Open the Bible UK Daily

Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. Hebrews 12:3 The Bible is such a practical book. It speaks to the realities of our lives. And it’s saying to us: Look, here you are as a disciple of Jesus and you're living in a difficult world. Following Christ isn’t easy, and ministry brings many pressures. Here’s what that means...

Christ… suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 1 Peter 2:21 At some point in your life, people will oppose you. They may even hate you. You may experience this in the context of business or in your family. Peter says the suffering of Jesus gives us a model to follow. What is His example? No retaliation When he was reviled, he did not revile in return (2:23...

It was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. Hebrews 2:10 The word 'perfect' here means complete. Jesus became the saviour He is through His suffering. Suffering shapes a person. It builds character, depth, and sensitivity into your life. A saviour who had never suffered would ha...

So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. Mark 15:15 In this description there are no gory details, just the facts. Notice how the Bible shows great restraint in describing the physical sufferings of Jesus. This is important because there’s a real temptation for every teacher of the Bible to use the violence of...

“After I am raised up, I will go before you...” Mark 14:28 What about Judas? He wasn’t with the disciples in Galilee. He had already taken His own life. The problem for Judas was not that he committed a sin too great to be forgiven, but that he would not come to Christ for forgiveness. Don’t let that be true of you. Jesus went on ahead of them to Galilee, but they had to come to Him. Peter and Jud...

“After I am raised up, I will go before you...” Mark 14:28 What does this mean for us? If you belong to Jesus, He won't leave you in the misery of your failure. The risen Christ is in the business of gathering His scattered sheep. Your giving into temptation isn't the end of the story. Your falling away isn't the last word. Here's the hope of the gospel: The risen Christ is gathering His scattered...

“I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.” Mark 14:27 Thank God this is not the end of the story: “‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee” (14:27-28). The striking of the shepherd will not be the end of the story. Nor will the scattering of the sheep. Why not? Because Jesus speaks here about His o...

“Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation.” Mark 14:38 In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was warning the disciples about the temptation that they were about to face. Notice the “you.” He was talking about their battle. Jesus was not asking them to somehow support Him in His trial. No, He was telling them, “Soon you are going to face a great trial. If you are going to stand, this is w...

Peter… followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest Mark 14:54 There was still a flicker of hope. One man felt that he wanted to be close to Jesus on this night. You have to love Peter’s devotion. He ran, but he couldn’t stay away. Maybe this man will bring some comfort to Jesus in His suffering. Then someone recognised him: “You… were with the Nazarene” (14:67). Peter d...

“You will all fall away.” Mark 14:27 It wasn’t just Judas. Jesus said to the disciples, “You will all fall away.” Feel the weight of that. Peter couldn’t imagine this happening to him: “Even though they all fall away, I will not” (14:29). You can see what he is saying, and you have to admire his courage and determination: “Lord, you can count on me! Even if all the rest of them abandon you, I want...

While [Jesus] was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper... Mark 14:3 While Jesus was reclining at the table in this man’s home, a woman expressed her love for Him by pouring a jar of perfume (worth a year’s wages) over His head. Some of the guests thought this was wasteful. They thought that something so valuable could have been put to better use. After this, Mark tells us that Judas, “one of...

Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’” Mark 14:27 We come to holy ground today as we take this first step into the passion of Jesus: Christ suffered at the hands of His friends. Let’s take in the sweep of Mark 14. This chapter begins with a dinner in the home of Simon, and it ends with a trial in the house of...

He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things… Mark 8:31 We’re following the story of Holy Week. On Palm Sunday, Jesus entered Jerusalem. On Monday, He ran the money changers out of the temple. Tuesday was taken up with questions from Jesus’ opponents, who were trying to trap Him. On Tuesday evening, Jesus taught His disciples about the glorious hope of His second coming. The...

“With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” Mark 10:27 Today we see one final lesson from the young ruler's life: Real change is impossible with man but not with God. God can change the selfishness that would keep you out of heaven. How does He do that? Being good like God is possible through Christ’s life for you and Christ’s Spirit in you. Christ's life f...

“Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible.” Mark 10:26-27 This is our third truth from the story: Real change is impossible with man. Pause a moment to take this in. The rich young ruler thinks he can produce the goodness needed for entering heaven. Jesus knows that He can’t. What does this man need to be saved from to become good like God? His life is all...

The disciples said to him, “Then who can be saved?” Mark 10:26 Here is the second truth we see in this story: Salvation involves a real change in which a person becomes good like God. One major problem that we face in the church today is that we have separated what God joined together. Salvation is reduced to a formula that is believed without making a difference to a person’s life. It is a change...

“Good Teacher… what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Mark 10:17 The first lesson we learn from the rich young ruler is this: To enter heaven, you must be good like God. When the rich young ruler asks his question, Jesus takes him up on the goodness thing: “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone” (10:18). How do you measure goodness? All measurements are made against a particul...

As [Jesus] was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him. Mark 10:17 This man who came to Jesus had a great deal going for him. Here are four things: He was successful. He is successful financially (Mk. 10:22). He is also successful professionally—he is a ruler, in a position of influence (Lk. 18:18). And he had achieved all this while he was young (Mat. 19:22). He was moral. T...

They were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. Mark 10:13 You may have been drawn to Jesus, but His disciples got in the way. Something another Christian said or did kept you from getting to Christ and receiving His blessing. Here are three truths to remember when that happens. 1. Jesus removes the barriers that keep us from God’s blessing. “Let the ch...

[Jesus said,] “What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” Mark 10:9 Jesus’ high view of marriage was very different from the prevailing ideas of the time, where divorce had become common. Bishop Ryle writes about the “absurd and frivolous causes” for which the Jews allowed divorce, citing rabbinical texts of the day: “If the wife cooks her husband’s food poorly… she is to be pu...

Pharisees came up and in order to test him asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” Mark 10:2 The purpose of the Pharisees’ question is to test Jesus. Their questions always have an angle. They ask Jesus about divorce, but Jesus answers with teaching about marriage. Later, when the disciples ask about divorce, He answers them in private (10:10). This is significant. Jesus did not come...

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. John 1:1, 14 Many people manage their lives by dividing them into compartments. There’s the work compartment, for business, budgets, and sales reports; the family compartment, for marriage, children, and home; and the spiritual compartment, for God, the church, prayer, and eter...

“It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched."' Mark 9:47-48 Here are two more observations on the strong words of Jesus. 4. Hell is eternal, conscious punishment. 'Their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched' (9:48). Jesus speaks not about the worm, but their worm. It...

“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.” Mark 9:42 These are among the strongest words ever spoken by our Lord Jesus Christ. Here are three observations from them. 1. Your influence matters. “Whoever causes one of these little ones… to sin” (9:42). You are responsib...

“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.” Mark 9:37 Jesus is giving an illustration here: a child represents the poorest, weakest, and most vulnerable people. In our society, the poorest, weakest, and most vulnerable are not just the young. In significant measure, they are defined by race, and Jesus has something to say...