Bible Studies for Life LifeVENTURES STUDY THEME: DISCIPLESHIP: THE EPIC ADVEnTURE 58 October 4 The Warrior Hero (Mark 11:12-25) 68 October 11 The Hero Doing Battle (Mark 12:13-17,28-31,38-40)

LifeVENTURES L e a d e r G u i d e | F A L L 2 0 0 9 B i b l e S t u d i e s f o r L i f e

Bible Studies for Life: Life Ventures Leader Guide is designed for teachers of vocationally retired adults age 65 and up. We believe that the Bible has God for its author; salvation for its end; and truth, with-out any mixture of error, for its matter and that all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. The 2000 statement of The Baptist Faith and Message is our doctrinal guideline.

FEATURES:

2 How to Become a Christian

7 Effectively Using Your Life Ventures Leader Guide

8 Additional Resources

12 Senior Duo Adds to 70-Plus Mission Trips

78 Leave a Spiritual Inheritance

160 Things My Grandkids Taught Me

162 Coming Next Quarter

LESSonS:

14 STUDY THEME: KnoW JESUS

16 September 6 The Jesus People Should Know (Mark 1:1-3,7,9-13,21-28)

26 September 13 The People Jesus Knows (Mark 2:3-12,15-17,23-28)

36 September 20 The Challenges of Knowing Jesus (Mark 6:1-6a,45-52; 7:8-9,13)

46 September 27 The Results of Knowing Jesus (Mark 8:34-38; 9:33-37; 10:32-34))

[Evangelism Lesson]

C o n t e n t s

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS—Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Hol-man Christian Standard Bible® Copyright 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Scripture quotations marked The Message are taken from The Message by Eugene H. Peterson, copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. All rights reserved. The suggestions in this resource for pronouncing Bible names are from That’s Easy for You to Say: Your Quick Guide to Pronouncing Bible Names by W. Murray Severance, copyright © 1997 by Broadman & Holman Publishers. Used by permission.

56 STUDY THEME: DISCIPLESHIP: THE EPIC ADVEnTURE

58 October 4 The Warrior Hero (Mark 11:12-25)

68 October 11 The Hero Doing Battle (Mark 12:13-17,28-31,38-40)

88 October 18 The Hero Betrayed (Mark 14:27-34,37-38,43,48-50)

98 October 25 The Hero Victorious (Mark 15:1-5,12-13,32,37-39; 16:1,5-7)

108 STUDY THEME: ConFRonT CASUAL CHRISTIAnITY

110 November 1 Live Your Faith (Jas. 1:19-25; 2:14,18-26)

120 November 8 Celebrate Your Trials (Jas. 1:2-18)

130 November 15 Treat Everyone Equally (Jas. 2:1-13)

140 November 22 Watch Your Language (Jas. 3)

150 November 29 Work on Your Humility (Jas. 4)

LEADER RESoURCES PAGES

On pages 79-86 are eight pages of leader resources. The information includes skill devel-opment, general training articles, and ideas for performing Sunday School ministry. On page 86 you will find a Sunday School Session Plan Sheet that you may reproduce. These pages can be removed and placed in a binder for future use.

FALL 2009 VoLume 4, no. 1

Life Ventures Leader Guide® (ISSN 1557-492X; Item 005075045) is published quarterly by LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, Tennessee 37234, Thom S. Rainer, President, LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention © 2009 LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention.

For ordering or inquiries visit www.lifeway.com, or write LifeWay Church Resources Customer Service, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234-0113. For subscriptions or subscription address changes e-mail [email protected], fax 615.251.5818, or write to the above address. For bulk ship-ments mailed quarterly to one address, e-mail [email protected], fax 615.251.5933, or write to the above address.Printed in the United States of America.

Photo Credits: Cover Photo: Corbis; Pages 26,36,46,56,84,87,108,110,120,140 Getty Images; Pages 2,161 Jupiter Images; Pages 78,80,150 Corbis; Pages 12,13 Kent Harville; Pages 82,83,85 LeMay Photography; Pages 58,130,160 Super Stock. Illustration Credits: Pages 14,16,68,88,98 Good Salt.

