Photo by Amber Weir on Unsplash . Attentive to the passing conversation and perhaps hearing the miraculous accounts of this man named Jesus, he unashamedly yells out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Would that not be your posture if you knew there was a man coming who could heal you of your…
And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer” (Mark 9:29). I’ve heard prayer defined and described in many ways. Here are several: You’ve probably heard several as well. In each of those definitions or descriptions, there’s an understanding that we need God, that He’s powerful, that He cares, that…
In Mark 7:31-37 Jesus heals a deaf man and the text says that people were astonished beyond measure. The only thing I kept thinking about were the countless videos I’ve seen of individuals hearing for the first time in their lives. You can watch them here. As you watch, take a moment and ask the…
In Mark 4:30-34 we read about the Parable of the Mustard Seed. Think about the process of a seed being planted and germinating into a tree. The seed needs to be planted in the soil. The seed could lay dormant for years but with the right amount of sunlight, temperature, and moisture something miraculous happens.…
Confession: I have a critical spirit at times. There are ugly moments in my life when I find myself identifying more with the religious leaders in the gospels than the people who come to Jesus, who are needy, helpless, and desirous of healing, acceptance, and love. At times, I completely miss the heart of Jesus…
Today is Mark 2. I’m actually preaching Mark 2:1-12 this Sunday at Graceland Church, specifically our New Albany campus so this passage has been on my mind. There is one observation that floods my mind whenever I read Mark 2 and it’s this: What should be MORE amazing is NOT the fact that Jesus told…
Today is the first day of our church’s Bible reading plan. Today we’re reading Mark 1. Here is one observation from my time in reading Mark 1: I’m struck by the openness people felt to approach Jesus; this is in stark contrast to the religious leaders. In Mark 1:41 a leper came to Him asking…
Photo by Omar Prestwich on Unsplash Grouchiness about other pastors’ churches? Their size? Their coolness? The number of conversions they see? Their creativity in programming, marketing, and sermons? Nope. Not me. Never. I promise. I’m always kingdom-minded and thankful for the work that God is doing in and through other churches. God tells us to…
Photo by Julio Rionaldo on Unsplash I don’t hate my sin like I know Jesus calls me to. I compare and contrast. I downplay. I fail to see at times the far-reaching effects of sin. I fail to see that just as God has created us as communal beings, my sin is also communal and has a negative…
I want to interact with those around me, respond to sin (either mine or others), and generally live in such a way that I put the good news of Jesus on display. Of course, I’ll never do this perfectly but I should strive to make everything I can in my personal life point to the…
Theology Along the Way 