Hearing God Speak to you Personally Through the Bible

—Mark 1:1–20

  • Andrew Fountain – Feb 4, 2024

 
 
Click on this slide and then press the spacebar to advance slides: ➜ (or swipe on a touch screen)

Mark in a Month

  • To show you a method for daily Bible readings that you can try out for yourself
  • To encourage you to listen to God through the Bible
  • To help you get started with Mark
    actually slightly more than a month

Regular Bible reading is a struggle for more Christians than would like to admit it

What goes wrong with Bible reading?

Two examples

  1. Ambitious plans
  2. Pre-packaged food

Purpose: communion with God

Principles

  1. Need for the Holy Spirit: “Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.” 1 Co 2:12
  2. The Spirit helps us understand
    • “…that we might understand the things freely given us by God.”
  3. Need to meditate on the Word – be mindfulness not mindlessness
    • “his delight is in the Lord’s instruction, and he meditates on it day and night.” (Psalm 1:2)

Seven steps
for hearing God speak to you personally
through the Bible

Matthew 5:13–16

Mark 1:1–20

Mark 1:1–20
Possible titles:

  • John prepares, Jesus appears
  • The Beginning
  • Jesus comes preaching a new Kingdom
  • Jesus is baptized by John and begins ministry

Mark 1:1–20 points

  1. Isaiah prophesied someone to prepare the way
  2. Isaiah prophesied John and Jesus
  3. John preached repentance but pointed to someone greater and the coming of the Spirit
  4. John was baptizing people but said one more powerful was coming
  5. Jesus was baptized, received the Spirit & the Father’s love
  6. John baptized Jesus, the Spirit descended on him and the Father spoke

Mark 1:1–20 points cont’d

  1. The Spirit led Jesus into conflict
  2. The Spirit drove him into the wilderness for 40 days of testing
  3. Jesus preached the Kingdom
  4. Once John was imprisoned, Jesus started preaching the Kingdom
  5. He called fishermen to follow him
  6. He called fishermen: Simon, Andrew, James & John to follow him

Mark 1:1–20 cont’d

  • Context: For centuries the world had been waiting for this moment
  • Context: Introduction to Mark—How it all started
  • Message: Jesus is different. Does not compare with John B. If he called you, would you drop everything & follow him?
  • Message: Jesus was authenticated by John, the Father and the Spirit —Follow him!
  • Me: I say “Yes, Lord!” —I drop everything and willingly give myself to you!
  • Me: In some way this call is to me as well! What do I need to leave that I have not already left?

Applying stories to ourselves

  1. Get to know Jesus through stories
    (his emotions, how he treats people, etc.)
  2. Try putting yourself into the story
    How would I behave if I was called to leave everything?
  3. Try bringing Jesus out of the story and into your story
    • Jesus was concerned about their needs. Would he be concerned about mine?
  4. Ask the Spirit!