16 L i f e V e n t u r e s L e a d e r G u i d e

Scr ip ture Out l ine• Know the Unique Son of

God (Mark 1:1-3)• Know the Power of Jesus

(Mark 1:7,9-13)• Know Jesus’ Authority

(Mark 1:21-28)

WHAt tH i S l e S SOni S ABOutMark’s introduction re-veals Jesus’ unique identity. Jesus is presented as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy and the all- powerful Son of God.

HOW tH i S l e S SOn cAniMpAct YOur l i F eMake the connection be-tween Jesus’ unique power and authority and the unique life He calls you to live.

Teaching the Lesson

Find EXTRA! help online at: www.lifeway.com/extra

Needed for the Session

❑ Learner guide, pen or pencil for each learner

❑ Marker board or large sheets of paper, markers

W E E K o F S E P T E M B E R 6

the Jesus People should KnowBAcKGrOunD pAS SAGe : Mark 1:1-28

FOcAl pAS SAGeS : Mark 1:1-3,7,9-13,21-28

Preparing to TeachThrough Personal Bible Study

When I was 10 years old, I watched one of the greatest World Series events ever. The mighty Cincinnati Reds faced the rising Boston Red Sox. In game six, Bernie Carbo hit a three-run homer to tie the game for the Sox and send it into extra innings. This opened the door for Carlton Fisk to hit the game-deciding home run. At that time, people may have asked me if I knew Bernie Carbo, and I probably would have said, “Yes, he’s the man who tied the game with a dramatic three-run homer.” Today, if you ask me if I know Bernie Carbo, I would say, “Yes, he is a committed member at the church where I pastor. I know

T E A C H I N G P L A N B I B L E C O M M E N T A R Y

n Step 1: ❑ “Poster: Study Theme 1” (Pack iTem 1)

n StepS 3-4: ❑ “Poster: map” (Pack iTem 2)

n Step 1Introduction❑ To introduce this study theme, lead learners to discuss what the world be-lieves about Jesus. Invite volunteers to share informa-tion about what different re-ligions and movements say about Jesus. (oPTion: in advance, create a matching activity on a large sheet of paper. On the left side, list dif-ferent religions and move-ments, such as Scientology, Mormonism, Jehovah’s Wit-ness, Islam, New Age, and Judaism. Do research in your church library or on-line to discover what these groups believe about Jesus. On the right side of the paper, list these beliefs in random order. Display the sheet and invite learners to match each religion with its beliefs.) ❑ Note that many people struggle to affirm and ac-cept the Jesus described in the Bible. Call attention to today’s lesson title, “The Jesus People Should Know” on “Poster: Study Theme 1” (Pack iTem 1). Invite learn-ers to work in groups of two or three to create lists of the top ten things they

his wife Tammy and his grandchildren who live with him, and we have shared many times of prayer, fellowship, and baseball talk. I used to know about Bernie Carbo when I was small, but now I know him personally. Many people know about Jesus, but they do not know Him personally. Knowing Him personally makes all the difference in how we relate to Him and how we view Him. Mark’s Gospel introduces us to the unique identity of Jesus in the hopes that we will develop a personal relationship with Him.

Who is the most famous person you have met? What do you know for sure about that person? What have you learned about that person from others?

Today, Bernie Carbo is not the brash player who created conflict to challenge himself to do better. He is not the one who keeps ev-eryone loose and happy. Bernie has a passion for people to know Jesus, who saved his life completely. Bernie’s unique qualities shine through when you get to know him. John Mark, the cousin of Barnabas, served as a coworker with Paul and received the information for his Gospel from Peter. Possibly the first Gospel written, Mark included short, succinct stories from the life of Jesus to introduce his readers to the One he believed was Messiah. Mark wanted his readers to under-stand the unique qualities of Christ. Unlike a biography, which might cover the entirety of one’s life, Mark displayed snapshots of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection which present Him as the Messiah that God had promised to send since the days of the Old Testament Scriptures.

