SCRIPTURE: Mark 7 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: Nothing outside a man can make him ‘unclean’ by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him ‘unclean.’” [Mark 7:15] By ‘unclean’, Jesus is not talking about visibly dirty, but spiritually dirty, and therefore unacceptable to God. His point in this passage is that God is…
Author: Norm
miracles all around me
SCRIPTURE: Mark 6 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. And he was amazed at their lack of faith. [Mark 6:5-6] Why do some people experience miracles, and others do not? I believe miracles are happening all around us, but not everyone sees them…
don’t be afraid
SCRIPTURE: Mark 5 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” [Mark 5:36] This passage reveals the power and authority of Jesus – over demons, over sickness, even over death. This is why Jesus is the hope of the world, He is the only one that can overcome the power…
preaching on Mark 10
This coming Sunday (Sep 6) I am speaking on Mark 10. Please read it and suggest what part to focus on. Its a big chapter, with lots of sections. Divorce? Little children? Rich young ruler? Jesus dying? Leading by serving? Healing the blind man? If you were to pick out one lesson from this passage, one that…
see, hear and do!
What I hear, I forget. What I see, I remember. What I do, I understand. (Confucius) What does this say about “preaching”, as it is presently understood. We separate the message from real life, we enclose the ‘preaching event’ in a hall with podium and chairs, we insist that everyone be passive and silent, and…
exploring mysteries with Jesus
SCRIPTURE: Mark 4 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables” [Mark 4:11]. When Jesus spoke in public, He kept His message simple, in stories that made people think. He did not explain His stories, He was intentionally…
simply present
A great quote by Henri Nouwen, he is so right!!! More and more, the desire grows in me simply to walk around, greet people, enter their homes, sit on their doorsteps, play ball, throw water and be known as someone who wants to live with them. It is a privilege to have the time to…
getting it!
SCRIPTURE: Mark 3 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. [Mark 3:5] Jesus must have often felt anger and deep distress about the stubborn hearts of the people He came to…
new wine
SCRIPTURE: Mark 2 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, he pours new wine into new wineskins.” [Matthew 2:22] Jesus did not come to start a new religion; Jesus came to replace religion (what…
four perspectives on Jesus
When reading the Gospels, think of four different news providers. Matthew, Mark and Luke are like daily newspapers, they tell mostly the same stories with a play by play account of what happened, from slightly different perspectives. But John, which seems to be very different in content from the other gospels, is more like the…