Jean's Bible Study Topics of the New Testament

Navigate this website using tabs – press the "Ctrl" button on your keyboard as you click on a link 

See previous page

Mk 5,1-16

· (46l) Judgment Ø Spiritual warfare Ø Jesus casts out demons

· (145e) Human state of demon possession (Key verse)

Mk 5,2-4

· (146a) Witness Ø Validity of Jesus Christ Ø Jesus’ works bear witness of Himself Ø Demon possession Ø Human state Ø Their behavior Ø Superhuman strength

Mk 5-5

· (46i) Judgment Ø Spiritual warfare Ø Satan falls by his own wickedness -- The demons who possessed this man, among many of the demon possessed, afflicted wounds upon the body that he invaded, tormenting his host for a couple reasons, the first being that the only thing the devil knows is destruction. Another bigger reason the devil afflicted the man, which is a derivative of the first reason, is that he is self-destructive by nature. Instead of taking care of the vessel he conquered, he tortured it. So long as the devil's agenda is simply to work chaos in the world he stands a good chance of success, but he will never be able to fulfill a sophisticated objective without sabotaging his own plans. This is exactly what is prophesied to happen in the last days according to Scripture. God sends plagues to judge the inhabitants of the earth, but those plagues do not unravel Satan's diabolical plan of taking over the world; instead, you find an internal struggle that is responsible for his own demise (Rev 17,12-18). He may be a master planner, but he also has a conflicted mind with interests and skills that are crossed with obsessive and compulsive inclinations that cancel each other, so that he is not able to accomplish anything. In other words Satan is dysfunctional, and if he were a man (which some day he will take on a man's body) he would end up in an insane asylum if he did die first (or be thrown into a lake of fire). 

· (146c) Witness Ø Validity of Jesus Christ Ø Jesus’ works bear witness of Himself Ø Demon possession Ø Human state Ø Their behavior Ø Masochism

· (190d) Die to self (Process of substitution) Ø Separation from the old man Ø Masochism (Self-made martyr) Ø Self-afflictions that are against the will of God

Mk 5,6-20

· (146e) Witness Ø Validity of Jesus Christ Ø Jesus’ works bear witness of Himself Ø Deliverance from demon possession Ø Casting out spirits with a word

· (145e) Deliverance From Demon Possession (Key verse)

Mk 5,6-8

· (193l) Die to self (Process of substitution) Ø Turn from sin to God Ø Run to God Ø Run to God in your freedom to choose righteousness -- This was a man who had an army of demons in him at least 2000 strong, according to verse 13, there had to be one for each pig. Nevertheless, this man with all these demons came to Jesus. Why didn't he run the other way? Jesus came specifically to deliver the possessed man, who was far off when the boat touched ground while Jesus was saying, "Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!" Jesus wasn't yelling it, but the demons heard Him in the spirit realm. However, that doesn't explain why the man approached the Lord. With all the demons residing in him, the man was still able to exercise his will and went to meet Jesus; he must have felt the demons' fear of Christ, sensing hope about the man who had just come to town that perhaps He could help him. 

Mk 5-7

· (146d) Witness Ø Validity of Jesus Christ Ø Jesus’ works bear witness of Himself Ø Demon possession Ø Human state Ø They know the Holy Spirit

Mk 5,14-17

· (200a) Denying Christ Ø Man chooses his own destiny apart from God Ø Rejecting Christ Ø Unwilling to receive Christ Ø Asking Jesus to leave -- The demons entreated Jesus not to send them out of the country, because they knew the people who lived there were not going to receive Christ, and their rejection of Him was going to create a spiritual vacuum in the land, so that the demons could easily make sport of the whole community after Jesus leaves. That is why the Lord required the man He delivered to stay home and soften the peoples' hearts by telling everyone the great things He did for him, so when Jesus returned, He could minister to the whole region and they would receive Him. 

Mk 5,15-17

· (19i) Sin Ø Hardened heart will twist your mind

Mk 5,18-20

· (8h) Responsible to interact with God Ø Preparing for revival – This man who once was demon possessed turned into another John The Baptist, who went home and preached the gospel to his home region after Jesus cured him of his demons. Jesus later came back to Decapolis after they had heard what great wonders Christ invested in the demoniac and He was well received by the people, who believed in Him when they once did not. See also Mk 1-2,3 for further commentary.

