Mark 9:14-29 Robert and Mary Moffat were missionaries in Bechuanland (Bek-u-An-aland), now Botswana, in the early 1800s. They demonstrated unwavering faith and perseverance. Despite not a single soul embracing their message, they served the Tswana people for a decade. Even the leaders of their mission board questioned the prudence of their mission, but the thought […]
Mark 9:9-13 Do you remember the biblical account of Elijah confronting the children of Israel on Mount Carmel? It’s recorded in First Kings chapters 18 and 19. He asked them, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.” One true prophet of God […]
Mark 9:1-8 On February 12, 2018, the officially commissioned portraits of former President Obama and First Lady Michele were unveiled at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. The portraits now hang in the Smithsonian-operated Museum, where a complete collection of previous presidential portraits also hangs. Imagine the anticipation in the room as two large portraits, shrouded […]
Mark 8:34-38 This is the second part of my teaching on this text. In the previous episode, I stated that you and I must take several ACTIONS to accept the costs associated with discipleship. The first action was to “give up your identity.” We delved into the profound act of surrendering to Christ, choosing to […]
Mark 8:34-38 When I shop for an item I need, one of the first things I do is look at the price. I have an idea of how much I’m prepared to spend. I sometimes think about how long it took me to earn the money. Is what I want to buy worth the effort […]
Mark 8:27-33 Throughout history, a diverse array of perceptions about Jesus has emerged. From His birth to the present, people have attempted to shape a Jesus that resonates with them. A blog post by Kevin DeYoung provides some thought-provoking examples. He writes: “There’s the Republican Jesus—who is against tax increases and activist judges and for […]
Mark 8:11-26 Many of us played “Blind Man’s Bluff ” as children. It works like this if you have never played it: One group member is blindfolded, and the other players disperse. Then, the blindfolded one must go and find the other players. In some versions, the first person tagged becomes “it.” In other versions, […]
Mark 8:1-10 I read a story about a first-grade class where some students were recent refugees from other countries. The topic being taught in class was simple fractions. The teacher defined halves and quarters and then asked the children to write down whether they would prefer a half or a quarter of a […]
Mark 7:31-37 Have you heard the saying, “He has the Midas touch?” The saying refers to the mythical King of Phrygia, an ancient kingdom in Asia Minor, now modern-day Türkiye. One day, peasants in Midas’s kingdom found a foreigner asleep on the land; they bound him and brought him before their king. Midas recognized […]
Mark 7:24-30 Thomas Edison was an amazing person. It is said that “[He] was more responsible than anyone else for creating the modern world. Specifically, no one did more to shape the physical/cultural makeup of present-day civilization. Accordingly, he was the most influential figure of the last 500 years.” Edison’s early life wouldn’t have indicated […]
