In this week’s episode, J. Mark and Tony explore Jesus’ countercultural view of children. In Mark 10:13–16, Jesus tells His disciples to “let the children come,” a radical statement in a culture where rabbis often overlooked children. Through this act, Jesus shows the value He places on them. He also teaches that entering the kingdom of God requires childlike faith. This episode highlights three essential ideas demonstrated in this passage: the views, virtues, and values of children.
Divorce is a common end to many marriages today. What is Jesus’ response to the issue of divorce? In today’s episode, Anthony, our host, and J. Mark, our Bible teacher, tackle this controversial and difficult discussion as they study Mark 10:1-12. The Pharisees are testing Jesus on the subject of divorce, and they confront him with the question, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” Jesus points back to creation, clarifying God’s original design for marriage. Marriage reflects the covenantal relationship between God and humanity, and divorce mars that sacred image. Watch now to discover how Jesus reveals God’s design for marriage.
Radical Discipleship || Mark 9:30-50 Share What is essential in Jesus’ Kingdom? On this episode, Anthony is joined by our Bible teacher, J. Mark, to explore Mark 9:30-50, where Jesus shows what is valued in his kingdom. Between His predictions of the cross, Jesus withdraws to teach his disciples privately, showing the importance of anonymity. […]
https://youtu.be/WZZa-7M6kls How to Grow Your Faith || Mark 9:14-29 Share In this episode, our Bible teachers discuss the four kinds of faith revealed in Mark 9:14–29. This section of Scripture guides believers in understanding and strengthening their faith by showing examples of different kinds of faith coupled with the power of God. Jesus invites us […]
What is the meaning of the transfiguration? In this episode, we explore Mark 9:1-13 and examine the disciples’ experience on the mount with Jesus. Jesus was transformed—his clothes became radiant, and he broke through the limitations of his humanity, revealing the Glory of Christ. This moment confirms Jesus’ identity as the Son of God—a reality that demands our reverence and obedience. In this passage, we see how this glory is not separated from suffering, but how rejection is intertwined with the glory that is to come.
Do you have spiritual blindness? As we examine Mark 8 in this episode, we encounter different levels of spiritual blindness—the willful blindness of the Pharisees and the partial blindness of the disciples. Jesus illustrates this blindness in his unique way of healing a blind man. He then reveals that true sight comes not through seeking glory, but through understanding his path to the cross. In this episode, we learn how to truly see Jesus clearly—by denying ourselves, taking up our cross, and following Him.
In this episode exploring Mark 7:31–37, we see how Jesus truly “does all things well.” In Gentile territory, Jesus encounters a deaf man with a speech impediment and responds to the faith of his friends. Jesus takes the man aside and heals him in a personal and incarnational way. He shows respect for his dignity rather than seeking public attention or glory. Through this story, we gain a deeper understanding of Jesus, our Savior, and discover lessons we can apply to our own lives.
In this week’s study of Mark 7:14–30, Jesus teaches that true defilement doesn’t come from what’s outside of us, but from what’s within. At the end of the chapter, a Canaanite mother’s faith illustrates this truth, showing that it’s not outward rituals that make us clean, but a humble, persistent faith that seeks God’s mercy. A woman the Pharisees would have called “unclean” displays a heart purer than any ritual could produce. In this episode, we explore what this passage teaches about sincere faith, impartial mercy, and the power of persistent prayer.
Traditions are a part of every culture, but they can be misused. In this episode, we dive back into our series on Mark and examine Mark 7:1-13. We see the Pharisees condemning Jesus for not following tradition. Jesus responds to them in a way that can guide us in how we should hold tradition. While traditions are essential for cultural continuity and often arise from sincere efforts to please God, they become problematic when their origins are forgotten or used for selfish purposes. We explore what a balanced approach to tradition is and how we can demonstrate genuine worship to God.
In this final episode in the Book of Jonah, we explore how this book points to our own hearts. At the end of the book, God challenges Jonah’s perspective, reminding him that His concern extends beyond a single plant to an entire city of people who don’t know their right from their left and even to the animals. We don’t know how Jonah responded, but we do know that God’s heart remains full of compassion and mercy. We address our tendency to be like Jonah and fail to love our enemies, falling into the trap of ethnocentrism. We address the broad applications we can take from the book of Jonah and ask the question, “Where is your heart?”
In this week’s episode, we encounter a fuming, furious prophet and a forbearing, forgiving God. In Jonah 4:2, Jonah accuses God of being gracious, merciful, and loving. As we continue through the rest of Jonah 4, we see God demonstrate exactly those qualities. Jonah is angered that God would show mercy to the Ninevites, people who had committed great evil, yet he fails to recognize that he himself has also received God’s mercy. Still, God continues to respond to Jonah with patience and provision, seeking to soften his hard heart. This story challenges us to reflect on our own lives. How much have we been forgiven?
In Jonah 3:1-10, we see Jonah finally obey God and deliver His message to the people of Nineveh. The Ninevites respond to his message with actions that show genuine repentance. In this episode, we explore how their response gives us a powerful example of how we should approach God. They believed, humbled themselves, cried out to Him, and turned from their evil ways. God responded to their true repentance and turned from bringing destruction. Join us as we reflect on how the Ninevites challenge us in how we respond to God.
When Jonah was swallowed by the great fish, he cried out to God, but was his prayer sincere? In this episode, we examine Jonah 1:16-3:1 and explore Jonah’s heart to determine whether his repentance was genuine or merely words of desperation. We also reflect on our own pits and consider what our response should be. During those times, we should respond with honest prayer, true belief, and sincere praise.
God calls us to worship Him with authenticity. In this episode, we look at the sailors in Jonah 1:5–16—pagan men who respond to God the way Jonah should have. Their fear, prayers, and actions highlight Jonah’s hypocrisy and challenge us to examine our own. As we trace the sailors’ shifting fears in this Scripture, we are reminded to have open and genuine hearts like the sailors.
The Book of Jonah presents a distinct picture of the heart of God. In this episode, we look at Jonah 1:1-4 and what it reveals about God’s heart. Humans often have perceptions of God that do not align with who He is. We discuss three different misconceptions people have about God’s heart and how Jonah refutes them. The Book of Jonah shows that God is personal, unchanging, and compassionate.
Jonah—the prophet of God who was rebellious. This book is an incredible account of God working despite Jonah, not because of Jonah. How does this Old Testament prophet’s journey give us insights into ourselves today? In this episode, we introduce our series on the book of Jonah. We use the acronym JONAH to guide us in an overview of the book and highlight the key theme of hearts.
