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 37 - 50 Day Journey To Christ

Daily Reading:

Isaiah 40

Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) 

God’s People Comforted

1 “Comfort, comfort My people,”

says your God.

2 “Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,

and announce to her

that her time of forced labor is over,

her iniquity has been pardoned,

and she has received from the Lord’s hand

double for all her sins.”

3 A voice of one crying out:

Prepare the way of the Lord in the wilderness;

make a straight highway for our God in the desert.

4 Every valley will be lifted up,

and every mountain and hill will be leveled;

the uneven ground will become smooth

and the rough places, a plain.

5 And the glory of the Lord will appear,

and all humanity together will see it,

for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

6 A voice was saying, “Cry out!”

Another said, “What should I cry out?”

“All humanity is grass,

and all its goodness is like the flower of the field.

7 The grass withers, the flowers fade

when the breath of the Lord blows on them;

indeed, the people are grass.

8 The grass withers, the flowers fade,

but the word of our God remains forever.”

9 Zion, herald of good news,

go up on a high mountain.

Jerusalem, herald of good news,

raise your voice loudly.

Raise it, do not be afraid!

Say to the cities of Judah,

“Here is your God!”

10 See, the Lord God comes with strength,

and His power establishes His rule.

His reward is with Him,

and His gifts accompany Him.

11 He protects His flock like a shepherd;

He gathers the lambs in His arms

and carries them in the fold of His garment.

He gently leads those that are nursing.

12 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand

or marked off the heavens with the span of his hand?

Who has gathered the dust of the earth in a measure

or weighed the mountains in a balance

and the hills in the scales?

13 Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord,

or who gave Him His counsel?

14 Who did He consult with?

Who gave Him understanding

and taught Him the paths of justice?

Who taught Him knowledge

and showed Him the way of understanding?

15 Look, the nations are like a drop in a bucket;

they are considered as a speck of dust in the scales;

He lifts up the islands like fine dust.

16 Lebanon is not enough for fuel,

or its animals enough for a burnt offering.

17 All the nations are as nothing before Him;

they are considered by Him

as nothingness and emptiness.

18 Who will you compare God with?

What likeness will you compare Him to?

19 To an idol?—something that a smelter casts,

and a metalworker plates with gold

and makes silver welds for it?

20 To one who shapes a pedestal,

choosing wood that does not rot?

He looks for a skilled craftsman

to set up an idol that will not fall over.

21 Do you not know?

Have you not heard?

Has it not been declared to you

from the beginning?

Have you not considered

the foundations of the earth?

22 God is enthroned above the circle of the earth;

its inhabitants are like grasshoppers.

He stretches out the heavens like thin cloth

and spreads them out like a tent to live in.

23 He reduces princes to nothing

and makes judges of the earth irrational.

24 They are barely planted, barely sown,

their stem hardly takes root in the ground

when He blows on them and they wither,

and a whirlwind carries them away like stubble.

25 “Who will you compare Me to,

or who is My equal?” asks the Holy One.

26 Look up and see:

who created these?

He brings out the starry host by number;

He calls all of them by name.

Because of His great power and strength,

not one of them is missing.

27 Jacob, why do you say,

and Israel, why do you assert:

“My way is hidden from the Lord,

and my claim is ignored by my God”?

28 Do you not know?

Have you not heard?

Yahweh is the everlasting God,

the Creator of the whole earth.

He never grows faint or weary;

there is no limit to His understanding.

29 He gives strength to the weary

and strengthens the powerless.

30 Youths may faint and grow weary,

and young men stumble and fall,

31 but those who trust in the Lord

will renew their strength;

they will soar on wings like eagles;

they will run and not grow weary;

they will walk and not faint.

Note: Read Isaiah 43 for extra credit. :)

Key:  Bold - Verse of the Day

Reflection:  Todays reading finds us in the presence of our Messiah, pondering His, height, depth and majesty.  Marveling at His creation, and the way that every thing is in sink.  We hear the voice of one crying in the wilderness, and are reminded that when we put our trust in the Lord, He will renew our strength.  

Discussion Topic:  Can you identify some different aspects of apologetics within this prophesy?  Do you see any keys to evangelism hidden within this text?

Join the Discussion on G+

Prayer:  Father in heaven, I bow in awe of Your Wonders.  You are the God of creation, and yet desire to be called Abba, Daddy.  Thank You for the gift of your Son, and the daily reminders You give us to explore.  Your love is unending, Your grace free.  Give us the boldness to be the voice of one crying out in the digital wilderness, or the dark street corners.  For Your return is promised, Your arrival soon.  Be with us as we share Your love.  In Jesus, for Jesus and because of Jesus.  Amen

Acknowledgements: Text - BibleGateway.com, Artwork -