· (241b) Kingdom of God Ø Opposition toward the kingdom of God Ø Hindering the kingdom Ø Obstacles in the way of the kingdom Ø Ask but don’t receive Ø Asking for something that is not in His will -- Jesus honored the request of the demons but not of the man who was demon possessed. Why? It was important that the man whom Jesus delivered should stay as a testimony to all the people of the great things God has done, because at that point their hearts were hardened, so that the man had a more fruitful ministry than Jesus, had He stayed and tried to work with the people of Decapolis. Jesus would return along with His apostles later to a soil that was cultivated by the man whom God delivered. In other words Jesus honored the request of demons before the man's request to come with Him because He cares more about people than He does about demons. 

Mk 5-21

· (143g) Witness Ø Validity of Jesus Christ Ø Witnesses of Jesus Ø Popularity Ø Sought commendably Ø Seeking Jesus to be healed -- This verse goes with verse 24

Mk 5-22,23

· (147g) Witness Ø Validity of Jesus Christ Ø Jesus’ works bear witness of Himself Ø Raising the dead -- These verses go with verses 35-43

Mk 5,23-36

· (123e) Thy kingdom come Ø Manifestations of faith Ø Love Ø Spiritual affection Ø Compassion Ø Being willing because you are able -- These verses go with verses 41&42

Mk 5-24

· (143g) Witness Ø Validity of Jesus Christ Ø Witnesses of Jesus Ø Popularity Ø Sought commendably Ø seeking Jesus to be healed -- This verse goes with verse 21

Mk 5,25-34

· (70b) Authority Ø Discernment Ø Sensitivity To The Spirit -- Most peoples' "discernment" centers on being sensitive to certain sins in other people that are trouble-spots in their own lives, but true discernment is being sensitive to the things that the Holy Spirit is doing through certain spiritual gifts whether in their own lives or in others. In this case Jesus was sensitive to the Holy Spirit operating through His own gift of healing. Note that this healing was between God and the woman, that the Lord merely acted as a channel for the woman to come and draw from His power without requiring Him to be involved. Jesus felt the power go from Him, found the person who took advantage of God's blessing and praised the woman for her faith. So, faith was the working ingredient to believe she could draw from the well of Jesus' infinite blessing if she could just touch Him. He didn't feel her hand touch his cloak, He felt her faith touch the Holy Spirit.   

· (144k) Witness Ø Validity of Jesus Christ Ø Jesus’ works bear witness of Himself Ø Methods of healing Ø Healed by touching Jesus

Mk 5,27-34

· (88i) Thy kingdom come Ø Fearing the power of God is the beginning of wisdom

· (114c) Thy kingdom come Ø Working the grace of God Ø Obeying the Holy Spirit Ø Believing the Father by obeying the Son Ø Obeying Jesus’ way -- The woman made up the rule herself that if she touched Jesus she would get well, the Scripture in no way leads you to believe that God told her to touch Jesus. Do you now see the difference between faith and the law? Many souls have believed that if they follow the law they will gain God's favor, but they don't (nor do they follow the law), yet this woman makes up her own rules and God honors her efforts, because she was seeking God by faith. There is no difference between getting healed through Jesus' touch or through touching Jesus, because you must believe to receive either way. 

Mk 5-27,28

· (77b) Thy kingdom come Ø Hunger for the essence of God Ø Hunger for His presence

Mk 5,35-43

· (147g) Witness Ø Validity of Jesus Christ Ø Jesus’ works bear witness of Himself Ø Raising the dead -- These verses go with verses 22&23

Mk 5-35,36

· (17c) Sin Ø Unrighteous judgment Ø Judging in the flesh Ø Evaluating circumstances by the carnal mind – Once someone dies no one in the flesh is able to help, except perhaps to bury the person. Jesus, However, had plans that the natural man could not understand. It is never too late for God to make His indelible imprint on our unmanageable circumstances. He may not always raise the person from the dead, but He will always find a way to illumine our darkest hour when we seek Him by faith. 

