At our church weekend away, Jonny Mellor took us to Psalm 8 during the morning prayer meeting. Chatting with Jonny, we were both struck by the way that Psalm 8 seems to resonate through into Ephesians 1. In Psalm 8:4-6 we are told: what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that… Continue reading You Raise me up
Category: Bible Study
Too late? (Mark 5:21-43)
We’ve seen already how the story of Jairus’ daughter wraps around the healing of the woman with a discharge of blood. Here we see at first a contrast because Jesus is willing to pause for the one that no one else would notice even as he goes to help a man who is used to… Continue reading Too late? (Mark 5:21-43)
If I can just get close enough (Mark 5:21-43)
Perhaps one of the most moving accounts in the Gospels is the story of the woman who had suffered for many years with an illness that caused frequent discharge of blood. It’s wrapped around by the healing of Jairus’ daughter. This helps us to see a few things. First, we see Jesus’ willingness to be… Continue reading If I can just get close enough (Mark 5:21-43)
Demons and Pigs (Mark 5:1-20)
Why does Jesus permit a legion of demons to leave a human being and possess pigs? Jesus and the disciples have crossed Galilee and on the other side, they find a man who is possessed by many demons so that he’s been given the nickname Legion. The demons bring with them superhuman strength so that… Continue reading Demons and Pigs (Mark 5:1-20)
Peace in the storm (Mark 4:35-41)
There’s a great storm raging, the waves are battering against the boat and it is being tossed about like a toy by the wind. The sailors are struggling against the storm. Several of them are seasoned sailors who know these waters well but there’s something different about this storm that fills them with dread. Meanwhile… Continue reading Peace in the storm (Mark 4:35-41)
Defeated enemies (Mark 4:35-5:43)
We now encounter a series of incredible miracles and signs which demonstrate Jesus’ power over the forces of evil and death. First, we see Jesus as Lord over his creation. Jesus travels across Galilee with his disciples. He is asleep in the boat as a storm brews. There are echoes of Jonah’s flight to Tarshish… Continue reading Defeated enemies (Mark 4:35-5:43)
God’s Growing kingdom (Mark 4:26-34)
The imagery throughout Mark 4 is centred on this small seed which gets planted, buried in the ground and begins to grow. Yes there’s this period of time when it’s hidden from sight, when n-one knows what happens, yes there are the obstacles: birds, rocks, thorns but growth and fruitfulness is inevitable. That’s what we… Continue reading God’s Growing kingdom (Mark 4:26-34)
Revealed (Mark 4:21-25)
“Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed, and not on a stand? Mark 4:21 This is perhaps one of the best known sayings of Jesus. It’s often described as a parable but had a more proverbial feel. Also, it seems to have been used in different contexts. … Continue reading Revealed (Mark 4:21-25)
Breaking up the hard ground (more reflections on Mark 4:1-20)
At Bearwood Chapel, we had a partnership with OM and over several years hosted a number of teams. As part of that partnership I was involved in training OMers in aspects of mission. One of the things I would sometimes do is take the team members into our car park. I would say to them:… Continue reading Breaking up the hard ground (more reflections on Mark 4:1-20)
The condition of your heart (Mark 4:1-20)
The parable of the sower is perhaps one of the best known of Jesus’ parables. We may however do better to call it “The parable of the soils” because it is the ground that the seed lands on which Jesus’ teaching focuses on. In Jesus’ story the farmer sows seed by scattering it by hand.… Continue reading The condition of your heart (Mark 4:1-20)
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