The Gospel of Mark [Sermon Series Overview]

I chose to preach through the Gospel of Mark because of the book’s two main...
April 28, 2018

I chose to preach through the Gospel of Mark because of the book’s two main focuses:

  1. Christology
  2. Discipleship

Our world is in need of a higher view of both of these concepts.  We need to know who Jesus is and we need to know what discipleship is.

My first draft of teaching the book included 48 sermons.  I tried to whittle it down but felt like it was a disservice to the text.  When I decided to go for it and spend an entire year on the book, I then landed the resurrection passage on Easter Sunday and moved back from there.

What’s Included in the List

  1. Sermon Title – I really agonized on creating these – I wanted them to say something in of themselves.  I wanted the title to give people an idea about what it discussed at the beginning of a sermon or in the archive after it had been preached.
  2. Sermon Passage – Listed are the verses from each section.  Once identified how many verses would fill a sermon, the titles and descriptions moved around the content of the passage.
  3. Sermon Description – I use these descriptions to help summarize what the sermon will be about.  The first sentence is a context summary statement and the second sentence is an application summary statement.

How You Can Use This Guide

  1. Church Member – If you are a member of our church, use this list as a guide to pray through and prepare yourself to follow Jesus immediately!
  2. Podcast Listener – If you aren’t a member of our church but listen to our sermons online through our website, app, or podcast, that means so much!  I hope this list can help excite you as well!
  3. Fellow Preacher – If you are desiring to preach through the Gospel of Mark, you can use this outline as a guide to follow, cut, copy, edit, or whatever you need – I pray it is at least a jumping off place for you!

