WHO
A STUDY IN THE GOSPEL OF MARK
Mark’s Gospel was written for Romans, a world driven by speed, power, productivity, and spectacle. In many ways, it’s written for us. Mark moves fast. He shows us Jesus more than he explains Him. From the opening line, he tells us exactly who Jesus is, then invites us to watch closely and decide for ourselves.
But beneath the urgency is something deeper. Mark keeps drawing our attention to how people respond to Jesus. Some follow. Some resist. Some are amazed but confused. Even the disciples struggle to understand what kind of Messiah He really is, mirroring our own questions, assumptions, and half-formed faith.
Repeatedly, Jesus defies expectations. He refuses power as the world defines it. His authority looks like compassion. His strength shows up in service. His kingship is revealed not through domination, but through surrender, suffering, and ultimately giving His life for many.
At the center of the story, Jesus forces the question into the open: Who do you say that I am? And at the end, Mark leaves us standing with the women at the empty tomb, stunned, silent, unsure what comes next.
It’s not an unfinished ending. It’s an invitation. If Jesus really is who He says He is, how will we respond?
- The Downtown Hope Theology Team
Go and Tell | Mark 16:9-20
In this episode, we’re closing out our journey through the Gospel of Mark with a simple but honest question: What happens after the resurrection?
Because the story doesn’t end with an empty tomb. It moves forward through imperfect, unlikely people… people a lot like us. If you’ve ever felt unqualified, not ready, or unsure what your next step is, this one’s for you.
April 12, 2026 | David Bempong
Have Faith In God | Mark 11:1-11
On Palm Sunday, the crowds shouted “Hosanna!” as Jesus enters Jerusalem—but within days, the crowd would be shouting “Crucify him!" In Mark 11, Jesus uses a fig tree and a disrupted temple to reveal a deeper truth: outward appearance isn’t enough. God desires real faith.
March 29, 2026 | Hayden Van Dyke
The One Thing | Mark 10:46-52
Two men encounter Jesus in Mark 10. One walks away. One throws everything aside and follows. The difference isn’t intelligence or sincerity, it’s what they’re holding onto. In this episode, we’ll look at Bartimaeus and the question his story leaves us with, what are you still gripping that Jesus is asking you to release?
March 22, 2026 | David Bempong
A Transcending Re-figuration | Mark 9:2-8
There is a devastating disfiguration of the world- whether bombarded buildings, diseased bodies, impoverished communities, broken relationships or toxic churches- the shape or figure of the world, our city, even our lives, is not what they ought to be. In this episode, Joey walks us through Mark 9:2-8, where Jesus offers his disciples a dramaturgy of an ancient event that both reveals his identity and points us to a future reconfiguring of all things.
March 15, 2026 | Joey Tomassoni
Seeing Jesus Clearly | Mark 8:27-38
In this episode, we’ll look at a turning point in Mark’s Gospel. Peter correctly identifies Jesus as the Messiah, but quickly discovers he doesn’t fully understand what that means. Jesus reveals that you cannot see Him clearly until the cross comes into focus. Join us as we explore what it really means to see Jesus clearly—and what it means to follow Him.
March 8, 2026 | David Bempong
All Things Well | Mark 7:31-37
Join us for this episode , where Jesus opens a man’s deaf ears and frees his tongue. It’s a powerful picture of what happens when the King restores what’s been shut down. The question is simple, what might He want to open in us?
March 1, 2026 | David Bempong
Feed by Example | Mark 6:30-34
In the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 (Mark 6), we see the compassion of the Good Shepherd. Jesus not only sees the needs of the crowd—He invites His disciples to help meet them: “You feed them.”
In this episode, we’ll explore what it means to look to Jesus, trust His provision, and participate in what God is doing around us. Join us as we learn how Christ meets our needs and calls us to be His hands and feet in the world.
February 15, 2026 | Hayden Van Dyke
A Mercy Shaped Freedom | Mark 5:1-20
We all have the tendency to adopt ideologies we believe will give us an ultimate sense of security in the chaos of the world (entrusting ourselves to a lower god or spirit). Join us as Joey walks us through Mark 5.1-20, where Jesus encounters a man with a lower spirit, and we discover the severity of the mercy Jesus offers as the Son of the God who is the Most High.
February 8, 2026 | Joey Tomassoni
The Parable | Mark 4:1-20
Jesus invites His listeners to hear a story before offering an explanation. The seed is the same. The response is not. And a simple but unsettling question sits beneath it all: why doesn’t it work for everyone? Join us as we discover the answer to this question.
February 1, 2026 | David Bempong
Where Are You Standing? | Mark 3:31-35
We all want to belong. But what if belonging isn’t about who you sit next to—it’s about who you walk with? In this episode we’ll be in Mark 3:31–35, where Jesus redefines family and invites us into a community shaped by obedience, grace, and shared life. Come explore what it means to not just show up, but to be formed together as God’s family.
January 25, 2026 | David Bempong
With Friends Like These… | Mark 2:1-12
Have you ever read a story in the Bible and thought, “Man, I wish I could have been there to see that”? Using a technique called Biblical Imagination, we are going to try and do this as we examine the well-known story of Jesus healing a paralytic brought to Him by some very caring and even more determined friends. We will also learn some valuable lessons from the five major characters in this drama as we strive to “carry out” (pun intended) our duty to follow Jesus.
January 18, 2026 | Chris Adomanis
Follow Me | Mark 1:14-20
Join us as we begin a new sermon series through Mark’s Gospel, exploring the competing gospels that shape our lives and hearing Jesus’ simple, costly invitation: Repent. Believe. Follow Me.
January 11, 2026 | David Bempong