Mark Chapter 1 - Day 1

The Messiah’s Herald

1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet:[a]

Look, I am sending My messenger ahead of You,
who will prepare Your way.[b]
3 A voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
Prepare the way for the Lord;
make His paths straight![c]

4 John came baptizing[d] in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance[e] for the forgiveness of sins. 5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were flocking to him, and they were baptized by him in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins. 6 John wore a camel-hair garment with a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. 7 He was preaching: “Someone more powerful than I will come after me. I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the strap of His sandals. 8 I have baptized you with[f] water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

The Baptism of Jesus

9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John. 10 As soon as He came up out of the water, He saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending to Him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven:

You are My beloved Son;
I take delight in You![g]

The Temptation of Jesus

12 Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness. 13 He was in the wilderness 40 days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and the angels began to serve Him.

Ministry in Galilee

14 After John was arrested, Jesus went to Galilee, preaching the good news[h][i] of God:[j] 15 “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe in the good news!”

The First Disciples

16 As He was passing along by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew, Simon’s brother. They were casting a net into the sea, since they were fishermen.

17 “Follow Me,” Jesus told them, “and I will make you fish for[k] people!” 18 Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. 19 Going on a little farther, He saw James the son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in their boat mending their nets. 20 Immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed Him.

Driving Out an Unclean Spirit

21 Then they went into Capernaum, and right away He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath and began to teach. 22 They were astonishedat His teaching because, unlike the scribes, He was teaching them as one having authority.

23 Just then a man with an unclean spirit was in their synagogue. He cried out,[l] 24 “What do You have to do with us,[m] Jesus—Nazarene?  Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!”

25 But Jesus rebuked him and said, “Be quiet,[n] and come out of him!” 26 And the unclean spirit convulsed him, shouted with a loud voice, and came out of him.

27 Then they were all amazed, so they began to argue with one another, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority![o] He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” 28 News about Him then spread throughout the entire vicinity of Galilee.

Healings at Capernaum

29 As soon as they left the synagogue, they went into Simon and Andrew’s house with James and John. 30 Simon’s mother-in-law was lying in bed with a fever, and they told Him about her at once. 31 So He went to her, took her by the hand, and raised her up. The fever left her,[p] and she began to serve them.

32 When evening came, after the sun had set, they began bringing to Him all those who were sick and those who were demon-possessed.33 The whole town was assembled at the door, 34 and He healed many who were sick with various diseases and drove out many demons.But He would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew Him.

Preaching in Galilee

35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, He got up, went out, and made His way to a deserted place. And He was praying there.36 Simon and his companions went searching for Him. 37 They found Him and said, “Everyone’s looking for You!”

38 And He said to them, “Let’s go on to the neighboring villages so that I may preach there too. This is why I have come.” 39 So He went into all of Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.

A Man Cleansed

40 Then a man with a serious skin disease came to Him and, on his knees,[q] begged Him: “If You are willing, You can make me clean.”

41 Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out His hand and touched him. “I am willing,” He told him. “Be made clean.” 42 Immediately the disease left him, and he was healed.[r] 43 Then He sternly warned him and sent him away at once, 44 telling him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go and show yourself to the priest, and offer what Moses prescribed for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” 45 Yet he went out and began to proclaim it widely and to spread the news, with the result that Jesus could no longer enter a town openly. But He was out in deserted places, and they would come to Him from everywhere.

Jeremy's Commentary

The Gospel of Mark, which as we learn today in our key verse is the Gospel of Jesus, starts off with a jolt.  For me, its like the author (Mark) has so much to say, and his message is so urgent, he wants to put it all out there.  (I get like this too.  When I am sharing the gospel with someone, there is so much I want to share, and so much I have to say, I just want to get it out there.  I want to tell the world!!!)  

Lets slow it down for a second, and circle back to the main points...

• Before Jesus, a man named John the Baptist came preaching of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.  
• Jesus observed the ritual of Baptism (though uneeded for Forgiveness of Sins) and His Father, was pleased.
• Trials and Temptations - Immediately after His public confession of faith.  
• His first sermon was - "Repent and Believe the Good News"
• He called disciples (Fishers of men)
• He drove out unclean spirits (at house of worship)
• He healed the sick (At friends house)
• His ministry was on the move (this is why I have come)
• He healed those with skin conditions (flesh)
• His ministry grew so much, that people had to come to him in deserted places.  

Question of the Day

Should every Christian model their ministry after that of Jesus's?  Why or Why Not?  

