An awkward interaction Mark 7:24-30 This woman isn’t Jewish – Tyre was a gentile area. She hears that Jesus is there and makes a desperate plea for this miracle man to help her daughter. Approaching a rabbi like Jesus as a gentile woman means she must be pretty desperate. If Read more…
Are you so dull? Mark 7:1-23 We all know about clean hands right? It was a Government instruction in the pandemic. It’s important. It was important in the context of the passage we’re looking at and this is why the Pharisees pick up on it. Jesus was going around towns Read more…
Take Courage! It is I! Don’t be afraid Mark 6:47-56 In this passage we may notice a number of reminders of earlier encounters. Mark is very intentional in what he includes so it is helpful for us to pay attention to these reminders and not to skip over them. The Read more…
Come with me and get some rest Mark 6:31 and Mark 6:45-46 Throughout Mark we see that Jesus, amidst the busy life he leads, takes time out to be by himself. Jesus likes to take space to refresh, retreat, recharge and pray. He demonstrates the importance of a quiet place Read more…
You give them something to eat Mark 6:30-44 Jesus feeds five thousand. It’s a classic Bible story and one of the first stories you may have heard about from the bible. People refer to it all the time, but when you stop and think this really is a miracle. How Read more…
Jesus sends out the twelve Mark 6:6b-13 While on a short course exploring what it means to follow Jesus, my friend and I joked with each other – not only were we now reading the Bible, we had become aware of different versions of it. The Bible is the best-selling Read more…
Jesus heals a sick woman Mark 5:24-34 So, what can we learn from the story of Jesus healing a sick woman? Why is it important? Firstly, we learn about faith in our weakness. This woman had suffered with her condition for twelve years. She had been to see anyone who Read more…
Don’t be afraid, just believe Mark 5:21-24 and Mark 5:35-43 In this fast-paced Gospel, we quickly move onto two stories entwined, Jesus raises a dead girl and heals a sick woman. In this case, we get two miracles for the price of one. I am moved by this story very Read more…
Why are you so afraid? Mark 4:35-41 The miraculous story of Jesus calming the storm is significant for two reasons. First of all, it is the first time that we see Jesus performing a miracle where power over nature is displayed. The people of the time did not understand weather Read more…
Do you light a lamp to put it under a bed? Mark 4:21-25 Have you ever been in the circumstance where you have found yourself pretending to be something you are not? Or hiding something about yourself because you were embarrassed or ashamed? In verses 21-23 of this chapter Jesus Read more…