Who is Jesus
Mark
Patrick Edwards
Mark 1:1-13
Introduction
Who is Jesus? It is indeed the defining question not just for the Christian but for all humanity. What should we make of man who lived 2000 years ago in a remote part of the known world, was executed by the Roman Empire, and who was then purported to have risen from the dead? What do we make of his claims to be Son of God, to be King? If He was really who He said He was, what are to make of the fact that He was arrested and shamefully died by crucifixion?
Years ago, at a church I was pastoring in North Carolina we ran an after-school basketball program for at-risk elementary school boys. One of the afternoons we were finished and waiting for the kids to get picked up by their parents when one of the kids asked me, "Why do Christians wear crosses around their necks?" I soon found that what he was asking was more than just about jewelry choices, but about the cross itself as a symbol. He wondered why anyone would celebrate the fact that their God had been executed.
It's a good question. And it's not the only one. There's a lot about Jesus that can seem puzzling and not just to those who aren't yet Christians and His followers, but even for those of us who have been sitting in these seats for decades. Who, really, is Jesus? Beyond the traditions, the movies and T.V. shows, the stained-glass windows and art, who is Jesus?
This morning we're beginning a series through the Gospel of Mark asking just that question. This is a series for both the lifelong Bible reader and the person whose never cracked it open once. We'll be in Mark all the way to Easter Sunday, and while that might seem like a long way away and feel like a long series, in reality we're going to be moving pretty quickly. Because while there are so many great details we could dive deep into and spend over a year in this book with, I want us to be sure and grasp the big picture, the 20,000-foot view. And the Gospel of Mark is a perfe ...
Mark
Patrick Edwards
Mark 1:1-13
Introduction
Who is Jesus? It is indeed the defining question not just for the Christian but for all humanity. What should we make of man who lived 2000 years ago in a remote part of the known world, was executed by the Roman Empire, and who was then purported to have risen from the dead? What do we make of his claims to be Son of God, to be King? If He was really who He said He was, what are to make of the fact that He was arrested and shamefully died by crucifixion?
Years ago, at a church I was pastoring in North Carolina we ran an after-school basketball program for at-risk elementary school boys. One of the afternoons we were finished and waiting for the kids to get picked up by their parents when one of the kids asked me, "Why do Christians wear crosses around their necks?" I soon found that what he was asking was more than just about jewelry choices, but about the cross itself as a symbol. He wondered why anyone would celebrate the fact that their God had been executed.
It's a good question. And it's not the only one. There's a lot about Jesus that can seem puzzling and not just to those who aren't yet Christians and His followers, but even for those of us who have been sitting in these seats for decades. Who, really, is Jesus? Beyond the traditions, the movies and T.V. shows, the stained-glass windows and art, who is Jesus?
This morning we're beginning a series through the Gospel of Mark asking just that question. This is a series for both the lifelong Bible reader and the person whose never cracked it open once. We'll be in Mark all the way to Easter Sunday, and while that might seem like a long way away and feel like a long series, in reality we're going to be moving pretty quickly. Because while there are so many great details we could dive deep into and spend over a year in this book with, I want us to be sure and grasp the big picture, the 20,000-foot view. And the Gospel of Mark is a perfe ...
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