Sermon Series Overview

  1. April 29, 2018 – Make Room for Jesus [Mark 1:1-8] – John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus’ arrival.  We must make room for Jesus in our own lives to join Him in His Kingdom work.
  2. May 6, 2018 – Make Your Father Proud [Mark 1:9-13] – Jesus pleased His Father in what He did and in what He didn’t do.  As followers of Jesus, we should imitate His obedient lifestyle.
  3. May 13, 2018 – Jesus Uses Ordinary People [Mark 1:14-20] – Jesus called ordinary men to follow Him into an extraordinary work.  As disciples of Jesus, we must also redefine our purpose to become fishers of men and join Him in His work to reach others.
  4. May 20, 2018 – Ministry Can Happen Anywhere [Mark 1:21-34] – Jesus ministered at religious gatherings and at family gatherings.  If we understand the power of God, we will live in such a way that acknowledges that ministry cannot be hindered by a time, place, or situation.
  5. May 27, 2018 – Early Riser [Mark 1:35-39] – Jesus prioritized time with His Father early in the morning to prepare for the day’s assignments.  If we are to follow His example, we must carve out intentional time for spiritual growth.
  6. June 3, 2018 – Jesus Isn’t Afraid of Your Mess [Mark 1:40-45] – Moved with pity, Jesus touched and cleansed a leper who lived on the fringes of society.  With the needs around us, we must be willing to place ourselves into messy situations in order to see redemption in others.
  7. June 10, 2018 – We Need Forgiveness More Than Healing [Mark 2:1-2:12] – When Jesus forgave a man who came looking for healing, He revealed our need and His authority.  As we attempt to bring people to Jesus, we must seek to address their greatest need – their need for forgiveness.
  8. June 17, 2018 – Open Your Home for Ministry [Mark 2:13-17] – As Jesus gathered disciples, He befriended sinners in home settings.  Acknowledging the needs of those around us, we should open our homes and open our hearts to minister to those in close proximity to us.
  9. June 24, 2018 – Jesus Doesn’t Fit Into Your Box [Mark 2:18-22] – The religious leaders of the day became increasingly frustrated because Jesus didn’t minister in the way they deemed appropriate.  We must stop trying to fit Jesus into our religious boxes and realize that He came to do something new.
  10. July 1, 2018 – It’s Always the Right Time to Do the Right Thing [Mark 2:23-3:6] – Religious leaders opposed Jesus while He was doing good on the Sabbath day because it broke their manmade rules.  The follower of Jesus must realize that it’s always the right time to do the right thing.
  11. July 8, 2018 – The Disciple’s Job Description [Mark 3:7-21] – As the crowds increased around Jesus, He intentionally drew closer to fewer people as He appointed twelve disciples to be His apostles.  As Jesus called the original Twelve to specific tasks, He calls us to follow Him in the same way today.
  12. July 15, 2018 – What’s the Unforgivable Sin? [Mark 3:22-30] – Jesus taught that there is a specific sin that is unforgivable by God.  What is that sin and how do we avoid it?
  13. July 22, 2018 – When Your Family Hinders Your Discipleship [Mark 3:31-35] – As Jesus’ influence increased, His family attempted to hinder His ministry.  Jesus taught that sometimes doing the will of God will incur the opposition of your physical family and secure the support of your spiritual family.
  14. July 29, 2018 – Why Some People Never Get It [Mark 4:1-20] – Jesus told a parable of a sower which taught how different people will respond to the gospel message.  As we share the gospel with others, we must be mindful of the reasons why some people never get it.
  15. August 5, 2018 – The Kingdom of God Knows No Borders [Mark 4:21-34] – Jesus taught parables to His disciples regarding how the Kingdom of God would grow.  As His disciples, we should continue to do our part and watch God cause the growth.
  16. August 12, 2018 – No Storm Is a Match for Jesus [Mark 4:35-41] – Jesus slept through the storms that terrified the disciples.  No situation is so great that Jesus can’t handle it.
  17. August 19, 2018 – When Demons Are Tolerated and Jesus Is Rejected [Mark 5:1-20] – When Jesus delivered a man from demonic possession, the people had less acceptance of the deliverer than they had for the demoniac.  When Jesus threatens our comfort and affluence, we can seek to rid ourselves from His influence as well.
  18. August 26, 2018 – Jesus Can Handle Both the Urgent and the Inconvenient [Mark 5:21-43] – As Jesus journeyed to help a life and death situation, He was interrupted by a smaller problem and yet was able to address both of them.  Regardless of the size of our circumstances, Jesus is willing and able to come to our aid.
  19. September 2, 2018 – Shake the Dust Off Where There’s No Welcome Mat [Mark 6:1-13] – Jesus was rejected in His hometown and prepared His disciples for similar rejection.  Through His example and instruction, we learn how we should respond when our message is unwelcome.