W e e k o f S e p t e m b e r 6 17

T E A C H I N G P L A Nc o n t i n u e d

B I B L E C O M M E N T A R Y c o n t i n u e d

HCSBKJV 1The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; 2As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. 3The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet:

Look, I am sending My messenger ahead of You,

who will prepare Your way.3 A voice of one crying out in the

wilderness:“Prepare the way for the

Lord;make His paths straight!”

Know the Unique Son of GodMark 1:1-3


think people should know about Jesus. Once groups have had several minutes to work, invite them to share their lists. (noTe: You may develop your list as a class without forming groups.)❑ Explain that for the next eight weeks, the class will be studying from the Gos-pel of Mark. Give some background information on Mark’s Gospel, explain-ing that the author was not one of the 12 apostles, but John Mark, a cousin of Barnabas and a coworker with Paul. Point out that Mark received information for his Gospel from Peter, and that Mark was most likely the first Gospel writ-ten, perhaps around a.d. 50-60. Note that unlike a biography which chronicles an entire life, Mark gave us snapshots of Jesus in order to affirm that Jesus is the Messiah, the one true Son of God. ❑ Invite learners to read silently the lesson introduc-tion in the Learner guide (pp. 13-14). Lead learners to respond to the question in “What about me?” on page 14. Explain that this lesson will help us make the connection between Jesus’ unique power and authority and the unique life He calls us to live. ❑ Lead in a prayer for un-derstanding, wisdom, and fresh application for seniors’ lives as you examine the Scriptures.

read the article “the Gospel of Mark: An introduction” in the Fall 2009 issue of Biblical Illustrator or on the

Fall 2009 Biblical Illustrator Plus (CD-ROM).

In Mark 1:1-3, John Mark listed four different designations for this Messiah. First, he recalled His formal name, Jesus. Though His name was not unique either in Hebrew as Joshua or in Greek as Jesus, its meaning was unique to Him. Jesus literally meant “Yahweh is salvation.” Matthew recognized the importance of this name when he wrote, “She [Mary] will give birth to a son, and you are to name Him Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21). Jesus alone brought the gospel, or good news, about salvation—sinners can be reconciled to God by the death of this Messiah on a cross. Every time His mother or father, brothers or sisters, friends, and neighbors called Him Jesus, they were declaring that through Him the Lord saves. A second designation for Jesus was Christ. The Greek word Christ and the Hebrew Messiah both mean “anointed one” and referred to the One who would come and save God’s people from their sin. Originally, prophets, priests, and kings received anointing for their tasks. Jesus fulfilled all three roles in one, and He came as the special Messiah whom everyone hoped would ap-pear in their lifetime. By calling Him Jesus Christ, Mark included both the identity of Christ (anointed one) and the work of Christ (save His people from their sins). Mark also referred to Jesus as the Son of God. Though in the Old Testament this term referred to angels (Job 1:6), the na-tion of Israel (Hos. 1:10), and Davidic kings (2 Sam. 7:14), Mark used the term differently. He saw Jesus uniquely as the Son of God. Jesus used the term Son to refer to Himself in the parable of the vineyard (Mark 12:6) and the warnings about His return (13:32).The demons proclaimed Him as the unique Son of God (3:11; 5:7). The high priest who questioned Jesus during His trial also repeated the claim that He was “the Son of the Blessed One” (14:61). Ironically, the demons recognized Jesus’ identity while the high priest mocked Him with the title. He is unique as the Son of God, and both Jesus and the demons knew it. The final designation for Christ in Mark’s introduction to his Gospel occurred in the quotation from Malachi 3:1 and Isaiah 40:3. Though Mark seldom used Lord to refer to Christ, both passages he included here were clearly Messianic passages. Lord was a divine title that indicated Mark’s assertion that Jesus is the Messiah God the Old Testament foretold. The messenger that God would send ahead of Jesus clearly referred to John the Baptist, who was a voice of one crying out in the wilderness. John would prepare the way for Christ by preaching a mes-sage of repentance to a people who thought they would be saved



