Following Jesus in the Gospel of Mark

Scripture — Mark 1:1 (NRSV)

The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Devotion

Today, we begin a new Life for Leaders series based on the Gospel of Mark. In the next couple of months, I’ll begin this series. Then I’ll take a break from the Gospel of Mark to write a series of devotions on the De Pree Center’s quarterly theme (Flourishing). After finishing that series, I’ll return to Mark. I’d like to take an unhurried walk with you through this Gospel, allowing it to deepen our faith and enlarge our vision of what it means to follow Jesus in every part of life.

As you know, Life for Leaders regularly addresses the themes of work and leadership. This is part of what makes this devotional distinctive. I expect it’s one of the reasons you are a subscriber. But, if you’ve been receiving Life for Leaders for a while, you know that sometimes I write about other themes. I do this, in part, because I try to be faithful to the meaning of the biblical text I’m working on. But I also do this because I am concerned about your whole life, not just your work and leadership. In fact, who you are as a person and as a follower of Jesus will have a profound influence on how you work and lead. Moreover, I want you to have a rich, growing relationship with God that touches every aspect of your life.

As we’ll see in the weeks ahead, the Gospel of Mark has much to say about work and leadership, though these are not its main themes. This Gospel focuses on the actions of Jesus from the time of his baptism through his crucifixion and resurrection. It reveals how, through Jesus, the kingdom of God is at hand. It calls us through the narrative to be followers of Jesus. And, as we’ll see in tomorrow’s devotion, the Gospel of Mark contains marvelous good news.

So, a devotional study in Mark is surely worth doing. Any time we’re paying close attention to Jesus, we’re doing something of great value, something potentially life-changing. After all, Jesus stands in the center of the picture framed by the beginning and end of the Bible. He is the one who helps us grasp the rich meaning of God’s biblical story. He is the one who enables us to make sense of our lives, including our work. He is the one who calls us to follow him into the life of the kingdom of God. The Gospel of Mark helps us, in the words of Richard of Chichester, to see Jesus more clearly, love him more dearly, and follow him more nearly.

I’m writing this series on Following Jesus in the Gospel of Mark for your benefit and for the benefit of the thousands of people who read Life for Leaders each day. But I’m also doing this because of what God has been doing in my own life and faith. About a year ago, as I was sitting quietly in my morning devotions, it occurred to me that it had been a long time since I had focused on Jesus in my daily Scripture reading. Yes, I’d read a passage from the Gospels here and there, but hadn’t read through a Gospel in a few years. So, I decided to add a simple discipline to my devotional life, namely, listening to one chapter of one of the Gospels each day. Now I’m into my third “lap” through the Gospels, having just finished Mark once again. I haven’t had any dramatic “Road to Damascus” moments as I’ve listened to a Gospel passage every morning. But I do sense a greater closeness with Jesus. Plus, I am both comforted and challenged by him. No surprise there! That always happens when we pay attention to Jesus.

I’d like you to join me in my walk through the Gospels as we seek to see Jesus more clearly, love him more dearly, and follow him more nearly. The Gospel of Mark is a good place to start. Thank you for joining me on this journey.

Find all Life for Leaders devotions here. Explore what the Bible has to say about work at the unique website of our partners, the Theology of Work Project. Reflection on today’s Life for Leaders theme can be found here: Mark 1:1–8. The Beginning of the Good News.