Great Bible Truths with Dr David Petts

Talk 40 Mark 13:24-37 Signs of His Coming? Welcome to Talk 40 in our series on Mark's Gospel. Last time we were looking at Mark 13:1-23 and considering some of the problems in interpreting this difficult chapter. I suggested that most of what Jesus says in that passage relates primarily to the events that would occur around the time of the destruction of Jerusalem in AD70, which Jesus so accuratel...

Talk 39 Mark 13:1-23 Jesus prophesies the destruction of the temple Welcome to Talk 39 in our series on Mark's gospel. Today we're looking at chapter 13:1-23 where Jesus prophesies the destruction of the temple . We'll deal with verses 24-37 next time . This is a difficult chapter, not least because of the strong convictions some Christians hold about it, but my intention is not to make dogmatic a...

Talk 38   Mark 12:35-44 Jesus warns against the Teachers of the Law Welcome to Talk 38 in our series on Mark's Gospel. Today we're looking at Mark 12:35-44. So far in this chapter, Jesus has faced questions from Herodians, Pharisees, and Sadducees, all of whom have been trying to trick him into giving an answer that might give them grounds for taking action against him. But on every occasion Jesus...

Talk 37 Mark 12:28-34   The Greatest Commandment Welcome to Talk 37 in our series on Mark's gospel. Today we are considering Mark 12:28-34 where Jesus answers the question, Of all the commandments which is the most important? But before we read the passage it will be helpful to remind ourselves what has been taking place in recent chapters.   We have seen in Chapter 11 how Jesus cursed a fig tree...

Talk 36    Mark 12:1-27 Jesus and the Jewish religious leaders Welcome to Talk 36 in our series on Mark's gospel. In our last two talks we were considering the meaning of Jesus cleansing the temple and of his cursing the fig tree in Chapter 11. I suggested that, rather than cleansing the temple, Jesus was by his actions declaring the beginning of the end of worship in the temple, because that was...

Talk 35    Mark 11:11-33 (continued)         The Cursing of the Fig Tree Welcome to Talk 35 in our series on Mark's Gospel. Today we're continuing to look at Mark 11:11-33. As we said last time, there are two interrelated stories interwoven in this passage – the cursing of the fig tree and the so-called 'cleansing' of the temple. I suggested that Jesus' actions were not really a cleansing (i.e. to...

Talk 34 Mark 11:11-33 The 'cleansing' of the Temple Welcome to Talk 34 in our series on Mark's Gospel. In this talk and the next we'll be looking at Mark 11:11-33. This passage contains two stories – the cursing of the fig tree and what is often referred to as the 'cleansing' of the Temple (although I shall suggest that this is not the best description of what Jesus was doing). The fact that these...

Talk 33 Mark 11:1-10 The Triumphal Entry Welcome to Talk 33 in our series on Mark's Gospel. Today we're looking at what is often referred to as Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem. This is found not only in Mark 11:1-10, but also in Matthew 21:1-11, Luke 19:28-44, and John 12:12-19. We will be concentrating on Mark's account, but we'll also refer to the other accounts where they enrich our under...

Talk 32    Mark 10:46-52    Blind Bartimaeus receives his sight Welcome to Talk 32 in our series on Mark's Gospel. Today we are looking at Mark 10:46-52. It's the story of how a blind beggar called Bartimaeus receives his sight. It's a short passage so let's begin by reading it.   46 Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind...

Talk 31      Mark 10:32-45       Jesus teaches the way of sacrificial service Welcome to Talk 31 in our series on Mark's Gospel. Today our passage is Mark 10:32-45 where Jesus again predicts his death and resurrection, deals with a request from James and John that they might sit next to him in the coming kingdom, and teaches us that the way to true greatness is sacrificial service. The passage is...

Talk 30   Mark 10:13-31   The Kingdom of God Welcome to Talk 30 in our series on Mark's gospel. Today we're looking at chapter 10 verses 13-31 where we read of how Jesus blessed the little children, and about a rich young ruler – Mark calls him a man. Matthew tells us that he was young. Luke tells us that he was a ruler – who asked Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. We'll work through...

Talk 29    Mark 10:1-12    Jesus answers questions on divorce Welcome to Talk 29 in our series on Mark's gospel. Today we're looking at Mark 10:1-12 where Jesus answers questions on divorce, and in so doing teaches us key principles about the nature and sanctity of marriage. Of course, in a talk of this length, it won't be possible to go into the subject in great detail or to refer to the wide var...

Talk 28   Mark 9:30-50    Self-denial and total commitment Welcome to Talk 28 in our series on Mark's Gospel. Today we're looking at Mark 9:30-50 where Jesus teaches his disciples lessons that are essential for all those who would follow him. The passage begins with the statement that Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, because he was teaching his disciples (vv30-31) . And, as we lo...

