The Jews had countless rules to ensure that no work was done on the Sabbath. The problem was that it was work to keep all the rules and they never experienced rest. Jesus came with authority over every moment and all of life. And He is the one who gives true rest to all who come to Him.

As enthusiasm about Jesus begins to build, He makes a startling claim--to have the authority to forgive sin. This is nothing less than a claim to be God. Jesus proves this authority by giving a lame man the ability to walk. The following story shows just how far the forgiveness of Jesus goes--he invites a tax collector to become His disciple.

Mark emphasizes the miracles of Jesus throughout his account. Here, he provides a series of miracles that show the authority of Jesus and give a glimpse of His Kingdom coming to earth. The challenge for us is to also be people who bring His Kingdom to earth in all it's diverse beauty and power.

Jesus calls his disciples to follow Him. This is an invitation that would have been familiar to any person in that day. It meant to attach themselves to Jesus, to become like Him, to go where He goes and do what He does. It's the same invitation He gives today... and it requires us to let go and leave behind all else.

In Mark's opening words, he makes a bold claim about Jesus--he is the Son of God, the Messiah we've been expecting. This claim (1:1) is followed by three witnesses who affirm it--the testimony of John the Baptist, God's announcement at the baptism of Jesus, and Jesus' own claim to be the one who ushers in the Kingdom of God.

Smaller gatherings of believers have always complimented the larger weekly worship gathering. Together, they serve unique purposes that help believers grow as disciples. This sermon looks at the "relational rhythms" of Jesus and explains how we can move toward these same rhythms.

There are obstacles that keep our relationships from growing and they've been around ever since sin entered the world. The good news is that Jesus came to remove sin and restore our relationships. When we respond to sin in the right way , our relationships will grow.

We are made in the image of God to live and thrive in relationships.

In this opening message of the series, we look at how we are uniquely created by a relational God for relationships. Despite the current of culture moving us away from relationships, the church should be characterized by close relationships.

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New Testament relational passages:

Romans 12:1-6

1 Corinthians 12-13

Galatians 6:1-3

Ephesians 4:1-16

Philippians 2:1-12; 4:2-6

Colossians 3:12-17

1 Thessalonians 4:9-12

Hebrews 10:24-25

James 2:1-13; 5:13-16

1 Peter 4:7-11

1 John 3:16-24; 4:7-21

In order to be effective in the Gospel work, we must receive and rely on the power of the Spirit.

Paul moves onto Ephesus to do ministry there. He prays for some disciples who had not yet received the Spirit. By the power of the Spirit, Paul did extraordinary miracles. Some tried to replicate that power, but failed miserably. This resulted in deep respect for the Spirit and openness to the Gospel. (Ephesus later becomes the hub of the Gospel work.)

God knows there are people close to you who will receive the Gospel if you share it with them.

Ministry in Corinth wasn't easy (Paul's letters show just how challenging of a place it was). God speaks to Paul to assure him that there are more in the city who God has already claimed as His. Paul just needs to remain there and carry out the work. There are people here who belong to God but need the Gospel!