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n Step 2Know the Unique Son of GodMark 1:1-3❑ Ask a volunteer to read Mark 1:1-3 to find out where in Jesus’ life Mark began. in advance, write on the board or on a large sheet of paper, “Who is Jesus?” Underneath this title make two columns. Title the left column, “What Scripture Says.” Title the right column, “What the World Says.” Direct learn-ers to identify what Mark 1:1-3 says about who Jesus is. (Possible answers: “Christ” [Messiah] [v. 1], “Son of God,” fulfillment of prophecy, “the Lord” [v. 3]) Contrast this with what the world says about Jesus. (good teacher, great man) Write answers in the appro-priate columns. ❑ Explain that in verses 2-3, Mark combined material from Malachi 3:1 and Isaiah 40:3. Invite volunteers to read those passages. Note that the “messenger” (v. 2) refers to John the Baptist. • diScuSS: Why do you

think Mark began his Gospel by quoting these Old Testament passages?

Explain that a major indica-tion of Jesus’ uniqueness is that He is God’s promised Messiah whose coming was foretold in Scripture. ❑ Call attention to “What about me?” on page 16 in the Learner guide. Lead

through their nationality rather than through a Savior (Mark 1:4). The messenger’s task was to prepare the way for the Messiah as a servant would clear the route for a traveling king. His method of preparation would be preaching and baptism. Mark began his Gospel with a call to know Jesus. He came as the Messiah, sent from God to save His people from their sin. He became fully man, but He is also fully God. As God’s Son, He is Lord of all creation. Those who do not know this Jesus, according to Mark, do not know the real Jesus.

using the four titles in this passage, what does a lost per-son need to know about your Savior? How could you use the descriptions of these titles to help this person understand what your relationship to christ means to you?




HCSBKJV 7And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. 10And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: 11And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased. 12And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness. 13And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.

7 He was preaching: “Someone more powerful than I will come after me. I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the strap of His sandals.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John. 10 As soon as He came up out of the water, He saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending to Him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven:

You are My beloved Son;I take delight in You!

12 Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness. 13 He was in the wilderness 40 days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and the angels began to serve Him.

Know the Power of JesusMark 1:7,9-13

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learners to discuss their re-sponses to the questions. ❑ Direct attention again to the “World” list on the board. Emphasize that be-cause Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, He is the only way to have a right re-lationship with God.

Discussion options:Life Impact Plus• On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being extremely confi-dent and 1 being not confi-dent, how confident do you think most older adults are that the only way to have a right relationship with God is through Jesus? Explain.• Do you think it is easier today than it was 40-50 years ago to share that Jesus is the only way? Explain.• Why do you think even some who claim Christ as Savior have difficulty believ-ing that He is the only way of salvation?

n Step 3Know the Powerof JesusMark 1:7,9-13❑ Point out the Jordan River on the “Poster: map” (Pack iTem 2) as you share about the popularity of John the Baptist by summarizing Mark 1:4-5. ❑ Ask a volunteer to read Mark 1:7,9-13. Note again the brief nature of Mark’s descriptions, pointing out that Mark wanted his read-

