Many modern people think Jesus used parables to make everything clearer. As we will see today, Jesus did not use parables that way. They were not a preaching trick for him or a way to capture everyone's waning attention. They were not his way of "putting the cookies on the bottom shelf," making the truths he was trying to communicate accessible to all. (14 Minutes/3700 Words)
Read moreBelieve the Right Things About Jesus (Mark 3:20-35)
Mark sets up our next scene by pointing out two separate groups, Jesus' family and the scribes. But before looking at each group and their response to Christ, Mark is clear to point out why both of them reacted to Jesus at this time. The crowds. (14 Minutes/3600 Words)
Read moreDealing With Chaotic Times (Mark 3:7-19)
Many parts of this week’s passage are familiar to us. Jesus is presented as being famous far and wide. People from everywhere all come to see Jesus. We know why they are there—they want to see his miraculous power. Mark makes this clear: they came to him only after they heard all that he was doing. (12 Minute/3000 Words)
Read moreSeeing God Correctly: God Offers Restoration (Mark 3:1-6)
Many of us sense personal brokenness within. We are embarrassed by bad habits, unreasonable emotions, broken relationships, and personal failures. We sense that we are not everything we are supposed to be or could have been, but what can we do about it? (4 Minutes/1000 Words)
Read moreSeeing God Correctly: God Is Angered by Dead Religion (Mark 3:1-6)
It is amazing how religious leaders would not answer Jesus' questions. He'd asked, Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill? And they responded with silence (4). I mean, the answer was so obvious, but they couldn't bring themselves to respond. They couldn't confess it was lawful on the Sabbath to do good. (5 Minutes/1400 Words)
Read moreSeeing God Correctly: God Is Compelled To Do Good (Mark 3:1-6)
So one Sabbath Jesus again went to church, to the synagogue, to the public meeting. Mark says, a man was there with a withered hand. Luke, who was a doctor, tells us it was the man's right hand (Luke 6:6). To have a withered hand meant his hand was stiff, deformed, and paralyzed. (6 Minutes/1500 Words)
Read moreJesus' Atmosphere of Grace (Mark 2:23-28)
As we continue our study of Mark, it is becoming evident that Jesus' way is far different than that of the religious leaders who came before him. He offered forgiveness of sins to the paralyzed man. He called Matthew the tax collector and ate with sinners. He did not fast, but feasted, with his disciples. And, in each episode, he was a stark contrast to the religious leaders of his day. (11 Minutes/2900 Words)
Read moreJesus Famous Podcast Recap
The Jesus Famous Podcast is a series of conversations with Nate Holdridge discussing ways in which we can see Jesus famous in our lives. Catch up on all episodes here.
Read moreJesus Joy (Mark 2:9-22)
By this point in Mark, it has become increasingly clear that Jesus' coming was a massive event. He was not just another leader with fresh religious claims. He did not come with some good advice. He did not come to tinker. (13 Minutes/3000 Words)
Read moreJesus Is the Friend of Sinners, Part 3 (Mark 2:13-17) — He Calls Sinners
Somehow, a group of scribes of the Pharisees saw what Jesus was doing. We've already seen scribes in Mark's gospel; they were in the house when Jesus forgave the paralyzed man. This new group of scribes was of the sect of the Pharisees. But who were the Pharisees? (4 Minutes/1000 Words)
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