ways they can serve in the Church and Community as they follow Christ.

3.  Jesus Demonstrates His Power.

A.   Power Over Demon.  Mark 1 : 21-28

The rulers of the synagogues in Jesus day often invited travelling rabbis to speak. The

fact the rabbi in Capernaum asked Jesus to teach indicates that Jesus had already gained some public exposure ( Mark 1: 21). The teachers of the Law mentioned in

 verse22 had studied the Law intensely, and people often looked to them to interpret what the Law meant. Rabbis often quoted prominent rabbis when they taught. This oral teaching was highly valued. But Jesus teaching was different (Verse 22). He did not rely  on the authority of other rabbis to strengthen his teaching, and He also beckoned the people to consider the original intention of the writing in discussion of the Law (See Mark10:2-9). He taught as One with authority.

       Christ’s very presence in the synagogue that day brought a reaction from s demon-possessed man (verse 23-26). Unlike the people, the demons recognized Jesus. The phrase “ What have we to do with thee”? (verse 24,KJV) indicates they recognized that they had nothing in common with Jesus, the Holy one of God, was greater than theirs. Jesus had come to destroy the works of devil. With authority that amaze the crowds, Jesus commanded the devil to leave. Verse 26 indicates the demon itself shrieked as it was cast out. This dramatic exorcism was a demonstration Christ power and sign that the Kingdom of God had come. The crowd recognized this (verse 27-28). Though a simple yet authoritative command, Christ exerted rule over the spiritual realm. Soon people everywhere were talking with amazement about Him- some with Joy, but others with alarm.

Question: In what ways can we share the good news about Jesus?

Teaching Tip: Invite students to share testimonies of healing and deliverance. Talk about how such testimonies provide a powerful and accurate Picture of God’s love and sovereign grace.

        Sharing our personal testimony can be a great way to tell others about Jesus. God has saved us from our sins. He watches over us daily. We can use the times God has worked in our lives as testimony of His love.

B.    Power Over Sickness.  Mark 1: 29-34

Jesus also brought relief to Simeon’s mother-in-Law (Mark1 29-31). Her sickness evidently was debilitating. Jesus brought instantaneous healing.

    Word spread around the city, the sick and  possess were brought to Jesus. Many experienced miracles (verse 31-34). Note that Jesus kept demon from reveling Him as the messiah. He must himself reveal who He truly is: Saviour of the world. Otherwise the crowd could define him as primarily ,miracle worker or constraint him to their expectations of what a messiah ought to be. The purpose of His miracles was to point  toward His mission of He  came to save.

Question : How can our testimony of  Christ’s healing power help reach the lost?

Teaching Tip: Invite students to share testimonies of Christ’s healing power and encourage them to share them with the unsaved.

                         DISCIPLESHIP IN  ACTION.

This week’s lesson may contain Bible accounts that are familiar to You. As you ponder their meaning, think about what they teach concerning obedience to Christ. Remember that living in God’s kingdom involves total surrender to him of every aspect of life.

 God calls his people to discipleship.  A disciple is a follower of Christ. This embraces both outward actions and inner attitudes. It means adjusting our lives to mirror the values and the priorities of God’s kingdom.

Pray that God will help you recognize any area of Life where you fail short of full discipleship. Examine  your actions and motives with an openness to hear the voice of the Holy spirit. Then resolve to make the necessary changes as you endeavor to live as a citizen of God’s Kingdom.

                                    MINISTRY IN ACTION

Perhaps there are students in your class who have not accepted Christ as Savoiur. Use this opportunity to explain the gospel and what it means to follow Jesus. Pray with any student who want to experience salvation. Then talk about the great  blessings involved in being citizens of God’s kingdom.