Sunday Sermon: Psalm 20—Your Kingdom Come
Read moreThe Ministry of Christ 03—Luke 4:31-44—Authority
Sunday Sermon: The Ministry of Christ 03—Luke 4:31-44—Authority
Read moreJesus Replaces Chaos With Flourishing (Mark 9:14-18)
Jesus Replaces Chaos With Flourishing
(Mark 9:14-18)
Our episode today provides a significant contrast with the glory of the mount of transfiguration. All the gospel writers are careful to record the stories together. They wanted us to note the differences between the two scenes. (5 Minutes/1300 Words)
Read moreJesus Unlocks Our Senses (Mark 7:31-37)
Jesus Unlocks Our Senses
(Mark 7:31-37)
Here, Jesus goes through Sidon perhaps on a brief missions tour, before heading to the region of the Decapolis. Once there, a group of people begged Jesus to lay his hand of healing on a man who was deaf. If you are new to Jesus today, you might be wondering if this was his normal mode of healing. It wasn't. He healed in many different ways, and this healing was one of his most creative! (4 Minutes/1100 Words)
Read moreAnyone Can Partake of Christ (Mark 7:24-26)
Anyone Can Partake of Christ
(Mark 7:24-26)
God had promised Abraham, centuries earlier, that in him *all the families of the earth would be blessed*, and Jesus came to bring that multi-national blessing by his blood (Genesis 12:3). Our episode today is a foretaste of his plan. Though the disciples didn't yet understand it, the Jewish Messiah is for everyone! (4 Minutes/1000 Words)
Read moreWorking on Team Jesus (Mark 6:7-32)
Working on Team Jesus
(Mark 6:7-32)
Our passage today will end with this statement: the apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught (Mark 6:30). It is one of only two instances in Mark's whole book when the disciples are referred to as apostles. (12 Minutes/3200 Words)
Read moreArchival Post & Podcast: Build A Support Team Like Jonathan
Build A Support Team Like Jonathan
Archival Post & Podcast
Home field advantage is a thing. Some athletes say they thrive on opposition, that they love playing in front of a hostile crowd. But, time and time again, it is a general rule that teams win a higher percentage of games when playing on their home field, ice, court, or turf. Many factors are cited, but one is the support of the fans.
Read moreArchival Post: You Cannot Enjoy The Kingdom Without God’s Help
You Cannot Enjoy The Kingdom Without God’s Help
Archival Post
It is important to note that Jesus had (and has) wealthy followers -- people like Joseph of Arimathea and some of the women on his core team. And once the church started, there were many wealthy believers. Philemon, for example, had an estate so large the Colossian church was able to meet on his property.
Read moreThe Unstoppable Word of Christ, Part 2 - It Will Produce a Harvest (Mark 4:26-29)
The Unstoppable Word of Christ, Part 2 - It Will Produce a Harvest
(Mark 4:26-29)
As believers, this parable should encourage you to patiently hope for God's kingdom to come. Sometimes it feels as if no one is listening, no one wants Jesus, and no one is being added to the kingdom. But this is untrue. And God's kingdom is building and growing, almost imperceptibly, to the point it becomes the final harvest. (3 Minutes/800 Words)
Read moreAccept the Message of Jesus and His Kingdom (Mark 4:1-20)
Accept the Message of Jesus and His Kingdom
(Mark 4:1-20)
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)
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