Welcome Christianity Explored students (and prospective students)!

We are glad you have decided to join us (or are considering it) as we take a sober and clear thinking look at Christianity. Specifically we will talk about who Jesus Christ really was, what he came to do, and basically "so what?"

We'll start each evening with a meal where we will just hang out and get to know each other then have a quality video presentation (sample below) and some lively discussion. This is not a church service. We will not be singing; we will not be asking you to pray or read anything aloud; and we won't be taking an offering. We will, however encourage you to think and we will welcome your questions (nothing is out of bounds) and participation in the discussion to whatever level you desire.

You may ask questions here (anonymously if you wish) by placing them as a comment on any of the posts. We will try to answer them in the comment field or convert them into posts. This will not be a very active blog, but anyone interested in this course is welcome to comment at any time.

Expositional Sermons of Mark

The following series of sermons were preached at Capital Hill Baptist Church in Washington D.C. by Dr. Mark Dever, and at First Presbyterian Church in Jackson, MS by Derek Thomas. I have combined them to give a full exposition of the gospel. If you are interested in more of Derek Thomas' exposition of Mark (including transcripts), you can find it here). Find other books of the Bible here.

Don't let the long list intimidate you. Once you develop an appetite, you'll find yourself plowing through them and looking for more. If you don't have one, consider investing in an mp3 player (some are very inexpensive) and play them while you work out or while driving (an FM transmitter for your mp3 player can also be very inexpensive--hear the messages through the car radio.

• Gospel of Mark (A Summary) -- Dever: New Testament Overviews: June 20, 1999
  
• Mark 1:1-8 -- "Preview" (Dever: Jesus: The Early Years: Sep 3, 1995)
  
• Mark 1:9-13 -- "Jesus' Debut" (Dever: Jesus: The Early Years: Sep 10, 1995)
  
• Mark 1:14-20 -- "Jesus Breaks His Silence" (Dever: Jesus: The Early Years: Sep 17, 1995)
  
• Mark 1:21-28 -- "Amazing Authority" (Dever: Jesus: The Early Years: Sep 24, 1995)
  
• Mark 1:29-34 -- "Jesus, Healing and the New Age" (Dever: Jesus: The Early Years: Oct 1, 1995)
  
• Mark 1:35-39 -- "Preaching, Praying & Popularity" (Dever: Jesus: The Early Years: Oct 8, 1995)
  
• Mark 1:40-45 -- "The Secret Savior" (Dever: Jesus: The Early Years: Oct 15, 1995)
  
• Mark 2:1-12 -- "Who Can Forgive?" (Dever: Jesus: The Early Years: Oct 22, 1995)
  
• Mark 2:13-17 -- "Good People and Jesus" (Dever: Introducing Jesus: Oct 9, 1994)
  
• Mark 2:18-3:6 -- "What's So Different About Jesus?" (Dever: Introducing Jesus: Oct 16, 1994)
  
• Mark 3:7-19 -- "Attracted or Called?" (Dever: Responding to Jesus: June 2, 1996)
  
• Mark 3:20-35 -- "Blasphemous or Obedient?" (Dever: Responding to Jesus: June 9, 1996)
  
• Mark 4:1-25 -- "Ignoring or Hearing?" (Dever: Responding to Jesus: June 16, 1996)
  
• Mark 4:26-34 -- "Impatient or Patient?" (Dever: Responding to Jesus: June 23, 1996)
  
• Mark 4:35-5:43 -- "Fear or Faith?" (Dever: Responding to Jesus: June 30, 1996)
  
• Mark 6:1-6 -- "Offense or Belief?" (Dever: Responding to Jesus: July 7, 1996)
  
• Mark 6:6-13 -- "Jesus & the Apostles: Ambassadors of God" (Dever: Meeting Jesus: Feb 1, 1998)
  
• Mark 6:14-29 -- "Jesus & Fear: The Futility of Opposing God" (Dever: Meeting Jesus: Feb 8, 1998)
  
• Mark 6:30-34 -- "Jesus & Margins: Jesus on Vacation" (Dever: Meeting Jesus: Feb 15, 1998)
  
• Mark 6:35-44 -- "Jesus & Hunger: Jesus, The Bread Winner" (Dever: Meeting Jesus: Feb 22, 1998)
  
• Mark 6:45-46 -- "Jesus & Prayer: Praying Alone" (Dever: Meeting Jesus: Mar 1, 1998)
  
• Mark 6:47-56 -- "Jesus & Nature: The Scary Jesus" (Dever: Meeting Jesus: Mar 8, 1998)
  
