Grace’s Latest Messages
The Rejection of Jesus (Mark 6:1-6)
This week at Grace, we'll be in Mark 6:1-6. It's a passage about Jesus going back to his hometown of Nazareth, only to have the people there respond to him with disdain and offense at him.
When we read this passage we might see ourselves as Jesus, the misunderstood and overlooked hero of the story, disdained by those most familiar with him. Such a reading might make us feel better, and even be fitting in certain cases, but it ignores the fact that we also have a lot in common with the people of Nazareth.
The passage raises some important questions for all of us about what we would have done if we were in the place of the townspeople. Do we assume that we already know what God is going to do or are we open to being surprised by God? How would you and I have responded to the real, historic Jesus?
Let's reflect on this challenge to our faith together this Sunday.
In Christ,
Pastor Bob
He went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. 2 And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? 3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. 4 And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” 5 And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6 And he marveled because of their unbelief.
- Mark 6:1-6
What a Testimony! (Mark 5:1-20)
You’ve undoubtedly seen those Before and After pictures where a person’s transformation is awe-inspiring. Someone loses 200 pounds and they’re shown holding up pants that are 10 sizes too big for them. Or, going the other direction, a 98-pound weakling becomes a competition-level body-builder. You see them Before and After and you can hardly believe it’s the same person.
Well, when we consider the Before and After of the demoniac in Mark 5, it’s hard to believe it’s the same person. The screaming, self-mutilating, naked, out-of-his-mind demon-man is pictured sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind. It’s incredible that this is the same person. And it wasn’t a long, arduous diet and exercise regimen or countless hours pumping iron at the gym that led to this change. It took just one encounter with Jesus for the awe to reach the level of inspiring.
To hear more about this man and his incredible testimony, join us on Sunday.
Blessings,
Pastor Tim
They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. 2 And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. 3 He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, 4 for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. 6 And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. 7 And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” 8 For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” 9 And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” 10 And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. 11 Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, 12 and they begged him, saying, “Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.” 13 So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea.
14 The herdsmen fled and told it in the city and in the country. And people came to see what it was that had happened. 15 And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. 16 And those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and to the pigs. 17 And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their region. 18 As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. 19 And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” 20 And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.
- Mark 5:1-20
Jesus Chose Both (Mark 5:21-43)
This week at Grace, we're going to talk about Mark 5:21-43, a passage with two intertwined healing stories. The two women (one young, one older) are both in desperate need of Jesus' healing touch. Yet the situation makes it seem like he will need to choose one or the other.
In this powerful account, Jesus challenges the expectations of his time (and ours) that the goodness of God is limited to either me or you, the powerful or the outcast, even the living or the dead.
I'm eager to talk with you about this passage that I love and marvel together at Jesus' goodness, power, and love.
In Christ,
Pastor Bob
25 For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”
26 And he said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. 27 He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. 28 The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. 29 But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”
30 And he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? 31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, 32 yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”
33 With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it. 34 He did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.
35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him.
- Mark 4:25-36
Jesus, the Storm Stiller (Mark 4:35-41)
“There’s more than meets the eye.”
This is so often true in our experience and is also true when it comes to Jesus and his fellow-travelers on the Sea of Galilee in Mark 4:35-41.
Imagine you’re in a boat that is following theirs. You see a storm descend on their part of the sea. It’s not uncommon but it seems especially vicious. You’re too far away to hear what’s happening, but you can see the disciples scrambling on deck. You’re worried for them, but unable to help.
Then, suddenly, Jesus appears. Not long after, the storm calms as quickly as it raged. The disciples sit down and embrace each other. They’re just glad to be alive.
When you arrive at your destination, you make your way to their boat and ask, “what happened out there?” Andrew points to Jesus and says, “he happened.”
Join us Sunday to hear more of the story as we focus our attention on the one “who even the wind and the sea obey.”
Blessings,
Pastor Tim
35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” 41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
- Mark 4:35-41
What is the Kingdom of God (Mark 4:21-34)
You might have heard this week about the Asbury University revival.
"Revival" in the best sense of the term refers to a period of time when God's people are especially aware of God's presence, their sinfulness, and Christ's redemption. It is an intensification of the ordinary habits of the Christian life (worship, prayer, confession, etc).