When I first met Bernie Carbo, I only knew one thing that he was capable of doing—hitting a home run in the World Series. But as I got to know Bernie, I’ve seen other things he can do. He boldly witnesses to his faith in Jesus Christ. He faithfully loves his wife Tammy. He does a great job speaking to kids at baseball camps and telling them about Christ. Bernie is capable of far more than I knew. At first glance, we may underestimate Christ. Mark had in-vestigated the identity of Christ, and he was convinced of Jesus’ power. John the Baptist, the messenger promised in the previous verses, also was convinced of Jesus’ power. As a relative of Christ, John had firsthand evidences of God’s power at work in Christ’s life even before His public ministry began (Luke 1:36-44). There-fore, at the time to begin Jesus’ public ministry, John announced that Someone more powerful than he would come after him. John was not preaching to make himself known; he preached to make Christ known. John explained that he was not worthy to stoop down and untie the strap of His sandals. Sandals were made of leather and were fastened to the foot by straps which often collected the dirt of unpaved roads. A slave would remove the sandals from the feet of a guest, and would then wash the guest’s feet. In com-parison to Christ, John saw himself as not even worthy to be his slave. This probably surprised John’s listeners, who may have traveled many miles to come and hear him preach in the desert. They viewed him as important, but John knew that compared to Christ he had no power of his own. John continued to magnify Jesus’ power by contrasting his ministry with Jesus’ ministry (Mark 1:8). While John baptized with water, Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit. John sealed the commitment of people to repentance by the act of water baptism, but Jesus would seal God’s commitment to believers by sending the Holy Spirit as a pledge that He would finish what He started in them (Eph. 1:13). *(See teaching plan, p. 21.) Jesus’ power was evident to Mark in three ways. First, Jesus’ power was evident in His humility. He came from Nazareth to be baptized in the Jordan by John. John had already stated that he was not worthy to serve Jesus as a common slave, but instead of being repulsed by John, Jesus humbled Himself and allowed John to baptize Him. Though Mark did not express the reason for Jesus’ baptism, Matthew dealt with problems that arose from people wondering why a sin-less Savior needed to be baptized with a baptism of repentance from sin. Matthew said that Jesus did what He did “to fulfill all righteousness” (Matt. 3:15). By being baptized, He set a pattern for all those who would follow Him, and this pattern continued to appear in the Book of Acts as new believers came to Christ.



ers to know who Jesus is. Lead learners to discern Mark’s point in verses 7,9-13. (Jesus is uniquely powerful; Jesus is God’s Son; Jesus overcame temptation.) Add these answers to the “What Scripture Says” col-umn on the board. Add to the column under “What the World Says” by contrast-ing the power God’s Word attributes to Christ with the world’s opinions.❑ Explain that John was wary of his followers elevat-ing him to an undeserved pedestal of power. Direct learners to page 17 in the Learner guide. Invite a learner to read the first two paragraphs. • diScuSS: What danger

is there in equating the power of Christ with that of human leaders? How is Jesus’ power unique? How can the world know the power of Jesus today?

Using the Bible commentary* (pp. 20-21), emphasize how Jesus’ power was evident in His humility—His willing-ness to submit to John’s baptism and to fulfill God’s plan of obedience that would lead to the cross. ❑ Lead learners to identify who besides John the Bap-tist and Jesus was present and active at Jesus’ baptism. (God the Father and God the Holy Spirit) Note that God validated Jesus’ acts of obedience by sending the Spirit upon Jesus and speak-

What a humbling picture to see the Christ, whom Mark had just identified with such glorious titles, submitting Himself to baptism in the Jordan River. This picture demonstrated the humility of Christ—not only that He would be willing to come before John, but that He was willing to fulfill God’s plan of obedience, which would eventually take Him to the cross. Many people look at humility as weakness, but it takes stronger people to humble themselves than it takes to exalt themselves. God validated Jesus’ acts of obedience by tearing open the heav-ens, sending the Spirit … like a dove upon Him, and calling out to Jesus with the words, “You are My beloved Son; I take delight in You!” Jesus’ power was evident in His meekness and His obedience to God’s will in His life. Jesus’ power was also evident in His victory over temptation. Using one of his favorite words to describe the events of Jesus’ life, immediately (see “Digging Deeper” below), Mark spoke of the transition from the glory of Jesus’ baptism to the peril of temptation in the wilderness. Mark emphasized that the Spirit who descended at Jesus’ baptism was the same Spirit who drove Him into the wilderness. The wilderness, the place of John’s preaching, was also the place where Jesus would be tested. Again, as Jesus did not need to be baptized but did it as an ex-ample for us, He also did not need testing. He demonstrated His power over Satan as an example for us.

