Mark 8:22-26; Mark's account of Jesus culminated in Peter's confession that Jesus is in fact the Christ. It took the disciples a long time to come to that conclusion and we are told in Matthew that they didn't arrive at that conclusion on their own. The only way that we know that Jesus is the Christ is because the Father reveals it to us. What does confessing Jesus as the Christ really matter? It should make all the difference in the world.

Mark 8:22-26; We are almost to the climax of Mark's Gospel account, but before we get there we are shown once again that Jesus has power over the effects of sin in the world. Jesus heals a blind man in a most unusual way. He spits in his eyes and seems to fail at healing him the first time. Jesus doesn't fail, he is walking this man through the process of salvation. And in this man we see ourselves, our great need and our great savior.

Romans 6:1-14; Our names have meaning because it is in our name that we find our identity. The Apostle Paul grounds our identity as Christians in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. That is who we are if we are in union with Christ through faith in his finished work. If we are in union with Christ then we have received a new name. What is your name?

Mark 8:1-21; Mark has kept one question before of his audience over these past 8 chapters, " Who is Jesus?" Today Mark once again answers that question by showing Jesus' compassion for those "outside", the Gentiles. He feeds out of his abundance. He satisfies out of his goodness. And yet, the Pharisees refuse to believe and the Disciples continue in their confusion. The question has been asked and answered. Jesus is the King. Do you believe it?

Hebrews 10:19-39; Can you have assurance of Salvation? Can you know here, today that you are saved? This is one of the results of the reformers challenge to the dominate theology of their day. Scriptures teach that we can know, without any doubt, that we truly possess Christ. And yet there are warnings attached to that assurance. We need to judge whether or not we truly believe in Jesus or if we merely profess Jesus without true belief.

Mark 7:31-37; Isaiah taught the Israelites that the Messiah would cause the deaf to hear, the blind to see, the lame to leap and the mute to praise. 700 or so years later Jesus begins his ministry and does all the things that the Messiah was suppose to do. But he does more than heal, he sympathizes with our condition. He feels our pain and he loves us enough to remove our shame but taking on himself.

Mark 7:24-30; Do you have what it takes? Well do you? In this passage a woman with all the wrong stuff approaches Jesus out of her great need. She is a Woman (second class citizen), she is a Gentile (Syrophonecian- considered separated from God because of her race), and she is ceremonially unclean because of her daughter's demon possession. How can she have access to God with all these strikes against her? Jesus shows her the good news even as he exposes her heart.

Mark 7:14-23; What is wrong with the world? Where does evil come from? How is a person made right with God? These are the major questions that Jesus deals with in this passage of scripture from the gospel of Mark. His answers are just as offensive today as they were shocking nearly 2000 years ago. Jesus overturns all of the ordinary thoughts about religion and worship and forces us to wrestle with our deep soul sickness.

Mark 7:1-13; After leaving the rejection of Jesus in Chapter 6, Mark now turns his attention to Jesus in conflict. This conflict will ultimately lead to his crucifixion. Knowing this Jesus doesn't back down from the challenge and calls out the Pharisees for their Bad Religion. As well intended as the Pharisees were they perverted true religion by their actions.

Mark 6:45-52; On the heals of Jesus feeding the 5000 (plus) with almost nothing Jesus send the disciples and the crowds away. The problem is that Jesus send the disciples right into a nasty headwind and they struggle all night and make almost no progress. They would have been asking themselves, "does Jesus care?" And Jesus answers that question in an astounding way. He doesn't take the storm away, but instead we goes to them in the midst of the storm. This is the way that Jesus operates and he does it for the good of his disciples.