In this message we explore Jesus’ betrayal, his arrest, his sham trials, as well as Peter’s three denials. In all this Jesus displays a supernatural calm in the midst of intense interrogation and ridicule. He endured all of this because of his great love for humanity.
In this portion of Mark’s Gospel we see a stark contrast between an extravagant act of devotion and a heinous act of betrayal. It raises the question, whose actions will we emulate–those of Mary or those of Judas?
In previous sermons, we learned what are not signs of Jesus’ return. But God wants us to know what is a sign of Jesus’ return. In Sunday’s message, we learn what happens when Jesus returns and when it begins.
In this portion of Mark’s Gospel, Jesus commends the giving of a poor widow and addresses his disciples misconceptions of the end times. Concerning giving, we learn that God is pleased with the sacrifice rather than the amount of the gift. With respect to the end times, Jesus addresses many non-signs of the end times that should not disturb us. These things will occur, but are not in themselves signs of Jesus’ second coming.
Jesus conveys much more than we typically understand in this next passage from the Gospel of Mark. It is about a revolutionary doing a revolutionary act. It is about our understanding that God had called his people to do the impossible. It is about wholeness and brokenness. And it’s about laying down your life for the benefit of others.
SERMON SUMMARY Matthew 1:18-25 Today we’re exploring the true meaning of Christmas through the perspective of Jesus’ earthly father, Joseph, and his heavenly Father, God. When Joseph found out that Mary was pregnant out of wedlock (v. 19), he displayed a remarkable balance between graciousness and allegiance to God’s moral law. If Joseph is going…
