Posts from 2022 (Page 4)
Mark: Lesson 24
Lesson text: Mark 10:17-34 The man who has come to be known as the rich young ruler comes to Jesus. He wants to know what he must do to ensure himself eternal life. After a short conversation about keeping the law, Jesus tells him he needs to give away his wealth and follow Him. The young man leaves dejected. This leads to a conversation between Jesus and the disciples on who can make it into God’s heaven. The reality is…
How Great is Our God?
Theme: Let’s explore this and define the concept of “being led.”
Mark: Lesson 23
Lesson text: Mark 10:1-16 As Jesus and his disciples head for Jerusalem, He is challenged by the Pharisees. This time, they confront Him regarding His position on divorce. Jesus presents God’s ideal for marriage, which precludes divorce. Later the disciples ask Jesus to explain this further. He tells them that divorcing a spouse and remarrying is an act of adultery. At this point people begin to bring their children to Jesus for His blessing. The disciples attempt to turn the…
Grace in Action – Week 5
Theme: Believers should appreciate the difficulty of the journey instead of simply expecting to arrive at the destination.
Mark: Lesson 22
Lesson text: Mark 9:30-50 Jesus predicts His impending death on the cross to the disciples for a second time. On this occasion, He adds that He will be betrayed, or given over, into the hands of men. In the aftermath of this prophecy, Jesus takes the disciples aside for an extending teaching time. This begins with His response to their debate over who is the greatest. He then explains that any who serve in His name are part of His…
Mark: Lesson 21
Lesson text: Mark 9:14-29 Jesus and his “inner circle” of Peter, James, and John come down from the mountain to a major uproar. The other disciples are in an argument with some Jewish scribes. The dispute seems to be centered around a demon-possessed boy. The nine who didn’t go up the mountain cannot exorcise the demon. The boy’s father is beside himself. In the midst of this turmoil stands Jesus. What he does and says next are lessons on the…
Grace in Action – Week 4
Theme: What does “confession” mean?
Mark: Lesson 20
Lesson text: Mark 9:1-13 Jesus’ Transfiguration is a turning point in Mark’s gospel. Peter, James, and John accompany Jesus to the top of a mountain. There they are joined by Moses and Elijah and Jesus is transformed. Peter would mention this in his second epistle. John may have been alluding to this at the beginning of his gospel. The event definitely made an impact on these men. And yet Jesus told them to keep what they saw to themselves until…
Grace in Action – Week 3
Theme: Contrast of personal/human values versus Scriptural values.
Grace in Action – Week 2
Theme: How do you act when you feel the need to disagree?
Grace in Action – Week 1
Themes: What does being “on mission” look like for regular believers and churchgoers daily and weekly? How important is regular discussion with Jesus/the Holy Spirit?
Mark: Lesson 19
Lesson text: Mark 8:22-36 The second half of the eighth chapter of Mark’s gospel is momentous. This is a pivot point in the narrative of Jesus’ earthly mission. For the first time, Jesus plainly explains to His disciples why He has come. While they are expecting that Jesus will set up his earthly reign, He explains that He is destined to die on a cross. Peter is not having any of it, and he lets Jesus know. Jesus in turn…