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”
Category Archives: Opening the Bible
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”
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!”
Same Sex Relationships
Our culture increasingly recognizes fewer and fewer sexual boundaries. The idea of abstinence before marriage is laughed at and mocked by many (though it’s no laughing matter with God – Hebrews 13:4). Adultery is taken only a bit more seriously, and in the last few decades we have entered into an “anything goes” mentality thatContinue reading “Same Sex Relationships”
The Scripture And Gender (2)
Gender Traits 1. There are those that are defining of gender and absolute. These are anatomical differences—men have testicles, penises, and prostate glands, while women have ovaries, vaginas, and breasts. Then there are significant hormonal differences in terms of testosterone and estrogen. There are many more biological differences like these that are not open toContinue reading “The Scripture And Gender (2)”
A Taste of Grace with Bruce Green 