· (20g) Sin Ø Doubt is the consequence of the fear of death

Mk 5-36

· (20c) Nature of sin Ø Unbelief Ø Having a mind that is unable to receive

Mk 5,37-40

· (222h) Kingdom of God Ø The elusive kingdom of heaven Ø Do not give what is holy to dogs Ø God shares no intimacy with dogs Ø God does not let dogs in His house -- Along with the child's parents, Jesus invited His three closest disciples with Him to witness His glory in the raising of this child from the dead and closed the door on unbelief when He sent those mockers on their way. Jesus could have chosen three other disciples who needed their faith strengthened more than these three, since they seemed to be with Him where ever He went, but Jesus previously laid down a principle stating: "To Him who has shall more be given, and he shall have an abundance...." The God of the universe refuses to operate in an environment of unbelief "... But to him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him," (Mat 13-12). Had Jesus allowed those mockers to remain with Him as He raised the child from the dead, He would have condoned unbelief, in fact rewarded it. It was better that they witness the child come to them healthy and whole, that they may marvel at what just occurred behind the door, and pray for faith that next time He might invite them to come with Him behind the door to witness the glory of God. 

Mk 5-39,40

· (243b) Kingdom of God Ø Opposition toward the kingdom of God Ø Persecuting the kingdom Ø Mocking Christ

Mk 5-40

· (201c) Denying Christ Ø Whoever is not with Jesus is against him Ø You are against Christ when your unbelief materializes Ø If your heart is not with Him your deeds are against Him -- Man has never officially declared war against God, but he has always been at war with Him since the beginning. If we do nothing to make peace with our maker, then we are at enmity with Him by default. We don't need to actively be His enemy to be at enmity with Him, but we do need to actively seek His peace to find that peace at the cross. It doesn't take much for man to find himself on the wrong side of the door as these mockers were who laughed at Jesus as He affirmed His intension of raising this child from the dead. These people who mocked Christ were not greater sinners than you or me; in fact, they are just like us when we don't know what God is doing and laugh when we hear about His will. Did you know that God is soon going to initiate a world-wide revival; are you going to be a part of that, or are you going to laugh at the notion?

Mk 5-41,42

· (123e) Thy kingdom come Ø Manifestations of faith Ø Love Ø Spiritual affection Ø Compassion Ø Being willing because you are able -- These verses go with verses 23-36. How many people, if they had received authority to wield the power of God like Jesus did, would have eventually used it for evil? We all would have gone down that road, but Jesus didn't. He used the power of God for good only; He never used it to glorify Himself. Jesus was able to raise this little girl from the dead, and for that reason, and for the purpose of glorifying and exemplifying His Father, He was willing. He didn't ask anything from anyone, but offered the gift of God free of charge, only that they would believe in Him for eternal life for His Father's sake. 

Mk 5-41

· (115g) Thy kingdom come Ø Working the grace of God Ø Laying on of hands Ø Signs, wonders and miracles

· (128h) Thy kingdom come Ø Manifestations of faith Ø Gentleness Ø Jesus is gentle

Mk 6,1-6

· (70g) Authority Ø Familiar with the truth (enemy of discernment) Ø Familiar with Jesus in the flesh

· (152k) Witness Ø Validity of the Father Ø Witnesses of the father Ø Prophets Ø The church holds the position of a prophet Ø True prophets

· (198j) Denying Christ Ø Man exercises his will against God Ø Frustrating the grace of God Ø Frustrating Jesus through unbelief -- Unbelief is the one and only way to sabotage the work of God. Our unbelief stops God cold in His tracks as effective as tying His hands behind His back. When you think about it, that is a lot of power, but it is negative power. God is trying to help us and we are stopping Him by simply choosing not to believe in Him. All the miracles Jesus performed along with the earth itself and all it contains, provides all the evidence we will ever need to support our faith, and we through the exercise of our own will can vitiate His efforts to convince us to believe in Him and treat our maker with contempt, regardless of the logic of faith in the proof of His existence and love. Jesus performed all His miracles to bless the people and to give them a reason to believe in the words He spoke to them from the Father, and they turned Him down cold. Tragically however, they were not rejecting Christ, but themselves, just as we do when we choose not to believe in Him. The Bible says in this passage that Jesus wondered at their unbelief. We wonder at the complexity of God's creation, at the mysteries that it refuses to divulge to the most devout and gifted scientist, but God wonders about us too, at our unbelief. 

