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Lord, Is It Me?
17 That evening, Jesus arrived with the Twelve. 18 During the meal, Jesus said, “I assure you that one of you will betray me—someone eating with me.” 19 Deeply saddened, they asked him, one by one, “It’s not me, is it?” (Mark 14:17-19, CEB) Jesus prepares this meal on this night among chaos. He prepares a meal in love knowing he is about to be…
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Taxes and Who We Owe
No better time than tax season to have a story on taxes from Mark 12. And it’s always a great question in our culture. Just bring up TAXES and see what kind of response we get! 13 They sent some of the Pharisees and supporters of Herod to trap him in his words. 14They came to him and said, “Teacher, we know…
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Did a Shooting Happen… or not?
Yesterday the news was all over the internet in what I consider “main sources.” It was the first thing you saw when the news page would come up. When newspapers were actually printed, it would be called “above the fold.” It was front and center. I thought there was yet another shooting at yet another college campus. Seven dead. And…
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Where Greatness Dwells
Mark 12 gives a contrast in true greatness. There is the greatness we aspire to (even if we may not admit it at times). For the Jews in that day there was an admiration for the religious leaders. They had places of position. They had esteem. They looked smart. But all that glitters is not gold. 38 As he was teaching, he…
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Who is this King?
7 Mighty gates: lift up your heads! Ancient doors: rise up high! So the glorious king can enter! 8 Who is this glorious king? The LORD—strong and powerful! The LORD—powerful in battle! 9 Mighty gates: lift up your heads! Ancient doors: rise up high! So the glorious king can enter! 10 Who is this glorious king? The LORD of heavenly forces— he is the…
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Keeping the Main Thing the Main Thing
15 They came into Jerusalem. After entering the temple, he threw out those who were selling and buying there. He pushed over the tables used for currency exchange and the chairs of those who sold doves. 16 He didn’t allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. 17 He taught them, “Hasn’t it been written, My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations? But…
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He’s Coming… and you may not like that thought
This coming Sunday is Palm Sunday. We celebrate the entrance of Christ into Jerusalem. It is remembering his triumphal entry, then entering a week of reflection as we head toward the Cross. The expectation when Jesus entered Jerusalem was probably enormous. There was a lot of talk and a lot of hope. But when Jesus comes, it may not be…
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When He Comes
31 The time is coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. 32 It won’t be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt. They broke that covenant with me even though I was their husband, declares…
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Lord, Hasten the Day!
11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be? You must live holy and godly lives, 12 waiting for and hastening the coming day of God. Because of that day, the heavens will be destroyed by fire and the elements will melt away in the flames. 13 But according to his promise we are waiting for a…
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Be the Hunter
If there is anything worth hunting… it is wisdom. We live life in “pursuit” of so many things, but the greatest pursuit in the ancient texts is the pursuit of wisdom. And the call is to be as tenacious with that pursuit as you would with any other pursuit. Actually, even a little more tenacious. 22 Pursue her like a hunter, and…
Tag: Lent
