A Good Plan
When will you read? Where will you read? What things will you need? You might like: a Bible, a journal/notebook/post-its, pen/pencil/highlighter, good lighting, comfortable seating, glasses?
Maybe you'll read early in the morning with a cup of coffee- set out your supplies the night before
Maybe you'll read with others after dinner- would it be helpful to keep your supplies in a basket you can grab as you're setting the table? Does everyone have their own Bible? their own journal?
Maybe you're listening as you walk the dog or fold the laundry. Make a folder in your notes app on your phone to record questions or insights as they come up. If you're listening on a commute, keep a small notebook in the car to write down notes when you arrive at your destination.

A good plan will take you far in being able to complete your reading goal.
Make a plan for this time with God. Remember- the Bible is the place we go to reliable encounter God.

A Good Rhythm: Pray, Read, Pray
When it's time to read, pray first. Ask God to speak to you, to send the Holy Spirit down on you, to open your heard and mind to hear what God would have you hear today.
Next read the section of Scripture.
How you read the chapters for the week is up to you. You can do one a day, all of them every day, or maybe this week is so full you pick one day to read them all.
As you read, write down questions, commends, insights.
Maybe you're noticing a word repeated over and over again. Maybe there's a familiar story you're hearing in a new way. Maybe you notice Jesus is angrier than you thought he'd be or you relate to the disciples. No note is too silly. Write them down! Writing helps you remember.  Writing gets things into your brain.
Read the notes and questions. You can take time to write down your answers or think about them throughout the day.
When you've finished the scripture take a few deep breaths. Close your eyes and hold the silence for a minute or two.
Close with a prayer. Talk over what you read with God.  Did you like it? Was it challenging? Hard to understand? Tell God. 

The Gospel of Mark is the earliest of the four gospels.
The Wesley Study Bible describes Mark as "a relentless story about Jesus' announcement of God's righteous kingdom and the acts that accompany this proclamation. Throughout his ministry, Jesus encounters resistance. Evil is manifested in the demonic and in the actions of human beings. Human characters in Mark are often fearful and stubborn, and at times extremely violent. Self-seeking and the desire for honor work at cross-purposes with God's will. Evil, however, is being defeated: Jesus banishes demons, teaches about God's kingdom, and challenges religious and political structes that are harmful to human well-being. At times, people respond in faith, trusting in Jesus' compassion and divine authority. Though Jesus dies on the cross, once again evil is overcome as God raises him from the dead."

Chapter 1 is the beginning of Jesus' ministry.
N. T. Wright describes this chapter in this way - you're asleep and dreaming when you're woken up suddenly. Someone shouts "Wake up! Get up! You'll be late!" as they throw a cup of cold water in your face. "Mark begins with John the Baptist's ministry, which was ike throwing cold water on the surprised Jewish world. Many had been looking for a sign form God, but they hadn't expected it to look like this. Many had wanted a Messiah to lead them against the Romans, but they weren't anticipating a prophet telling them to repent." - N. T. Wright.

We're introduced to John and his function - to prepare the way of the Lord.
Then we hear that Jesus came from Nazareth to be baptized by John.
Immediately the Spirit drives Jesus into the wilderness where he is temped forty days.
The first thing Jesus does after his baptism and tempting is to go to Galilee to say, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news."
So much happens in this one chapter! Jesus calls his disciples, heals at Simon's house, preaches around Galilee, and cleanses a leper.
Jesus says something confusing to the leper in verse 43 "after sternly warning him he sent him away at once." What's up with that? Don't we want to spread the message of Jesus? Shouldn't Jesus be encouraging him to spread the news? Pheme Perkins writes, "The reader soon learns that the crowds at Capernaum create a problem for Jesus' ministry as well. He did not come to settle in the town as a local healer and holy man, but to preach throughout the region."  This is why when Simon finds Jesus after seeking solitude to pray, Jesus says, "Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do."

Interesting Notes
The expression 'Son of God' had its origins in the Israelite royal cult, where it referred to the relationship between God and the Davidic King (2 Sam 7:14; Psalm 2:7)
By the time Mark's gospel was written both 'messiah' ('Christ') and 'Son of God' were established designations for Jesus.
 
Questions to consider
How does not having any stories about Jesus' birth affect your experience of this gospel?
What do you think about the voice from heaven at Jesus' baptism? How do those words make you feel?
Do you see any parallels between Jesus' experience in chapter 1 and the Israelite's experience in Exodus (if you're familiar with that book/story)?
After time in prayer Jesus is able to understand his calling a bit better.  He is much more clear on what he is meant to do with his time.  How do you refocus yourself on God's call on your life? 

