As controversy surrounding Jesus grew, the crowds continued to come from all over to see him such that he was pressed on all sides. Amidst this great throng, Mark records Jesus' appointing of the twelve apostles whom he would specifically call and commission with the proclamation and power of the kingdom. Here we consider the difference between fans, foes and followers of Jesus.  

When another question arises from the Pharisees over Jesus' adherence to Sabbath regulations, the brewing controversy between their religion of rule keeping and Jesus' ministry of mercy comes to a head. It leads to Jesus' anger and grief at the Pharisees' hard hearts and initiates their plot to destroy God's Son.

Seeing clearly can sometimes be a problem, whether it's frosted car windows on a cold morning, aging eyes in dim lit rooms, foggy mountain roads, or even confusing motives behind the actions taken. We want to and need to see well. Paul prays for the Ephesians and gives us a great model of a prayer for clarity.  Guest speaker Mr. Don Knox preaches from Ephesians 1. 

As Jesus' ministry of proclaiming the gospel and healing the sick spread throughout the region of Galilee, confrontation with the Pharisees and religious leaders grew over what they saw as a disregard for the law and traditions of God's people, such as the practice of fasting. Jesus' answer to their question points to a shocking claim and a radical paradigm shift that centers around his arrival and presence.

As the crowds continue coming to seek out and see Jesus, Jesus continues to see and seek out the most unexpected and unlikely to follow him. One of those was a man named Levi whose profession put him in a class that was despised and rejected by the religious leaders and the people. No respectable Jew would have invited Levi for dinner. Yet, Jesus not only calls this tax collector to follow him, but he goes to his house and eats dinner with a large group of his fellow tax collectors and sinners.

Some of us as children in Sunday School learned the song 'Tell me the Stories of Jesus'.  Mark 2:1-12 tells us one of those wonderful stories of Jesus. It speaks to us of his great compassion and power. He heals the body and he heals the soul. Join guest preacher Rev. Eddie Brown for the message. 

When popular news or social media post gets shared so rapidly that it immediately has a wide following and impact, we say that it has "gone viral." At the beginning of his ministry in Capernaum, news of Jesus' teaching and works of healing go viral throughout the region such that his popularity and demand among the people skyrocketed. Yet, in the midst of the pressures of this rising popularity, Jesus does not lose sight of his priorities, purpose or plan.

When Jesus begins his ministry, it quickly becomes apparent to those around him that this man speaks and acts with an authority unlike any they've ever encountered. Here we look at Jesus' amazing authority as it is revealed one eventful Sabbath day in Capernaum.    

Most of us have an idea of what it means to follow someone. Sports fans follow their favorite teams or athletes; readers follow their favorite authors. We even follow a mass of friends, groups and strangers on social media sharing and exchanging information.  The call to follow Jesus goes much deeper and demands much more than what we typically associate with following someone.

At the start of his ministry, Jesus receives the powerful anointing and personal affirmation of God the Father in his baptism by John. Then his Father immediately puts him to the most severe test of faith by driving him into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan. It's hard to imagine two more contrasting moments in such proximity to one another.