Human Blindness – Godly Clarity
Mark 8

Purpose: The believer will have a godly clarity that understands spiritual reality hidden by the blindness of unbelief.

1. Jesus Clearly Displays His Deity (Mark 8:1-10)

2. The Pharisees Blindly Demand a Sign (Mark 8:11-13)

3. Jesus Decries the Blindness of the Pharisees (Mark 8:14-15)

4. The Disciples Blindly Misunderstand (Mark 8:16)

5. Jesus Decries the Dullness of the Disciples (Mark 8:17-21)

6. Jesus Clearly Demonstrates His Deity (Mark 8:22-26)

7. Peter Boldly Sees the Truth (Mark 8:27-30)

8. Jesus Clearly Describes His Mission as Messiah (Mark 8:31-32a)

9. Peter Boldly Shows His Blurry Sight (Mark 8:32b-33)

10. Jesus Clearly Demands Commitment (Mark 8:34-9:1)

When we believe, we see the reality of the world and the Sovereign, Servant, Savior with God-revealed clarity.

King Jesus, the True Teacher
Mark 7

Purpose: to put away faulty human tradition for the unfailing truth of God!

1. King Jesus Exposes False Teachers (Mark 7:1-13)
      How to identify false teachers. False teachers:
          - Sound like they stand for God, while at the same time redirect you away from God (vv. 1-5)
          - Are quick to tell you what to do, rather than point you to faith in God (v. 5)
          - Supplant the Word of God with traditions of men (vv. 6-8; Is 29:13)
          - Elevate human wisdom above God’s revealed truth in Christ & Scripture (v. 8)
          - Invalidate the Word of God by using generational tradition (vv. 5, 13)
          - Are fulfilling a greater purpose of God, the unfaithful easily follow false teachers (fulfillment of Is 29:13; see Mark 13:20-23)

2. King Jesus Establishes the Truth for All (Mark 7:14-16)

3. King Jesus Explains the Truth to His Disciples (Mark 7:17-23)

4. King Jesus’ Miracles Endorse Him (Mark 7:24-37)
        Jesus heals the Syrophoenician woman’s daughter (vv. 24-30)
        Jesus heals a deaf and speech-impaired man (vv. 31-37)
        True Miracles Point to the True Risen Teacher (contrast Mark 13:22 & Acts 2:22-24)
        It’s not about the miracles themselves, it’s all about Jesus!

Learn to distrust traditions of man that only lead us away from God, and come to Jesus, the Risen Lord and True Teacher!

Hard Hearts Left Unhealed
Mark 6

Purpose: The failure to acknowledge Jesus as God -Sovereign, Servant, Savior -is the result of a hard heart that prevents eyes from seeing what is plainly true and finding healing for the soul.

1. Hard Hearts Prevent Healing (Mark 6:1-6)

2. Hard Hearts Bring Persecution (Mark 6:7-13, 30)

3. Hard Hearts Cause Weak Faith (Mark 6:31-52)

4. Believing Hearts Result in Healed Lives (Mark 6:53-56)

Don’t harden your heart but see Jesus for who he is. Believe and find healing.

The Lord of Lost Causes
Mark 5

Purpose: Jesus displays His power over unclean spirits, chronic illness and death by displaying compassion for outcasts and lost causes.

1. Lord of the Demoniac (5:1-20)

2. Lord of the Chronically Ill (5:25-34)

3. Lord of the Lost Little Girl (5:21-24, 35-43)

Christ’s Kingdom in Pictures

Mark 4

Purpose: to better see the mystery of the Kingdom of Christ as revealed through His parables

1. King Jesus Sowing the Gospel in Our Hearts (4:1-20)
       Jesus tells the Parable of the Sower (4:1-9)
       Jesus’ reason for teaching in parables (4:10-12)
       Jesus’ explanation of the Parable of the Sower (4:13-20)
           Sower =
           Seed =
           Beside the Road =
           Rocky Ground =
           Among the Thorns =
           Good Soil =
           Which one am I?

2. King Jesus and His People Shine! (4:21-25)
       What about those who don’t?
       Which one am I?

3. The Kingdom of Jesus Will Grow! (4:26-32)

4. King Jesus is Creator God! (4:35-41)
       “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”

The Kingdom of Jesus Christ is unstoppable! Do you see, do you understand? Are you in or out?

He Was Despised
Mark 3

Purpose: To show that the world despises their Sovereign, Servant, Savior, but those who believe are brought into His family.

1. The Pharisees Despised Him (Mark 3:1-6)

2. The Unclean Spirits Despised Him (Mark 3:7-12)

3. The Traitor Despised Him (Mark 3:13-19)

4. The Home Crowd Despised Him (Mark 3:20-21)

5. The Scribes Despised Him (Mark 3:22-30)

Will You Despise Him? (Mark 3:31-35)

For What Are You Coming to Jesus?

Mark 2

Purpose: Come to Jesus to find forgiveness, acceptance, new life, spiritual rest.