Chapter 2 introduces a "controversy story."

"Wise men and rabbis were often the subjects of such tales...  a brief episode that enshrined some facet of the hero's character or illustrated a point of his teaching. The controversy stories that figure so prominently in Mark open with a challenge that Jesus will be forced to meet."

Jesus heals a paralytic at the opening of chapter 2 - this is a controversy story. The scribes question in their hearts and Jesus is able to perceive their concerns. They believe what Jesus is saying is blasphemy. If you were present in this room, how do you think you'd react, not knowing any background about this man?

Next Jesus calls Levi (a tax collector!!) to be a disciple. Once again there are questions raised about Jesus and his actions.
Then there are questions when Jesus' disciples don't fast, and when they pluck grain on the Sabbath.

What'd the deal with the Sabbath?
Keeping the Sabbath holy is one of the Ten Commandments and it's the commandment that includes the most words.
Exodus 20:8-11 "Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work. But the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work—you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and consecrated it."

People took the Sabbath seriously because God asked them to.
Throughout the ages rabbis have tried to figure out how exactly to observe the Sabbath in order to keep it holy - just how much work is too much work? How far can you walk on a Sabbath? What if your ox falls into a ditch?

Here and in other parts of Mark and the other gospels we see Jesus focus on the Spirit of the Law, rather than the Letter of the Law.
Jesus is not concerned with technicalities. Jesus is concerned with hungry people getting food, with healing and wholeness.  Like says in Mark 2:27, "The sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the sabbath."

Jesus heals on the Sabbath -again!
The folks in the synagogue are confronted with controversy. I wonder if they are torn, if they just want to do what is best, what God desires. he heals a man with a withered hand on the sabbath, but before he does he asks them "is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the sabbath, to save life or to kill?" When no one says anything Jesus gets MAD. When you think about Jesus, what emotions do you see him experiencing? Does Jesus mad melt your brain at all? What else does Jesus get made about? Maybe start marking where Jesus shows anger.

When Mark gives us the list of disciples he lists Judas last, saying "... and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him." This detail reminds us of the end of the gospel. 

Questions to Consider
This is not the first encounter we've seen Jesus have with a demon.  What do you make of demons and Jesus' relationship with them?
What do you make of the section when Jesus' family sends for him?  

This chapter is parable heavy.
We start with the Parable of the Sower.  Jesus tells this one from a boat pushed out into the sea because the crowds were so big. N. T. Wrights about this parable, saying, "People were expecting a great moment of renewal. They believed that Israel would be rescued lock, stock, and barrel; God's kingdom would explode onto the world stage in a blaze of glory. How does Jesus' parable offer a different vision of Israel and its future?"

Mark 4:10-12 is a confusing bit of scripture. You may have noticed as you read that there is a rhythm of teaching the crowds and then going to a private place to talk to the disciples. We see that here.  Jesus, the twelve and other disciples are alone together and they ask Jesus about parables. He says, "to you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside, everything comes in parables; in order that..." and then we have a quote from Isaiah, "they may indeed look, but not perceive, and ay indeed listen but not understand; so that they may not turn again and be forgiven."

Pheme Perkins writes that '... the larger group of disciples form whom the Twelve were selected are included in this instruction. They have been identified as Jesus' new family (Mark 3:31-35). Consequently, they have already shown themselves to be responsive to the preaching of Jesus."

Basically, from what I've read, scholars are conflicted about what these three verses really mean.  Perkins continues, "the term translated 'secret' mysterion serves as the Greek rendering of the Aramaic term raz... Verse 11 appears to promise that the reader is about to be told the 'mystery' of the kingdom of God. Yet no such revelation occurs."

Other scholars think this relates to the "messianic secret" or Jesus' tendency to not want a lot of folks knowing about what he's doing. N. T. Wright asks us to consider, "why might Jesus not want some listeners to understand what he is saying?

At the end of the gospel Jesus still the sea. In the ancient world the sea represented chaos.  The only one who was able to control chaos was God. Everyday life can feel very chaotic. We might not be in a literal boat in a windstorm, but sometimes it can feel like that in our minds, our bodies, our spirits. What comfort does it give you to know that God is able to control chaos? Does that knowledge mean you life your life differently than you would without that insight?