GO SPORT
Study 1
Mark 1:14-34
When a new player arrives in your sports club or team you get excited don’t you? The anticipation that they might change your fortunes and lead you to victory gets your heart racing. This is especially true if you’ve been on a poor run of form and struggling to find success.
In life, we recognise all is not as it should be. And yet we hope for a better future.
Where do you look for hope for the future?
Ready
Mark starts his gospel with a bold claim:
“The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God.”
Mark 1:1
The Romans were familiar with the term “gospel” as it was used to announce great historic moments such as when emperors came to power. For the Jews reading the book it was even more significant. It spoke of ancient hope for a time when God himself would come to restore a broken world.
Mark wants his readers to know that what he is claiming about Jesus is incredibly significant. What led Mark to make this claim?
Why was he and others willing to die because of it? What did he see that led him to believe that Jesus was the Son of God?
Mark’s account of Jesus’ life is a fast-paced account which helps us see who Jesus is and how we can respond to him today.
Set
Read Mark 1:14-34
1. What are your first impressions of what you’ve read? What surprises you? Confuses you? What did you notice about Jesus?
2. In verse 15 Jesus enters by declaring the arrival of the ‘Kingdom of God’ – what do you think he meant by this? Why could this be good news?
Mark will explain this more as he continues to write but Jesus makes clear the right response is to “repent and believe.” To “repent” means to stop what you were doing and turn around. Jesus’ announcement calls for a radical change. Verses 16-20 show us this in action.
3. How do you respond to the actions of the fishermen? What could have caused them to leave everything and follow Jesus?
Jesus then goes to a small town called Capernaum and begins to teach.
4. Which coach has had the most impact on your life? Why?
5. The people were amazed and fearful of Jesus because
of how he taught. What do you think caused people to
react to Jesus’ teaching in this way? (v22)
6. Later that evening the whole town came to where Jesus was (v32-34). Why would people have responded like this to Jesus? Do you think you would have been?
7. Today people might say Jesus was a historical figure but would not want to believe or trust in his teaching. Why do you think that’s the case?
8. Jesus has done some extraordinary things and healed many people. But in verses 25 and 34 we see him warn people not to speak about what he has done. Why do you think he does this?
Go
Jesus announced the arrival of the ‘Kingdom of God’ and then begins to heal many and teach with real authority. The healings are not something Jesus wants to draw attention to and instead are to be seen as signs of a broken world being restored.
1. What do you think about the claim that the world is not as it should be?
2. How has this study helped you build your scouting report on Jesus? what have you learnt about him? How does that make you feel? What questions do you still have?