A previous Biblical Illustrator article “the Wilderness in Jesus’ temptation” (Spring 1995) relates to this lesson

and can be found on the Fall 2009 Biblical Illustrator Plus (CD-ROM).




Mark’s use of “Immediately” (Mark 1:12) Mark’s favorite word of transition is often translated “immediately.” He presented Jesus as constantly on the move, busy doing His Father’s work. Mark used the word over 40 times to dramatize the tension that occurred by the constant movement of Jesus from one assignment to the next. Jesus was driven by the Spirit, not just into the wil-derness to be tempted, but in His entire ministry. He moved with purpose and conviction to do the things that God had called Him to accomplish. Mark’s sense of immediacy captivates his audience by connecting the stories about Christ with a transition word that implies His purpose.

D I G G I N G D E E P E R

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ing approval of His “beloved Son” (v. 11).❑ Explain that John’s decla-ration, Jesus’ humility, the anointing of the Spirit, the affirmation of the Father, and Jesus’ victory over temptation help us know the power of Jesus. (Refer to Matt. 4:1-11 and Luke 4:1-13 for more on the temp-tations of Jesus. Also, see the Bible commentary.*) • discuss: Christians over-

come temptation through the power of God. What temptations might be unique to senior adults?

When we overcome tempta-tion, we witness to God’s power in us. Emphasize that the world judges Jesus’ power by the lives of those who say they trust in Him.

Discussion options:Life Impact Plus• Do you find it easier to deal with temptation now than when you were younger? Why? Why not?• When have you seen Jesus’ power demonstrated in your life?• Jesus faced an intense period of testing following the high experience of His baptism. What lesson do we learn from this about our own lives?• How did you handle a dif-ficult test following a time of spiritual victory? • In what ways do you rely on Jesus’ power to help you overcome temptation?

*(See teaching plan.) Jesus stayed in the wilderness 40 days, constantly tempted by Satan. Though Mark did not detail any of those temptations, both Matthew (4:1-11) and Luke (4:1-13) listed three specific temptations—turning stones to bread, jumping from the temple pinnacle, and bowing down in worship to Satan. Though these were some of the temptations Jesus faced during that 40-day period, these probably were not the only ones He faced. Mark emphasized that Jesus suffered these temptations while He was alone, as evidenced by his mention of the wild animals. No human was there to help Him through the temptations, but He still was victorious. Though Jesus lacked human help, He received plenty of help from His Father. The angels began to serve Him. Though Mark did not indicate whether the angels served Him after the temptations or whether they helped Him during those temptations, he was clear that Jesus was not alone even without humans to help Him. Jesus’ power was visible throughout His ministry, including in the wilderness. His power enables Christians to overcome their temptations, even as He overcame His.

is the power of Jesus evident in your daily life? review the ways in which Jesus’ power was evident, and list them here in your own words:

now, think about an unsaved friend. Are you consistently exhibiting Jesus’ power in your life? How might a deeper reliance on Jesus’ power influence your friend to see the need to rely on Jesus as well?



HCSBKJV 21And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught. 22And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes. 23And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out,

21 Then they went into Ca-pernaum, and right away He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath and began to teach. 22 They were astonished at His teaching because, unlike the scribes, He was teaching them as one having authority.

23 Just then a man with an unclean spirit was in their syna-gogue. He cried out,

Know Jesus’ AuthorityMark 1:21-28

n Step 4 Know Jesus’ AuthorityMark 1:21-28 ❑ Use “Poster: map” (Pack iTem 2) to help explain where Jesus went after His temptation in the Judean desert. Point out that He began His ministry by preaching in Galilee (1:14) and calling disciples by the Sea of Galilee (v. 16,19) before going into Caper-naum. Explain that we find out what happened next in Mark 1:21-28. Invite a volun-teer to read the passage.❑ Following the reading, recall that Jesus had just endured an intense time of temptation, and now He went on the offensive. • diScuSS: Why were the

people in this passage amazed? What is the most amazing part of this en-counter to you? Why? (Add answers to the “What Scripture Says” column on the board.)