Mk 6,2-6

· (20a) Nature of sin Ø Unbelief Ø Spirit of familiarity

· (157f) Witness Ø Validity of the believer Ø Evidence of being hell-bound Ø Being displeasing to God Ø Living in unbelief

· (169a) Works of the devil Ø Manifestations of the devil Ø The world is blind to God Ø Blind to the glory of God in Christ -- These verses go with verses 51&52

· (200e) Denying Christ Ø Man chooses his own destiny apart from God Ø Rejecting the faith of God Ø Rejecting Christ through unbelief

· (201h) Denying Christ Ø Man chooses his own destiny apart from God Ø Jesus is an offense Ø Jesus offends the world Ø Faith offends unbelief -- No one will ever know how many people in Jesus home town would have believed in Him had their faith not been  handicapped by the effect of personally knowing Him prior to His ministry. They watched Him mature and fit in with the community like any other child in their neighborhood. He didn't seem to be anyone special. Christ's infinite faith and His hometown's unbelief was a contrast of epic proportions, like the Grand Canyon that is too wide to leap to the other side and too deep and perilous to walk across without being absolutely sure you want to go there. That was the problem with Jesus' relatives; they heard about His miracles and wisdom, but still weren't ready to change their minds about how they viewed Him. 

Mk 6-2

· (79j) Thy kingdom come Ø Know the word Ø Listen to the word Ø Listen to Jesus

· (89i) Thy kingdom come Ø Fear of God is the beginning of wisdom Ø Increasing in wisdom

Mk 6,3-6

· (144j) Witness Ø Validity of Jesus Christ Ø Jesus’ works bear witness of Himself Ø Healing Ø Methods of healing Ø Healed by Jesus’ touch

Mk 6,7-13

· (43e) Judgment Ø Satan destroyed Ø Conform to Christ’s ministry to the world

Mk 6,7-11

· (150b) Witness Ø Validity of Jesus Christ Ø Works of the church bear witness to Jesus Ø Evangelism Ø Instructions on evangelism

Mk 6-7

· (46k) Judgment Ø Spiritual warfare Ø Demons are subject to the church through Christ

· (68c) Authority Ø Jesus Delegates Authority To Execute Judgment Ø Against Satan -- This verse goes with verses 12&13

Mk 6-10

· (208k) Salvation Ø The salvation of God Ø Personal relationship Ø Being married to God Ø Emotional relationship

Mk 6-11

· (200b) Denying Christ Ø Man chooses his own destiny apart from God Ø Rejecting Christ Ø Rejecting the will of God Ø Rejecting the gospel -- Jesus said in Mat 7-6, "Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pears before swine, lest they trample them under their feet and turn and tear you to pieces." In other words don't waste your time are resources on people who don't want what you are offering. Remember, Jesus also said, "Follow me and I will make you fishers of men," (Mat 4-19). Some fishermen will just flop down at their favorite hole with their twelve-pack of beer, wet a worm and call it a night. Whether they catch anything is immaterial; they came to relax, kick back and drink beer. If the fish are biting, it just adds one more element to the experience, but it is not necessary. Other fishermen are very serious about what they do; if the fish are not biting in one hole, they will go to the next, and when that hole gives out, they will move to the next. Jesus is saying in this verse not to be a lazy fisherman and flop down at any old hole and stay there and get drunk; rather, if the fish aren't biting, leave, and knock the mud off your shoes so you can sneak up to the next hole.

Mk 6-12,13

· (68c) Authority Ø Jesus Delegates Authority To Execute Judgment Ø Against Satan -- These verses go with verse 7

Mk 6-12

· (149b) Witness Ø Validity of Jesus Christ Ø Works of the church bear witness to Jesus Ø Evangelism Ø Three key messages in evangelism Ø Repentance

· (193b) Die to self (Process of substitution) Ø Turn from sin to God Ø Repent Ø Turn from your evil ways Ø Turn from sin

Mk 6-13

· (113i) Thy kingdom come Ø The anointing Ø Anoint with oil

· (145b) Witness Ø Validity of Jesus Christ Ø Jesus’ works bear witness of Himself Ø Unique methods of healing

· (146h) Witness Ø Validity of Jesus Christ Ø Jesus’ works bear witness of Himself Ø Deliverance from demon possession Ø Disciples have authority to cast out demons -- Note that the disciples were able to cast out demons before Pentecost, that is, before the death, the resurrection and the ascension of Christ, and consequently before the Spirit was sent from heaven. In other words the disciples were not technically saved while they were casting out demons and healing the sick. Jesus was making the point to His church that we are able to operate in the gifts, not because we are saved (though we are), but because we have received special authority from God. Mat 10-1 says that Jesus gave them authority over the unclean spirits, and gave them power over all forms of sickness. He spoke the word over them (otherwise, how would they have known about their authority?). If you know in your spirit that God has given you special authority to operate certain gifts, then by all mean do so. Associate the gifts with the gospel, and let the gospel take precedence over the gifts, because it is the gospel that is your ministry, not the gifts. The gifts of the spirit are for giving a blessing and for turning heads to hear the gospel. 

