February 21, 2025
‘But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.”’ (Mark 5:36 ESV). A synagogue ruler named Jairus came to Jesus, begging him to come and heal his sick daughter. Jesus went with him. As they were on the way, messengers came to inform them that she
February 20, 2025
“And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled” (Mark 5:20 ESV). In the region of the Gerasenes, on the Eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee, Jesus encountered a man who was beset by a “legion” of unclean spirits. He commanded them
February 21, 2022
CHRIST’S METHOD OF LIFE-ON-LIFE DISCIPLESHIP When Jesus went into the home of the synagogue ruler whose daughter had died, He only permitted three of the Twelve to follow inside. Peter, James and John were often singled out for such occasions. They were witnesses on that day of Jesus raising the synagogue ruler’s daughter up from
February 20, 2022
THE POWER OF ONE WITNESS In the region of the Gerasenes, on the Eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee, Jesus encountered a man who was beset by a “legion” of unclean spirits. He commanded them to leave and the man was restored to his right mind. Afterwards, the man wanted to go with Jesus,
February 20, 2021
THE POWER OF ONE WITNESS In the region of the Gerasenes, on the Eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee, Jesus encountered a man who was beset by a “legion” of unclean spirits. He commanded them to leave and the man was restored to his right mind. Afterwards, the man wanted to go with Jesus,
February 21, 2020
CHRIST’S METHOD OF LIFE-ON-LIFE DISCIPLESHIP When Jesus went into the home of the synagogue ruler whose daughter had died, He only permitted three of the Twelve to follow inside. Peter, James and John were often singled out for such occasions. They were witnesses on that day of Jesus raising the synagogue ruler’s daughter up from
February 21, 2018
FEAR OR FAITH?
Jesus was on His way to heal Jairus’ daughter when messengers came to inform them that she had died. In response, Jesus told Jairus to have faith rather than fear. Jesus often put fear and faith as opposite choices that people could make as an act of the will. When Jesus arrived at Jairus’ house, He raised his daughter from the dead.
Fear seems like an automatic response rather than an act of the will. But Jesus teaches that we can learn to choose faith over fear.
Is this possible? That we can learn to replace our fear with faith?
February 21, 2016
This with today’s reading in Leviticus 11-12 makes for a revealing juxtaposition. The law details how touching a dead body or a bleeding woman makes one unclean. Mark shows how a touch from the holy Jesus has the reverse affect: The bleeding woman is healed and the dead girl rises again.
February 20, 2016
The demoniac who lived among the tombs of the Gerasenes must have been a startling welcome as he ran, screaming and crying, down the hill towards Jesus and his disciples as they came ashore. Having just experienced a life-threatening storm on the Galilee and witnessing Jesus command the wind and the waves to be still, I’m sure the disciples’ knees were still shaking as they climbed out of their boat. And then, to be greeted by the hair-raising screams of a wild man running straight at them must have been terrifying! Yet, Jesus responded just as He had to the storm. With the same sense of confident authority He commanded the “legion” of demons out of the man and into the pig herd on the hillside. And just as the wind and waves had obeyed, so did the unclean spirits. The tortured soul of the wild man was suddenly at peace.
February 21, 2015
This with today’s OT reading in Leviticus 11-12 makes for a revealing juxtaposition. Leviticus details how touching a dead body or a bleeding woman makes one unclean. Mark shows how a touch from the holy Jesus has the reverse affect: The dead girl rises again and the bleeding woman is healed. Their impurity did not make Jesus unclean, but His holiness was transmitted to them making them whole.