• diScuSS: What does it mean to you that Jesus has authority?

Invite learners to turn to page 21 in the Learner guide. Note that many of us give up on our fellow seniors who have not yet accepted Christ. We may think they are too set in their ways to change. Ask a volunteer to read the story of the three adults in their 80s who came to Christ.

When I first met Bernie Carbo, I had no idea the authority that he carried with him as a former major leaguer. On a mission trip with our choir and orchestra to Nova Scotia, people were shocked as a famous major leaguer knocked on their door to tell them about Jesus. They had heard about Bernie’s feats, and some who said that they would not attend our concert quickly changed their minds when they met him. He carried a certain authority that came with name recognition. Jesus’ authority was greater than that! Mark attributed Jesus’ authority first to His teaching. As He entered Capernaum, a city in Galilee that later became a pri-mary base of His ministry, Jesus kept His custom of entering the synagogue on the Sabbath. The synagogue was a local meet-ing place and assembly of the Jewish people where there were at least 10 Jewish men who wanted to study the Old Testament Scriptures. They gathered to hear the Scriptures read and then explained according to the understanding of various scholars and their interpretations. Jesus astonished His hearers because He did not recite the ancient scholars, but gave His own interpreta-tion of the passages. His authority was unique to the synagogue of His day. Some might have seen this as brash or irreverent, but the events that happened next validated Jesus’ authority.




HCSBKJV 24Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God. 25And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. 26And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him. 27And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him. 28And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about Galilee.

24 “What do You have to do with us, Jesus—Nazarene? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!”

25 But Jesus rebuked him and said, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” 26 And the unclean spirit convulsed him, shouted with a loud voice, and came out of him.

27 Then they were all amazed, so they began to argue with one another, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with au-thority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” 28 His fame then spread throughout the entire vicinity of Galilee.

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(Read the paragraph that be-gins, “Older adults can still be impacted…) Follow the reading by leading learners to discuss the question in “What about me?”❑ Explain that we can live in Jesus’ power to fulfill His commission to make disciples, baptize them, and teach them to observe His teachings, knowing that He is always with us (Matt. 28:18-20). Note that the Great Commission remains our mandate—even as senior adults.

Discussion options:Life Impact Plus• What issues facing se-niors threaten to shake their confidence in sharing Christ with others?• Why do some people not recognize Jesus as having authority?• How can we tell how much authority Jesus has in our lives?

n Step 5Conclusion❑ Call attention to the lists about who Jesus is on the board or on the large sheet of paper. Note the contrast in answers between the two columns. Direct learners to consider the following ques-tion: Which Jesus does my life say He is? Note that the connec-tion between Jesus’ unique power and authority and the lives we live, in large part,

A previous Biblical Illustrator article “the First-century Synagogue” (Winter 1984) relates to this lesson and

