If yesterday’s story needed a bit of explanation – why was rubbing grain an issue? – today’s passage is rather more straightforward. We’re still looking at Jesus’ encounters with the Pharisees regarding the Sabbath, and the fundamental question we posed yesterday still applies: what is the point of the Sabbath? Why did God give it … Read more
It’s easy to miss the wood for the trees. We all do it at times – and it’s just as likely to happen in matters of faith, too. What is the point of the Sabbath? That’s the million-dollar question for us today and tomorrow: why did God command every human to rest for one day … Read more
We’re currently in the midst of redecorating some rooms. We’ve lived in our current house for ten years, and over time numerous walls have got marks which need a bit of touching up. The problem is that, even if we had bought some new paint which exactly matches the colour in theory, we all know … Read more
‘Let me tell you how it will be: it’s 1 for you, 19 for me.’ So sang the Beatles as the first lyrics on their iconic 1966 album ‘Revolver’. The opening song is ‘Taxman’ and is essentially a rant about the 95% top rate of income tax for high earners in the UK, which of … Read more
As we conclude our week, this is a brief moment to recap, by reflecting on the final half of the last verse of our week: ‘This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”’ Three times in this opening section of Mark, the people are ‘amazed’ – by Jesus’ … Read more
In his 1943 paper ‘A Theory of Human Motivation’, American psychologist Abraham Maslow proposed a hierarchy of human needs. These were arranged in five ascending tiers, beginning with basic Physiological Needs (food and shelter) and culminating with the highest tier of ‘Self-Actualisation’. The theory has been widely adopted and much of it makes intuitive sense. But … Read more
If you ever attended Sunday School, you’re very likely to be familiar with this story! As one of the most visually striking stories in the life of Jesus, it’s a favourite with Sunday School leaders everywhere. The little Israelite house crammed full of people; the friends battling their way up the steps on the outside … Read more
‘I am willing.’ One of Jesus’ most beautiful sayings, and oft-loved by preachers through the generations. It is a word to us: if you’ve ever wondered if Jesus gets bored of your prayers, or of you; if he tires of your problems, or your requests; if you’ve messed up and wonder if he can make … Read more
After yesterday’s dramatic encounter in the synagogue, the narrative picks up speed. We’ll see this more than once in Mark’s gospel – the action comes thick and fast, so ‘as soon as they left the synagogue…’ (v29) they’re onto the next encounter: in this case, a pastoral visit with Jesus’ new team, helping (and healing) … Read more
A few years ago, Alise and I got hooked on a Spanish TV series. Called ‘I know who you are’, it tells the story of a lawyer who suffers a car crash and wakes up by the roadside having suffered total memory loss – he has no idea who he is or why he is … Read more