Living in Light of the Resurrection
Written by Kjell Axel Johanson.  https://www.billygraham.ca/stories/living-in-light-of-the-resurrection-the-same-power-that-raised-jesus-from-the-dead-is-at-work-in-us/ Read:  Mark 16:1-8 As a Scandinavian I know what it means to pine for the new life of spring to appear every year. Our winters are long, cold and dark. It is the assurance of spring with its abundant life—snow melting, birds singing and thousands of flowers blooming in the life-giving warmth of the sun—that keeps us persevering through the winter months. When spring and summer come, our countries change dramatically—it is as if we all moved to another country. We change from introverts to extroverts. Even during the most severe winters we are certain spring
Wise Thoughts as We Wait for the Election Outcome
As we wait for the clear decision on who will be our next president, I ran across this thoughtful post by pastor Bart Barber.  It is his pledge concerning his response as a Christ-follower to whomever wins the election.  What ought your pledge be? https://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2020/november/election-day-pledge.html
Seeking A Homeland – And Its Politicians
Everyone acknowledges politics are imperfect now. While we live and vote responsibly in today’s world, Jesus promised us he would bring his administration to this Earth some day. Let’s say hello to what that promised future will be like — what kind of leaders would I love to have and vote for... Judges who works for justice to the weak — the illiterate and socially awkward — and fatherless, and those afflicted and sick. And even judges who bring about good for the poor who cannot afford a lawyer to help them fight their cause. (Psalm 82:3, Exodus 23:6)Presidents (or
Keeping the Cross at the Center
From What is the Gospel by Greg Gilbert (Chapt. 7). Read:  Mark 15:21-47 At one point in John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, the hero of the story, Christian, finds himself talking with two sketchy fellows named Formalist and Hypocrisy. Like Christian himself, they insist, they are on their way to the Celestial City, and they're quite certain they'll make it because many in their country have gone this way before. Of course, the names give it away. Formalist and Hypocrisy aren't going to make it to the city at all. The first time Christian sees the two men, they are tumbling over
Why Did the Crowd Turn on Jesus and Yell “Crucify Him”?
Adapted and updated from The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah by Alfred Edersheim (Book V, Chapter https://www.christianity.com/jesus/death-and-resurrection/holy-week-and-passion/why-did-the-crowd-turn-against-jesus-so-quickly.html Read:  Mark 15:1-20 During the Passion Week, the crowd in Jerusalem seems to have had a major swing in opinion. Jesus entered the city to praise and adoration but, by the end of the week, faced a crowd shouting "Crucify Him!" demanding for his crucifixion. Can such a change really happen so quickly? Why Did the Crowd Turn on Jesus and Yell "Crucify Him"? We must consider first that the people shouting "Hosanna" when Christ arrived were not the residents of Jerusalem. Instead, He rode in the
The Look of Love
Written by THABITI ANYABWILE  |  FEBRUARY 21, 2010, https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/the-greatest-prayer-in-the-world. Read:  Mark 14:53-72 Each of the four gospel writers record that faithful night when the apostle Peter denied our Lord with three statements of increasing rejection.  They tell us of Peter’s bitter weeping when he realized that Jesus correctly predicted his denials before the rooster crowed. But Luke includes a profound little detail. Luke 22:61 says that just as Peter was denying Jesus for the third time and the rooster crowed, “The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him….” That look must have killed Peter a
The Greatest Prayer in the World
Written by John Piper, https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/the-greatest-prayer-in-the-world. Read:  Mark 14:32-42 It is Thursday, the night before Jesus’s crucifixion. This evening has been laden with teaching (John 13–17), shocking with foot washing by the greatest for the least (John 13:3–20), epoch making with the institution of the Lord’s Supper (Matthew 26:20–30; Mark 14:17–26; Luke 22:14–20), and pivotal with the departure of Judas (John 13:30). Now Jesus and the eleven have gone to the garden of Gethsemane (John 18:1; Mark 14:32). Here Jesus prays the greatest prayer in the world. What hung in the balance was the glory of God’s grace and the salvation of the world. The
Lay Your Burdens Down at the Table
Written by Matt Damico.  https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/lay-down-your-burdens-at-the-table Read:  Mark 14:1-31 Have you ever walked into church and felt crowded? I don’t mean by the people. I mean crowded in yourself — the inward tug you get when the junk of your life clings on and won’t let go. When recent conversations, work troubles, and sin issues hang like a fog. Or when there’s been a diagnosis, or some unforeseen drain on your bank account that you can neither avoid nor afford. You know that feeling? When you walk into church like that, it’s hard to get out of your own head and see
Praying for Unity in Our Church
By Hayden LindseyI’ve found the division and strife in our world these days disheartening. Seeing this discord on social media, even among Christians, left me feeling saddened and a bit helpless this summer. In August, the Lord pressed on my heart the importance of praying for unity in the church. He is our Help and our Hope in these strange times. Blaire Savage and I compiled 30 days’ worth of verses to pray, and our elder wives’ prayer group joined us in praying through the month of August. My dear small group ladies also joined in this effort. Another group
Help with Mark 13!
As I mentioned in my sermon on Mark 13, here are a couple of resources that might be helpful for you in further study: Some definitions of terms from John Piper. Piper is here defending his view of a rapture of the church that happens after a time called the great tribulation (post-tribulation is the label of this view).  Regardless if you agree with him or not, his definitions of terms are quite helpful. https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/definitions-and-observations-concerning-the-second-coming-of-christ Two  sermons by Dr. Danny Akin on Mark 13. You can either listen to him preach or read the manuscript.  This teaching is similar to his commentary “Exalting
