A Year Through Mark
Why Mark?
The Apostle Paul urged the Colossians Church to remain focused on Jesus. The main reason we focused on Colossians for the bulk of the first year as a church is due to the fact that Paul wrote to a church that he had not planted. Paul was experienced at starting new faith communities and well versed in the Greco-Roman culture. Therefore, he could identify what might sidetrack the church. Utilizing Paul’s words to the Colossians Church, we at Generations were able to see what was of most importance for that church and how it correlates to our time as a young church. The following might summarize how we outlined the 3 part series through the book.
- Christ has been made known to us
- Christ is the substance by which our life should be oriented
- The church is Christ embodied in the world
Throughout the series that we used to communicate these points, we stressed the centrality of Christ. Therefore, as we head into our second year, the goal will be to look at Jesus directly. The gospel of Mark was chosen to do this for several reasons:
- Mark writes to a Roman Gentile audience. Meaning, he does not distract his audience with Jewish customs, where they must be included, he is sure to explain them. Additionally, Mark knows his audience is comparing Jesus to other authority figures within their world and what might bring the most ridicule. The audience is steeped in the pluralistic society, not too far from where we are headed as a society today.
- Mark maintains an unwavering focus on Jesus. Mark will often leave out where and when Jesus was at a given place, or even who was with him. Narrative details are missing so as to keep our attention on the central character.
- Culturally, 2020 has not been the grand vision everyone had hoped. Further, we seem more divided than ever by words. Some of this division comes from letting lesser figures of authority define who we are and what we should be about. We learn who Jesus is, not so much from what he says as from what he does. In a world driven by talk, Mark will challenge us to be a people of action. Mark’s portrayal of Jesus is characterized by three factors: his divine authority, his mission as the suffering Servant of God, and his divine Sonship (Pillar Commentary, 13).
What you can expect every week.
Podcast: Every week Jon and I will discuss any areas of the teaching that were difficult or lacked clarity
Mid Week Faith Guide: To help you study the Scripture for yourself.
What you can expect periodically.
Devotional Material: Topical Scripture and reflection derived from the application of that week’s teaching.
Blog Posts: Posts that interact with the Scripture to help you navigate the teaching series overall.
Bonus Teaching: We won’t be able to cover every story throughout Mark. Some weeks, Kyle or Jon will drop a bonus teaching on a passage that’s sandwiched in between the two teachings.