River Valley Church New Testament Soap Sprint Sample

Jesus was born into a time in Israel’s history when the nation was under oppressive Roman rule. Most Jews held the belief that the Messiah promised in the Old Testament would be a sociopolitical leader who would fight back and liberate them from Rome, ending their exile. Mark’s account of Jesus, however, gives us a very different portrayal of the Messiah. He highlights how Jesus used his power to help the powerless, and how Jesus urged people not to spread His fame yet. Mark characterizes Jesus by service rather than by rule, and by humility rather than by forceful power.