There is a peace about Christmas. It is a place to rest from the chaos in our culture, the chaos on the news, the chaos in the world, and yeah, even the chaos we call home. I don’t believe there is another day or season that has this kind of affect on a culture. It really is unique. Christmas seems to offer something our soul very much longs for: peace.

Let me say it one last time: Mark wrote this gospel to encourage and embolden those first century believers in Rome that Jesus was worthy of following whatever the cost. And those reasons are every bit as relevant for 21st century believers. Today we will see He is worthy because He wins.

Let me say it one last time: Mark wrote this gospel to encourage and embolden those first century believers in Rome that Jesus was worthy of following whatever the cost. And those reasons are every bit as relevant for 21st century believers. Today we will see He is worthy because He wins.

The Gospel of Mark piles one reason on another of why Jesus is worth it. I can’t imagine we still need more reason, and yet as we arrive at Mark 14, we have the reason that stands out, stands alone, stands above. A reason I believe becomes a mandate to follow Jesus. What Mark shows us today is our faith, our hope, our very life. Without what we read here, we are consumed by sin and death into a godless eternity in hell. Let me read today the story of the rescue of us from that eternity.

The Gospel of Mark piles one reason on another of why Jesus is worth it. I can’t imagine we still need more reason, and yet as we arrive at Mark 14, we have the reason that stands out, stands alone, stands above. A reason I believe becomes a mandate to follow Jesus. What Mark shows us today is our faith, our hope, our very life. Without what we read here, we are consumed by sin and death into a godless eternity in hell. Let me read today the story of the rescue of us from that eternity.

It is one thing to say you believe God loves you and has a plan for your life. It is quite another to let that truth shape the way you think and live. Thursday, every day, you can be thankful that God loves you, and He knows the whole story. He knows where you are in the story, and He knows why this part of the story is important to the next chapter. He has a plan for you, built in love and with a knowledge beyond your ability to grasp. Draw a breath and thank God that He has every part of the story and He will accomplish His good in your life.

It is one thing to say you believe God loves you and has a plan for your life. It is quite another to let that truth shape the way you think and live. Thursday, every day, you can be thankful that God loves you, and He knows the whole story. He knows where you are in the story, and He knows why this part of the story is important to the next chapter. He has a plan for you, built in love and with a knowledge beyond your ability to grasp. Draw a breath and thank God that He has every part of the story and He will accomplish His good in your life.

It’s nerve wracking, and can be even dangerous when we’re required to follow someone and we’re not confident they know where this is going. So what about following Jesus? Does He know where He is going? Does He know what is up ahead? That is an important question when following. Turn with me today to Mark 13:1-27, 32-33.

It’s nerve wracking, and can be even dangerous when we’re required to follow someone and we’re not confident they know where this is going. So what about following Jesus? Does He know where He is going? Does He know what is up ahead? That is an important question when following. Turn with me today to Mark 13:1-27, 32-33.

Our passage today contains THE question. There is no other question as big, as important, as eternal. Listen for it. You will actually hear it twice in the story. Turn with me to Mark 10:17-27.