Even though I've read in the past about the history of revivals in a way that was deeply compelling for me personally, I'm embarrassed to say that my initial response to hearing about this a few days ago was skepticism. "Was this really God's work?" I made a common mistake in our current culture, mistaking cynicism for wisdom.
Behind this skepticism are the questions, "If God really came, how would we know? What would it be like? What would happen next?"
This week at Grace, we'll be looking at three parables about the Kingdom of God from Mark 4 that address these questions. All three describe the coming of the Kingdom in an inevitable, surprising, and beautiful way, beyond the control and manipulation of people.
I hope that as we gather for worship on Sunday we'll have a deeply revived heart to hear from God and worship Him.
In Christ,
Pastor Bob
21 And he said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed, and not on a stand? 22 For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” 24 And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you. 25 For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”
26 And he said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. 27 He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. 28 The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. 29 But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”
30 And he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? 31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, 32 yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”
33 With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it. 34 He did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.
- Mark 4:21-34
Soils and Sowers (Mark 4:2-20)
At several points in my life, my sweet Annie has made different recommendations to me. She’s said things like, “you’ve got to try sushi, it’s delicious” or “maybe you should take a day off or two, you’ve been working really hard.” I have this uncanny ability to somehow shut off ‘hearing’ and put aside what she says – and typically, it’s only a matter of time until a close friend reiterates Annie’s advice in some form or manner… when the message registers in my mind:
“I should try sushi!”
or...
“Maybe I need to take some time off… I AM exhausted!”
On a more serious note – I wonder how many of us who have grown up in a church setting have ever wondered to ourselves… “I’ve heard this message before” or “I get it, the message of the story is Jesus loves me” – how many of us hear a message from the Bible or worship songs and have just tuned out and walked out of church on a Sunday without a thought towards what we’ve just received.
This week we’ll be continuing our series in Mark talking about the parable of the soils and how each of us at different times in our faith will find ourselves challenged with the notion of not only hearing the word, but accepting and responding to it in light of many different challenges and distractions that come our way.
Looking forward to breaking open the Word with y’all this Sunday!!
Blessings!
Jason
2 And he was teaching them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: 3 “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. 5 Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil. 6 And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. 8 And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” 9 And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
10 And when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. 11 And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, 12 so that
“‘they may indeed see but not perceive,
and may indeed hear but not understand,
lest they should turn and be forgiven.’”
13 And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? 14 The sower sows the word. 15 And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. 16 And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. 17 And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. 18 And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, 19 but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 20 But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”
- Mark 4:2-20
Who's Side Are You On? (Mark 3:20-35)
This week at Grace, we're coming to Mark 3:20-35 where Jesus describes the breadth and limits of forgiveness. This passage sometimes referred to as "the unforgivable sin," tends to make people quite uncomfortable. And I get why. It's a lot more fun to talk about the wonders of God's grace than it is to talk about the obstinacy of the human spirit that splits ourselves off from it.
I hope that by studying this passage together on Sunday, we'll have the freedom and joy that comes from hearing Jesus' heart and love for you!
In Christ,
Pastor Bob
20 Then he went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat. 21 And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.”
22 And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “by the prince of demons he casts out the demons.” 23 And he called them to him and said to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. 26 And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an end. 27 But no one can enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. Then indeed he may plunder his house.
28 “Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, 29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”— 30 for they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”
31 And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him. 32 And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers are outside, seeking you.” 33 And he answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” 34 And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.”
- Mark 3:20-35
Crowds and Disciples (Mark 3:7-19)
If you could be famous, would you? If someone gave you the opportunity to be a famous actor, commentator, comedian, or celebrity who was just famous for being famous, would you take it?
For many people in our culture, to be famous seems like a marker of success and vindication. Yet for Jesus, fame wasn't his goal or even a help in his mission.
This week at Grace, we're continuing through the gospel of Mark, looking at the contrasting picture of the crowds and the apostles. Mark 3 says that people came from 100 miles away to push in on Jesus, seeking to get something out of him.
For his part, Jesus withdrew. His desire was not to be pushed around by crowds but to create his own ministry legacy through his disciples.
