Mark 1

1:1 - The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, - It was just the beginning and we are a part of its continuation!!! What have you done today to further the good news about Jesus the Messiah?

1:4 - preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. - The baptism of John was tied to forgiveness.

1:5 - Confessing their sins they were baptized. - I wonder what this looked like. Did they confess all of their sins or was this about them confessing specific sins and characteristics? Would John baptize them if they didn't confess? I just have this picture of confession being very much a part of baptism and wonder if that is something missing from the church today. What if people confessed at their baptism. How much more powerful would that be and what would it do in the person? I would think we would have less people getting wet and more getting baptized.

1:8 - I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. - The difference between Jesus' and John's baptism was that while they both dealt with the forgiveness of sins, Jesus came with the Holy Spirit. Interestingly enough, every person in the New Testament that is called a Christian had the Holy Spirit. The apostles receive it by Jesus blowing on them after His resurrection, others receive it at baptism and when Paul runs into some people who were baptized by john for forgiveness, but who had not been baptized into Christ, Paul says they need the Holy Spirit and he baptizes them. Baptism is tied to the Holy Spirit.

1:11 - It was at His baptism and later at His transfiguration that God spoke from heaven and said He was pleased with Jesus. Those two events then are highly significant.

1:15 - Repent and believe the good news. - It is ironic that we have dropped repent and and completely from our theology. you had to repent AND believe the good news. It was not following Jesus to one or the other. You are called to both.

1:18 - At once they left their nets and followed him. - Have you left your nets (work) behind to follow Jesus or have you told Him you will serve Him from the boat? many good Christian men and women tell Jesus yes and then stay right where they were before He called. To follow Jesus is to leave the boat behind. It doesn't mean you quit your job, because they still fished. It means that Jesus becomes more important than what you were doing and you now do it to support His work and not to support yourself.

1:22 - The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. - Love this verse.

1:31 - Peter's mother-in-law responds to being touched/healed by Jesus by getting up and serving.

1:35 - Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. - We make a million excuses for why we don;t have time to seek God, but Jesus got up before alarm clocks and went out to meet with God while it was still very early and dark. We will find God when we quit making excuses and start working hard to find God.

1:40-41 - If you are willing...I am willing. - Jesus is still willing to cleanse, heal and change your life. Nothing you have done has made Him unwilling. Nothing!

1:43-45 - This is one of the reasons Jesus didn't want people talking about Him healing them.

Love, Michael