In light of who God is and what He’s done, the proper response is to give to Him our very best.

According to the Apostle Paul, ‘All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness’ (2 Tim 3:16). While most of us would agree with that, there are some parts that are more difficult to see the usefulness and relevance of. The book of Leviticus would have to be near the top of those books which baffle us. Food laws, sacrifices, and other regulations often feel disconnected from our world. In spite of this, understand the context and framework of Leviticus provides the basis not only for knowing God’s holy character more deeply, but also understanding the importance of Jesus’s sacrifice.

Central to Christianity is the resurrection of Jesus. Without the resurrection of Jesus there is no ‘Gospel’ (good news) message. In this section of John, Jesus reveals his power, as well as his love, as he raises Lazarus back to life. His actions are not simply for Lazarus, however, they point to a future resurrection that all of God’s people will participate in.

We are not naturally inclined to sit with our pain or the pain of others and yet on Good Friday, we have the amazing privilege to sit a while with the pain and suffering of Jesus. When we do this we find it has the power to move us to life changing awe and wonder as we see the shocking injustice, feel the intimate connection to our pain and wonder at the amazing plot twits in the story.

Jesus reveals Himself as the compassionate Shepherd who not only provides for the crowd but invites His disciples—and us—to find true rest and freedom by seeing Him for who He truly is (The Promised Shepherd). When our strength runs out, He shows that it was never about our strength to begin with, but His sufficiency to sustain, satisfy, and lead.

What does it look like to proclaim Christ in a world that dismisses faith as outdated or naive? We explore Jesus’ return to His hometown, where amazement quickly turns to offence, and rejection takes root in familiarity and pride. Even Jesus was met with scepticism, but His response offers us wisdom and encouragement as we minister in an unbelieving world.

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.