  20. September 9, 2018 – The Christian’s Head on the Culture’s Platter [Mark 6:14-29] – When John the Baptist spoke out against King Herod’s personal life, it cost him his life.  Speaking the truth rarely guarantees receiving the culture’s acceptance or approval.
  21. September 16, 2018 – Compassion Never Clocks Out [Mark 6:30-44] – As Jesus mourned the loss of His cousin, He sought solitude but was unable to obtain it due to His prioritizing of others’ needs ahead of His own.  When Jesus fed the five thousand, He demonstrated the powerful principle that compassion can never clock out.
  22. September 23, 2018 – Jesus Will Walk on Water If That’s What It Takes [Mark 6:45-56] – Separated by chaotic elements, Jesus actually walked on water to reach the fearful in the boat and the needy on the shore.  There is nothing so powerful that can hinder Jesus from meeting us in our greatest needs.
  23. September 30, 2018 – Truth Over Traditions [Mark 7:1-13] – The religious leaders valued their preferential traditions over God’s doctrinal truth.  As followers of Jesus, we must ensure that we hold the Word of God as superior to the traditions of man.
  24. October 7, 2018 – Don’t Treat the Symptoms of a Heart Problem [Mark 7:14-23] – The legalists of Jesus’ day appeared godly on the outside but were actually ungodly on the inside.  Jesus taught the importance of addressing one’s heart which is the root cause for all of our actions.
  25. October 14, 2018 – Jesus Cares for Outcasts [Mark 7:24-37] – Jesus broke the status quo as He ministered to those who were on the fringes of society.  Through His example, Jesus reminds us that no one is beyond deliverance.
  26. October 21, 2018 – Spiritual Amnesia [Mark 8:1-26] – For a second time, Jesus leads a faithless group of disciples to help feed a great crowd of hungry people.  Failing to remember Jesus’ power in the past can cause us to question His ability in the present for our physical and spiritual needs.
  27. October 28, 2018 – Wiki God [Mark 8:27-33] – While opinions of Jesus were rampant and varied, He desired to know whom His disciples believed Him to be.  Peter’s initial response and subsequent reaction reveal our own desire to edit God when He doesn’t meet our expectations.
  28. November 4, 2018 – Wherever He Leads, I’ll Go [Mark 8:34-9:1] – Jesus taught His disciples regarding the incompatible nature of following Him halfway.  As He still calls us today, He is expecting us to abandon all this world has to offer for the greater treasure of knowing Him.
  29. November 11, 2018 – Turning a Catalyst into a Monument [Mark 9:2-13] – Jesus allowed some of His disciples to experience His transfiguration, but it caused them to turn what should have been a catalyst into a monument.  Instead of getting a simple glimpse of His temporal glory, Jesus has made a way for us to behold His eternal glory.
  30. November 18, 2018 – Three Horrible Words to Say to Jesus [Mark 9:14-29] – When a man brought his son to Jesus for deliverance, he uttered three words that should never be used to address the Christ.  When we approach Jesus in our need, He deserves complete faith in His ability.
  31. November 25, 2018 – When My Pride Is Disguised as Your Problem [Mark 9:30-41] – As Jesus proceeded towards the cross, the disciples argued about who was the greatest and about who should be included.  Until we address our pride, we will always see everyone else as the problem.
  32. December 2, 2018 – If You Play with Fire, Someone’s Gonna Get Burned [Mark 9:42-50] – Jesus never reduced any sins to be allowed as acceptable in the life of His followers.  Playing with sin has severe repercussions for our lives and great consequences for those closest to us.
  33. December 9, 2018 – What God Has Joined Together [Mark 10:1-12] – Jesus was questioned regarding the nature of marriage and the opportunity for divorce.  When an eternal God puts something together, it should last forever.
  34. December 16, 2018 – Start Acting Like a Child [Mark 10:13-16] – In a time when children were viewed as distracting annoyances, Jesus intentionally prioritized them.  Not only should we prioritize children, but we should start acting like them when it comes to the Kingdom of God.
  35. December 23, 2018 – When Riches Rob You of Jesus [Mark 10:17-31] – A rich young man wanted to follow Jesus, but he loved his possessions too much.  We must be careful that our riches don’t rob us of following Jesus.
  36. December 30, 2018 – I Once Was Blind [Mark 10:32-52] – As Jesus attempts to prepare His disciples for His death, their spiritual blindness was similar to another’s physical blindness.  In order to see Christ’s Kingdom clearly, Jesus must heal our blinded eyes in order for us to regain our spiritual sight.
  37. January 6, 2019 – Ride On, King Jesus [Mark 11:1-11] – At Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem at the beginning of Passion Week, the people cried out for Jesus to save them.  We too are in desperate need for the coming King to take His rightful place of authority in our lives.
