On the road to Jerusalem, Jesus has much to teach His disciples about what it means for Him to be the Messiah, and what it means for them to be followers. Today's passage contains three distinct lessons in discipleship, each confronting three dangers: Mission drift, ladder climbing, and a separatist mentality.

Mark 9:14-29 speaks two words to two different audiences. To the disciples, there is a lesson in the power for effective ministry. And to the desperate, there is a lesson in the wonder of Christ's mercy even for those who are weak in the faith.

The transfiguration occurred in order to give us a vision of the coming glory of Christ that we would know that after the suffering and after the cross, Christ will reign in power and glory, and we will reign with Him… if we suffer with Him.

According to the parable of the hidden treasure (Matt. 13:44), entering the kingdom of heaven involves two steps – seeing the treasure, and selling everything to obtain it. Last week (8:11-30) we focused upon seeing the treasure, which is Christ and our inheritance in Him. This week we focus upon what it means to sell everything in order to obtain it.

What you see in Jesus is a matter of ultimate consequence. Therefore, a passage dealing with the matter of spiritual blindness and its cure is of ultimate relevance. That is exactly what we have in Mark 8:11-30.

Isaiah 52:7; Joel 2:21; Psalm 68:3; John 15:11

Rom. 1:21-22,25; Gen. 3:1-8; Prov. 14:12-13

What should be our goal at First Baptist Nixa for the coming year? I find the answer to that question in 1 Timothy 4:7. We should resolve to be godly.

Revelation 12 helps us to view Christmas from a cosmic perspective, encompassing all of history and creation in the great story of redemption.

The purpose of Jesus' one and only excursion into Gentile territory was to reprogram His disciples and get them on board with God's global purpose to redeem a people from every tribe, and nation, and to gather them into one body, the church.