Of Freedom and ForgivenessSample

The Truth and The Power

The Truth of God frees us from deception.

When the Jews listened to Jesus’ teaching and saw what He was doing, they said, “What is this? A new teaching—and with authority!” (Mark 1:27).

Look at this first chapter of Mark and see the Truth and Power of the Kingdom of God. Are you experiencing the full impact of the Kingdom of God in your life? This is the “new teaching” the Jews referred to. The Kingdom of God had come to earth — the Son of God had come to usher in the Kingdom. Do you have spiritual eyes to see that the Kingdom has come?

Four truths of the Kingdom of God: (v. 9-13)

1. God is trying to reveal Himself to you – voice from heaven (v. 10-11). How does God “speak” to us today?

2. God has taken upon Himself all of your sins – John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance for sin. Jesus was confessing your sin! What sin did you commit this week that He confessed that day at the Jordan River? (v. 5, 9)

3. God longs to have a loving relationship with you – The Father’s relationship with His “beloved Son” (v. 11) is the kind of relationship He wants with you. He loves you as much as He loves Jesus! (John 17:23)

4. God can enable you to have victory over temptation – Jesus’ victory over Satan’s temptations is evidence that He can enable you to do the same. (See Matthew 4:1-11; Hebrews 2:18)

Question: Which one of these four truths is hardest for you to believe?

Three requirements of the Kingdom of God:

1. Repent (v. 15) Admit you have sinned; turn away from your sin to God “... you stopped worshiping idols and began serving the living and true God” (1 Thessalonians 1:9, NCV). What is your “idol”?

2. Believe the good news (v. 15) Jesus took hell for you to bring you into a loving relationship with the Father

3. Obey (v. 16-20) Simon, Andrew, James, and John obeyed. Are you obeying what God has told you to do?

Question: Think of a time when you followed these three requirements: repent, believe, and obey. What were the results in your life? The Power of God frees us from Satan and Sickness

1. Freedom from demonic control (v. 21-26, 34) — demons obeyed Jesus

2. Sickness healed (v. 29-34, 40-45) — Jesus healed when people asked The Kingdom of God has come crashing in upon Satan’s reign of darkness, disease, and deception. Jesus has come as LORD!

Question: Are you experiencing the full impact of the Kingdom of God? If not, why? (Look again at the “truths” and “requirements” above.) “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed” (v. 35)