Prayer

Lord Jesus, you have captured our heart, the same as you captured those before us.  You cast out our unclean spirits, you heal our sickness just as you did before.  Empower us to proclaim the Gospel just as you did, and to make disciples day in and day out Lord.  Give us a heart to do your will.  

- Bible Text thanks to minsitry of BibleGateway.com and HCSB 

- https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+1&version=HCSB&interface=print

-Key verse in BOLD

- Published by Jeremy Tramell - Oct 14th, 2014

Day 1 - 2013 A New Year

Daily Reading: Proverbs 1, Romans 1, Psalm 1

Proverbs 1

Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

1 The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:
² For learning what wisdom and discipline are;
for understanding insightful sayings;
³ for receiving wise instruction
in righteousness, justice, and integrity;
⁴ for teaching shrewdness to the inexperienced,
knowledge and discretion to a young man—
⁵ a wise man will listen and increase his learning,
and a discerning man will obtain guidance—
⁶ for understanding a proverb or a parable,
the words of the wise, and their riddles.

⁷ The fear of the Lord
is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and discipline.

⁸ Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction,
and don’t reject your mother’s teaching,
⁹ for they will be a garland of grace on your head
and a gold chain around your neck.
¹⁰ My son, if sinners entice you,
don’t be persuaded.
¹¹ If they say—“Come with us!
Let’s set an ambush and kill someone.
Let’s attack some innocent person just for fun!
¹² Let’s swallow them alive, like Sheol,
still healthy as they go down to the Pit.
¹³ We’ll find all kinds of valuable property
and fill our houses with plunder.
¹⁴ Throw in your lot with us,
and we’ll all share our money”—
¹⁵ my son, don’t travel that road with them
or set foot on their path,
¹⁶ because their feet run toward trouble
and they hurry to commit murder.
¹⁷ It is foolish to spread a net
where any bird can see it,
¹⁸ but they set an ambush to kill themselves;
they attack their own lives.
¹⁹ Such are the paths of all who make profit dishonestly;
it takes the lives of those who receive it.

²⁰ Wisdom calls out in the street;
she raises her voice in the public squares.
²¹ She cries out above the commotion;
she speaks at the entrance of the city gates:
²² “How long, foolish ones, will you love ignorance?
How long will you mockers enjoy mocking
and you fools hate knowledge?
²³ If you respond to my warning,
then I will pour out my spirit on you
and teach you my words.
²⁴ Since I called out and you refused,
extended my hand and no one paid attention,
²⁵ since you neglected all my counsel
and did not accept my correction,
²⁶ I, in turn, will laugh at your calamity.
I will mock when terror strikes you,
²⁷ when terror strikes you like a storm
and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
when trouble and stress overcome you.
²⁸ Then they will call me, but I won’t answer;
they will search for me, but won’t find me.
²⁹ Because they hated knowledge,
didn’t choose to fear the Lord,
³⁰ were not interested in my counsel,
and rejected all my correction,
³¹ they will eat the fruit of their way
and be glutted with their own schemes.
³² For the turning away of the inexperienced will kill them,
and the complacency of fools will destroy them.
³³ But whoever listens to me will live securely
and be free from the fear of danger.”

Reflection:  Proverbs 1 can be broken into three parts.  The intro (v1-7, the first warning parable (v8-19) and a street preacher named Wisdom (v20-33).  The intro descrbes the outer seal, molded to impress into the reader of the proverb a key of understanding and using the insights, to reveal true insight, which is fear of the Lord.  The second part of this first proverb,  serves as a warning,  a story of sinister characters and the associations of the wrong crowd.  In the third part, the writer points us to a street preacher proclaiming truth and admonishing those who choose not to listen.  

Discussion Topic:   Examine your life, and the year ahead of you.  Are you using God's word to guide your life in all things?  Are you wrongly associated with certain people or perhaps entrapped by ungodly habits?  Where does the solution to this dilemma come from?  Is there relief to be found in the text?

Join the Discussion: 

Prayer: Father in heaven, Holy is your name and worthy to be praised.  Lord we give you honor and glory as we celebrate in the joy of a new year.  Lord guide us this year to a closer relationship with you.  Draw our hearts to your heart so that we can begin to understand the fear of You.  Teach us to make this year about You and Your resolutions.  For its Your Will, Your Kingdom, Your Power and Your Glory! Jesus name, Amen! 

Acknowledgements: Text - Biblegateway.com  Image - http://streetpreacher.tv/