We'll look at these two competing pictures of a successful life and posture toward Jesus this Sunday at Grace. I hope you'll be there.
In Christ,
Pastor Bob
7 Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea, and a great crowd followed, from Galilee and Judea 8 and Jerusalem and Idumea and from beyond the Jordan and from around Tyre and Sidon. When the great crowd heard all that he was doing, they came to him. 9 And he told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, lest they crush him, 10 for he had healed many, so that all who had diseases pressed around him to touch him. 11 And whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” 12 And he strictly ordered them not to make him known.
13 And he went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him. 14 And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach 15 and have authority to cast out demons. 16 He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); 17 James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder); 18 Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot, 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
- Mark 3:7-19
You Are NOT a Robot (Mark 2:23-3:6)
About 15 years ago, I became obsessed with coffee. Whenever a new 3rd wave coffee shop would open in San Francisco or Santa Cruz, Emily and I would make a day of it.
My coffee passion eventually grew to where I was roasting coffee in the backyard (destroying Emily’s childhood popcorn maker) and serving cappuccinos to her (complete with latte art) every morning.
Our house turned into a college ministry coffee shop once a week, where I would spend most of the night behind my espresso machine making drinks. Having a coffee bar at our house was a blessing to our friends and us for quite a long time.
But I can remember when things started to shift. The time it took for the espresso machine to warm up felt like it grew longer and longer. Not because of our poor upkeep but because of our own impatience!
Then there was the cost of coffee, milk, and espresso machine upkeep. We added kids to the mix, and cafe Howard moved from the blessing category to the burden category.
In the same way, Sabbath had moved from blessing to burden for the Pharisees in Mark 2:23-3:1-6. I hope we can take Jesus's words to heart this week at Grace and see Sabbath as a blessing, not a burden.
-Pastor Chris
23 One Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. 24 And the Pharisees were saying to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” 25 And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: 26 how he entered the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?” 27 And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”
3 Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. 2 And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. 3 And he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.” 4 And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. 5 And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. 6 The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.
- Mark 2:23-3:6
You Belong Here (Mark 2:13-22)
Where do you feel like you really fit in? Where do you belong?
Maybe it's with your family, or at your job, or with people who share a similar background.
Maybe it's at church. Or maybe church is a place you definitely don't feel like you belong.
There may be some people for whom belonging comes naturally in every instance, but most of us have some discomfort about whether we're really welcomed at least some of the time.
This week at Grace, we're going to look at Mark 2:13-22, where Jesus invites Levi to follow him. This surprises many around him because Levi was a tax collector, someone who seemed not to belong around religious people.
Jesus responds with this beautiful challenge: "It is not the healthy but the sick who need a doctor."
We belong with Jesus.
Hope to see you Sunday at Grace!
In Christ,
Pastor Bob
13 He went out again beside the sea, and all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them. 14 And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.
15 And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 17 And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
18 Now John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. And people came and said to him, “Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” 19 And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. 20 The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day. 21 No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. 22 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins—and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins.”
- Mark 2:13-22
Healing and Forgiveness (Mark 2:1-12)
This week at Grace, we're coming to Mark 2:1-12, where Jesus forgives and then heals a paralyzed man after his friends bring him to Jesus through the roof. It's a passage full of action, emotion, and humor.
This combination of factors lends itself well to an expository sermon style known as a first-person sermon. This is when the pastor speaks from the perspective of a person in the story (using words like "I" and "Me"), instead of the more customary third-person (using words like "he," "she," or "they"). In this case, I'll be delivering the sermon as if I'm the man who was healed.
These sermons can be more entertaining than traditional sermons, but that's not the main reason to do them. This format can most accurately convey the emotion of a passage and help us hear God's Word more clearly in the Scriptures.
I hope that you'll join me on Sunday to consider how Jesus meets our deepest needs, too.
In Christ,
Pastor Bob
And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. 3 And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 4 And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. 5 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— 11 “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” 12 And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”
- Mark 2:1-12
Christmas: Why Is He Here? (Mark 1:35-39)
It's Christmas week! This Saturday and Sunday at Grace, we'll be welcoming dozens of guests to our worship services to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ, many for the first time. Please pray for them to have ears to hear, and for me to explain the gospel clearly and well.