Mk 6,14-16

· (177j) Works of the devil Ø The religion of witchcraft Ø Presumption Ø Misunderstanding the circumstances

Mk 6-14

· (143j) Witness Ø Validity of Jesus Christ Ø Witnesses of Jesus Ø Jesus is popular because of His works -- Jesus was happy to become popular with the people, but it was not His aim to become popular because of His works. As hard as He preached the gospel, His miracles, signs and wonders became the buzz of the town. Jesus often instructed the people not to mention the miracles He performed for them as an attempt to keep His ministry's emphasis off the miracles and on His teachings. He taught about righteousness, judgment and self control; the people would sit and listen to Him, but they didn't come by droves to hear Him speak as much as they came to see His miracles. (Had they been more interested in what He had to say, they may not have allowed Him to be crucified.) If Jesus struggled with redirecting the people from His works to His words, then you and I would witness our ministry built around miracles, signs and wonders quickly turn into a horrible nightmare unless it was tightly controlled by a wisdom far greater than our own. 

Mk 6,16-28

· (2e) Responsible to keep your commitments Ø it is better not to vow at all -- It displeased King Herod who had to behead John the Baptist because of his oath, though he grew somewhat fond of the righteous zealot. In the game of chess that move has a name: Check Mate. Herod should have said something like this to the sashay dancer, 'If your request is within reason, I will give it,' ("up to half my kingdom" was a proposal of marriage, an offer to join his harem, how flattering). Jesus advised us not to vow at all in Mat 5,33-37, stating that it is evil. What you can vow you can say without vowing and it means the same thing unless you have to change your mind for some unforeseen reason. The ancients were taught to fulfill their vows to the Lord. The difference in us is the emphasis of integrity; we of the new covenant who live by the grace of God should be honest enough to do what we say without vowing. A vow is like a law; you are obligated to fulfill it. Jesus came to replace such things with His grace, who gives us the power to keep our word and the wisdom not to speak our words in stone. 

Mk 6,17-28

· (18j) Sin Ø Twisted thinking Ø God’s people are evil -- This woman, Herodias, was another Jezebel, the woman Elijah the prophet had the pleasure of meeting, who is depicted as a woman with a bitter spirit who hates anyone who loves God, who hates especially anyone who would reprove her wicked lifestyle in the name of God. Unfortunately, the Jezebel spirit is alive and well on planet earth, growing exponentially in numbers and power. I have met more people in the last five years than I have met throughout my life who hate God with all their hearts, and their hatred directly transfers to His people whenever they have the opportunity to add their input to the circumstances of those whose purpose in life is to please God. The Jezebel spirit does her best to leave in her wake a little of herself as a stumbling block for the righteous in the form of destructive influences. 

Mk 6,17-20

· (89l) Thy kingdom come Ø God convicts us of sin Ø Conviction reminds us to repent

· (134j) Temple Ø Your body is the temple of God Ø Sins of the body Ø Immorality Ø Physical adultery

Mk 6,17-19

· (76d) Thy kingdom come Ø Wicked motives Ø Motives based on envy

Mk 6-20

· (106i) Thy kingdom come Ø Hearing from God Ø Means of hearing from God Ø Through prophets

Mk 6-29,30 -- No Entries

Mk 6,31-56

· (100m) Thy kingdom come Ø Devotion Ø In your ministry to people Ø Devoted to ministering to their physical needs -- Notice in verse 31 that Jesus and His disciples ministered to people so much that they didn't even have time to eat. They intended to take a furlough, but were met by the masses on the other side of the lake, and continued ministering to the people. Jesus fed five thousand men alone (not mentioning the women and children) with five loaves of bread and two fish through the miracle hand of God. Jesus immediately sent His disciples in a boat back to the other side of the lake, while He stayed behind as a good host and bid the people farewell. Jesus who then needed a break both from the multitudes and from His own disciples, strode to the mountaintop to pray. Finally, He met up with His disciples in the middle of the sea, and when they touched land, they were met again by a mob who brought all their sick to Him, and as He entered their villages, as many as who touched even a piece of His clothing were being cured. Had Jesus not gone to the mountain, He never would have gotten a break. This shows the tremendous commitment they had to minister to the people around them. 

