Lesson No. 42—Use Your Bible in Class. Get to Know and Love It.

LESSON THEME:—MARK

Mark 10:35-45

• KEY WORD—STRAIGHTWAY (Occurs 41 Times).

• KEY VERSE—Mark 10:

• KEY PHRASE—CHRIST IS OUR EXAMPLE IN SERVICE.

Home Readings.

Read the whole of Mark this week, noticing that it lays emphasis upon the works rather than the words of Jesus. The Key Word occurs 41 times. For the family altar read:

• Sunday—The coming of the Servant,—Mark 1: 1-11.

• Monday—The Testing of the Servants,—Mark 1:12-20.

• Tuesday—The work of the Servant,—Mark 2:1-12.

• Wednesday—The Transfiguration of the Servant, Mark 9:1-9.

• Thursday—The rejection of the Servant,—Mark 15:24-37.

• Friday—The sacrifice of the Servant,—Mark 16:9-19.

• Saturday—The exaltation of the Servant,—Mark 6:9-19.

WRITER—Mark was a man of means, and the cousin of Barnabas. Colossians 4:10. He was converted under the preaching of Peter, and went with Barnabas and Paul on their first missionary journey. It is thought that the reason he turned back from the work (Acts 13:13) was because he objected to the offer of salvation to the Gentiles on condition of faith alone. Two years later Barnabas wanted to take Mark on the second missionary journey, but Paul would not hear of it, so Barnabas and Mark together went to Cyprus, Acts 15:39. Eleven years later Paul had forgiven Mark, called him his fellow-worker and said he was a comfort to him. He was one of the faithful few among the Jewish Christians who stood by Paul in Rome at this time. It was here likely that Mark wrote his gospel. Having been much with Peter also, 1 Peter 5:13, he wrote his gospel from facts supplied by, and from the viewpoint of Peter. Mark was not an apostle.

DATE—About 65 A. D. Events cover a period of 37 years.

PURPOSE—To present Jesus as the wonder-working Servant of Jehovah, and thus our Example in service.

GREAT FACTS:—

1. Coming.

2. Work.

3. Rejection.

4. Sacrifice.

5. Exaltation.

Great Fact I. The Coming of the Servant.

Mark 1:1-18.

Nothing said in Mark of Christ’s line of descent, nor of His miraculous birth, nor of the visit of the Wise Men. He is seen here as the Servant going at once about His serving. The account of the ministry of John the Baptist is the briefest in Mark. John did a great work, and created a great stir, Mark 1:6. Jesus, having served during the silent years at Nazareth, now becomes our example in baptism. He had a vision of the opened heaven and received the approval of the Father, Mark 1:9-11. Immediately after the honour of heavenly recognition, Christ had His faith tried for 40 days in the wilderness by Satan, with the result that He came off more than conqueror, ‘was strengthened spiritually for His work, was made more able to sympathize with the tempted, while Satan was weakened by defeat.

LESSON—We shall ever have temptation, but we may ever have the sympathy and help of Christ, and find as He did that the Scriptures furnish the truth that will defeat the tempter. 1 Corinthians 10:13.

Great Fact II. The Work of the Servant.

Mark 1:14; 10:52.

There is continuous, unbroken service and activity in this gospel. Thirteen out of the sixteen chapters begin with the word “and” AND He did this, AND He did that, He must teach them. Men were hopeless, He must cheer them up with the gospel tidings. Men were sick and suffering, He must relieve and heal them. Men were under the power of Satan, He must set them free. Men were sinful, He must pardon and cleanse them, and give them eternal Life.

LESSON—It is our blessed privilege to follow Christ’s example in doing good. He is worth serving, the work is worth doing, and souls are worth saving. When Brutus was visiting a friend he asked him if he was sick. “No, Brutus,” he replied, ‘If thou hast any noble enterprise in hand, I am well.” We should have a like answer ready when the Lord bids us do His work. The builder builds for a century, we for eternity. The painter paints for a generation, we forever. The mason Cuts out the marble that soon perishes, but we may mould characters in the likeness of Christ that forever will endure! Christ teaches that he who would be the chiefest must serve the most!

