October 19, 2010 Mark 1-3

Mark begins with the announcement of the Good News about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Mark quotes from Malachi 3:1 and Isaiah 40:3, and identified John the Baptist as the one who prepared the people for Jesus Christ just as the prophecy foretold. He preached and baptized and told the people to turn back to God. John baptized Jesus, and right after that He went to the desert for 40 days and nights. Satan tested Jesus and the angels took care of Him. John was arrested and Jesus continued the message to turn back to God and listen to the good news! Jesus saw two fishermen and called them to follow Him. Their names were Simon and Andrew, and they followed Jesus. A little farther on they came upon James and John the sons of Zebedee, Jesus called them and they went with Him too. Now there were 5. They went to Capernaum, to the synagogue, where Jesus taught. The people were amazed at the way He taught with authority. A man with an evil spirit came in and screamed that Jesus was God's holy messenger, sent to destroy them. Jesus ordered the evil spirit to be quiet and come out of the man. The man shook violently as the evil spirit left him. After that, word spread about Jesus quickly. Everywhere Jesus went crowds found Him and wanted Him to heal their sick and remove the demons in others.

Later, Jesus called Levi, a tax collector, and Jesus told him to follow Him, so he did. The Pharisees watched everything Jesus did and they questioned Him frequently. They asked him about washing hands and the Sabbath.

By now, the Pharisees were really trying to find something wrong with what Jesus said or did. They could never win the way they wanted to. After that, they decided to figure out how to kill Jesus. People came from all around to be healed by Jesus, so he was drawing large crowds. Whenever Jesus cast out evil spirits, the person would fall to the ground and shout that He was the Son of God, even though Jesus warned them not to tell who He was. Jesus chose His 12 apostles. Jesus went home and such a large crowd gathered, they didn't have time to eat. His family heard about it and intended to get control of Jesus because they thought He was crazy. Some teachers from Jerusalem tried to convince others that He had the devil in Him, and that was why He could cast out demons. Jesus asked them how Satan could drive out Satan? Then He told them that all sins could be forgiven except for speaking against the Holy Spirit. Jesus said that because the people were trying to make the gift of healing through the Holy Spirit evil. Jesus' mother and brothers sent a note in that they wanted to see Jesus. Jesus told the people gathered around Him that whoever does what God wants is his family.

Tomorrow read Mark 4-5