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The Messiah’s herald
Mark 1:1–8 forms part of the lectionary readings for the second Sunday of Advent, which is December 6th. Verse 1 opens with the statement that what follows is the good news about Jesus of Nazareth, who is the Messiah, the Son of God. Then, verses 2 through 8 narrate the efforts of John the Baptizer to prepare the way for Jesus’ arrival. This material is followed by an account of Jesus’ baptism and testing, events that are recorded in verses 9 through 13. The other three Gospels make some reference to John’s baptism of Jesus (Matt 3:13–17; Luke 3:21–22; John 1:31–34), while only the other two Synoptic Gospels devote considerably…
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The Son’s Transfiguration
Title: The Son’s Transfiguration Aim: To assess how our devotion to the Savior can strengthen our understanding of His teachings. Scripture: Mark 9:2–13 The mountaintop experience, Mark 9:2–4 Sometime during the last year of Jesus’ earthly ministry, He told His disciples that He would be executed and then rise from the dead (Mark 8:31-32). Not even Peter, one of Jesus’ closest followers, could prevent this series of events from happening (v. 33). The Messiah stated that those who give Him complete control of their lives are His genuine followers and would be eternally blessed. In contrast, those who reject Him would experience eternal loss (vv. 34–38). Mark 9:1 records…
