Joey Thompson | As Jesus continues to display and declare His Kingdom, religious leaders respond with indignant opposition. Jesus rebukes them for elevating their man-made traditions over God’s Word and leading their listeners astray. He teaches that true Kingdom citizenship is rooted in internal transformation rather than external rituals. Jesus came not to upgrade our traditions but to resurrect our hearts.

Jamey Nettles | The disciples and the followers of Jesus have all experienced amazing miracles accomplished by this Messiah. But if we have ears to hear and eyes to see, we will find that these are much more than just ordinary miracles. This is Yahweh, in flesh, bringing the Kingdom of God into a broken and hurting world.

Jamey Nettles | The disciples and the followers of Jesus have all experienced amazing miracles accomplished by this Messiah. But if we have ears to hear and eyes to see, we will find that these are much more than just ordinary miracles. This is Yahweh, in flesh, bringing the Kingdom of God into a broken and hurting world.

Jamey Nettles | As the Kingdom begins to spread in the most unlikely of places, we see that Jesus is rejected by those most familiar with Him in His own hometown. We also see Jesus send out His disciples, but not without a warning - rejection will happen to them as well. We also see the ultimate rejection, the coming death of Jesus, foreshadowed by John the Baptist as he is beheaded by a king of this age. In all this, the Kingdom of God is not stopped and will accomplish its purposes.

Jamey Nettles | As the Kingdom begins to spread in the most unlikely of places, we see that Jesus is rejected by those most familiar with Him in His own hometown. We also see Jesus send out His disciples, but not without a warning - rejection will happen to them as well. We also see the ultimate rejection, the coming death of Jesus, foreshadowed by John the Baptist as he is beheaded by a king of this age. In all this, the Kingdom of God is not stopped and will accomplish its purposes.

Joel McCarty | Crowds again begin to surround Jesus, and in the midst of this chaos, a prominent religious leader is humbled to the point of falling at the feet of Jesus. His daughter is sick and he needs help. Jesus agrees to see her, but on the way is interrupted by an oppressed woman also in need of healing. Jesus, full of compassion, deals with each need personally and completely, again revealing His authority, even over death.

Joel McCarty | Crowds again begin to surround Jesus, and in the midst of this chaos, a prominent religious leader is humbled to the point of falling at the feet of Jesus. His daughter is sick and he needs help. Jesus agrees to see her, but on the way is interrupted by an oppressed woman also in need of healing. Jesus, full of compassion, deals with each need personally and completely, again revealing His authority, even over death.

Joel McCarty | The disciples have been taught the way of the Kingdom by the King Himself, Jesus Christ. But now they get to experience the power of this King firsthand. Jesus is King over creation, even when storms threaten to destroy. And He is King over the spiritual forces of darkness as they seek to control and manipulate humanity for their purposes. When the King speaks, all creation obeys.

Joel McCarty | The disciples have been taught the way of the Kingdom by the King Himself, Jesus Christ. But now they get to experience the power of this King firsthand. Jesus is King over creation, even when storms threaten to destroy. And He is King over the spiritual forces of darkness as they seek to control and manipulate humanity for their purposes. When the King speaks, all creation obeys.

Jamey Nettles | The parables of Jesus continue with a growing emphasis on the way the Kingdom of God spreads. As Mark has shown us often, Jesus again upends the expectations of what people think of when they think of a King establishing a rule and reign. We may not always know how, but the Kingdom will spread. And for those of us who know this Kingdom and it’s King, we get to play a part in bringing light to dark places, and making the hidden things manifest to the cosmos.