Friends, we have completed four
topical devotion series on Praying
through God’s Promises, Knowing,
Thanking & Praising God as well as
a two-year chronological coverage
of the Bible. Before starting an
expanded three year exposition
on the Bible in January, today
we launch the fifth topical series
on Praying through the Gospels.
The Gospel is the good news that
God in Jesus Christ has fulfilled
His promises to Israel, and that a
way of salvation has been opened
to all. But the Gospel is not just
about salvation in terms of eternal
and abundant life, it also about
the power of God and much more.
We will learn more of what the
Gospel offers and what it entails
to live out the Gospel as we
mediate on the four gospels.
Dear Almighty & All-Loving God,
I pray even as Yr People meditate
on the holy and precious Gospel
that Your Spirit minister to their
soul and Will Energise them;
that they Will Experience
the blessings of a praying life;
that their Faith Will Arise and
they Will Trust & Obey You more
each day. In His name, Amen.
The Gospels present a four-
dimensional glimpse of Jesus
the Christ. Matthew, a Jew, aims
his words at a Jewish audience,
showing from the Old Testament
prophecies that Jesus is their
promised King and Messiah.
Mark seeks to reach a Roman
audience with the Good News
of Jesus the Perfect Servant,
come to minister to the spiritual
and physical needs of mankind.
Luke the physician portrays
Jesus as the Perfect Man
who seeks and saves the lost.
John beams his message to
all mankind, showing from Jesus’
miracles and messages that
He is clearly the Son of God.
We start with the Gospel of Mark
for it’s agreed by most biblical
scholars as the first gospel to be
written; of which Matthew & Luke
partly referred to in their account.
Mark’s gospel captures the two-
fold purpose of Christ’s coming
to earth: to minister and to give
His life a ransom for many (10:45).
Mark describes Jesus as the
Perfect Servant, emphasising
more the actions of Jesus & gives
briefer treatment to His teachings.
Jewish customs are explained as
story moves briskly to completion
of Jesus’ earthly life and ministry.
We will cover Mark Gospel in
two weeks over five divisions:-
M1-3: Servants of the Servant
M4-7: Service of the Servant
M8-10: Sayings of the Servant
M11-13: Sermons of the Servant
M14-16: Suffering of the Servant
May Jesus’ example cause us
to be willing to serve God and
others. And we’ll do God’s work
because we love Him, remembering
all He had done for us. Amen.