Jesus is not acting very Jewish in Mark 7! The Pharisees and teachers of the law come down from Jerusalem on a “fact-finding” mission (Wessel and Strauss). They are keeping their eyes on Jesus and are quick to point out any error or inconsistencies in His teachings. They think they have found something significant inContinue reading “Mark’s Kingdom Forecast”
Author Archives: A Taste of Grace with Bruce Green
Embracing The Ordinary
I’d like to say a few words in defense of the ordinary. It seems that in our single-minded pursuit of the extraordinary, the unbelievable, and the jaw-dropping, we have somehow lost sight of the value of the ordinary. Consider the following: Be original, not ordinary. It only takes a little extra to turnContinue reading “Embracing The Ordinary”
Outsider Insight
Here’s some verse from the powerful story of Jesus’ encounter with the Syrophoenician woman in Mark 7:24-30. Outsider Insight With His disciples somewhere near Tyre, A retreat for renewal perhaps their desire. But it wasn’t to be— His presence became known, A woman came to Jesus, Fell at His feet like a stone. She pleadedContinue reading “Outsider Insight”
When Jesus Spoke At His Home Church
I grew up in a small town of a couple thousand people. Everyone there knew everyone else. If you were out goofing around and doing something you shouldn’t—your parents knew about it before you got back home. All twelve grades were in one school building. Like I said, it was a small town. After IContinue reading “When Jesus Spoke At His Home Church”
When Jesus Went Home
Here’s some verse that encapsulates Jesus’ return to Nazareth and the reception He received to a message He shared in the synagogue on the Sabbath. Back home in Nazareth. Comfortable places, familiar faces. Home church in Nazareth. Where everyone knows the story of you— Or at least they think they do. Message from God shared.Continue reading “When Jesus Went Home”
Tremble
Here’s some verse from the familiar story found in Mark 4:35-41. It’s not long, but I think you’ll find it sums up the situation. Jesus was asleep, The boat was in the deep, The disciples began to weep. Jesus was awoken, The storm was broken, The disciples’ faith was disassembled, And they were left toContinue reading “Tremble”
Touchable
We’ve learned a lot about touch and isolation in the last two years, haven’t we? We started off being told not to touch our eyes, nose, or mouth (remember that?). Then we graduated to not touching things, people, and carrying around sanitizer. There was also social distancing, masks, and isolation (a.k.a., “staying in”). We didContinue reading “Touchable”
Swords Out! (The Darkest Hour)
There shall be no negotiated peace. That’s what Winston Churchill says in his address to his Outer Cabinet toward the end of the movie, That Darkest Hour. The movie focuses on the tumultuous events of May 20-28, 1940. England and France had previously declared war on Germany in September of ’39 (after their invasion ofContinue reading “Swords Out! (The Darkest Hour)”
Reaching Out To Jesus
Here’s the wonderful story of Mark 5:25-34 put into verse. I’ve found that doing this helps me get deeper into the story and see it in new ways. I hope you will find it helpful in some way. Reaching Out To Jesus Twelve years, painful isolation, finances drained, spiraling frustration. Somehow there was still aContinue reading “Reaching Out To Jesus”
We Are Glad!
It’s been a long time and the memory is nearly washed from my mind—but not quite. I can still remember an occasion when our son, Nathan, was young—about kindergarten age. It was early on a peaceful Sunday morning in Sumter, South Carolina. We were going to a men’s breakfast before church at a local restaurantContinue reading “We Are Glad!”
A Taste of Grace with Bruce Green 