Sermon Notes; a Daily Devotional

Mark 10:51&52 "51 And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto Him, Lord, that I might receive my sight. 52 And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way." Mark Chapter 10 details Jesus’ final journey toward Jerusalem, focusing on teachings about discipleship, humility, and the cost of following Him. The chapter is structured around five key events that contrast worldly values with the requirements of the Kingdom of God.  Marriage and Divorce: Jesus refutes the Pharisees’ attempt to loosen divorce laws, stating that Moses permitted it only due to the hardness of hearts. He reaffirms God’s original design for marriage as a permanent union between one man and one woman, declaring that what God has joined together, no one should separate.  Blessing of Children: When the disciples rebuke those bringing children to Jesus, He is...

Mark 9:49-50 "49 For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. 50 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another." Mark chapter 9 details pivotal events in Jesus' ministry that bridge His identity as the Messiah with the necessity of his impending suffering. The chapter opens with the Transfiguration, where Jesus reveals His divine glory to Peter, James, and John on a high mountain, accompanied by Moses and Elijah, while a voice from heaven declares Jesus as God's beloved Son. Following this revelation, Jesus commands the disciples to remain silent about the event until after His resurrection.  Upon descending the mountain, Jesus encounters a crisis of faith as His other disciples fail to heal a demon-possessed boy. Jesus rebukes the crowd for their unbelief and heals the child, teaching that such spiritual battles require prayer and f...

Mark 8:38 "Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of Me and of My words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when He cometh in the glory of His Father with the holy angels." Rereading the Gospel of Mark, chapter 8 we reach the pivotal turning point, shifting the narrative from public miracles to the revelation of Jesus’ identity and the cost of discipleship. The chapter is structured around five key events that redefine the nature of the Messiah’s mission.  The Feeding of the Four Thousand: Jesus demonstrates compassion by miraculously feeding a large crowd of Gentiles and Jews with only seven loaves and a few small fish, leaving seven baskets of leftovers. This miracle parallels the earlier feeding of the five thousand but highlights Jesus' provision for the Gentile world.  Confrontation with Religious Leaders: Upon arriving at Dalmanutha, the Pharisees demand a sign from heaven to test Jesus’ authority. Jesus refuses, sigh...

Mark 7:36&37 "36 And He charged them that they should tell no man: but the more He charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it; 37 And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: He maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak." Can you imagine experiencing a miraculous healing? These people's lives were radically changed! Everyone they knew would vicariously share in this experience! No wonder the fame and curiosity about Jesus was growing exponentially. Rereading chapter 7; the first part focuses on a confrontation between Jesus and religious leaders regarding ritual purity, followed by two miracles demonstrating His power and inclusivity.  Tradition vs. Commandment Pharisees and scribes from Jerusalem criticize Jesus’ disciples for eating with unwashed hands, violating the tradition of the elders. Jesus condemns their hypocrisy, quoting Isaiah to show they prioritize human rules over God’s commandments, specificall...

Mark 6:56 "And whithersoever He entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought Him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment: and as many as touched Him were made whole." Amazing events! This verse highlights the desperation and faith of the people, who laid the sick in marketplaces and begged to touch even the fringe of His garment. All who touched Him were healed, demonstrating that their faith was not in the cloth itself but in the divine power of Jesus, who is portrayed as the accessible source of physical and spiritual restoration. Continue our speed reading of the Gospel of Mark with chapters 5 & 6. Mark Chapter 5 focuses on Jesus’ sovereign power over evil, illness, and death through three interconnected miracles. In the region of the Gerasenes, Jesus casts a legion of demons out of a man and into a herd of pigs, which then drown; the healed man is told to proclaim Jesus' mercy, but the fearfu...

Mark 4:40&41 "40 And He said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? 41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?" We read through the Gospel of Mark all summer, a few verses at a time. Now, we are rereading it whole chapters at a time. At this pace we feel the urgency that Mark wrote with.  Today reread chapters 3&4: Mark Chapter 3 details the escalating conflict between Jesus and religious authorities, beginning with Jesus healing a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath, which prompts the Pharisees to plot with the Herodians to kill Him. As crowds from Galilee, Judea, and beyond flock to Him for healing, Jesus selects and appoints the Twelve Apostles to accompany Him. The chapter concludes with Jesus dismissing His biological family’s concerns about His sanity and defining His true family as those who do God’s will, while also refuting accusations that He ca...