Mark 1:35-45: Focus and Compassion

Joshua 8-9, Psalm 75, Mark 1:35-45, 1 Corinthians 3 Mark 1:35-45: Jesus sets a model for us to follow. He rose early in the morning while it was still dark, found a place to be quiet, and prayed (1:35). Think for a moment, beloved. If the Son of All Glory, God Incarnate, Jesus the Christ, need pray—and pray…

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Mark 1:21-34: The Fame of the Name

Joshua 6-7, Psalm 74, Mark 1:21-34, 1 Corinthians 2 Mark 1:21-34: Jesus’ ministry is marked by a particular distinctive, “authority.” This authority is expressed in his not teaching like “the scribes” (1:22). Whereas the scribes cited human authorities and utilized human tradition in support of their opinions, and generally footnoted their assertions with the typical perambulations necessary for…

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Mark 1:9-20: Follow Christ

Joshua 3-5, Psalm 73, Mark 1:9-20, 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 Mark 1:9-20: Jesus’ baptism is accompanied with an extraordinary voice from heaven along with the Spirit descending upon him: “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased” (1:9-11). In Christ, through faith in him, we are beloved and “accepted in the beloved” too (Ephesians 1:6, KJV).…

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Mark 1:1-8: Mightier

Joshua 1-2, Psalm 72, Mark 1:1-8, 1 Corinthians 1:1-17 Mark 1:1-8: Mark’s Gospel begins with a bang, not a whimper, and carries on at a fast pace through all of its pages. This gospel that is announced comes immediately with power and great energy. We can almost feel the passion of the apostle Peter preaching as we read.…

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March 26-31, 2025

With the Bible reading plan we are using, the last days of each month are designated as “free days.” March 26-31 then are intended to allow you to catch up on reading you may have missed or to study passages more in depth that intrigued you during the first 25 days of the month. With this…

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Matthew 28:11-20: The Great Commission

Deuteronomy 33-34, Psalm 71, Matthew 28:11-20, Romans 16 Matthew 28:11-20: The famous Great Commission is preceded by an explanation for one of the common attempts to explain away the resurrection. “The guards fell asleep.” The guards were paid to tell this story. What kind of blindness—or fear—is it that will bribe someone to hide the truth of a…

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Matthew 28:1-10: Fear and Great Joy

Deuteronomy 32, Psalm 70, Matthew 28:1-10, Romans 15:14-33 Matthew 28:1-10: Miracle of miracles, the resurrection. Many people have protested that we cannot possibly believe that Jesus came back from the dead. Sophisticated apologetics have been put together that make the case that however many eyewitnesses there are for Christ’s resurrection, such eyewitness account is insufficient—in the same way…

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Matthew 27:57-66: Dead and Buried

Deuteronomy 29-31, Psalm 69:19-36, Matthew 27:57-66, Romans 15:1-13 Matthew 27:57-66: Here we see first how a rich man expresses his commitment to Christ. If anyone thinks that you cannot be rich and follow Jesus, here is Joseph of Arimathea, a “rich man” (27:57), and “also a disciple of Jesus.” He uses his influence to gain an audience with…

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God Loves You

by Dr. Josh Moody God loves you. That’s the message that Franklin Graham preached to more than 10,000 people in 2023 in London. According to one involved with the event, a former atheist called Steve Johnson, there is a new openness to spiritual things. People have become fed up with the unreality of Instagram. “I’ve seen…

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Matthew 27:45-56: Truly Son of God

Deuteronomy 27-28, Psalm 69:1-18, Matthew 27:45-56, Romans 14 Matthew 27:45-56: Ne’er was love like this. The very land itself mourns: darkness hangs over the earth. Jesus cries out in a loud voice, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me!” (27:46). Misunderstood ‘til the end, some think he is calling Elijah (“Eli, Eli, Lema, sabachthani”) (27:47). Jesus cried out again with…

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