Episodes from 2023

With any disagreement, there are always two things going on. First, there’s the problem, and then, there’s the real problem. For the Pharisees, the real problem was that Jesus was a threat to their power. Today’s study will show how far they will go by leveling a vicious and outlandish accusation. All in the name of protecting their authority. We will also see through Jesus’ words a sense of unity and inclusiveness in the Christian faith. Jesus makes it clear…

Jesus leaves the shore of the Sea of Galilee and travels up to the mountainside. In this place, He selected twelve men for a significant purpose. But who were they? And better yet, why these twelve? They came from a wide range of backgrounds and life experiences, and we’ll discover that we have some of the same characteristics they had.

Jesus is going to take on the Pharisees, who are so determined to find fault with Him. And what we’re about to see is that not only will His miraculous healing of a man prove His power, but it will also serve as an example of His compassion and mercy. And even though the Pharisees complained because this healing took place on a Sabbath day, the real issue is they know this miracle was going to jeopardize their authority in…

Jesus continues to teach His followers the importance of living a life of faith. He explains that the Pharisaic religious laws of the time were not necessarily binding. Instead, Jesus encourages his followers to focus on the spirit of the law and not the letter of the law. He emphasizes that true faith is based on love and mercy, not on obedience to laws and rules. This lesson shows us that Jesus was always looking for ways to help people live…

Thank goodness that all people are welcomed at the table of Jesus. Thank goodness that Jesus welcomes all people into fellowship, regardless of who they are. And that’s a lesson for those who might try to consider themselves spiritually elevated above other people. Because when you see the example of Jesus, when you understand what God has taught us since the very beginning of Creation, the lesson of love and respect should never grow stagnant. Praise be to God there…

Some friends knew their friend needed physical healing. But when they get to the house where Jesus is staying, it is already crowded with people, and there is no way they can get in through the front door. So, they get very creative. And Jesus was impressed with their faith and their tenacity. On the scene were a few “teachers of the law” that had been dispatched from Jerusalem. They came to check out this Jesus they’d heard about by…

Jesus is traveling throughout Galilee, preaching in the synagogues and healing. In doing so, He is bringing both word and deed. It’s an amazing thing to see how this affects the world; even today. Because Jesus never separated His words from His actions. And that’s profound thinking. That we would actually follow through, and do, what we say we will do. That we would live … as we claimed to believe.  But Jesus was doing both. Bringing wholeness and wellness,…

Jesus and His disciples travel to Capernaum where He will continue to battle Satan. And the battleground, of all places, will be in a house of worship. As Jesus arrives and begins in the synagogue on the Sabbath day, the people are “astounded at His teaching, for He taught them as One having authority.” What authority did the people see in Jesus that they did not see in the other teachers? Jesus’ motives and actions were in perfect harmony. Jewish…

When Mark speaks of the good news, you need to know, right up front, that those who are closest to Jesus will struggle to understand what He’s all about. The disciples don’t get it. The religious leaders, the Pharisees, and Sadducees don’t get it. His own family doesn’t get it, and they even try to restrain Him and take Him back home. So what’s the good news about all this? And here’s what we need to know. The real heroes…

Welcome to this introduction to the Gospel of Mark. As we prepare for our study, we first need to understand the circumstances in which this gospel was composed. Mark’s story will show Jesus’ sense of intentionality in His teaching of the crowds, the training of the disciples, and the completion of His mission, the Cross.