• Mark 7:1-13 -- "Jesus & Hypocrisy: Fake Worship" (Dever: Meeting Jesus: Mar 15, 1998)
  
• Mark 7:14-23 -- "Jesus & Filth: The Heart of the Problem" (Dever: Meeting Jesus: Mar 22, 1998)
  
• Mark 7:24-30 -- "Jesus & Faith: Pushy People" (Dever: Meeting Jesus: Mar 29, 1998)
  
• Mark 8:14-21 -- "Jesus & Yeast: A Bad Answer" (Dever: Meeting Jesus: Apr 19, 1998)
  
• Mark 8:22-26 -- "Jesus & Spiritual Sight: Beginning to Get It" (Dever: Meeting Jesus: Apr 26, 1998)
  
• Mark 8:27-30 -- "The Messiah" (Dever: Who Do You Say I Am?: Apr 1, 2001)
  
• Mark 8:31-9:1 -- "The Sufferer" (Dever: Who Do You Say I Am?: Apr 8, 2001)
  
• Mark 9:2-13 -- "The Son" (Dever: Who Do You Say I Am?: Apr 15, 2001)
  
• Mark 9:14-32 -- "The Healer" (Dever: Who Do You Say I Am?: Apr 22, 2001)
  
• Mark 9:33-37 -- "The Servant" (Dever: Who Do You Say I Am?: Apr 29, 2001)
  
• Mark 9:38-42 -- "For Or Against?" (Thomas: Exposition of Mark: Mar 13, 2005)
  
• Mark 9:43-50 -- "Mortification, Jesus Style" (Thomas: Exposition of Mark: Mar 20, 2005)
• Mark 10:1-12 -- "Rent Asunder" (Thomas: Exposition of Mark: Apr 10, 2005)
• Mark 10:13-16 -- "Children" (Thomas: Exposition of Mark: Apr 17, 2005)
• Mark 10:17-31 -- "The One That Got Away" (Thomas: Exposition of Mark: May 15, 2005)
• Mark 10:32-45 -- "Crossways" (Thomas: Exposition of Mark: May 22, 2005)
• Mark 10:46-52 -- "Lord, Have Mercy" (Thomas: Exposition of Mark: May 29, 2005)
• Mark 11:1-11 -- "Hosanna!" (Thomas: Exposition of Mark: Sep 21, 2005)
• Mark 11:12-24 -- "Upset Over a Tree" (Thomas: Exposition of Mark: Sep 28, 2005)
• Mark 11:27-12:12 -- "The Napa Valley Parable" (Thomas: Exposition of Mark: Oct 5, 2005)
• Mark 12:1-12 -- "The Judgemental Jesus" (Dever: The End of Jesus: Nov 20, 1994)
  
• Mark 12:13-17 -- "Majority Rules?" (Dever: The End of Jesus: Nov 27, 1994)
  
• Mark 12:18-43 -- "The Danger of Being Religious" (Dever: The End of Jesus: Dec 4, 1994)
  
• Mark 13:1-37 -- "Jesus: The Sequel" (Dever: The End of Jesus: Dec 11, 1994)
  
• Mark 14:1-11 -- "How Do I Tell Jesus I Love Him?" (Thomas: Exposition of Mark: Jan 15, 2006)
  
• Mark 14:12-21 -- "Selling Your Soul to Satan" (Thomas: Exposition of Mark: Jan 22, 2006)
  
• Mark 14:22-26 -- "The Last Supper" (Thomas: Exposition of Mark: Jan 29, 2006)
  
• Mark 14:32-42 -- "Dark Gethsemane" (Thomas: Exposition of Mark: Feb 5, 2006)
  
• Mark 14:43-65 -- "The Silence of the Lamb" (Thomas: Exposition of Mark: Feb 12, 2006)
  
• Mark 14:27-31 -- "Failure" (Thomas: Exposition of Mark: Mar 19, 2006)
  
• Mark 15:33-16:8 -- "Born to Die?" (Dever: The End of Jesus: Dec 25, 1994)
  

Accountability Statement (and contact info)

This blog and the Objective Gospel web site operate under the authority of and in submission to the elders of Desert Springs Church. If you believe I am teaching error or am failing to demonstrate Christian love, it is your responsibility to bring it to me, and if you don't receive satisfaction, bring it to the elders of DSC [Ron @ desertspringschurch.org] (leave out the spaces).


T.A. Ragsdale
Tim @ objectivegospel.org
Albuquerque, NM