Deep-Grace Diving with Tim Wright and Terey Summers

Tim, Terey, and Jon look at an intriguing story featuring the faith of four men, Jesus’s controversial declaration of forgiveness, and a healing.

Mark 2:1-11

When he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2 So many gathered around that there was no longer room for them, not even in front of the door, and he was speaking the word to them. 3 Then some people came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. 4 And when they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and after having dug through it, they let down the mat on which the paralytic lay. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Child, your sins are forgiven.” 6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there questioning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this fellow speak in this way? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 At once Jesus perceived in his spirit that they were discussing these questions among themselves, and he said to them, “Why do you raise such questions in your hearts? 9 Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Stand up and take your mat and walk’? 10 But so 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, stand up, take your mat, and go to your home.” 12 And he stood up and immediately took the mat and went out before all of them, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!” (NRSV)

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My friend, 5 time Grammy Award Winner, BJ Thomas (Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head; Hooked on a Feeling: Rock and Roll Lullaby) recorded this for us and with us during lockdown.

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Tim, Terey, and Jon turn to a story that show the radical nature of Jesus and his ministry.

A man with a skin disease came to him begging him, and kneeling he said to him, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I am willing. Be made clean!” Immediately the skin disease left him, and he was made clean. After sternly warning him he sent him away at once, saying to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded as a testimony to them.” But he went out and began to proclaim it freely and to spread the word, so that Jesus could no longer go into a town openly but stayed out in the country, and people came to him from every quarter. (Mark 1:40-45, NRSV)

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Tim, Terey, and Jon turn to Jesus’s Mission Statement as he begins his ministry:

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the good news of God and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.” (Mark 1:14-15 NRSV)

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Our Bible reading for today: Mark 1:

9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove upon him. 11 And a voice came from the heavens, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”

12 And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. 13 He was in the wilderness forty days, tested by Satan, and he was with the wild beasts, and the angels waited on him.

Email your comments and questions to [email protected] or

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Today we launch a new direction of sorts in our podcast as Terey, Jon, and I take you on a study of Mark’s Gospel. Today, in addition to some background, we look at Mark 1:1: The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Bible Translations mentioned:

NRSV: The New Revised Standard Version

The Good News Bible Translation

The New Living Translation

(Check out https://www.biblegateway.com/ where you will find dozens of different translations that you can compare side by side.

Email me at [email protected] or:

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Terey is back! She shares the story of losing her husband, the grief she’s working through, and the faith that sustains her.

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This is one of the oldest questions in human history. And, as you’ll discover from this podcast, not an easy one to tackle. Tim is joined by Jon as they talk about free will, God’s control, the Cross, and Promise.

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Does it make any difference in terms of the Gospel story if Jesus didn’t rise from the dead? Did the resurrection happen literally?

Resource mentioned by Jon:

Cold Case Christianity by J. Warner Wallace

Cold Case Christianity Website

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A couple of listener questions around forgiveness serve as the focus of this episode. I’m joined once again by Jon D. Burgess, filling in while Terey continues to grieve the loss of her husband.

The Lord’s Prayer: Matthew 6

Our Father in heaven,    may your name be revered as holy.10     May your kingdom come.    May your will be done        on earth as it is in heaven.11     Give us today our daily bread.12     And forgive us our debts,        as we also have forgiven our debtors.13     And do not bring us to the time of trial,        but rescue us from the evil one. (NRSV)

Forgive and Forget: Healing the Hurts We Don’t Deserve. Lewis B. Smedes

Stages of forgiveness:

We hurt

We hate (as in our hurt turns to anger)

We heal

We come together

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit recklessgrace.substack.com