Why Some Churches Are Unhealthy

Don’t be deceived: God is not mocked. for whatever a man sows he will also reap, because the one who sows to his flesh will reap corruption from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit. So we must not get tired of doing good, for…

Fruitfulness and Fruitlessness

In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!” (Mark 10:20–21)

God Sees Our Sacrifices

Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands…

Only by Prayer

And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.” (Mark 9:28–29)

Following the Transfiguration, the three disciples followed Christ, leaving the…

The Coming of the Kingdom

And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.” (Mark 9:1)

The chapter and verse divisions in the Bible were not parts of the original text, but…

What’s the Big Deal about Divorce?

Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife? (Mark 10:2b)

The question was carefully phrased, as it was given to Jesus to answer. It does not ask what is the benefit of divorce to society or to the children or even to the parents. It does not…

He Came to Serve, Not to Be Served

Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. (Mark 10:43–45)

God of the Living

He is not the God of the dead, but of the living… (Mark 12:27)

The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection. Nor did they accept the Old Testament as the Word of God except for the first five books, or the Pentateuch as it is called.

The Transfiguration

And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them. (Mark 9:2–3)

The Hard Teachings of Christ

“If anyone causes one of these little ones — those who believe in me — to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life…