I'm going to be preaching from Mark 1:35-39, a short passage where Jesus tells his new disciples why he came. I thought it would be a fitting passage for Christmas, to remind us why this holiday matters on a core level. As special as nostalgia, traditions and family time are, they pale in comparison to the gift of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
In Mark 1, Jesus is met with the expectations of others to continue to do what they want, where they want, when they want. Instead, Jesus points them to what is better for them: for them and others to hear the message of the gospel.
At a time of year when we are often met with the expectations of others on our lives, Jesus' example and gift to us are what we all need the most.
In Christ,
Pastor Bob
PS. The four services (including Christmas Eve and Christmas Day) will be the same order of service and sermon, so feel free to choose whichever one works best for your schedule.
35 And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. 36 And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, 37 and they found him and said to him, “Everyone is looking for you.” 38 And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.” 39 And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.
- Mark 1:35-39
What's the Catch? (Mark 1:16-20)
“What’s the catch?”
I’m sure you’ve used this phrase before.
You’re buying a car and the salesperson tells you about their zero interest, no payments for a year, best deal anywhere in town program and you ask, “what’s the catch?”
Or a beautiful, intelligent, wonderful, accomplished woman agrees to marry you and your close friends look you up and down and then ask, “what’s the catch?” ☺
Or…you get the point.
This question assumes that there must be something hidden that’s not being disclosed. Another way to say it is, “what are you not telling me?”
Imagine you’re on the shores of Galilee and you see Jesus talking to some fishermen. You watch as they drop their nets, say their goodbyes, and head off with Jesus away from the Sea. You intersect them on their journey and, wondering what’s happening, you ask, “what’s the catch?”
The fishermen, in unison, reply: “people.”
To hear more of the story, join us this Sunday at 8:00, 9:30, or 11:00 AM as we continue our study of the Gospel of Mark. If I could lure you to read ahead, it’s Mark 1:16-20.
Blessings,
Pastor Tim
16 Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” 18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19 And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. 20 And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.
- Mark 1:16-20
Getting Ready to Go (Mark 1:9-15)
The last time I was at Disneyland with my kids, I noticed a popular t-shirt among other parents: it read, "Today is a Core Memory Day."
What a comforting thought for a parent: I can control the core memories for my kids, and today's (exceptionally expensive) day at Disneyland will be one of them.
Now, I'm skeptical that we have such control of what memories our kids internalize (not that I told any Disneyland stressed-out, t-shirt-wearing parents that), but I do agree that we all have experiences that play a major role in our lives going forward.
This week at Grace, we're looking at two foundational events of Jesus' identity - his baptism and temptation in the wilderness. Both were necessary, but they couldn't have been on further ends of the emotional spectrum. In the first instance, Jesus hears the voice of God declaring His love and approval over him. In the second, it is the voice of Satan who attempts to persuade Jesus of God's neglect toward him.
Both of these events were essential in establishing Jesus' ministry, and both give us a profound reason to trust Jesus' goodness in our lives today.
Looking forward to talking with you about it this Sunday at Grace!
In Christ,
Pastor Bob
9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
12 The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. 13 And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.
14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
- Mark 1:9-15
The Beginning of the Gospel (Mark 1:1-10)
Mark 1:1 - "The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God."
This week at Grace, we begin a new, year-long study in the Gospel of Mark.
Why Mark? Because we all need to be continually reminded about what Jesus is like, or else we will start to imagine a warped form of him, remade to fit our biases, fears, and preferences, rather than the One who is.
Mark is the shortest and almost certainly the oldest of the four gospels. Written by John Mark probably about 30 years after Jesus' death, burial and resurrection, it represents the teaching and memories of Peter. The book begins with the thesis statement about Jesus' identity: he is the Christ, the Son of God, and then unfolds the proof of that for the next 16 chapters, culminating with a Roman soldier professing the same truth at the foot of the cross: "Truly this man was the son of God!" (Mark 15:39)
Throughout the next year, I pray that you and I would be continually struck with awe over the same realization: Jesus is God with us.
Looking forward to going on this journey through Mark with you!
In Christ,
Pastor Bob
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
As it is written in Isaiah the prophet,
“Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way,
the voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight,’”
John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.
- Mark 1:1-10