Week 2: READ: Mark 5:1-20 Show Time The story of the exorcising of the demons from a man in the gentile area called the Decapolis is the third scene of an act tied together by their location: on the shores of the Sea of Galilee (See Appendix 2).  In the first scene, Jesus gets into a boat...

Week 1: READ: Mark 4:35-41 Show Time I had an epiphany today.  Perhaps you have uttered those words.  By epiphany we mean we had a revelation, a new understanding, or an “aha” moment.  Oftentimes, these epiphanies are small fish in the sea of historic epiphanies. Take for example the four epiphanies in Mark’s gospel revealing the identity...

Week 5: READ: Mark 4:26-34 Show Time A parable is a teaching story that uses comparison to emphasize its point.  In the parable of the seed that grew secretly (vv. 26-28), this story compares the kingdom of God with the harvest.  The farmer who plants the seed has absolutely nothing more to do with the sprouting or...

Week 3: READ: Mark 16:1-8 Show Time It is time for the finale in Mark’s Gospel.  The story begins where the burial story ends, with women.  They prepared burial spices and arrived with no plan in mind how they will remove the large rock blocking the tomb. After sunrise on the first day of the week, the...

Week 2: READ: Mark 11:1-11 Show Time It is time to flash forward in Mark to the reading for Palm Sunday.  The last story in chapter 10 of Mark finds Jesus and his disciples on the way to Jerusalem, passing through the village of Jericho some 25 miles east of their destination. From there they journey to...

Week 8: READ: Mark 2:23-3:6 Show Time The final scene before intermission links two conflict stories both addressing the question of what is acceptable behavior on the Sabbath. These questions were of obvious importance for Mark to include these stories of Jesus in his Gospel.  What are the questions or conflicts we face as a faith...

Week 7: READ: Mark 2:13-22 Show Time Imagine the chaotic scene of the luncheon at Levi’s house.  There were many tax collector friends of Levi and other sinner friends all sitting together with Jesus and his disciples in what is a typically small Galilean home.  The religious leaders of the community, the scribes of the Pharisees who...

Week 2           September 18, 2016 READ: Isaiah 40:21-31 Why Follow? The story of Jesus which is written in all four gospels begins early on with Jesus calling fishermen, tax collectors and rebels to drop what they are doing and follow him.  Spiritual leaders throughout history in a variety of cultures act in this same way whether they are...

Week 4:  June 26-July 2, 2016 Read: Acts 17:1-15 (Mission in Thessalonica & Beroea) These people (Paul and Silas) have been turning the world upside down (Acts 17:6c).  What a compliment for the life changing work of these Jesus followers.  In an agricultural metaphor, they were plowing the soil of people’s hearts, turning the soil upside down.  The stirring of the Holy...

Week 3:  June 19-25, 2016       Read: Acts 16:16-34 (Mission while in Prison in Philippi)   Introduction When prison sets you free.  Garth Brooks sang a song called I’ve Got Friends in Low Place.  Prison is one of those low places which is a collection of people from all different ethnic, economic and age groups. People are sent to prison either for...