Revised and updated, the Lucado Life Lessons series takes the participant on a journey through the Bible, book by book. Inquisitive questions, "Keys to the Text" feature, and new material compose this useful and concise tool from renowned Bible teacher and pastor Max Lucado.

BOOK OF MARK

A LIFE-CHANGING STORYBy MAX LUCADO

Nelson Impact

Copyright © 2006 Nelson Impact
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4185-0942-2

Contents

How to Study the Bible....................................ivIntroduction to the Book of Mark..........................viiLesson 1 Compassion.......................................1Lesson 2 Healing and Forgiveness..........................11Lesson 3 Responding to God's Word.........................21Lesson 4 Faith Through Trials.............................31Lesson 5 Step Out in Faith................................41Lesson 6 Testing Faith....................................51Lesson 7 God's Truth Versus Tradition.....................61Lesson 8 True Discipleship................................71Lesson 9 Faith to Overcome................................81Lesson 10 Salvation Through Faith.........................91Lesson 11 The Greatest Commandment........................101Lesson 12 Adoration.......................................111

Chapter One

LESSON ONE

COMPASSION

REFLECTION

Compassion describes one of those longings that we find easier to feel than to describe. We can see that it relates to sympathy and empathy, but it seems deeper. Showing compassion is not so much about how someone feels toward us but is more about how he or she acts toward us. He or she helps in a way that shows he or she really understands. Think of a time when you were hurting or in need. How did someone show you compassion?

SITUATION

As Jesus preached about the kingdom and healed many diseases, his ministry expanded rapidly. Crowds were growing; demands were great. Once in a while, a quick event unfolded that left a lasting impression, such as when a leper came to Jesus. When this leper approached Jesus, he was breaking all the rules. Lepers were "unclean" and weren't supposed to come near anyone. But Jesus looked beyond that fact.

OBSERVATION

Read Mark 1:40-45 from the NCV or the NKJV.

NCV

40 A man with a skin disease came to Jesus. He fell to his knees and begged Jesus, "You can heal me if you will."

41 Jesus felt sorry for the man, so he reached out his hand and touched him and said, "I will. Be healed!" 42 Immediately the disease left the man, and he was healed.

43 Jesus told the man to go away at once, but he warned him strongly, 44 "Don't tell anyone about this. But go and show yourself to the priest. And offer the gift Moses commanded for people who are made well. This will show the people what I have done." 45 The man left there, but he began to tell everyone that Jesus had healed him, and so he spread the news about Jesus. As a result, Jesus could not enter a town if people saw him. He stayed in places where nobody lived, but people came to him from everywhere.

NKJV

40 Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, "If You are willing, You can make me clean." 41 Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed." 42 As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. 43 And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once, 44 and said to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them." 45 However, he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the matter, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter the city, but was outside in deserted places; and they came to Him from every direction.

EXPLORATION

1. What does the leper's statement reveal about his belief in Jesus?

2. Jesus could have healed the leper simply by speaking to him. Why do you think Jesus reached out and touched him?

3. Lepers were the outcasts of society, forced to live outside the city limits. Why did this leper approach Jesus?

4. Why didn't the leper obey Jesus' request to keep quiet?

5. Describe what the leper may have felt after Jesus touched and healed him.

INSPIRATION

Jesus was a master at communicating love and personal acceptance. He did so when he blessed and held ... little children. But another time his sensitivity to touch someone was even more graphic. This was when Jesus met a grown man's need for meaningful touch, a man who was barred by law from ever touching anyone again....

To touch a leper was unthinkable. Banishing lepers from society, people would not get within a stone's throw of them. (In fact, they would throw stones at them if they did come close!) ... With their open sores and dirty bandages, lepers were the last persons anyone would want to touch. Yet the first thing Christ did for this man was touch him.

Even before Jesus spoke to him, he reached out his hand and touched him. Can you imagine what that scene must have looked like? Think how this man must have longed for someone to touch him, not throw stones at him to drive him away. Jesus could have healed him first and then touched him. But recognizing his deepest need, Jesus stretched out his hand even before he spoke words of physical and spiritual healing. (From The Gift of the Blessing by Gary Smalley and John Trent)

REACTION

6. Think of a time when you witnessed an act of compassion. Describe what you saw.

7. Have you ever withheld compassion from someone in need? Why?

8. Who are the "lepers" of today's society?

9. What would have to change in order for you to follow Jesus' example and show compassion even to those you find unattractive?

