Dying to Live: Lessons from Mark

by John Churcher

Overview

‘Dying to Live’ is a radical exploration of the life of Jesus through the memories of Peter the Apostle and his translator Mark. It is a journey, not a destination. It is a continuing quest not in search of integrity but to preserve it. This book offers glimpses of a deeper relevant spirituality for today. The starting point is that the ‘Gospel’ of Mark was written as an interpretive biography, not as sacred text. To over-spiritualise the reading of Mark is to miss the real Jesus contained within its pages. To follow Jesus is not so much concerned with 'right belief' as it is about how one lives. Jesus accepted people as they were and especially offered the outsider and the rejected dignity and a sense of personal worth. Churches have rightly encouraged charitable giving, especially to the poor and the outcast, but its creeds and doctrines have misrepresented the transformational life and teaching of Jesus, masking the hard cost of discipleship required to address the underlying root causes of violence, hunger and poverty in a world of plenty.
,

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781846947155
Publisher:	Collective Ink
Publication date:	04/16/2012
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.60(d)

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements ix

Prologue 1

Chapter 1 Setting out on a Journey of Discovery 15

Chapter 2 Mark's Gospel as Social Commentary 30

Mark Chapter 1 Calling the first disciples (inconsistent Gospel accounts) 41

Mark Chapter 2 Jesus sets up his home in Capernaum 52

Mark Chapter 3 The decision to kill Jesus 64

Mark Chapter 4 Explaining the nature of the New Kingdom of God 68

Mark Chapter 5 The nature of faith, unbelief and the impact upon the training of the Disciples 80

Mark Chapter 6 Jesus visits his original hometown 86

Mark Chapter 7 Clean and unclean 107

Mark Chapter 8 Do you still not understand? 122

Mark Chapter 9 Discipleship will be costly 126

Mark Chapter 10 Concerning family life 137

Mark Chapter 11 The Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem 153

Mark Chapter 12 Jesus is confronted by the Temple Authorities 160

Mark Chapter 13 The Old Kingdom is coming to an end so the followers of Jesus are encouraged to be alert 169

Mark Chapter 14 Jesus the Lamb of the Passover 176

Mark Chapters 15 and 16 The trial and execution of Jesus 192

Appendices 202

References 218

Questions for Group Discussion 219