Scripture: Mark 12:41-44 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she, out of her poverty, has put in everything she had, all she had to live on. Observe An act of courage and trust, with no one to provide for her, she is obedient, counting on God (I think) to care for…
House of Prayer
Scripture: Mark 11:15 On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple area and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tablets of the money-changers and the benches of those selling doves… (11:15) Observe This is a fairly violent act! I’m not sure if there’s a parallel…
First shall be last, Pt 2
Scripture: Mark 10:42-45 Whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant. And whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. Observe & Application It strikes me that Jesus is repeating himself from yesterday’s passage : the servant of all. It is more than serving my family….
First shall be last
Scripture: Mark 9:33-37 If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all (v35). Observe If anyone wants to be first… well, too bad. You need to not want it to get it. You’ve got to be more concerned with others than with yourself. That’s love, right? Being…
What does Jesus want?
Observe the text – Mark 8 Jesus seems to be very tired in the chapter. The Pharisees come out and argue with him (again!). This makes him sigh deeply and he departs again by boat, having just gotten there… The disciples can’t figure out what he is saying about the ‘yeast’ of the…
Taking God at his word
Scripture: Mark 7:24-30 She begged him to cast out the demon out of daughter… And she home and found the child lying in bed and the demon gone (v26b, 30). Observe I assume she wanted Jesus to come to where her daughter was. Instead, he healed from a distance. She had to trust…
Passes By
Scripture: Mark 6:45-52 He meant to pass by them… (v48) Observe What does this mean? Why wouldn’t he get into the boat instead of just ‘passing them by’? Surely it was his intent to enter the boat… Wasn’t it? Apparently not. I’m reminded of Moses’ encounter with God after the giving…
Fear of Jesus
Scripture: Mark 5 Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. (v33) Observe I think fear is many people’s response to Jesus. They were terrified when he calmed the storm They were afraid when he…
Preach the Word, Pt 2
Scripture: Mark 4:1-34 The farmer sows the word (v14)… Whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though the farmer does not know how (v27). Observe As I preach the Word – as the farmer sows the seed – I can’t tell what ‘soil’ the Word falls on. But it’s okay. The…
Authority to heal
Scripture: Mark 3:1-6 Another time he went into the synagogue and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. Jesus said to the man with the shriveled…