The Way of a Servant Text: Mark 10:32-45Rev. John Downs In the third prediction of his passion, Jesus is preparing his disciples not only for his own imminent suffering but also for the shared fellowship of suffering that they will …
The Way of a Servant Text: Mark 10:32-45Rev. John Downs In the third prediction of his passion, Jesus is preparing his disciples not only for his own imminent suffering but also for the shared fellowship of suffering that they will …
The Way of Spiritual Riches Text: Mark 10:13-31Rev. John Downs Christian missionary and martyr Jim Elliot wrote in his journal, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” God is in …
The Way of Covenant Text: Mark 10:1-12Rev. John Downs When God calls us to himself, he calls us into covenant community. The entire framework and foundation of how he relates to his people is through covenant. Biblical marriage is one …
The Way of Smallness Text: Mark 9:33-50Rev. John Downs The way of the world and, if we’re honest, the way of our own sinful hearts is to want to make a name for ourselves. However, in the counter-cultural economy of …
The Way of Resurrection Belief Text: Mark 9:14-32Rev. John Downs Just as the dreaded check engine light in our car provides a warning we dare not ignore due the possibility of dire consequences, God’s word also offers us warning of …
The Way of Unfolding Glory Text: Mark 9:2-13Rev. John Downs In God’s design, we were wired for glory, and yet sin darkens our hearts just as clouds may obscure a mountain peak. But we have a God who is there …
The Way of Suffering Text: Mark 8:31-9:1Rev. John Downs Am I fragile, resilient or “antifragile” — i.e. made stronger through stress and suffering? Our Messiah came to suffer, through poverty, scorn, rejection, humiliation and a brutal death to purchase our …
The Way of Perception Text: Mark 8:1-30Rev. John Downs As we continue to study the way of the gospel in Mark, we learn today that our God in Christ sees us while we are blind and gives us eyes to …
The Way of Persistence Text: Mark 7:24-37Rev. John Downs Whether healing a Syrophoenician woman’s daughter in the first century or dealing with us today, we have a savior who is not far away but rather one who gets very close …
The Way of Purity Text: Mark 7:1-23Rev. John Downs At times it can be easy to get distracted by human traditions and lose sight of the core of what it means to follow Jesus. While traditions and church history have …