Rob Cox will be taking us through the final week with Jesus as He sets His face toward the cross. Jesus is preparing His disciples for the new role He knew they were about to enter into. He performs two destructive acts (Jesus never ceases to provide the unexpected!), with the underlying message being to Have Faith in God.

Jesus is the King in David's line, who shows mercy to those in need. Jesus called the blind beggar Bartimaeus and kindly gave him sight. Like Bartimaeus, we find ourselves blind in this world, struggling to make sense of ourselves and the world around us and desperately in need of sight. Jesus is the only One who can make us see. Like Bartimaeus, we need to call on Jesus as King, ask Him for mercy, trust Him and follow Him on the Way.

The final section of Mark shows that Jesus, who died, truly came back to life again. Since Jesus is the only person to have ever done this, exactly as He and the Bible said would happen, we must listen to Jesus. His power over life and death is awesome! We'll either find ourselves terrified of death, or having reverent faith in the One who has defeated it. Our response to Jesus decides where we spend forever. Don't reject Jesus and face judgement, rather have faith in Jesus who defeated death and offers us the sure hope of resurrection life in Him.

Jesus was forsaken by humanity, forsaken by God, and forsaken to forgive. Through Jesus bearing God's judgement in our place we can be forgiven. Don't be forsaken, rather trust Jesus who was forsaken for us and be forgiven.

What king of peace enters a city on a donkey knowing he is to proceed to wear a crown of thorns and carry a cross? A better, gentler and more loving King than we could ever dare imagine.

In this week's passage, we see how in contrast to the disciples' (and often our own way) of viewing greatness, true greatness is found in service and the ultimate service is the ransom paid by Jesus. Listen to how the cross is both the worst act of human evil ever and the most amazing act of God's love.

From a young age we all instinctively know the world is not safe. It starts with the monsters under the bed when the lights go out but we never really grow out of it do we? We lock our doors and insure our homes and contents and incomes and lives because we know that life is not safe, that unseen dangers lurk in the shadows that can pounce when we least expect it. But there is a way to be safe in this world, even when we live in the most frightening of times

Many people think that this life is all we get and that it's really all about the here and now. Jesus, in today's passage, shows that there is more to life than that. There is the life to come. See how true greatness is found in service, how the little ones are so important in the kingdom, how our sin is serious and our God is gracious.

Matt is from Three Crosses Church in Murdoch and we look forward to hearing him speak about the Parable of the Weeds and how Jesus' plan for Christians is to be godly in the midst of ungodliness.

Join us this week as we take a look at the prophecies and teaching Jesus gave either side of the exorcism we saw last week. The main idea that keeps coming up is that Jesus was going to suffer, die and rise again. The disciples didn't understand; they questioned among themselves what Jesus meant and they asked Jesus about Elijah coming first. Jesus showed how the destiny of the Elijah figure (John the Baptist) is much like what would happen to Him (the Son of Man). When Jesus prophesied His death and resurrection again, the disciples still didn't understand and were afraid to ask Him. Why were they scared? Why are these prophecies so significant? Why die and rise? What is the right response?