The Marriage of Word and Power
Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. Mark 6:6b Jesus left his hometown, Nazareth, following their rejection of Him. He couldn’t do mighty works there except for the few who...
View ArticleCompelling Love
Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” “From childhood,” he answered. “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and...
View ArticleFeeble Faith
“‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” Mark 9:23-24 A father brought his...
View ArticleThe Heart Problem That Causes Divorce
“What did Moses command you?” he replied. They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away.” “It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law,”...
View ArticleWhere do we Stand?
At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” Mark 10:22-23 We...
View ArticleA Lesson on Love From Children
“I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them. Mark...
View ArticleDifficulty Entering the Kingdom of God
The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to...
View ArticleA Healthy Perspective on Commandment and Tradition
“You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men.” And he said to them: “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own...
View ArticleWhen Rules Become More Important than Anything Else
Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. Nothing outside a man can make him ‘unclean’ by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that...
View ArticleTraditions That Replace God’s Laws
“For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’ But you say that if a man says to his father or mother: ‘Whatever help you might...
View ArticleWhat Comes from Within
He went on: “What comes out of a man is what makes him ‘unclean.’ For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness,...
View ArticleBringing Family and Friends to Jesus
Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis. There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk,...
View ArticleWhat are Homes for?
After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable. “Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a man from the outside can make him...
View ArticleGod Won’t Give Up
He had one left to send, a son, whom he loved. He sent him last of all saying, “They will respect my son.” But the tenants said to one another, “This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and the...
View ArticleBringing Accusations
Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words. They came to him and said, “Teacher, we know you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by men, because you...
View ArticleLoving our Other Family
Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked. Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and...
View ArticleMotivated by Compassion
So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. When Jesus landed and saw a...
View ArticleJesus’ Response to Money Changers
On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple area and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling...
View ArticleInconvenienced and Overwhelmed
By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. Send the people away so they can go to the surrounding countryside...
View ArticleChoosing to Do Good
Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.” Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they...
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