Great Fact III. The Rejection of the Servant.

Mark 11; Mark 12; Mark 13.

Christ presented Himself at Jerusalem according to the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9; and the people at first welcomed Him in the hope that He would secure them material freedom and glory. When, however, at the cleansing of the temple He proved that His mission was a spiritual one, He was hated by the religious leaders with a Satanic hatred, and as they plotted to put Him to death they fulfilled. Isaiah 53:3.

LESSON—The greatest sin anyone can commit is to reject Christ, and yet everyone to whom the gospel is preached must either commit that sin or accept the Lord as his Saviour.

A father who had a prodigal boy, on one special night begged him not to go out to spend the night drinking and gambling. The father urged that the boy’s ways had killed the mother and were sending him in sorrow to his grave. As the boy would not yield, the old father laid down at the door and said. “U you are determined to go to ruin, you must go over this old body tonight.” The son walked over the form of his father, trampled the love of his father under foot, and went out. This is the way of rejecters of Christ, they trample His blood underfoot, and go down to death.

Great Fact IV. Sacrifice of the Servant.

Mark 14; Mark 15.

The great message of Isaiah is that the Son of God shall become the Servant of God in order to provide salvation for men. Isaiah 53; is the golden passion chapter of the Old Testament, in which the world’s sin is seen to be laid upon the divine sacrifice.

Mark records how the prophecies of Isaiah were fulfilled in the suffering of Gethsemane and Calvary. The key verse shows that Christ came not only to minister, and thus be our example in service, but also to be the world’s sacrifice, by giving His life a ransom for many. He was sold for thirty pieces of silver, the price of a slave. He was executed as only slaves were, indeed, He was the slave of man-kind!

LESSON—The best sacrifice to a crucified Saviour is a broken and contrite heart, a life crucified to the world and the flesh. Let the ambitious lay their pride in the dust. Let the covetous rather lay up for themselves treasures in heaven. Let the Self-indulgent deny themselves. Judson ever strove to subdue all sense ward tendencies. He gave all his money into the mission treasury. Nursed the most loathsome diseases. Threw documents in the fire that would have made him famous, and often lived alone to give himself entirely to communion with God. Thus in response to the divine sacrifice, he became a grateful living sacrifice. Romans 12:1.

Great Fact V. The Exaltation of the Servant.

Mark 16.

After the Servant has served and given His life as a ransom, He rises from the dead, gives the Great Commission also recorded in Matthew 28:19-20, and then ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of God, Matthew 16:19. He took upon Himself the form of a servant is now highly exalted Philippians 2:7-9. Seated at the place of honour and power He is constituted Head of the church. He acts as our heavenly -representative or advocate. Through his providences He is ever securing our increasing holiness and usefulness here, and our perfect happiness hereafter. His exaltation also explains why He is with us always He went away in the flesh that He might be ever near in the Spirit. Yea, He is with us all the days!

Questions on. the Lesson.

1. Give the key word and key verse.

2. Tell what you know about Mark.

3. Where and when was the book written? How long a period do the events cover?

4. Give the purpose.

5. Name the great facts.

6. Why is nothing said about Christ’s line of descent, etc.?

7. What were the results of Christ’s temptation?

8. How may we defeat the tempter?

9. With what word do thirteen chapters begin, and what the lesson?

10. What is a mark of a true servant?

11. Show how Christ set an example of doing good.

12. Compare work done in the world with work done for Christ.

13. Why did the Jews reject Jesus?

14. What is the greatest sin?

15. What do rejecters of Christ do?

16. Which is the great passion chanter of the Old Testament?

17. How were the prophecies of Isaiah fulfilled?

18. Explain in what way Christ was the world’s sacrifice.

19. What is the best sacrifice to a crud fled Saviour?

20. Tell how Judson became a living sacrifice.

21. What three things did Christ do after His death?

22. What does Christ do for us while seated at the right hand of God?

23. How much of Mark have you read?