THE STORY OF JESUS: Mark 5:11-17 “Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.” (Mark 5:17) Why would deceiving spirits want to go into a herd of pigs? In order to scare the people away from trusting or following Jesus! Deceiving spirits have one purpose, to get you to look away from God….
Liar liar!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Mark 5:1-10 “‘My name is Legion,’ he replied, ‘for we are many.’” (Mark 5:9) A spirit is a body-less personality, a spiritual presence without form. Good spirits are messengers from God, voices of truth and hope. Evil spirits are messengers from Satan, voices of deception and despair. They are ONLY messengers, they have…
Who is this… to you?
THE STORY OF JESUS: Mark 4:35-41 “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” (Mark 4:41) This is the big question Mark is answering, ‘Who is this?’ Who is this, announcing the kingdom, renouncing the darkness? Who is this, healing the sick, forgiving the guilty? Who is this, even the wind and waves obey…
Little seed, big God!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Mark 4:30-34 “It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth.” (Mark 4:31) The message of Jesus seems weak and insignificant. Love, humility, self-sacrifice, servanthood, forgiveness – can that really change the world? The dominion of darkness seems so much more powerful, and even seems to be…
All by itself
THE STORY OF JESUS: Mark 4:26-29 “This is what the kingdom of God is like.” (Mark 4:26) Jesus is still explaining how things work with God’s kingdom. It begins from the heart (the soil), where the seed begins to grow. When the seed (the grace of Jesus) and the soil (the heart), things happen. “All be itself”…
Flourish with grace!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Mark 4:21-26 “Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.” (Mark 4:26) In this context, Jesus seems to still be talking about the seed of God’s message in our lives. God’s message, like a seed, needs to show itself. The goal is…
The soil of my heart?
THE STORY OF JESUS: Mark 4:13-20 Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.” (Mark 4:20) God is a communicating God. His Spirit speaks to our spirits… all the time. Encouragement, warning, wisdom, insight, comfort, all expressions of love….
Closed to God?
THE STORY OF JESUS: Mark 4:9-12 “Otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!” (Mark 4:12; quoting Isaiah 6:9-10) Why does Jesus want to hide His message in simple stories? He is quoting from Isaiah 6, when God calls Isaiah to be His messenger. But Isaiah’s message was a warning to a stubborn and rebellious people. They pretended to be…
Are you listening?
THE STORY OF JESUS: Mark 4:1-9 “Jesus said, ‘Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.’” (Mark 4:9) Or imagine a minister giving sermon like this, with no explanation. Just, ‘if you really want to hear God, then pay attention!’ The Lord continues to speak in parables to us, life lessons. Experiences, circumstances, news stories, movies, books,…
Jesus’ missionary family
THE STORY OF JESUS: Mark 3:31-35 “Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” (Mark 3:35) Jesus loves all people, His creation family and His biological family. But he has a special place in His heart for those who obey God’s will. Technically, except for Adam and Eve before they sinned, that is… no…