Series THE BOOK OF MARK with Pastor Mark Finley |
Lesson 7.Teaching Disciples, Part 1 |
Jesus’ Guidance for True Discipleship |
Lesson 7 focuses on the crucial moments when Jesus prepares His disciples for their future mission. In this lesson, we see how Jesus gradually introduces His closest followers to the deep spiritual truths that are meant to shape their understanding of discipleship. Through His predictions of suffering and resurrection, His emphasis on humility and readiness to serve, and His warnings about the dangers of sin, Jesus lays the foundation for true discipleship. This lesson provides valuable insights into how Jesus shaped His disciples to carry His message and legacy to the world.
Memory Text: Mark 8:34 – “When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.”
Content:
7.1 Seeing Clearly
The Gradual Revelation of Spiritual Insight
The account in Mark 8:22–30, where Jesus heals a blind man in two stages, is unique and offers deeper spiritual insights. The double touch of Jesus symbolically shows that spiritual understanding is often a gradual process. Just as the disciples only gradually understood the full meaning of Jesus’ mission, the blind man required two touches to fully see. This passage serves as a metaphor for the path of discipleship, which is often marked by gradual growth in understanding. Jesus emphasizes here that true insight and knowledge are not immediately and fully revealed, but require time and patience.
7.2 The Cost of Discipleship
The Way of the Cross: The Cost and Value of Discipleship
In Mark 8:31–38, Jesus teaches His disciples that following Him requires a high price: self-denial and the willingness to take up the cross. This path of discipleship means letting go of one’s life in order to gain true life in Christ. Jesus makes it clear that worldly achievements are worthless if they lead to the loss of the eternal soul. He calls His followers to reorder their priorities by placing God’s will above all else, even if it means enduring suffering and sacrifice. The true value lies in finding life in Christ, even if it means losing worldly possessions.
7.3 The Mountain and the Multitude
The Transfiguration: A Glimpse of Jesus’ Glory and the Coming Kingdom
In Mark 9:1–13, Peter, James, and John witness the transfiguration of Jesus on the mountain, where they catch a brief glimpse of His divine glory. They see Jesus in radiant light, accompanied by Moses and Elijah, who discuss His upcoming death. This experience serves to strengthen the disciples in the face of Jesus’ impending sufferings, revealing the connection between His sacrifice and His heavenly glory. The scene reminds them that the cross is not the end, but the path to glory. Despite this profound revelation, the disciples’ faith remains challenged, as shown by the events following their descent from the mountain.
7.4 Who Is the Greatest?
True Greatness in the Kingdom of God: Humility and Service Instead of Ambition
In Mark 9:30–41, Jesus’ second prediction of His death is marked by His emphasis on the upcoming betrayal without directly naming the betrayer. However, the disciples are more concerned with arguing about who among them is the greatest. Jesus corrects their thinking by teaching that true greatness in the Kingdom of God is achieved through humility and service to others. He illustrates this by placing a child in their midst and explaining that whoever receives such a child in His name is actually receiving Him, and thus God. Through this lesson, Jesus radically redefines the concept of greatness and honor.
7.5 The Healthy Man in Hell
The Radical Urgency of Avoiding Sin
In Mark 9:42–50, Jesus warns strongly about the consequences of sin and emphasizes the seriousness with which we should avoid it. He uses strong imagery to highlight the urgency of separating ourselves from anything that leads to sin, even if it means symbolically losing a hand, foot, or eye. The teachings in this section are connected through the themes of sin, fire, and salt. Jesus emphasizes that eternal life is so valuable that every effort is justified to preserve it, and that the consequences of sin should not be taken lightly. Ultimately, He calls His followers to keep their lives pure and unblemished before God.
7.6 Summary
The Essence of Discipleship: Learning, Serving, and Following
Lesson 7 focuses on the central teachings of Jesus that He imparted to His disciples to prepare them for their future roles. Jesus reveals to them His impending sufferings and explains that true greatness in the Kingdom of God is achieved through humility and service. He emphasizes the need to take sin seriously and avoid anything that weakens faith or leads others into sin. Through these teachings, Jesus ensures that His disciples understand the spiritual principles essential for authentic discipleship. The lesson demonstrates how Jesus prepared His disciples for the path of self-denial and the cross.
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