Talk 27      Mark 9:9-29       Jesus heals a demon-possessed boy Welcome to Talk 27 in our series on Mark's Gospel. In our last talk we were considering what we can learn about Heaven from the story of Jesus' transfiguration at the top of a high mountain. Today we're looking at Mark 9:9-29 where Jesus heals a demon-possessed boy. In verses 9-13 we read how, coming back down the mountain, Peter, Ja...

Talk 26     Mark 9:1-8     The Transfiguration – a Glimpse of Heaven Welcome to Talk 26 in our series on Mark's Gospel. Today we're looking at Mark 9:1-8 where we read of a truly awesome event in the life of Jesus and three of his disciples. It's what is known as the transfiguration. The chapter begins with Jesus saying: I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before...

Talk 25    Mark 8:27-38    The Challenge of the Cross Welcome to Talk 25 in our series on Mark's Gospel. If you listened to my Easter Sunday message recently (which was not part of this series), you will remember that we concentrated our attention on the repeated emphasis on the use of the word must in connection with Jesus' death and resurrection.   One of the verses we referred to is found in to...

It had to happen – or did it? This week, as I was reading through the Gospel accounts of the resurrection of Jesus, I was struck by a statement in John 20:9 which tells us that the disciples did not yet understand the Scripture that Jesus must rise from the dead.   I found myself asking: ·       Why didn't they understand? ·       What was the scripture that John was referring to? ·       Why did...

About Eileen – a tribute to my wife by David Petts Eileen was born on 6 th January 1939 in Stockport, Cheshire. Her parents, Cecil and Sarah Littlewood, were from a Methodist background but were not regular church goers. However, they did send Eileen to Sunday School, and when they moved to Dagenham their nearest church was Bethel Full Gospel Church (Assemblies of God or AoG) and it was there that...

Talk 24    Mark 8:22-26   The Healing of a Blind Man at Bethsaida Welcome to Talk 24 in our series on Mark's Gospel. Today we're looking at Mark 8:22-26 where Jesus heals a blind man at Bethsaida. Jesus healed many blind people during the course of his ministry. Luke 7:21 tells us that he gave sight to many that were blind and the healings of Bartimaeus in Mark 10 and of the man born blind in John...

Talk 23   Mark 8:1-21 Feeding the Four Thousand Welcome to Talk 23 in our series on Mark's Gospel. Today we are looking at Mark 8:1-21. This passage includes the story of Jesus feeding the 4,000, which is similar in many ways to the account of the feeding of the 5,000 recorded in Chapter 6. As a result, liberal scholars have suggested that this is just a variant account of the same miracle rather...

Talk 22    Mark 7:31-37 Jesus heals a man who is deaf and mute Welcome to Talk 22 in our series on Mark's Gospel. Today we're looking at the story in Mark 7:31-37 of how Jesus heals a man who is deaf and mute. But before we turn to the passage, let me begin with a testimony of a similar healing that happened in my own family.   F rom my earliest years I can remember being told of how one of my aun...

Talk 21    Mark 7:24-40     The Faith of a Syrophoenician Woman Welcome to Talk 21 in our series on Mark's gospel. Today we will be considering Mark 7:24-40 where Jesus casts a demon out of the daughter of a Syrophoenician woman. In recent talks we have seen how Jesus often tested the faith of his disciples, and today we will see him testing the faith of a Gentile.   The story is also recorded in...

Talk 20    Mark 7:1-23 Beware of the Pharisees Welcome to Talk 20 in our series on Mark's Gospel. Today we're looking at Mark 7:1-23 where the Pharisees see some of Jesus' disciples eating food without first giving their hands the ceremonial washing that was required by Jewish tradition. So they ask Jesus about this. Jesus replies by quoting a passage from Isaiah where God says: These people honou...

Talk 19 Mark 6:45-56 Jesus walks on water Welcome to talk 19 in our series on Mark's gospel. Today we are looking at Mark 6:45-56 where we read the remarkable story of Jesus walking on water. This story, which takes place just after Jesus had fed the 5000, is a wonderful example of how Jesus continues to challenge and to strengthen the faith of his disciples. In it we see how: ·       The disciple...

Talk 18    Mark 6:30-44    Feeding the Five Thousand Welcome to Talk 18 in our series on Mark's Gospel. Today we'll be looking at Mark 6:30-44 where we read of the amazing miracle of how Jesus fed over 5000 people with five small loaves and two small fishes. Mark tells us that these people were, as so many are today, like sheep without a shepherd, and today I want to concentrate on what the passag...