  38. January 13, 2019 – Why Jesus Chased People Out of a Religious Gathering [Mark 11:12-25] – In a shocking encounter, Jesus overturns tables in the temple and drives people away from a place of worship.  Jesus will not tolerate His people gathering for their personal benefits while neglecting the missional call to the nations.
  39. January 20, 2019 – Creation Killed the Creator’s Son [Mark 11:27-12:12] – As the opposition to Jesus increased, He told a parable foreshadowing what would happen to Him on the cross.  Just like those opponents, anyone who rejects Jesus rejects the Father who sent Him.
  40. January 27, 2019 – In God We Trust [Mark 12:13-17] – Trying to trap Jesus in His words, His enemies collaborated in an attempt to force Him to choose a side between God and government.  Jesus’ response teaches us what our commitment to both should be.
  41. February 3, 2019 – Is There Marriage in Heaven? [Mark 12:18-27] – People wanted to know what Jesus believed about the status of marriage in heaven.  Jesus emphasized that what we receive in heaven will be greater than what we take with us into heaven.
  42. February 10, 2019 – The Two Most Important Tasks in Life [Mark 12:28-34] – Out of the 613 commandments in the Old Testament, some religious leaders wanted to know which one that Jesus thought was the most important.  Not only did Jesus provide His top two commandments, but He summarized them all and gave His followers a simple direction for all of life.
  43. February 17, 2019 –Giving Much Doesn’t Require Having Much [Mark 12:35-44] – The rich and distinguished people in Jesus’ day believed that their worldly affluence provided them divine acceptance.  When Jesus praised a poor widow’s offering, He revealed that the heart of giving is more important than the amount of giving.
  44. February 24, 2019 – It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine) [Mark 13:1-23] – Providing the people with signs of the times, Jesus prepared them for coming persecution.  Jesus taught on the coming end times, not to increase our anxiety in the future, but to increase our activity in the present.
  45. March 3, 2019 – No One Has Jesus’ Return Date on the Calendar [Mark 13:24-37] – People have attempted to predict the end times, but Jesus assured that no one will know the precise time. While we don’t have the exact details of Christ’s return, we can hold the certain reality of His return by faith.
  46. March 10, 2019 – Were the Whole Realm of Nature Mine [Mark 14:1-11] – As Jesus prepares for His sacrificial offering on the cross, Mary prepared a sacrificial offering for Him through an alabaster jar.  As followers of Jesus, there is no gift too extravagant to lay before our Savior.
  47. March 17, 2019 – A Passover Table in the Presence of His Enemies [Mark 14:12-25] – Jesus gathered His disciples to celebrate the Passover and to institute the Lord’s Supper.  The head of the table not only recalled the Passover sacrifice, but He showed them that He was the true Passover sacrifice.
  48. March 24, 2019 – God’s Will Over My Will [Mark 14:26-42] – As Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, He fully grasped the weight of His impending sacrifice.  Aware of the severity of God’s wrath, He emulated the need for prioritizing God’s will over my will.
  49. March 31, 2019 – Why People Abandon Jesus [Mark 14:43-72] – Judas betrayed, the people accused, and Peter denied.  After all Jesus had done for this world, the world abandoned Him.
  50. April 7, 2019 – I Am Barrabas [Mark 15:1-20] – Intending to rid himself of the responsibility of Jesus’ death, Pilate assumed the people would choose Jesus over Barrabas to be the one prisoner released at that year’s Passover.  Instead, the people chose to free a sinful criminal and condemn the sinless Messiah.
  51. April 14, 2019 – The One Jesus Didn’t Save [Mark 15:21-41] – As Jesus hung upon the sinner’s cross, people ridiculed His inability to perform one more miracle and escape His death.  The greatest miracle of Jesus’ ministry was His commitment to forsake salvation from the cross so that we could experience salvation by the cross.
  52. April 19, 2019 – Why Jesus Died (Good Friday Service) [Mark 15:42-47] – When followers of Jesus sought to care for the body of Jesus, Pilate was surprised to hear that Jesus died so early in the process.  Scripture teaches us not only why He died so early, but also why He died so willingly.
  53. April 21, 2019 – The Tomb Is [Still] Empty (Easter Service) [Mark 16:1-8] – As the women came on Sunday morning to anoint the deceased body of Jesus, they were shocked to realize that the tomb was empty.  All of our faith and purpose in life is wrapped up in the belief that the tomb is still empty today.
  54. April 28, 2019 – It’s News Too Good to Keep to Ourselves [Mark 16:9-20] – In the concluding comments of Mark’s Gospel, Jesus commissioned the disciples to take the gospel into all the world.  If we continue to follow Jesus, He will lead us to people and places that need to hear the gospel.