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  • Essay / Themes and messages from the Gospel of Mark relevant to young people today

    The theme of the day of reflection is “making a difference”. A Reflection Day is when your whole cohort reflects on how the year is going and experiences a wide range of performances and activities from the Youth Mission Team on the impact of the Bible on young people in today's society. Throughout the Gospel of Mark, there is a wide range of underlying themes and messages that allow a wide audience to engage with what he wrote. On the day of Year 9 Reflection Day, I want to involve the public as much as possible to ensure they get the most out of the day. This can be achieved by creating a play using Year 9 volunteers to help describe the “Parable of the Sower” which is taken from the Bible passage I have chosen (​Mark 3:7 – 6:6a) . Once the play is complete, Grade 9 students will divide into small groups to discuss and create a piece of art depicting the Parable of the Sower of their own. The piece I create will attempt to display the theme or message I have chosen in a way that is not obvious. The Parable of the Sower tells the story of a sower who scatters seeds that fall on four different types of soil. The hard ground has prevented the seeds from growing and the seeds become birdseed. The stony soil provides enough soil for the seeds to grow, but the plants do not take root and wither in the sun. Thorny soil allows seeds to grow, but thorns choke out plant life. Finally, the good soil receives the seed and produces fruit. To engage 9th graders in this parable, it is important to realize that everyone receives God's Word differently and that it is how they interpret the good news that determines their relationship with God. I will engage them in activities that will aim to encourage greater development of their faith. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”?Get the original essayThe Gospel of Mark is the second book of the New Testament. The Gospel of Mark is the shortest book of the four gospels and was probably the oldest gospel written. It is believed to have been composed shortly before the destruction of the Temple of Jesus in AD 70. The Gospel of Mark is divided into three acts (sections). Act 1 takes place in the city of Galilee and focuses primarily on who Jesus is as well as the power of Jesus as he brings the kingdom of God to Earth. Jesus did this by healing sick or oppressed people while forgiving their sins. Act 2 is called “On the Journey” and focuses on the disciples' struggle to understand what it meant for Jesus to be the messiah. Finally, Act 3 focuses on how Jesus became the messianic king and depicts Holy Week and Jesus' crucifixion. Some believe that Mark's gospel was never finished because he wanted to emphasize to the reader the shocking claim that the crucified and resurrected Jesus was the Messiah. ​The four authors of the gospels found in the New Testament are Matthew, Mark, Luke and John and are known as the evangelists. An evangelist is a person who seeks out people to convert them to the Christian faith. The four authors are often represented according to their attributes. For example, the Angel for Saint Matthew, the Lion for Saint Mark, the Ox for Saint Luke and the Eagle for Saint John. In some cases these symbols are given to replace the evangelists. In particular, Saint Mark is depicted as a winged lion, but can also be depicted with a book representing his gospel. THEWinged lion is considered the patron of Venice and is used as a symbol that displays a unique sign of identity and power. The symbol of Saint Mark has no official or political meaning but rather a popular and religious origin. The winged lion represents that as a church family we are alive and vibrant, strong and moving, like Jesus in the Gospel of Mark. ScriptureThe passage I chose was Mark 3:7 – 6:6a with a specific focus on the Parable of the Sower (4:1-20). Throughout the Parable of the Sower, a wide range of themes and messages are presented. The main themes that can be drawn from the scriptural reference I have chosen include: God's steadfast love for us as well as the truths about the kingdom of God. Throughout the Parable of the Sower, it simply represents the seed of the good news of Jesus announced by his disciples. The farmer in the story sows four different seeds in many different places, just as Christians spread the news of God in a wide range of places. Depending on where the seeds are sown may depend on how the seed physically grows. It's the same for Christians when it comes to the good news of Jesus: for some people it is a good outcome while for others it may be a bad outcome. The Parable of the Sower contains a wide range of messages relevant to 9th graders in today's society. The parable can teach us about ourselves. This means that God will bless the disciples who love and trust Him. From this parable we discover very similar truths found in the beatitudes. Mark 4:11 - He said to them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But for those outside, everything is said in parables. » This biblical reference means that there are many things that people care about and want to know more about. However, if these people cannot understand the truths and messages of the Gospels, how could they learn something more difficult? This reference helps us understand the privileges we have as followers of Christ. This reference reveals truths about the kingdom of God which was one of my key themes. Mark 4:20 - “Others, like seed sown in good soil, hear the word and accept it and produce a harvest: some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown. » This biblical reference refers to seeds that were sown in good soil. The good ground throughout the parable refers to the hearts of Christ's disciples who receive the Word of God. If God's Word were received, these disciples would do everything in their power to show God unfailing love for them and vice versa. Mark 12:29-31​ - “The most important thing,” Jesus replied, “is this: Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.​ ​Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: “Love your neighbor as yourself. » There is no commandment greater than these. This biblical reference refers to Christian disciples loving God with all their hearts, which will enable them to engage in whatever pleases them. The reference asks us to balance the two greatest commandments: to love God and to love our neighbor. These two commandments are the foundation of the Christian faith and must be obeyed to discover the truths about God's kingdom and receive God's unfailing love for us. Throughout the research process, I had to create a research question relevant to the unit of study which was the Gospel of Mark, with a focus on. 2019