Gratitude and Salvation Are Inseparable — Bob Whitaker (24 Nov 2013)
Luke 17:11-19 When 10 men who were afflicted with leprosy called out to Jesus, he was gracious enough to heal all of them. However, only one came back to Jesus in order to give thanks – the man was a Samaritan. In most areas of life, a sense of entitlement is unbecoming, but as it […]
First Things First — Bob Whitaker (17 Nov 2013)
A look at Jesus’ teaching on treasure through four questions: Where is your heart? Who owns your soul? How is your faith? What are your priorities?
Forgiveness: The Divine Absurdity — Bob Whitaker (10 Nov 2013)
Matthew 18:21-35 The topic of forgiveness is a difficult one. An improper understanding of forgiveness can be damaging. Sometimes the notion of forgiveness can be used as a tool for abusive relationships. When Jesus spoke about forgiveness he was not suggesting that the abused should go back to the abuser and suffer in silence. However, […]
Life at the Back of the Line — Bob Whitaker (3 Nov 2013)
In Mark 9:33-41, Jesus interrupted a dispute between the disciples. They were so embarrassed by their own dispute that they did not want to respond to Jesus when he asked why they were arguing. No wonder they didn’t want to answer–they were disputing about which one of them was the greatest. Is this a dispute […]
Lord Even of the Sabbath — John Mangrum (20 Oct 2013)
A look at the authority of Jesus, from Mark 2:23-3:6.
Relax, God Is in Control — Bob Whitaker (13 Oct 2013)
After feeding the 5,000, Jesus again turns to solitude and instructs his disciples to do the same. He sends them on ahead in a boat, and they are sailing across the lake when a storm forms and threatens the boat. The picture that the writer gives us is this: that all this time Jesus is […]
A Partnership with Jesus — Bob Whitaker (6 Oct 2013)
In Mark 6:30-44, Jesus feeds the crowd of 5,000. The root of this story is that Jesus is the Bread of Life, but perhaps it also concerns our calling to partner in ministry with Jesus. Noting the difficulty of the situation, the disciples turn to Jesus for the answer. His response? “You feed them.” They, […]
Reasonable Doubt — Dan Waugh (29 Sept 2013)
It wasn’t John the Baptist’s finest hour. He had bravely called Herod into account for his immorality and was languishing in prison. In his cell he begins to doubt. This man who had pointed his finger to Jesus and said, “There he is; he’s the one,” now sends messengers to Jesus to ask, “Are you […]
Jesus–He’s Not Safe, but He’s Good — Bob Whitaker (22 September 2013)
Peter, a simple fisherman, probably had no idea what he was getting into when Jesus got into his boat to speak to a crowd. After he had finished Jesus decided to perform an unexpected miracle, nearly turning the boat over by bringing in a miraculous catch of fish at an unexpected time of the day. […]
Freedom Fighter–Dan Waugh (15 Sept 2013)
Jesus stood up in the synagogue and declared he was the one who was anointed to proclaim good news to the poor and freedom to the oppressed (Luke 4:16-30). How will he back up this claim? Teaching. And casting out demons. That’s how. This is a story that shapes our understanding of the world and […]
