Top 10 Life Lessons You Can Apply to Your Life From the Book Of Mark

Insights from the Gospel of Action

The Gospel of Mark is fast-paced and action-oriented, focusing on what Jesus did as much as what He said. It emphasizes His authority, servanthood, and the call to true discipleship. Here are 10 powerful life lessons from the book of Mark

1 Remember To See Others As God Sees Others.

John 1:6, “Now John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. (Mark 1:6, ESV)

I read a story one time of a new pastor who came to his new church dressed as a bum. Of course most people ignored him at least until he was called to the pulpit by the chief elder. Everyone gasped. Wonder what his sermon was about that day.

To some John might have seemed, like the pastor dressed like a bum in an affluent church, odd and out of place. The question and lesson you must learn is to always ask yourself in your heart do you see those who appear different to you as worth the love of Jesus because He sure does.

2 Useful Is As Useful Does

Mark 1:16–20 “Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”

Jesus called fishermen to follow Him and become “fishers of men.” Some might think, “especially the Pharisees,” what was Jesus thinking calling the lowest of society to do God’s work?

What they failed to realize, because their hearts were hardened, it’s not your ability which God wants, it’s your availability. The lesson here is God always calls the willing, not just the most qualified.

3. Your Faith Can Bring Someone Else to Jesus

Mark 2:4-5, “And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”

The friends of the paralyzed man had a great faith if they could just get their friend into Jesus' presence he would be healed. The life lesson here is this. How great is your faith? Is it the kind of faith which will bring those you know who are in dire need of Jesus’ help Into his presence no matter what it takes?

4. Sometimes Religious Traditions Get in the Way Of God’s Love

Mark 3:4, “Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent.”

There is more to this story than what meets the eye. Jesus was calling out the Pharisees for letting their religious traditions blind them to the truth of what their life should be…showing others God’s love and mercy which supersedes everything else.

Don’t shake your head and say, “That’s not me,” because if you‘re truthful with yourselves, at times let your “religion”, what you feel is the right way to do church, get in the way of what you should be doing. The lesson here is don‘t let anything get in the way of simply loving others as Jesus loves them.

5. Even In The Littlest Things God Can Create Something Big

Mark 4:30–32(ESV), “And he said, "With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade."

In this parable Jesus compares the growing of the Kingdom of God to a mustard seed, which is one of the smallest seeds, but when planted grows into a large tree. The lesson you can learn from the mustard seed is this, don’t ever underestimate the impact of what you do to help the furtherance of God’s kingdom. Your contribution may appear small to you but it always helps for the greater good of all.

6. Storms Test Our Trust In God

Mark 4:39 - 40, “And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?”

Jesus calmed the storm—and the disciples’ fear but look how he ended “Why are you still afraid.”. In life a lot of storms are going to roll in with crashing waves, lightning and thunder. If you are not careful, when fear rises in your heart, the storms will capsize your boat. However, the life lesson here is if you focus on who’s in your boat, Jesus, you will be able to brave the storm until the storm passes.

7. Family, Your Hardest Mission Field

Mark 4:6 ESV, “And Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household." (Mark 6:4, ESV)

You're gonna find when you give your heart and life to Jesus some people are gonna resent you just because you became a Christian. The sad part is some of those people are your own relatives.

In Mark 4, Jesus had the same problem. His own townspeople and family rejected him. The life lesson we can learn from Jesus is this, keep on keeping on. In others words don’t stop praying for your family to be saved but also don’t stop spreading the good news either

8. Check Your Heart At the Door

Mark 7:21-23, “For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person."

What can we say about our hearts? Well according to Jesus in Mark 7 the heart is not defiled (polluted) by what you eat but by what attitudes you store in the heart. You see the heart is like a sponge. Whatever you let your heart absorb is what’s gonna come out of the heart. If you let your heart become self absorbed of course what’s gonna come out is what’s listed in versus 21 to 23. A life lesson for you here is to be careful not to let your heart absorb the things of this world, but seek to absorb the word of God so what comes out if the heart will be the fruits of the spirit.

9. Self Service is No Service At All

Mark 10:43–45, “The Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve.”

Jesus' ministry on eart shows us there is a right way to serve God and a wrong way. When your service to God centers on what you’re getting out of it you’re serving God in the wrong way. However when seeking to serve God and are not worried about getting anything back in return you are truly serving selflessly. The life lesson here is to always remember humility is the true path to true service.

10. Your Eyes Are Getting Droopy, Stay Awake

Mark 13:37, “And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake."

Jesus warned his followers they would neither know the hour or day he would come again. His call was for all Christians to stay awake. In other words don’t take your eyes off of why you’re here. Not to sit and watch the sky for his return but to do His work in this world. It seems however many who call themselves followers of Jesus have a case of droopy eyes.

They fail to see the work of the Lord right in front of their eyes which needs to be done because their eyes are not open to it. The life lesson here is not to have droopy eyes when it comes to doing God’s work but to stay awake with eyes wide open in order to see where your help is needed

There you have it. The top 10 lessons from the book of Mark. At least my top 10 life lessons. I’m sure if you took the time you could find many more.