Providence Church

Jesus says he must suffer and die, but the disciples can't see it. When we focus on the things of man, we can't see what God is doing. According to Mark 8, seeing Jesus clearly means seeing why he had to die, and seeing why we must die as well.

The life of faith is a life of waiting for the Lord. That involves being immersed in God’s story, living with expectancy, and committing to practices that keep us attentive to God.

What happens when God comes to the bad guy in the story, the person controlled by sin? If we want to understand the astonishing reality of Christmas, then we’ve got to understand someone like Herod.

We often hear about God coming to the spiritual seekers and to the down and out. Joseph’s story shows us what happens when God comes to the good guy. He has to choose: life on his terms or life on God’s terms.

When Jesus is approached by a Gentile woman in need, he responds in a way that feels harsh. But looking deeper into this interaction, it teaches us how to come to Jesus and about his unique mission.

In Mark 7, we see two very different approaches to religion. The scribes and Pharisees are focused on the externals of religious devotion. Jesus, meanwhile, pushes beneath appearances to the source of true defilement: the human heart.

Our problem runs deeper than having busy lives. We need a rest that only God can give. In this famous story, Jesus reveals himself as the true shepherd who gives us true rest. 

In this little passage, Jesus came to his own and his own people did not receive him. Why is this account in the Bible and what is God trying to teach us through it?

This is the most detailed account of an exorcism in the Bible. It gives us insight into the reality of demonic power, the superior power of Jesus, and the choice we have between the two. The choice is always before us: Is God your life, or is your life your god?

In this familiar story, Jesus calms a storm. But the main point of the story might not be what you think.

The kingdom of God comes into the world through the word of God, and bears fruit in those who receive it. Life in the kingdom begins with hearing. Does God’s word stay on the surface of your life or does it take hold of you and change you?

In these two scenes in Mark 3, we see a contrast between the crowds that had gathered around Jesus and the twelve apostles. As we compare these two groups of people, some defining marks of a follower of Jesus emerge.

There has been increasing tension in Mark 2 between Jesus and the religious leaders. By the end of this passage, they are plotting to kill him. What pushes them over the edge is two incidents related to the Sabbath, specifically what Jesus says about the Sabbath and does on the Sabbath.

No one liked tax collectors, but Jesus befriended them and dined with them. It raised questions about who was in and out, and what it means to be close to God. The story teaches us that Jesus draws near to those who know they need him. Whoever thinks he is doing fine will keep him at a distance.

Four men bring their friend to Jesus, presumably to fix their friend’s biggest problem, his paralysis. But Jesus has an even deeper healing in mind.

We generally resist any authority but our own. So, what does it take for people with “authority issues” to come under the Lordship of Jesus? We must see that he has authority over everything, and that he uses his authority for our good.

As Jesus begins his public ministry in Galilee, Mark immediately shows us the message of Jesus and the method of Jesus. And both of those things are more radical than they seem on the surface.

Mark begins the story of Jesus in the wilderness. He is preparing us for a new exodus and a new covenant. If you want to see the real Jesus, you gotta go into the wilderness. It is a place of redemption, repentance, and renewed sonship.

We all desire to change. And yet, true and lasting change can be quite difficult to achieve. What we need is a biblical understanding of how change works, which is exactly what we find in Philippians 2.

The Songs of Ascent have taken us on a journey upwards toward Christ. And here at the end, Psalm 134 tells us the point of the whole journey. It tells us what we’re made for. We’re made to bless God and be blessed by God.

We were made for community. It seems hard to come by, but this psalm assures us that it is possible because of God's blessing and grace through Jesus.

Many of us journey through life at full speed, trying to accomplish big things, setting our sights on achievement and success. David says genuine rest can't be had that way. It comes, instead, as we embrace our limits, rest like a child, and hope in the Lord.

The first half of this psalm is a prayer of the people based on David’s oath to God. The second half is filled with promises from God based on God’s oath to David. And as expected, God’s promises are greater than our prayers.

What do we do with our guilt? Psalm 130 teaches us to cry out to, trust in, and wait for the Lord. With him there is forgiveness, steadfast love, and plentiful redemption.

During uncertain and unstable times, the thing we need most is to be reminded of God. This psalm is thoroughly God-centered and each stanza points us to something particular about him. When it feels like the world is falling apart, we can trust him.