This Week
Next Steps
- Ordinary Heroes discipleship question – what is my next small step of obedience today?
- Catch up with Exiles Season 2.
- We will be back in Mark this May!
The Gospel of Mark
Why Study Mark?
In a world of hostility and suffering, corruption and confusion, followers of Jesus need to stick close to Jesus, understanding His gospel and His Kingdom. That’s where we are today, but that’s also where Christians found themselves in the early years of the church. And a regular guy named Mark wrote his gospel to ordinary, broken, and confused Christ-followers to remind us that in the midst of all the bad news of the world, Jesus is the good news. Mark vividly tells his story with urgency and purpose so that we will understand what it means to be disciples of Jesus Christ today in our world, in our neighborhoods, and in our homes.
The Four Themes
There are four themes that pop up multiple times in the Gospel of Mark. We will highlight these themes as they appear because they not only show us who Jesus is, but they point to deep discipleship questions.
Son of God/Man
How does this picture of Jesus compel me to live differently?
Cosmic Conflict
What circumstance do I need to see through spiritual eyes?
Discipleship Failure
What’s holding me back from looking more like Jesus?
Ordinary Heroes
What is my next small step of obedience today?
Pray For Eight
How Do I Pray for My Neighbors?
As we consider what it means to be a disciple of Jesus in this journey through Mark, we recognize that Jesus wants us to share His love with the people around us. Jesus said, “Come, follow me, and I will send you out to fish for people.” (Mark 1:17). That’s why we’re launching our series with a #PrayForEight initiative, challenging you to learn the names of 8 specific neighbors in your life and pray for them consistently. Together, we can make a powerful spiritual impact in our community and on those around us!
Click below to share a success story with us or download our #PrayForEight guide that includes tips and tricks for praying over your neighbors like:
- If you know their name, pray for them by name.
- Pray for the Spirit to draw them to Jesus.
- Pray for divine appointments and healing in their lives.
- Use scripture to guide your prayers (Try Ephesians 3:14-21)
- And many more!
Sermons
First Sermon Posted September 3
We will organize sermons through the three acts in The Gospel of Mark. You’ll find the archive here:
Act One | Chapters 1-8a
Mark skips the nativity and jumps right in at the start of Jesus’ ministry, beginning with his baptism, temptation, and calling the first disciples. As Jesus walks the villages, roads, and shoreline of Galilee, teaching, healing, and demonstrating every kind of supernatural authority, He establishes His identity as Messiah and Son of God. Every step along the way, He both draws followers and attracts opposition.
Act Two | Chapters 8b-10
With His face set toward Jerusalem, Jesus announces that His mission will be accomplished through His death, and over the coming journey, He warns the disciples three times that suffering is waiting for Him. They struggle to understand what is coming, but soon they will be witnesses.
Act Three | Chapters 11-16
In fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9, Jesus enters Jerusalem on a donkey as a triumphant king, crowds cheering and hopeful. Yet over the next week, He comes up against the hypocrisy and opposition of the religious leaders who are actively plotting His death. Betrayed by one of His closest friends, Jesus faces the suffering He predicted. But that will not be the end of the story…
Subscribe to Exiles
Follow along with some Grace Church pastors and staff as they journey with Jesus through the book of Mark, discuss all things Jesus and discipleship, ask hard questions, and even share doubts and disagreements. Join the Exiles and take your own journey of faith as a follower of Jesus Christ in a world not our home.