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Good Growing Soil How casually we listen to the Word of God! If we don’t like a biblical teaching on spiritual gifts, remarriage, submission, reconciliation, justice, election, or the like, we reject the teaching as false, insensitive, not applicable to our situation, or only half of what the Word of God is saying. In Jesus’ time, everyone...

Desolate of Resources In Jane Austen’s novel Pride and Prejudice, Mr. Darcey, the romantic interest of main character Elizabeth Bennet, says, “Nothing is more deceitful than the appearance of humility. It is often only carelessness of opinion, and sometimes an indirect boast.” As Christ followers, we are to have true humility. It is all too...

Against Religious Tradition “Business as usual” can be a roadblock when it comes to innovation and progress. Whether at work or in our churches, if we do things just because “that’s the way we have always done it,” we may be standing in the way of needed improvements. In Mark 7, Jesus confronts some traditions practiced by the Pharisees and...

Private Miracles P.T. Barnum made history when he toured the United States in the mid- 1800s with his self-proclaimed Greatest Show on Earth. Barnum invented the art of the spectacle with curious exhibits and straight-out hoaxes that drew enormous crowds clamoring to buy tickets. In contrast, Jesus had no such desire to be viewed as a local...

The Yeast of Unbelief Have you ever purchased one of those small packets of yeast for baking bread? That tiny bit of granulated yeast is living and active, and it’s the key ingredient needed for bread to rise. In today’s passage, yeast is used as a warning about disbelief. At this stage in Mark’s narrative, you would hope the disciples were...

Glorified and Clarified American astronaut Scott Kelly describes the first time he saw Earth from space, saying, “As the Sun came up I was absolutely blown away by how incredibly beautiful our planet Earth is. Absolutely breathtaking. Like someone took the most brilliant blue paint and painted a mural right in front of my eyes. I knew right...

Self-Judgment When we hear a report of child abduction or abuse, it provokes righteous anger within us. We immediately recognize the incredible injustice of someone taking advantage of the innocence and weakness of a child. No justification is possible for this blatant disregard for righteousness. So it shouldn’t surprise us that Jesus minces...

The Useless Tree Fig trees are found all over Israel. The tall, leafy, shade-giving trees produce two harvests of fruit each year. Despite its unassuming exterior, the fruit produced by a fig tree is rich and delicious with a wonderful distinctive smell. But fig trees don’t necessarily flourish on their own. They take time and nurturing in...

The Death of Jesus The Heidelberg Catechism features a series of questions and answers, which instruct in specific doctrines of the faith. Question 39 focuses on the significance of the Cross, asking if it is important that Christ was crucified and did not die in another way. The answer: “Yes, for thereby I am assured that He took upon Himself...

The Lies of the Enemy Sam Johnson was a fighter pilot in Vietnam. On his 25th mission, he was shot down and spent the next seven and a half years as a POW in the “Hanoi Hilton.” About half of that time he spent in solitary confinement. The only people he ever saw were the guards and enemy officers who came to interrogate him. He was eventually...