The Main Idea
Was Jesus just a great teacher, or was He God? Today, we will explore three moments in the Gospel of Mark that challenge us to answer that question.
Scriptures
Mark 2: 1-12
A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. 2 They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. 3 Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. 4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
6 Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, 7 “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
8 Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? 9 Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? 10 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, 11 “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”
Mark 4:35-41
35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”
39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
Mark 3:31-35
31 Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. 32 A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.”
33 “Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked.
34 Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”
Psalms 89:9
You rule over the surging sea;
when its waves mount up, you still them.
Psalms 107:29
He stilled the storm to a whisper;
the waves of the sea were hushed.
Questions for Discussion
- Icebreaker: Have you ever been in a conversation where someone challenged your beliefs about Jesus? How did it go?
- In Mark 2:1-12, Jesus forgives the sins of a paralyzed man before healing him. The religious leaders say, “Only God can forgive sins.” What does this moment reveal about who Jesus is?
- In Mark 4:35-41, Jesus calms the storm, and the disciples ask, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey Him!” What do their reactions tell us about how people process Jesus’ power?
- Jesus redefines family in Mark 3:31-35, saying that those who do God’s will are His true family. How does this challenge or encourage you in your faith journey?
Moving Forward
The question “Who do you say Jesus is?” is the most important one we will ever answer. If He is just a teacher, we can take or leave His words. But if He is God, then His words are the foundation of life itself.
This week, take a moment to reflect: Do you follow Jesus as a teacher, or do you trust Him as Lord? How does your life reflect that decision?
