week of 3/19

 Unit 19  Session 3

THE SAVIOR IS BAPTIZED

MARK 1

John the Baptist was the herald who prepared the way for the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah.

In his Gospel, Mark first introduced Jesus to the world through the eyes of John the Baptist. The pacing of Mark's Gospel is fast - it's the shortest of all the Gospel accounts and the oft-used term "immediately" demonstrates that Mark was intent on progressing the stories quickly so that his readers could focus their attention on Jesus's work on the cross. Therefore, it is worth noting that Mark slowed down to consider how John paved the way for Jesus- both through his declaration of Jesus's identity and by baptizing Him in the Jordan River. 

Points to consider:

✞   The herald prepares for the Son.

     * How should the steady use of Old 

        Testament prophecy in the story 

        of Jesus's birth encourage us?

     * How would John's practice of 

        baptism help people understand 

        Jesus's message?

✞   The herald points to the Son.

     * What does baptism do?

✞   The herald baptizes the Son.   

     * Why did Jesus get baptized even 

        though He had nothing to repent 

        of or confess?

     * How can growing in our under-

        standing of the triune God help us 

        worship Him more?