The Beginning of Jesus' Ministry

1This is the beginning of the Good News about Jesus Christ, the Son of God,
Mark 1:1 (NCV)
2as the prophet Isaiah wrote:
“I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way.”
Malachi 3:1

Mark 1:2 (NCV)
3 “This is a voice of one
who calls out in the desert:
‘Prepare the way for the Lord.
Make the road straight for him.’”
Isaiah 40:3

Mark 1:3 (NCV)
4John was baptizing people in the desert and preaching a baptism of changed hearts and lives for the forgiveness of sins.
Mark 1:4 (NCV)
5All the people from Judea and Jerusalem were going out to him. They confessed their sins and were baptized by him in the Jordan River.
Mark 1:5 (NCV)
6John wore clothes made from camel’s hair, had a leather belt around his waist, and ate locusts and wild honey.
Mark 1:6 (NCV)
7This is what John preached to the people: “There is one coming after me who is greater than I; I am not good enough even to kneel down and untie his sandals.
Mark 1:7 (NCV)
8I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
Jesus Is Baptized

Mark 1:8 (NCV)
9At that time Jesus came from the town of Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan River.
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10Immediately, as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven open. The Holy Spirit came down on him like a dove,
Mark 1:10 (NCV)
11and a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love, and I am very pleased with you.”

Mark 1:11 (NCV)
12Then the Spirit sent Jesus into the desert.
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13He was in the desert forty days and was tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and the angels came and took care of him.
Jesus Chooses Some Followers

Mark 1:13 (NCV)
14After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, preaching the Good News from God.
Mark 1:14 (NCV)
15He said, “The right time has come. The kingdom of God is near. Change your hearts and lives and believe the Good News!”

Mark 1:15 (NCV)
16When Jesus was walking by Lake Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew throwing a net into the lake because they were fishermen.
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17Jesus said to them, “Come follow me, and I will make you fish for people.”
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18So Simon and Andrew immediately left their nets and followed him.

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19Going a little farther, Jesus saw two more brothers, James and John, the sons of Zebedee. They were in a boat, mending their nets.
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20Jesus immediately called them, and they left their father in the boat with the hired workers and followed Jesus.
Jesus Forces Out an Evil Spirit

Mark 1:20 (NCV)
21Jesus and his followers went to Capernaum. On the Sabbath day He went to the synagogue and began to teach.
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22The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught like a person who had authority, not like their teachers of the law.
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23Just then, a man was there in the synagogue who had an evil spirit in him. He shouted,
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24“Jesus of Nazareth! What do you want with us? Did you come to destroy us? I know who you are—God’s Holy One!”

Mark 1:24 (NCV)
25Jesus commanded the evil spirit, “Be quiet! Come out of the man!”
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26The evil spirit shook the man violently, gave a loud cry, and then came out of him.

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27The people were so amazed they asked each other, “What is happening here? This man is teaching something new, and with authority. He even gives commands to evil spirits, and they obey him.”
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28And the news about Jesus spread quickly everywhere in the area of Galilee.
Jesus Heals Many People

Mark 1:28 (NCV)
29As soon as Jesus and his followers left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew.
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30Simon’s mother-in-law was sick in bed with a fever, and the people told Jesus about her.
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31So Jesus went to her bed, took her hand, and helped her up. The fever left her, and she began serving them.

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32That evening, after the sun went down, the people brought to Jesus all who were sick and had demons in them.
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33The whole town gathered at the door.
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34Jesus healed many who had different kinds of sicknesses, and he forced many demons to leave people. But he would not allow the demons to speak, because they knew who he was.

Mark 1:34 (NCV)
35Early the next morning, while it was still dark, Jesus woke and left the house. He went to a lonely place, where he prayed.
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36Simon and his friends went to look for Jesus.
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37When they found him, they said, “Everyone is looking for you!”

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38Jesus answered, “We should go to other towns around here so I can preach there too. That is the reason I came.”
Mark 1:38 (NCV)
39So he went everywhere in Galilee, preaching in the synagogues and forcing out demons.
Jesus Heals a Sick Man

Mark 1:39 (NCV)
40A man with a skin disease came to Jesus. He fell to his knees and begged Jesus, “You can heal me if you will.”

Mark 1:40 (NCV)
41Jesus felt sorry for the man, so he reached out his hand and touched him and said, “I will. Be healed!”
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42Immediately the disease left the man, and he was healed.

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43Jesus told the man to go away at once, but he warned him strongly,
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44“Don’t tell anyone about this. But go and show yourself to the priest. And offer the gift Moses commanded for people who are made well. This will show the people what I have done.”
Mark 1:44 (NCV)
45The man left there, but he began to tell everyone that Jesus had healed him, and so he spread the news about Jesus. As a result, Jesus could not enter a town if people saw him. He stayed in places where nobody lived, but people came to him from everywhere.


Mark 1:45 (NCV)



SITUATION:
Persecution and martyrdom in Rome created a dangerous environment for Christians. Mark wrote this Gospel to the Christians in Rome to encourage and strengthen their faith. He recorded Christ’s baptism, temptation, and the beginning of his ministry with his disciples.

OBSERVATION:
Jesus came to be active and compassionate to the people around him. He exemplified tenderness when he healed the leper by touching him.

INSPIRATION:
Jesus was a master a communicating love and personal acceptance. He did so when He blessed and held… little children. But another time His sensitivity to touch someone was even more graphic. This was when Jesus met a grown man’s need for a meaningful touch, a man who was barred by law from ever touching anyone again…
To touch a leper was unthinkable. Banishing lepers from society, people would not get within a stone’s throw of them. (In fact, they would throw stones at them if they did come close!)… With their open sores and dirty bandages, lepers were the last persons anyone would want to touch. Yet the first thing Christ did for this man was touch him.
Even before Jesus spoke to him, He reached out His hand and touched him. Can you imagine what that scene must have looked like? Think how this man must have longed for someone to touch him, not throw stones at him to drive him away. Jesus could have healed him first and then touched him. But recognizing his deepest need, Jesus stretched out His hand even before He spoke words of physical and spiritual healing. (From The Gift of the Blessing by Gary Smalley and John Trent).

APPLICATION:
Jesus shows us the power of gentle compassion. Who do you have trouble “touching” because they are not attractive in any way? Compassion requires more than words; compassion requires action. Look for ways to express compassion to those who are starving for a tender touch.

EXPLORATION:Jesus’ Compassion – Matthew 8:3, 15; 9:36, 14:14, 15:32, 17:7, 20:34; 23:37; Mark 10:13-16; Luke 7:13; 22:51; John