10. What specific person in your life comes to mind to whom you can show compassion?

11. In what ways do you need Jesus' compassionate touch?

LIFE LESSONS

Compassion is one aspect of love. Compassion may grow from feelings, but true compassion represents a practical attention to someone's needs. It doesn't require us to feel; it requires us to act. Sympathy says, "I feel bad that you're hungry." Empathy says, "I know something about how you feel; I was hungry once myself." But compassion says, "Friend, let's go get something to eat." Sympathy and empathy don't require us to do anything; but compassion will cause us to touch, lift, feed, and help those in need as Jesus did for the leper.

DEVOTION

Jesus, you set the bar of compassion high, but you promised to help us meet it. Teach us to practice a different way of seeing people. We look to evaluate and we look to criticize. We look to feel sorry and we even look to feel superior. Help us look for opportunities to practice compassion. Energize us to move beyond our feelings into the territory of treating people the way you treated them.

For more Bible passages about compassion, see Matthew 8:15; 9:36; 14:14; 15:32; 20:34; Mark 10:13-16; Luke 7:13; 22:51.

To complete the book of Mark during this twelve-part study, read Mark 1:1-45.

JOURNALING

What are some practical ways that I can reach out in compassion to those around me?

Chapter Two

LESSON TWO

HEALING AND FORGIVENESS

REFLECTION

Most of us know someone who has been healed physically, emotionally, or spiritually. Perhaps that someone is the person we see in the mirror. What were the circumstances surrounding that person's healing? What was more amazing to you: the fact of the healing or the way it came about? Why?

SITUATION

As we saw in the last lesson, Jesus could hardly turn around without meeting people with needs. The audience pressed in and sometimes crowded out those with very real needs. The following event illustrates how far some friends went to get help for someone they loved. It also demonstrates that Jesus sees past the obvious needs to the deeper ones.

OBSERVATION

Read Mark 2:1-12 from the NCV or the NKJV.

NCV

A few days later, when Jesus came back to Capernaum, the news spread that he was at home. 2 Many people gathered together so that there was no room in the house, not even outside the door. And Jesus was teaching them God's message. 3 Four people came, carrying a paralyzed man. 4 Since they could not get to Jesus because of the crowd, they dug a hole in the roof right above where he was speaking. When they got through, they lowered the mat with the paralyzed man on it. 5 When Jesus saw the faith of these people, he said to the paralyzed man, "Young man, your sins are forgiven."

6 Some of the teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, 7 "Why does this man say things like that? He is speaking as if he were God. Only God can forgive sins."

8 Jesus knew immediately what these teachers of the law were thinking. So he said to them, "Why are you thinking these things? 9 Which is easier: to tell this paralyzed man, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to tell him, 'Stand up. Take your mat and walk'? 10 But I will prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins." So Jesus said to the paralyzed man, 11 "I tell you, stand up, take your mat, and go home." 12 Immediately the paralyzed man stood up, took his mat, and walked out while everyone was watching him. The people were amazed and praised God. They said, "We have never seen anything like this!"

NKJV

1 And again He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house. 2 Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them. 3 Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. 4 And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven you." 6 And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, 7 "Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?" 8 But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, "Why do you reason about these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Arise, take up your bed and walk'? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins"-He said to the paralytic, 11 I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house." 12 Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!"

EXPLORATION

1. What risks did the men take who carried the paralytic?

2. Why were the scribes upset when Jesus forgave the paralytic's sins?

3. Why did Jesus forgive the paralytic's sins before healing his body?

4. How did the people respond to the miracle? How is their response different from the way people respond to God's work today?

5. In the light of this passage, what does it mean to be healed spiritually?

INSPIRATION

Whether he was born paralyzed or became paralyzed-the end result was the same: total dependence on others.... When people looked at him, they didn't see the man; they saw a body in need of a miracle. That's not what Jesus saw, but that's what the people saw. And that's certainly what his friends saw. So they did what any of us would do for a friend. They tried to get him some help ...

By the time his friends arrived at the place, the house was full. People jammed the doorways. Kids sat in the windows. Others peeked over shoulders. How would this small band of friends ever attract Jesus' attention? They had to make a choice. Do we go in or give up?

What would have happened had the friends given up? What if they had shrugged their shoulders and mumbled something about the crowd being big and dinner getting cold and turned and left? After all, they had done a good deed in coming this far. Who could fault them for turning back? You can only do so much for somebody. But these friends hadn't done enough.

One said that he had an idea. The four huddled over the paralytic and listened to the plan to climb to the top of the house, cut through the roof, and lower their friend down with their sashes.

