More than likely, you've heard at least one sermon on "the widow's mite", probably when your church was asking for additional funding for something. But is that an appropriate story for such a purpose? (Texts referenced: Mark 12.41-44; 13.1-2)
All too often, unscrupulous people hide their exploitative behavior behind a thin veneer of respectability. But this is nothing new... (Text referenced: Mark 12.38-40)
Mark tells Yiftach about the painful memory of abandoning Paul and Barnabas. (Texts referenced: Acts 12.25; 13.4-5, 13; 15.1-6, 22, 35-40; Philemon 24; 2 Timothy 4.11)
The disciples are caught in a storm, their boat being swamped, when a ghostly figure appears... (Texts referenced: Exodus 33.14-23; 1 Kings 19.9-12; Mark 6.49-52)
“All men make mistakes, but a good man yields when he knows his course is wrong, and repairs the evil. The only crime is pride.” Herod makes a strong case for Sophocles' argument. (Texts referenced: Mark 6.21-28; 6.16, 29.)
Has someone ever tried to make you feel 'less than' in front of others? You're not alone in that experience... (Texts referenced: Mark 6.1, 2-3, 4, 5-6a; 3.31-35; 6.6b)
Two desperate people reach out for help from Jesus, and risk much in doing so. (Texts referenced: Mark 5.21-23, 25-26, 27-29, 30-31, 32-34; Malachi 4.2)
Outside of horror movies, we don't tend to talk much about demons or unclean spirits these days. But perhaps we should. (Texts referenced: Mark 5.1-5; 6-8; 9-10; 11-13. The Gerasa massacre happened in 68 CE.)
As a storm builds in Jerusalem, Mark tells the story of a storm Jesus encountered. Or maybe a storm that encountered Jesus... (Texts referenced: Mark 4.35-37; 38-39; Psalm 107.23, 28-29)