Many people perceive that if there is a God that he must be indifferent or impotent to help us in the midst of our need. In this account in Mark 5, however, we get a picture of a God who deeply cares for us in the midst of our grief and loss. Jesus shows his authority over death and disease while at the same time demonstrating a tenderness for those struggling with the brokenness of the world.

In his parables Jesus calls upon the listeners to weigh up their response to him. Will we respond to Jesus in genuine faith, or trust in ourselves. In this section of Mark, we get another glimpse into the power and authority of Jesus as he demonstrates his power over creation. The disciples’ faith is tested, and found weak. In this miracle, Jesus reminds us why we can trust him. Because is powerful, wise, and kind.

In the early ministry of Jesus many people responded to his miracles, teaching, and demonstrations of power. Not all people, however, were embracing Jesus’s message of repentance, in fact many were now turning on Jesus. In Mark 4, Jesus teaches by way of parable, how different hearts respond to his truth.

In life there are many different associations, groups, clubs that we might identify with. Entrance into such societies is often based on status, who you know, or skill in ability. But how does one enter God’s community, his family? In this account in Mark 3, Jesus gives insight into who it is that is welcomed into God’s family, and how their entrance is achieved.

Jesus of Nazareth is the most compelling person in all of history. His influence continues to shape the world as over a billion people in the world identify with him in some form or another. But who was this man? What did he do? Why does he continue to exercise influence on the world 2,000 years after his birth? In Mark 1:1–13, we get an insight into who Jesus is from God’s angle. In this introduction the curtains are pulled back, and we are given a divine assessment of both Jesus’s character, as well as a hint toward his mission on earth.

John 3:1-21 explores the transformative encounter between Jesus and Nicodemus, a respected religious leader. Jesus confronts Nicodemus—and us—with the non-negotiable truth: we must be born again, a spiritual rebirth that is essential, supernatural, and only possible through God’s grace.

Many people go through life with little or no direction. For many it feels like they are navigating the world in the dark. No knowing where they are going, or what direction to take. In John 9, Jesus heals a man who literally was going through life blind. Lacking physical vision, this man had a difficult life. In this context, however, Jesus brings light and clarity to this man and ultimately helps him not only see physically, but Jesus reveals himself so the blind man can see God. This chapter also warns of the reality that one can physically see Jesus, yet be blind spiritually.