Author: Norm

“Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” (Mark 4:9)As a follower of Jesus, I need to have ears to hear.This sounds odd; don’t most people have ears that hear?Yes, our ears may hear, but do they actually listen?Anyone who is married or has kids know the difference.We can hear the sound, but do we understand…

“If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.” (Mark 3:25)As a Jesus follower, I see divisiveness as a serious concern.From the beginning, the spirit of evil uses division to conquer.Though Adam and Eve were together, the serpent only approaches Eve.When asked about eating, Adam turns on Eve, and Eve blames the serpent.Their children…

“Here are my mother and my brothers!” (Mark 3:34)As a Jesus follower, I am part of the crowd sitting around Jesus.The crowd around Jesus was large, and included different people.It included Jesus’s actual family members, who thought He was crazy.It included the twelve, a mixed assortment of oddballs and misfits.It included religious leaders, who were there…

“Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.” (Mark 3:18-19)As a Jesus follower, I belong to a strange community of Jesus followers.Two people in particular, Simon and Judas, make this clear to me. Simon is a Zealot, a radical Jew known for violence and rebellion.The Zealots hated the Romans, and all who worked for them…

“He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out.” (Mark 3:14)As a Jesus follower, I am also appointed like the twelve.These twelve were representatives for the many to follow.Like the twelve tribes of Israel, they represent the whole group.After sending out the twelve, Jesus sends out 72 more (Luke 9:1;…

“When they heard about all he was doing, many people came to him.’ (Mark 3:8)As a Jesus follower, I am also drawn to Jesus and what He did.This is the reason why I focus so much on the four Gospels.I come to these Jesus stories because what I see inspires and compels me.Some might saying I…

“The Pharisees began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.” (Mark 3:6) As a Jesus follower, I am committed to honouring God’s Law of Love. The religious leaders were committed to the Moses Law. This is why they were harassing Jesus, for dishonouring the Sabbath day. But their true heart is revealed in…

“Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” (Mark 3:4)As a Jesus follower, I am under the Law of Love.The Law of Love calls us to do good, to save life!Paul calls this “the law of the Spirit Who gives life” (Romans 8:1)The Law of Love…

“So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:28)As a Jesus follower, I believe that Jesus is ‘God with us as a full human’.“In Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.” (Colossians 2:9)As a human, Jesus is a son of Adam, just as His mother was a daughter of…

“David ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat.” (Mark 2:26)As a Jesus follower, I understand God’s Law through the lens of love.The bible is not a book of rules to be followed.It is a collections of stories inspired by God to show God’s heart.All the stories in the Jewish bible hang…