SCRIPTURE: Mark 14:60-65 When Jesus finally answers their question, He refers to a prophecy from Daniel. “In my vision I saw One who looked like a son of man. He was coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Eternal God. He was led right up to him. And he was given authority, glory and…
Author: Norm
Save us from our leaders!
SCRIPTURE: Mark 14:53-59 Here we see Jesus’ enemies trying to make up a case against Him. They know they hate Him, they just need a solid reason to kill Him. The sad thing is that these people are the religious leaders. Shouldn’t religious leaders speak up for truth, justice, integrity, honesty, compassion, goodness? Sad to say,…
A Jesus follower in the shadows
SCRIPTURE: Mark 14:45-52 Who is this young man lurking in the shadows with Jesus, running when confronted? I’ve heard, and assumed, that this was Mark, the author of this gospel. Unlike Judas, he does not want to betray Jesus, but neither is he ready to go public for Him. I sometimes feel like this young man…
Default ‘go to’ or last resort?
SCRIPTURE: Psalm 62 Think about times when you are under pressure, overwhelmed or in trouble. What is your default ‘go to’, the first person/place/thing you normally reach out to? Do you start with yourself, your own resources, or quickly turn to others for help? Or do you despair, or whine, or take out your troubles on…
Two wrongs don’t make a right
SCRIPTURE: Ezra 7-10 So let’s make a covenant in the sight of our God. Let’s promise to send away all of those women and their children. (Ezra 10:3) Just because Ezra commanded this, and the people did it ‘in the sight of God’, and just because it’s in the bible, doesn’t mean that this episode is good,…
More willing than weak?
SCRIPTURE: Mark 14:37-42 In my good moments, I am like Peter (Mark 14:31), I can take on the world. But I am very aware of my weaker moments, when my body surpasses my spirit. Tired, drained, overwhelmed, pressured, burdened, these are dangerous times for me. Jesus became fully human, and He endured these things like me, like…
Only in Canada too
I received the following “Only in America” observations, but I’ve changed it to Canada, since most of them apply here too. They make you think… Only in Canada too… can a pizza get to your house faster than an ambulance. Only in Canada too… do drugstores make the sick walk all the way to the…
Never alone
SCRIPTURE: Mark 14:32-36 Jesus knows that it is not good for Him to be in the garden alone (see Genesis 2:18), whether Eden or Gethsemane. He enters this battle zone with the support of His friends (though they let Him down, see v.37), and God. He still wrestles in prayer alone, but they are there (or are…
Acapella version of ‘Little Drummer Boy’
Not my favourite Christmas song, but I love how they sing it!
Hopeful AND honest!
SCRIPTURE: Mark 14:27-31 We may try to imagine how we will respond to difficult or tempting situations. ‘I wouldn’t do that, I wouldn’t say that’, or ‘I would do the right thing, I would be brave!’ Like Peter, we can be convinced of how we think we might respond. On the one hand, this is good:…