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The Triumphal Entry Read Mark 11:1-11 This story, especially as Mark tells it, is anticlimactic: Jesus decides to make his move during Passover—the new exodus! Disciples proclaim Jesus king Crowds join in the procession The temple leaders are supposed to respond. They ignore him completely. We are not…

sddasc Read Mark 10:17-31 Jesus challenges this man with a particular version of “deny yourself, pick up your cross, and follow me.” Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. Jesus looked…

Recap Read Mark 9:14-29 Central question of the story: why can’t the disciples cast out the demon? Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to…

Now we come to the midterms. Anxiety of the pharisees. Lesson of the Loeaves—I am completely dependent on a generous God. Jesus tells them to watch out for the yeast of the pharisees. The disciples start worrying about bread. Read Mark 8:27-9:1 There is one question on the midterm: who do you say I am?…

Read Mark 7:1-23 We often get this passage backwards—we think that the Pharisees were focused on the outside—ritual and behavior—while Jesus is focused on the in keeping the inside clean. But that’s because we get confused about the point they are arguing. We think Jesus is abolishing dietary laws. “Are…

Coming out of COVID we were in a really good financial position. We found ourselves sitting on a good sized checking account. From that position, we made several decisions at various points: We increased the size of our emergency reserve fund We invested more of our money with church investment groups.…

Introduction Read Mark 6:46-52 Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened. They were surprised when they shouldn’t have been. They wouldn’t have been if they had understood about…

READ MARK 5:1-20 They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him. Jesus sees the Gerasene cemetery as it really is: JUST a PLACE . v. 1-2 This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore,…

Background Jesus ended the last story by saying, Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. How can I "do God’s Will?” Do I have to BE CHOSEN…