Message DetailsPassage: Mark 14:12-21AudioSpeaker

Message DetailsPassage: Mark 13AudioSpeaker

Commentators have called Mark 13 “one of the most perplexing chapters in the Bible.”Jesus predicts the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem and unravels His disciples’ question concerning the sign and timing of Jerusalem’s destruction and the end of the age.

Mark contrasts two teaching scenes- in one, Jesus warns the crowd against false faith, and in the second, commends to His disciples an example of true faith displayed through a widow’s desperate dependence on God.

In Christ, God might be the God of all comfort, but we must be careful that we never allow ourselves to grow comfortable with the Son of God!

The Sadducees propose to Jesus a seemingly impossible scenario using an Old Testament law and what they believe about marriage and the resurrection. However, they were not prepared for an encounter with true authority and real power in the person of Jesus!

Mark 12:13-17 is situated amid a series of 7 escalating conflicts between Jesus and the religious leaders. After failing to confront Jesus directly, the Sanhedrin sends the Pharisees and Herodians to trap Jesus in His word as they question Him about the theological legality of the people of God paying tribute to pagan government through taxes.

In Mark 11:12-25, we meet a side of Jesus we haven’t encountered before. Jesus curses a fruitless fig tree and then enters the temple to flip tables and drive our money changers and merchants. Jesus is jealous for the glory of God, and won’t put up with our fruitless worship and self-serving religion. Jesus calls His disciples to flee from condemned false fruit and put their faith in God’s presence, that is Himself.

Act III of Mark’s Gospel begins with Jesus’ Triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Mark confronts us with the reality of Jesus as God’s Messianic King. Jesus has come as King, but He isn’t always the kind of King we expect. He has come to rule over more than just our circumstances.

In the final story of “Act 2” in Mark’s Gospel, we encounter Bartimaeus, who, although physically blind, has greater insight into who Jesus is than the disciples who have spent the last 3 years with Jesus. A poor, blind beggar proves to be more of the ideal disciple than those closest to Jesus! Through the example of Bartimaeus, we can better learn what it means to follow Jesus.

In Mark 10:13-31, Mark gives us two stories– a story of children and a story about a wealthy and righteous man. Seemingly unrelated, Jesus uses these two encounters to teach his disciples and us once again about His Kingdom. Specifically, in these passages, we see two different postures people display toward the Kingdom of God. One posture ensures the reception of His Kingdom, while the other posture ensures the rejection of His Kingdom.