A long time ago, in a town far, far away, there was born one who would astound the world.
This fall we are embarking on the most amazing story ever told. About a man who visited our planet and lived among us with a secret identity. A man who was able to perform acts of incredible power, yet laid aside his superpowers to serve mankind. A man who was misunderstood and persecuted by the very people he came to rescue. A man who sacrificed his life to liberate us from an evil villain.
And while we can look back to an origin story that has been oft-told, for the original friends and followers of Jesus, figuring out who he was took some time. No one knew quite what to make of him.
Some thought He was out of his mind.
Others that He was possessed by demons.
Some thought he was the answer to all their physical illnesses.
Some thought he was a spiritual warrior.
Some thought he was the long predicted king.
People had all kinds of responses to Jesus, and this is why His piercing question, “Who do you say that I am?” is one that penetrates every human heart. We must ask this question anew in each generation and in each new day of our lives.
Starting in September, our community of faith called Pulpit Rock will ask this question as we dive into the Gospel of Mark—Mark’s account of the arrival, teaching, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
Mark’s gospel is not a dry recitation of events. He writes of the life of Jesus with one goal in mind—that we would respond in word and deed to the question, “Who do YOU say that I am?”
And to do this, we invite all of you to a journey of spiritual formation outside the Sunday sermons. We are inviting our adults and students to follow along with the series using The Book of Mark, a companion book, that will guide us into weekly readings, devotional thoughts, Biblical commentary for deeper study, and discussion questions.
If your small group wants to use this, that would be a great idea as well. If you would like to connect with a community on Sunday mornings, consider joining David White, one of our elders, as he leads a weekly discussion in Mark with further teaching on Sundays at 10:30 AM.
You can purchase a copy of the book online here, or at the table in The Gathering Place for $10. We will also have bookmarks that will help you read along.
We would love for you to follow us in this journey, sharing your stories and insights with us along the way at GospelofMark@pulpitrock.com
Who do you say that He is? Why do you think that He came? And what does He mean for your life?
We welcome you to sit with these questions together at our table this fall.