Mk 6,31-34

· (70b) Authority Ø Discernment Ø Sensitivity To The Spirit

· (143g) Witness Ø Validity of Jesus Christ Ø Witnesses of Jesus Ø Popularity Ø Sought commendably Ø seeking Jesus to be healed -- These verses go with verses 54-56

Mk 6-31

· (117e) Thy kingdom come Ø Rest in Jesus Ø Let Jesus do the work Ø Let Him work on you

Mk 6,33-46

· (235g) Kingdom of God Ø Pursuing the kingdom Ø Invest in the kingdom Ø Giving (your inner self) Ø Hospitality (providing a temporary home)

Mk 6-33,34

· (123d) Thy kingdom come Ø Manifestations of faith Ø Love Ø Spiritual affection Ø Compassion Ø Reaching out to those in need -- It would have been easier to get back in the boat and keep searching for a place to rest, which was what they were doing when they came to shore there in the first place, but it would not have been the compassionate thing to do. His compassion for the people was greater than His own personal need to relax, since they have been ministering for many days. Jesus sensed that the people needed Him; they just wanted Him to be there and pay attention to them for a little while; it says they were like sheep without a shepherd. Jesus stayed and taught them the word of God and filled their bellies with the bread of God, and when it was time to depart, they felt that God cared about them and truly loved them. That was what they needed. That is what we all need. 

· (216e) Sovereignty Ø God overrides the will of man Ø God’s will over man Ø Compelled by the Spirit Ø God takes advantage of your love for Him Ø God’s spirit is irresistible -- Jesus could have groaned at the sight of all the people waiting for Him in His physically tired state. His disciples probably did groan, not at the people, but at the Lord, who they knew would not refuse their need. Jesus didn't make a lot of decisions in His life, but let the Holy Spirit lead Him into the will of His Father. When Jesus saw the crowd, He didn't decide to minister to them, but was compelled by the Spirit to do so. When God finds people who are willing to be led by the Spirit, He uses them like His favorite tools; He doesn't let them rest much, because He doesn't have many favorite tools and there is a lot of work to be done. It is pointless for us to resist the Holy Spirit, because it is we who stand to loose the most if we rationalize our duties away. The crowd got to spend a few hours with Christ and got their bellies filled with miracle bread, but Jesus benefited most as He continuously communed with His Father. It is far more accurate and insightful to understand that Jesus was addicted to the Holy Spirit and to see the Father waiting on the people while Jesus waited upon His Father. That does not in any way detract from the fact that Jesus Himself cares for us, but depicts the trinity in operation and the hierarchy of authority and submission that existed between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 

· (240a) Kingdom of God Ø Pursuing the knowledge of the kingdom Ø Pastor (Shepherd) Ø Jesus is the chief shepherd

Mk 6,36-44

· (30b) Gift of God Ø God is our source Ø His creative ability supplies our needs

· (227i) Kingdom of God Ø God’s kingdom is a living organism Ø God working in you Ø Depending on Jesus to impart His gifts into us Ø To give us what we give to the world -- Jesus could have blessed the bread and fish and distributed it to the people by Himself. His disciples' role was not crucial to His success, but He put them to work, not just to expedite the event or make His job easier, but like little children who learn better with hands-on experiences, He wanted to make a point that stayed with them for the rest of their lives and helped them tremendously in their ministries after Pentecost. Not immediately but later they realized that God works through a hierarchy of authority. Christ received from His Father (the infinite resource) enough to feed the multitudes with five loaves and two fish, distributed it to His disciples, who in turn distributed to the people. 