It was risky-they could fall. It was dangerous-he could fall. It was unorthodox-de-roofing is antisocial. It was intrusive-Jesus was busy. But it was their only chance to see Jesus. So they climbed to the roof.

Faith does these things. Faith does the unexpected. And faith gets God's attention ...

Jesus was moved by the scene of faith. So he applauds-if not with his hands, at least with his heart. And not only does he applaud, he blesses. And we witness a divine love burst.

The friends want him to heal their friend. But Jesus won't settle for a simple healing of the body-he wants to heal the soul. He leapfrogs the physical and deals with the spiritual. To heal the body is temporal; to heal the soul is eternal ... All of heaven must pause as another burst of love declares the only words that really matter: "Your sins are forgiven." (From He Still Moves Stones by Max Lucado)

REACTION

6. In what ways can you identify with the paralytic?

7. Think of a time when you experienced Christ's healing touch in your life. How did it affect you?

8. Many people need God's spiritual, emotional, or physical healing. In what ways can you share God's love and forgiveness with them?

9. Jesus' attitude and the Pharisees' attitude varied greatly. What does this story illustrate about attitudes that honor God?

10. The paralytic's friends displayed great determination in their mission. Why?

11. When has God exceeded your expectations and provided more than you expected?

LIFE LESSONS

When we look at the results of Christ's life and his mission in the world, we are overwhelmed by the central place that forgiveness takes. Like the paralytic, we come to God with many needs, but the deepest is the need for forgiveness-the ugly stains and deformities that sin leaves on a person's soul need healing most of all. How sad that people go a lifetime without having someone show them the kind of love these friends demonstrated for their paralyzed friend. We need to experience Christ's forgiveness and then, if necessary, carry our friends to meet him too.

DEVOTION

Lord, how we long to hear your voice say to us, "Your sins are forgiven." We may ask you for other things, but down deep we know that unless you forgive us, nothing else really matters. Thank you for good friends who introduce us to you, sometimes against our will. But thank you always for showing us that you know our needs like no one else. Thank you for your forgiveness.

For more Bible passages about healing and forgiveness, see Matthew 7:7; 15:29-31; Mark 9:20-24; John 9:1-12; Romans 6; Titus 3:1-7.

To complete the book of Mark during this twelve-part study, read Mark 2:1-3:35.

JOURNALING

In what areas of my life has Christ's power to forgive and heal been most evident?

Chapter Three

LESSON THREE

RESPONDING TO GOD'S WORD

REFLECTION

You can find them in the middle of busy cities, sometimes shoehorned between towering skyscrapers, sometimes perched in boxes on high balconies and even flourishing on the exposed corners of luxury penthouses. Stately old country homes and suburban cookie-cutter houses have them. And, of course, the rustic, rambling farmhouses of rural back roads always have them. Gardens. They come in all shapes and sizes. Vegetables, fruit, and crops of various kinds usually give away their sower's tastes. There's something unforgettable about tucking tiny seeds into the soil and watching what happens. Have you ever planted seeds and watched them grow? What impresses you most about this growth process?

SITUATION

People flocked to hear Jesus teach and see him heal, but they seemed more interested in his wonders than his words. But when Jesus used a planting story, he had his audience's attention. They were all familiar with the realities of plowing soil and sowing seed. His parables provoked curiosity. They sounded like the parables told by the rabbis in the synagogue, yet Jesus' stories seemed deeper, truer, and harder to understand. Even the disciples found it difficult to grasp his points. When they asked what it meant, Jesus told them.

OBSERVATION

Read Mark 4:1-20 from the NCV or the NKJV.

NCV

1 Again Jesus began teaching by the lake. A great crowd gathered around him, so he sat down in a boat near the shore. All the people stayed on the shore close to the water. 2 Jesus taught them many things, using stories. He said, 3 "Listen! A farmer went out to plant his seed. 4 While he was planting, some seed fell by the road, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some seed fell on rocky ground where there wasn't much dirt. That seed grew very fast, because the ground was not deep. 6 But when the sun rose, the plants dried up because they did not have deep roots. 7 Some other seed fell among thorny weeds, which grew and choked the good plants. So those plants did not produce a crop. 8 Some other seed fell on good ground and began to grow. It got taller and produced a crop. Some plants made thirty times more, some made sixty times more, and some made a hundred times more."

(Continues...)

Excerpted from BOOK OF MARKby MAX LUCADO Copyright © 2006 by Nelson Impact. Excerpted by permission.
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