To believe that God is love is to insist on the doctrine of the Trinity. To believe in the Triune God is to experience the love of God.

The crucifixion of Jesus is told to us in remarkably scant detail. Instead, the focus is on the actions of the people at the scene. Through them we are given four perspectives to the cross.

We build up an idea of who God is in our minds and when reality doesn’t match up, we reject him. It’s not that God is evil or bad. He’s just not what I expected. If we can be brutally honest with ourselves, the problem with God is that he doesn’t give me what I want. And so we crucify him.

This passage pits false witnesses against the truth of who Jesus is. Right after we are shown Peter denying Jesus. In that moment, it’s not that Peter doesn’t believe Jesus is true. It’s just that he believes something else is more true.

Missions is like digging a well. You either tie a rope around yourself and go down, or you hold the rope for those who do. Either way, your hands are going to be scarred.

John 21 is a great example of why every detail matters. Can you imagine Peter’s dread at being around a charcoal fire again?

In Mark 14, we are given 10 verses about at most a few hours in the life of Jesus. Understanding what happened in that garden on an intellectual level is not difficult. Getting it emotionally is a whole other matter.

The disciples were at the Passover and looking backward to Egypt and slavery. Jesus is at the Passover looking forward to the cross. At the cross, Jesus was sacrificed as the Passover lamb. He was the sacrifice that saved people from death. Not just firstborn sons, not just in Egypt, not just for Jewish people. A thousand lambs will not give you enough blood to even make our doorpost slightly pink. His sacrifice is the only thing that can cover us and save us.

Wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her. It doesn’t just mean people will read about it 2000 years later at ECU Joondalup. It’s not that at all. Rather, this is what the gospel is. In other words, when the gospel is proclaimed, this story is being proclaimed. This is a picture of the gospel.

Should we pay Caesar’s tax? If Jesus says yes, he’ll lose the support of the people. If he says no, he’ll offend the Romans. Is that the dilemma? If you think it is, you’ve fallen for the trap…

The parable of the wicked tenants teach us an important truth. There is a tipping point; there is a point of no return. When that happens, God will take back what is His.

Jesus said it’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God. Why were the disciples shocked to hear that? Why would being rich make us poor?

Jesus said it is better to cut off an arm than risk the fires of hell. How are we meant to take that? Two points in our passage: No good deed goes unnoticed; no bad deed goes unpunished.

Jesus says all things are possible for one who believes. Is that really true? When God doesn’t answer my prayer, does that mean I’m not believing enough? How do I believe when I feel like I don’t? Let the Bible show you the one who believes perfectly.

Deny yourself, pick up the cross and follow me. With those words Jesus invites and challenges anyone who wants to become a Christian. But what does it mean?

Chapter 8 is a pivotal point in the gospel of Mark. We begin with the miraculous feeding of the 4000 in the wilderness. It is a major display of the miraculous. Yet the Pharisees and the disciples will both see the evidence, but miss the sign. Despite everything Jesus has done so far, they have yet to reckon with the single most important evidence - Jesus himself.

In part 1 we learn that religious conformity is not enough to justify us if we are spiritually indifferent. As fastidious as we are in obeying the law, it will all be in vain if it is not accompanied by a heart that genuinely loves God. The problem, though, is this can make us think that as long as our hearts are in the right place, our obedience will be meritorious.

In God’s house, even the dogs have more than enough to eat. Anyone is free therefore to choose what they want to be. Do we cling to our autonomy and dignity, relying on our own strength? Or will we forsake our pride and take our place and find security and peace? That’s the challenge.

Mark 7:1-23 records for us a clash between the religious establishment (the Pharisees) and Jesus, who leads what seems to be the trending religious movement of the day. One represents the accepted cultural and religious traditions, while the other claims to represent God.

If all God wanted was to rescue us from every storm, then Jesus didn’t even need to leave that mountain top. He could just say the word and command the wind. Instead, Jesus uses every opportunity to show us that He is God. To pass by.