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- Mark 15:24
Why crucifixion? Why did Jesus die this way rather than another way? No one was crucified in the Old Testament. Among the Jews, capital punishment was by stoning.
The Old Testament had one rite that helps us to understand the meaning of cru...
- Mark 15:22-23
The wine mixed with myrrh had the same effect as a mild sedative. Crucifixion was so barbaric, and the pain involved so horrific, that according to tradition some relief was offered to the victim just before he was nailed to the cross.
We d...
- Mark 10:45
Jesus gave His life as “a ransom.” You need to know that there are a growing number of teachers in the church today who deny precious truths like this. These folks think it is “unworthy” to speak about God’s wrath or judgement. If you don’t believ...
- Acts 2:23
The Bible gives us not only a description of what people heard and saw when Jesus died on the cross, but also an explanation of what God saw in Jesus' death. And in this explanation, God reveals what He was doing at the cross:
Christ died f...
- Mark 15:34
The New Testament tells us about the death of Jesus in two important but different ways: God gives us both description and explanation. And it’s important to hold these two together.
The Gospels describe what actually happened. Mark gives u...
- Hebrews 4:16
Here are three things you can do when you are suffering:
Come to Jesus for comfort. Your Saviour has been tested in every way, and yet He was without sin. He knows what it is like to be bound, to be falsely accused, to endure great pain, to...
- Mark 15:20
The charge against Jesus was that He claimed to be king. The soldiers picked up on this, and they put a purple robe on Him (15:17). This was not a bright purple robe. It was an old, worn-out cloak rubbed in the dirt. Mark said it was purple. Matth...
- Mark 15:15
Jesus endured unspeakable physical pain. And His physical suffering speaks into our lives today. Some of us have experienced physical pain inflicted by another person. It’s a terrible thing.
Most of us have experienced physical pain at some...
- Mark 15:3
Roman law is one of the great legacies of the Roman Empire. And the governor, Pontius Pilate, was responsible for upholding justice by protecting the innocent and confronting the guilty.
But when Jesus came before Pilate, there was no prote...
- Mark 15:1
Try to take this in: The hands that healed were bound, and so were the feet that brought good news. The Son of God was delivered into the hands of those who hated Him and wanted to hurt Him. And God allowed it to be so. Doesn’t Jesus have all powe...
- 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.<...
- 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 retaliat...
- 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 have something lacki...
- 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...
- 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 t...
- 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 i...
- 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...
- 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 t...
- 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 ...
- 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...
- 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 c...
- 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 t...
- 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, Je...
- 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 Chri...- 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 ne...
- 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...
- 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 ...
- 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...
- 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 th...
- 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 o...