can be found on the Fall 2009 Biblical Illustrator Plus (CD-ROM). In the midst of Jesus’ teaching, an unclean spirit interrupted Him and questioned whether Jesus was there to destroy the hold such spirits had on a man. In doing that, it revealed Jesus’ identity as the Holy One of God. Throughout the Gospel of Mark, Jesus continually sought to conceal His identity until the appropriate times, a feature in Mark’s Gospel often called by Bible students, “the messianic secret.” Possibly He desired not to identify with popular messianic expectations that were not true of His ministry, or He was not ready to reveal Himself because of the disturbances it would have caused in public. However, He did clearly plan to share the secret of His messiahship at the ap-propriate times (Mark 4:11,34). In addition to Jesus’ teaching, Mark demonstrated Jesus’ au-thority through His actions. He rebuked the unclean spirit and gave it two commands. He told the demon to be quiet and to come out of him. Regardless of the motives for the messianic secret, Mark clearly demonstrated Jesus’ authority over the spirit. The spirit spoke no more words, it only convulsed the man and shouted as it came out of him. Jesus spoke to the unclean spirit and it obeyed Him. Can you imagine how that affected worship at the synagogue that day? The crowd who gathered to hear the words of Christ were amazed at the authority He displayed. They had never seen anything like that before, and this caused them to argue with one another. Some obviously thought this was a new teaching with authority. Jesus had commanded an unclean spirit to leave a man and it had happened instantly. If Jesus’ manner of teaching was authoritative, imagine how observers felt about His actions! Obviously some endorsed Jesus’ actions, while others thought it was not proper. This division of opinion led to arguments. Regardless of the outcome of the arguments, Jesus’ fame spread throughout the whole region of Galilee. No matter what people thought of Jesus, few could deny the authority of His teaching and His actions. Perhaps they had differing opinions of the legitimacy of that authority, but none could deny His author-ity for interpreting the Scriptures or His authority in standing against spiritual darkness. Just as the people who witnessed Jesus’ teaching and actions had to decide the legitimacy of that authority, so, too, we need to look within and see what we think of His authority. Was He the Son of God, sent as Messiah to save His people from their sin? Or was He some imposter who taught a new teaching, but did





determines what people know about Him. Explain that no matter what new religious fads come along, and no matter what new methods the church uses to try to reach people, Jesus is still and will always be the only way. Lead seniors to determine ways they can reveal Jesus’ unique power and authority in their church, in their friendships, and in their families. ❑ Dismiss with prayer. Pray that Jesus’ unique power and authority will be evi-dent in seniors’ lives as they seek to live the unique lives to which God has called them.

not have authority? If that were the case, then how do you explain His miracles? Jesus’ authority came with His identity as the unique Son of God and His power. Many may claim similar authority to Christ, but they do not have the position or power that He had when He was on the earth. They have not opened blind eyes or stilled rag-ing storms. They have not raised the dead or been raised from the dead. They might claim authority, but their lives do not verify their claims. Jesus not only claimed authority, but He also lived it before the world. Amazingly, you can not only know about Him, but you can also know Him personally.

think for a moment about your personal relationship with Jesus. While He calls us His friends, do you find yourself sometimes treating Him too casually? What has this study helped you to see about christ? take time to humbly bow before Him, acknowledging His name, His power, and His authority.

Biblical truths of this lesson in Focus• We should know Christ, not just know about Him.• To know Christ, we must recognize His identity.• To have a relationship with Christ is to experience His power

in our lives.• If we have a relationship with Christ, we will recognize His

authority in our lives.

complete the following sentence: to know christ is to …

DEPARTMEnT PERIoD SUGGESTIonSWelcome—Lead attendees to greet one another. Introduce guests and new members.Suggested Music—“Tell Me the Stories of Jesus” (No. 129, The Baptist Hymnal, 1991)Suggested Scripture reading—John 14:6Sharing—Make brief announcements about department or church activities. Explain that this month begins a series of lessons from the Gospel of Mark that will help us “Know Jesus.” To introduce today’s lesson, ask: What characteristics of Jesus would you say are most difficult to grasp? After a few responses, emphasize that today’s lesson focuses on the unique identity, power, and authority of Christ, and will challenge us to make the connection between His power and authority to the unique lives God calls us to live.caring—Call for sharing prayer requests and ministry opportunities.prayer—Lead in prayer or enlist a class leader to lead in prayer.


Documents

Bible Studies for Life LifeVENTURES STUDY THEME: DISCIPLESHIP: THE EPIC ADVEnTURE 58 October 4 The Warrior Hero (Mark 11:12-25) 68 October 11 The Hero Doing Battle (Mark 12:13-17,28-31,38-40)