Mk 6-36,37

· (44i) Judgment Ø Transformed Ø Fulfill your ministry Ø Your calling from God Ø Complete it

· (232b) Kingdom of God Ø Pursuing the kingdom Ø Seeking the kingdom Ø Count the cost Ø The cost is more than you can imagine so don’t count – Because of their faith the disciples followed Jesus, who asked them to feed the five thousand, which required them to believe in God for a miracle. As impossible of a request as it was to feed the multitudes with an armful of bread and a handful of fish, we may also run into circumstances because of our faith that will require just as great a miracle as this one. Note that the disciples didn't exercise much faith, but depended on Jesus to find a way to feed the people. The greater the miracle the less faith it takes to see it fulfilled, because you know there is nothing you can do to help, except perhaps distribute the blessing. Jesus challenged His disciples to the limit. They loved Him and were mystified by Him, but they were also afraid of Him, of what He might say or do next. Jesus knew they would not be able to do this, but He told them anyway to give the masses something to eat. He was planting the seed in them that nothing is impossible to those who believe. Perhaps someday after He had returned to His Father they will need a miracle and remember when the Lord asked them to do something impossible, leaving the suggestion that God is willing to perform such a miracle through them as feeding thousands of people with five loaves and two fish. 

· (246e) Kingdom of God Ø Spirit realm imposed on the natural realm Ø Literal manifestations Ø Disciples literally feed the people through Christ

Mk 6-37

· (4f) Responsible to advocate God’s cause Ø From him who has shall much be required

· (59b) Paradox Ø Two implied meanings Ø Supply the needs of the people / Give them what I supply to you

· (63f) Paradox Ø Anomalies Ø Sarcasm Ø Minimize the truth to make a point

· (72a) Authority Ø We are ordained to walk in His authority

· (158b) Works of the devil Ø Essential characteristics Ø Divide and conquer Ø Strife Ø Grumbling

Mk 6,45-52

· (147c) Witness Ø Validity of Jesus Christ Ø Jesus’ works bear witness of Himself Ø God exercises authority over His creation

Mk 6-46

· (82g) Thy kingdom come Ø Three elements of prayer Ø Where to pray

Mk 6,48-51

· (28j) Gift of God Ø God is our advocate Ø God protects us from the devil -- Obviously, the wind stopped and He was going to meet them on shore. Jesus initially intended to pass by them, until He saw that they were afraid, then He climbed in the boat to show His disciples that He was not a ghost. 

Mk 6,49-52

· (74l) Thy kingdom come Ø Let not your heart be hardened Ø Insensitive to the things of God

Mk 6-49

· (30b) Gift of God Ø God is our source Ø His creative ability supplies our needs

Mk 6-50

· (23l) Sin Ø Poverty (Oppression) Ø Fear of the unknown Ø Fear of miracles

Mk 6-51,52

· (169a) Works of the devil Ø Manifestations of the devil Ø The world is blind to God Ø Blind to the glory of God in Christ -- These verses go with verses 2-6. The cause of spiritual blindness is a hardened heart. The disciples' hearts were blind not just to the fact that Jesus fed thousands of people with only a handful of bread and fish, but on a more serious level their hearts were blind to the understanding that if He can do that, then He can basically do anything. This means that there is nothing to ever worry about again. Is it true that their hearts were hardened because they feared He was a ghost, or because they were afraid of the storm? The answer is Yes, both of them is true. God considered their hearts hardened because they feared. Fear acts as a giant billboard in your heart that says, 'God is too small to help me.' You can see how He could interpret that as an insult. After feeding the five thousand, Jesus hoped His disciples would have gained some insight into His identity; He hoped they would at least toy with the idea that nothing is impossible to Him, that if He isn't there at the moment, He won't be late, and when He arrives, He will solve the problem, regardless of how great the circumstances. However, it seems the disciples just handed out the bread and fish without thinking about what was happening, as though a catering service were behind them. Then, when they found themselves in a storm at sea, they were no more prepared to believe in God for help than before the feeding of the five thousand.

· (183h) Works of the devil Ø The origin of lawlessness Ø Spirit of error Ø Spirit of the broad road Ø Spirit of unbelief

Mk 6,53-56

· (144k) Witness Ø Validity of Jesus Christ Ø Jesus’ works bear witness of Himself Ø Healing Ø Methods of healing Ø Healed by touching Jesus

Mk 6,54-56

· (143g) Witness Ø Validity of Jesus Christ Ø Witnesses of Jesus Ø Popularity Ø Sought commendably Ø seeking Jesus to be healed -- These verses go with verses 31-34

See next page