Mark 1:1-13

A Walk through of the opening section of Mark's Gospel, including the opening words and Jesus' encounter with John the Baptist. Questions to ponder while reading the story 1. Obviously terms like “Gospel” and “Christ” are important for the Church today; but, how should the Church work to explain these terms to congregants, and should Bible translators work to be more creative in their rendering of such “churchy” terms?

2. How does such militaristic and empire-based language affect your understanding of the Church and God’s people in relation to the rest of the world? How does it alter any notations of patriotism you might have?

3. When you consider the popularity of John’s asceticism, and his message, does it make you reevaluate your own lifestyle?

4. We all like to think we would not miss Jesus, would recognize God in him; but if his baptism looked like every other day do you think you might miss it? How can you adapt your life, so you are less likely to be blind to God’s work?

5. Jesus went into the wilderness for forty days to prepare himself spiritually, how do you prepare for your ministry? Is there any sense of God’s servants attending to you?