Citizens Weekly

A posture of pride kept the Pharisees from experiencing Jesus for all He was. In Mark 7 and 8, we see humble faith allow strangers and friends to know the good authority He was and still is. May we be people of humble faith.

Mark 6 is packed with stories at the pinnacle of Jesus’ ministry. Embedded in each of those stories is a theme of doubt and unbelief. What we discover is that there are different degrees of doubt and with each, a different posture of God’s heart.

Mark 4:35-5:43 includes four familiar stories of Jesus. He calms the storm, restores a demon-possessed heals a woman, and raises a dead girl. This week, Kathryn walks through each of these stories with the hopes of reminding us that the Jesus we read on these pages is the same Jesus who we know today. You may see yourself in one of these people who encounters him- and if so, he wants to respond to you.

Jesus repeats himself: listen! What gets in the way of us listening and receiving? Join as we walk through one of Jesus’ most important parables: the parable of the sower.

As we continue through the gospel of Mark chapter 2 through 3:6, we see Jesus responding with compassion and demonstrating authority. In opposition to the religious rulers of the time, where Jesus is, it seems he continually shows us that we need to make more room if we want all of Him. It takes us stretching and stepping towards Him in faith- and He always responds to the ones that know their need.

Josh continues the Gospel of Mark summer sermon series with the start of Jesus' ministry. He first orients us on the gospel, both the Church's Gospel today and also the good news which Jesus taught at the start of his ministry. He then gives an overview of four types of Jewish groups and their strategy for dealing with the big problem of their day. Then he quickly treks through the remainder of Mark 1, summarizing what Jesus did at the start of his ministry. Finally Josh looks at Jesus' call to repent and what that would mean for each of the four Jewish groups, as well as for us today.

Launching our summer series, Kevin explores introductory pronouncements about Jesus from Mark 1:1-13. Some truths about Jesus proved too complex for even the disciples to understand until after His resurrection. A central question in Mark's Gospel, illuminated from the outset, is "Who do you say that I am?" As Citizens embarks on our first Gospel study together, we would do well to consider, as the disciples often did, how we have kept our conception of Jesus small, convenient, and even self-reflective. Are we prepared to see Jesus for who He truly is?

This week wraps up our spring series on spiritual gifts, and Kathryn finishes up with three powerful Word Gifts: apostleship, teaching, and exhortation. Rooted in Ephesians 4, we take a look at what these gifts are (and what they aren’t), how they function in the life of the Church, and how they’re meant to build up the body of Christ—not as titles or ranks, but as ways we serve one another in love. If you’ve ever felt called to start something new, to open God’s Word and help others understand it, or to speak truth that lifts and steadies people’s faith, you may have been given one of these gifts! Listen in as we close out our spring together!

Nick teaches on the spiritual gifts of pastoring, evangelism and leadership. How do you know if you have these gifts and how should you use them? Nick also talks about the moment of church we are in and how to respond during the whispers of revival.

Biju Thampy teaches us the way of the Kingdom: revelation over information.