Nathan alerted me to the latest Max McLean dramatic reading- it "happens" to be the Gospel of Mark!
Here's the first clip of this stunning depiction of Mark's Gospel:
You can follow the rest of the readings on Youtube or go to Justin Taylor's blog to see them all in order (here).
8 comments:
So awesome, thanks Tony!
I started watching this tonight and was enthralled. It's after 11:00 now, and I'm going to have to stop so I can go to bed. He makes this so real! You're right, I didn't realize Mark was so fast-paced. I look forward to the next year, or however long it takes to go through this.
Wow, the Word made alive! I have heard that this great man of God has memorized most, if not by now, all of the New Testament. Talking about “hiding the Word in your heart!” As he dramatized, I followed along in the New American Standard, several points jumped out at me. In this dramatic presentation of Chapter 1, “immediately” was proclaimed 10 times. His purpose was clear and we must respond with immediate actions. Also In Verse 17, He gave His divine call to “follow Me!” In verse 18, they responded. In verse 20, when the disciples left their nets, they didn’t look behind them, “they went away and followed Him.” In verse 24, Satan and his demons recognized and even loudly proclaimed, Jesus as “the Holy One of God!” He made His purpose known in verse one. But so that the people would not mistake His purpose, seeing Him only as a healer, He withdrew from the crowds to pray and spend time alone with His Father. Then His purpose was again made clear to the Disciples in verse 38. “And He said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is what I came for.”
Can’t wait for the next installment!
Dear Pastor, I will make this a daily listening and following along. What I gleaned from today's hearing was the proclamation of bold evangelism from verse 45.
“But he went out and began to proclaim it (the Good News of Jesus, the Christ) freely and to spread the news about, to such an extent that Jesus could no longer publicly enter a city, but He stayed out in the unpopulated areas and they were coming to Him from everywhere!”
A public display for Christ hinders His message and His ministry. The excitement of the messenger, no matter who he is or what he has done, should never overshadow His message. If Jesus needed time alone to gather His thoughts, gain strength through conversations with His Father, how much more should we seek Christ’s Words of strength in solitude in quiet, deserted places?
awesome!! I love his dramatic interpretation. I'm going to have to watch the rest of them when I have a good chunk of time to sit. Thanks for sharing!
The later part of Verse 34 seemed strange: “And He did not allow the demons to speak (about the miracle healings He had done) because they KNEW HIM.” Jesus came to do good, demons come to deceive, steel and destroy. Jesus did not want HIS TRUTHS to be made known from the voices of those who desired evil. Many heard His claims and saw His miracles and rejected Him as Lord and Savior. On the contrary, demons knew His claims, they saw His Miracles and reject His message. Don’t speak truth when you live amount the camp of liars.
He comes to us! And wherever Christ comes, HE comes to serve and do good. Verse 31: “And HE came to her and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them.” Again, we see how Mark drilled down on the serving factor. What spoke to me today was the fact that HE approaches us, coming to those in need, without fanfare or any need for public display, He gently reaches down, takes hold of her, lifts her up from her present sickness, and removes what is keeping her from being an effective servant of the Most High.
Then again 10 verses later; verse 41: “Moved with compassion, HE stretched out HIS hand and touched him (the leper) and said to him, "I AM WILLING; be clean!"
The leper knows about Jesus. Refusing to be hampered by the religious folks who told him he is not worthy to be clean, the man falls down before Him, cries out for mercy, knowing the only HE can make him clean. Jesus approaches even the ugliest of sinners, even a filthy leper like me. HE sees deep into our souls, He knows our hearts, He knows our every intention. When we fall before HIM in total brokenness, He is moved with great compassion. HE reaches down into the pits of wherever we are, and HE touches us and makes us clean. He is always WILLING when fall on our knees with a broken and contrite heart. This once filthy sick and unclean leper is now a new creature, an egar servant of the Most High! He becomes an evangelist that knows now limits, proclaiming HIS GOOD NEWS freely, even to the religious folks who told him he is unworthy!
On day five, as I have listened to Max McLean "doing" the Gospel of Mark by sharing in the dramatics of Mark’s God breathed writings, I have seen the Word come alive more than I had imagined! Each day His joy and His abundant peace floods my heart during the reading. Hearing this marvelous performance, following along in the Word, becoming familiar with each powerful but simple statement of our Lord, has strangely brought me closer to the person of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. On this very good Friday, as I warm myself by the calming fire, glowing brightly from His Throne Room, the words in verse 10-11 jumped out to me. “And when HE came up out of the water, immediately HE saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on HIM like a dove. 11And a voice came from heaven, "You are my beloved Son; with you I AM well pleased."
I have seen heaven’s gates of splendor opened to me. I have felt His Spirit descending and working upon me like never before. This has been sure evidence of what He has in store for me as I seek to follow Him. And as He prepares me for His good will to be done, my Spirit has been gently warmed by another reminder of almost the same words of the praise and promise. 34 words of promise, spoken by Christ in Matthew 25:21 and the same 34 words reemphasized in verse 23, “His master said to him, ‘Well done good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’” O what unspeakable joy to treasure up and ponder His words in my heart!
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