Introduction to the book

• I Peter 5:13 – Mark was not a physical son. This is referring to a spiritual relationship.
• Colossians 4:10
• Mark worked with Peter and Paul.
• Antioch – Jerusalem
  • Acts 11:29-30
• Jerusalem
  • Acts 12:5, 12
  • Act 12:1-17 – Paul and Barnabas in Jerusalem.

Travels of Mark

• Antioch (45 AD) – Acts 12:25
• Salamis (48 AD) – Acts 13:5
• Perga – Acts 13:13
• Jerusalem (49 AD) – Mark back home
• Antioch (52 AD) – Mark with Paul and Barnabas
• Cyprus – Acts 15:37-39 – Mark with Barnabas (the last we hear about Barnabas)
• Rome (63 AD) – Mark with Paul during his first imprisonment
  • Colossians 4:10-11; Philemon 1:23-24
• Babylon (I Peter 5:13) – Mark with Peter in Babylon
• Asia Minor (68 AD) – II Timothy 4:11 – Mark with Timothy during Paul’s second imprisonment
• Rome: Until Paul was killed
• Alexandria, Egypt – Preached and was martyred there

Timeline

• Mark was written about 67 AD according to most sources, although some say it was written about 48 AD, before Matthew.

Introduction

• Acts 20:17, 28
• I Thessalonians 5:12-13; I Timothy 3:1

Why study this?

• To help our current elders in their work.
• To help other men prepare for this work.
• To help the rest of us appreciate their work.
• To differentiate between tradition and God’s word.

Overseeing souls

• Acts 20:28-32
• I Thessalonians 5:12-13 – Elders have charge over people in the congregation and lead them.
• I Timothy 3:4-5 – Elders take care of the church of God. An elder’s work as a family man shows how he will do as an elder. If a man cannot lead his own family well, how can he hope to lead a local church?
• Hebrews 13:17 – Elders keep watch over souls. They will give account for the souls under their care.
• Acts 11:27-30 – This is the only passage in the New Testament that specifically talks about the elders handling money.
• James 5:14-16 – This could be talking about spiritual sickness.

Wielding the sword of the Spirit

• Titus 1:9-14 – Elders must use the Bible in both positive and negative ways. Both exhorting and refuting error.
• Acts 20:32 – Prepare to use the word!
• I Timothy 5:17-18 – Elders are worthy of double honor: respect and money. It is rare these days for elders to be paid, but we do have scriptural authority for it.

Developing their character

• I Peter 5:1-4 – Elders work voluntarily, show eagerness, and act as examples for others.
• Ezekiel 34:1-6, 10 – Shepherds love people and are willing to step into many situations even if they are awkward.
• Acts 20:30
• I Thessalonians 5:12
• Titus 1:9, 13

Introduction

• Acts 1:8
  • Acts 2-7 – Jerusalem
  • Acts 8-13 – Judea and Samaria
  • Acts 14-28 – Remotest parts of the earth

First preaching journey (Acts 13-14)

Begin: Antioch of Syria (Acts 13:1-3)

• Acts 13:1 – Manaen grew up with Herod Antipas!

Cyprus (Acts 13:4-12)

• Acts 13:11 – Saul had the power to strike people blind!
• Acts 13:9 – We are not told why Saul’s name changed to Paul. Saul was a Hebrew name and Paul is a Greek name, so it’ possible he used this name when preaching to Gentiles.

Paul’s sermon in Antioch of Pisidia (Acts 13:13-43)

• As was common, Paul started with a history lesson and cites Israelite history.
• Acts 13:22 – This could be a subtle reminder that God can “remove” us for disobedience.
• Acts 13:37-39 – How to convince Jews? Remind them of the prophecies and show how Jesus fulfilled them.

Jews and Gentiles (Acts 13:44-52)

• Acts 13:44 – In the second week, nearly the entire city came to hear Paul. The audience was probably a Gentile majority at this point.
• Acts 13:45 – The Jews were jealous of the large crowds and began actively working against God!
• Acts 13:48 – “as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.”
  • This is a bit of a grammatical inversion. We never see a case of God directly changing someone’s heart. Compare Hebrews 9:27.

Division in Jerusalem (Acts 14:1-7)

Treated like Gods in Lystra (Acts 14:8-20)

• Acts 14:9 – This does not mean that the man’s faith was required for the miracle.

Genesis 26 – Isaac repeats some of the mistakes of Abraham

• Genesis 26:34-35 – Esau marries foreign wives.

Genesis 27 – Jacob tricks Isaac and Esau

• Genesis 27:1-4 – Isaac asks Esau to bring him his favorite food so he can bless him.
• Genesis 27:5-17 – Rebekah and Jacob trick Isaac to get the blessing.
• Genesis 27:18-29 – Isaac blesses Jacob.
• Genesis 27:30-46 – Isaac is angry with Jacob.

Genesis 28 – Jacob’s ladder

• Genesis 28:1-3 – Isaac blessed Jacob and tells him to go find a wife from Laban in Paddan-aram. Do not take a wife from Canaan.
• Genesis 28:6-8 – Esau takes a wife from Ishmael to spite his father.
• Genesis 28:10-20 – God makes the covenant with Jacob and blesses him. Jacob realizes the “Lord is in this place and I did not know it.” Really?
• Genesis 28:21-22 – Jacob seems to put a condition on God’s journey (“then the Lord shall be my God”).

Genesis 29 – Jacob gets snookered

• Genesis 29:1-12 – Jacob meets Rachel. Notice the contrast between the approach of the servant of Abraham and Jacob.
• Genesis 29:13-20 – Jacob sets his own price, saying he will serve Laban for seven years. Jacob is not motivated to go back because he is afraid of Esau.
• Genesis 29:21-30 – Laban tricks Jacob. Did Laban really care about the marriage order of his daughters? How did Jacob not know it was Leah? Where was Rachel? What should Jacob have done instead? Laban sets the new price.
• Genesis 29:31-35 – The results are a truly dysfunctional family, but God uses Jacob and Laban’s bad decisions to progress His plan and keep His promises.

Genesis 30 – A dysfunctional family

• Genesis 30:1-24 – Jacob’s wives fight over him. Jacob has to deal with his family drama. Rachel’s irony of saying she will die without children, but then dying while giving birth.
• Genesis 30:25-36 – Jacob wants to leave but Laban sets a new price. Laban recognizes that God is behind Jacob. Jacob uses the word “I” a lot. Jacob makes a deal with Laban.

Genesis 31 – Jacob goes back to Canaan

• Genesis 31:1-19 – Jacob realizes that Laban is starting to figure out he is losing livestock. Jacob stops using the word “I” so much.

Genesis 32 – God prevails over Jacob

• Genesis 32:9-12 – Jacob humbles himself to God and prays.
• Genesis 32:13-23 – Jacob prepares a massive gift for Esau and changes the way he originally intended on meeting Esau.
• Genesis 32:24-32 – Jacob wrestles with God. God renames Jacob to Israel.

Introduction

• John 3:16

Characteristics of the local church