When we return an item to the store, they usually ask for proof of purchase. Today we will close out our study of Mark with the ultimate proof of purchase – Jesus’s resurrection!

ESV passage Mark 16:1-14

Have you ever ordered at a drive-through speaker, only to discover when you arrived at the window that the person in the car ahead of you had paid your bill? It’s an awkward feeling to accept food for which you didn’t pay.

Jesus paid the penalty for everyone on the cross.

ESV passage Mark 15:24-39

A commitment to the Father’s will should impact all of our decisions. Jesus is our ultimate example for this as he submitted to the Father’s will, which lead Him to the cross.

ESV passage Mark 14:32-42

Many people know the experience of waiting for a bus. At the bus stop, anxious people can be seen looking at their watches. If the bus is more than a minute late, apprehension creeps into the minds of the anxious. Can they trust the published schedule? What if something happens and the bus is not coming today? Anticipation can create excitement but can also create worry.

ESV passage Mark 13:24-37

Faith is believing God is in charge and has our best interest in mind so that we are praying for things that are in line with his will and not from our craven, fallen, passion-filled desires.

ESV passage Mark 11:15-25

Most people are served by someone on a typical day. A waiter brings a glass of water. A driver allows you into the flow of traffic though you don’t have the right of way. How often are we grateful for those acts of service? Do we rudely get upset when the waiter doesn’t meet our standards? Do we cut someone off in traffic even when we’ve just been allowed ahead of our turn? Gratefulness for the sacrifices of others should change the way we live.

Why do we serve others?

Is it to feel good and get recognition for our good deeds, or is it to selflessly benefit those around us?

ESV passage Mark 10:32-45

How have you seen faith lacking, and what was the outcome?

Have you seen faith exercised, and what was the outcome?

At some point, every person struggles to believe that circumstances in life can change. It may be a sickness, addiction, financial dilemma, or some other situation that never seems to get better. Often, that person has done all he or she could to change the situation, but it still remains. In desperation, that person may turn to the Lord, but with faith that has grown weak. It’s not always easy to keep the faith when we see no alleviation of the problem.

ESV passage Mark 9:17-29

While the game “Follow the Leader” might have been entertaining to play in one’s childhood, most adults would rather be the one who is in charge. Our sense of self-autonomy may be challenged by a request from a leader to follow them. At the very least, we prefer a neutral position. When given the option to “lead, follow, or get out of the way,” some would choose the latter.

Jesus explains to His disciples, “If anyone wants to follow me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me”.

ESV passage Mark 8:31-9:13

Most people have at least once experienced being excluded. Feeling like an outsider is an emotionally painful experience. Whatever the reason for being excluded, the incident typically stays in our minds forever. Yet the opposite—being included in a group or event—can be life-giving. In the same way, the memory of belonging can remain with us throughout life.

Jesus shows, through the healing of two individuals, that He extends mercy to all people.

ESV passage Mark 7:24-37

Discontented people are dangerous people. Those who are unsatisfied in their hearts are prone to actions that might possibly harm themselves or others. Even a cursory glance at the general public reveals a dangerous discontentment. Sometimes the slightest life disruption—or threat of such—results in unwise and unstable reactions. A lack of satisfaction in one’s marriage, family, job, and spiritual life creates vulnerability to temptation. A wise person will stop and consider the level of satisfaction within his or her heart.

ESV passage Mark 6:30-44