1. Come to Jesus to Find Forgiveness (2:1-12)

2. Come to Jesus to Find Acceptance (2:13-17)

3. Come to Jesus to Find New Life (2:18-22)

4. Come to Jesus to Find Spiritual Rest (2:23-28)

Because Jesus is God, we sinners will only find forgiveness, acceptance, new life, and spiritual rest in Him.

8 Testimonies That Jesus Is the Messiah
Mark 1

Purpose: To show by the testifying works and words of many witnesses, that Jesus
                is the Messiah.

1. The Testimony of the Author (Mark 1:1)
2. The Testimony of the Messenger (Mark 1:2-8)
3. The Testimony of the Father and the Spirit (Mark 1:9-11)

4. The Testimony of the Adversary (Mark 1:12-13)

5. The Testimony of the Called (Mark 1:14-20)
6. The Testimony of the Synagogue (Mark 1:21-28)
7. The Testimony of His Works (Mark 1:29-39)
8. The Testimony of The Healed (Mark 1:40-45)

Jesus is the sovereign, servant, savior of the world.

Who We Are Becoming – Part 2
We Exist to Glorify Christ in Worship, Discipleship, & Mission
Ephesians 4:1-16

1. Christ Rules

2. Leaders Regulate
                     Elders                                         Deacons
   Office:      Overseer (1 Tim. 3)                    Servant (1 Tim. 3)
   Character: Elder (1 Tim. 3 &1 Pet. 5)        Full of Spirit                                                                     and Wisdom
                                                                       (1 Tim. 3 &
                                                                        Acts 6)
   Function:  Pastor (Eph. 4)                        Maintain                                                                            Unity (Acts 6)

3. Disciples Reproduce
              Redeemed for Service
               Gifted for service
               Equipped for the work of service

We are designed to glorify Christ in worship, discipleship, and mission, by being Elder led, Deacon served, and Congregationally executed.

Who We Are Becoming – Part 1

We Exist to Glorify Christ in Worship, Discipleship, & Mission

In Worship By:

• God-centered worship in Spirit & Truth (Jn 4:24)
• Expository book-by-book preaching & teaching (2 Tim 4:2)
• Gathering as the church for corporate prayer in one time and place. (Acts 2:42)
• Baptism, Lord’s Supper, & Membership

In Discipleship By:

• Every member gathering in Worship & growing in a Discipleship Group (Heb 10:24-25)
• Growing in the Word & ways of Jesus Christ together (Jn 15)
• Children- Truth78 & VBS (Ps 78:3-4)
• Youth – Truth78 & Disciple 6 (Ps 78:3-4)

In Mission By:

• Great Commission Ministry (Matt 28:18-20) including yearly international mission
    trip(s) to UPGs (Unreached People Groups)
• Every member sharing the Gospel
• Supporting the Cooperative Program, IMB, NAMB, & Send Relief
• Adults on Mission, Royal Ambassadors, Girls in Action, & Mission Friends
• Called to the Nations Scholarship at MBTS

God’s Will for the World!

Psalm 67

Introduction: The 5 Great Commission Passages

Purpose: God blesses His people (OT Israel/NT Church) for His glory among all nations!

1. Blessed to Be a Blessing/a.k.a. God’s Greater Glory (Ps 67:1-2, 6-7)
        Defining "fear"
        God’s Plan of Salvation
        Numbers 6:23-27 – God’s blessing
        Galatians 3:6-9; Genesis 12:1-3 – God’s Covenant Blessings For All Nations
        Isaiah 11:9; Habakkuk 2:14 – God’s Glory Over All
        2 Corinthians 5:17-21 – Ambassadors for Christ
        Isaiah 49:6 – God’s Greater Glory

2. Prayer for the Peoples (Ps 67:3, 5)
        Matthew 9:35-38 – Pray to the Lord of the harvest
        Ephesians 6:18-20 – Pray for boldness to preach the gospel

3. Worthy of Worship by the Whole World (Ps 67:4)
        John 4:20-42 – Jesus is the Savior of the World!
        Psalms 97:1; 67:3-4; 104:34; 9:2; 96:3

Conclusion

     Revelation 7:9 – Every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues
     The Great Commission according to Paul:
     Romans 10:9-18 – We must send preachers so that the lost can hear and be saved
     Romans 15:18-21 – Aspire to preach the gospel not where Christ is already named

God’s Response to Wicked Humanity
Psalm 53

Purpose: We are called to warn the wicked and watch for restoration.

1. The Problem of Humanity (Psalm 53:1-4)

2. The Punishment of God (Psalm 53:5)
        Proverbs 28:1
        Colossians 2:15

3. The Promise of Salvation (Psalm 53:6)

Christ puts the wicked to shame, but brings joy to the righteous.

The Contrite Heart
Psalm 51

Purpose: We are called to confess our sin and seek God’s mercy and restoration

1. A Sinner’s Cry for Mercy (Psalm 51:1-4)

2. A Sinner’s Cry for Restoration (Psalm 51:5-13)

3. A Sinner’s Promise to Praise (Psalm 51:14-19)

Christians should confess their sin and seek God’s mercy and restoration, which He graciously gives us in the person and work of His son Jesus to the glory of His name.