In this episode, J. Mark teaches on Mark 5:1-20, concluding the lesson on Jesus “going to the dark side.” Jesus’ interaction with a demon-possessed man shows us several steps on what we should do when we are called to dark places. This passage shows how Jesus has given us the power through His Holy Spirit to confront evil. He has commissioned us as His witnesses to call people to choose which side they will be on. 

In this episode, J Mark looks at where Jesus casts out the man’s demons in Mark 5:1-20. In the Gospels, we see Jesus going into dark situations and bringing light and redemption. In this passage, Jesus shows his power over Satan. He took several different steps that we must be willing to take when we face difficult situations and serve in difficult places. 

Today, we examine the account of Jesus calming the storm in Mark 4:35-41. In this account, the disciples feared the storm, and Jesus demonstrates his authority over it by calming it with his powerful words: “Peace, be still!” We face storms in our lives, and Jesus has the power to calm those. Consider the question “Is Jesus in your boat?” as we look at the disciples’ fear and anxiety and the Savior’s humanity and authority. Transcript Thanks so much for being there as we study the Word of God together. Today, our study is on the well-known story of Jesus […]

If you were to sum up all of Jesus’ teaching in one word or theme, what would it be? Jesus’ teaching centers on His Kingdom, and in Mark 4:21-34, he reveals aspects of the kingdom of God through parables. In today’s lesson, J. Mark walks through this passage and highlights three steps that reveal “The Mystery of the Kingdom”—proclamation, progression, and potential.

Today, we are finishing the second part of A Fruitful Life, taken from the familiar “Parable of the Sower” in Mark 4. In the previous episode, we examined the skill of the sower, the quality of the seed, and the first type of soil—the soil of the footpath. Today, we’ll look at three more types of soil—rocky, thorny, and good. When we understand the condition of our soil, we can make it our goal to allow the Word of God, in the hands of the Spirit of God, to plow deeply in our hearts and help us bear fruit that brings God glory.

In our study of Mark’s Gospel, we come to Jesus’ teaching, often called “The Parable of the Sower.” In this parable, Jesus concentrates on the response of each type of soil to the sowing of the Word of God. These soils, which represent people, determine whether they will understand the mysteries of the Kingdom and experience the fruitful life that results. Jesus’ teaching speaks to us in the daily decisions of living. In this two-part lesson, J. Mark examines Mark 4:1-20 and demonstrates how Jesus teaches us how to have “A Fruitful Life.”

When God created us, He made us in His image and designed us for fellowship with Him. But when sin entered the world, death and division entered the human family, creating “A House Divided”. In Mark 3:20–35, we see evidence of this division in both Jesus’ biological family and His religious family. We see the consequences of that division in the scribes’ response to the miracles of Jesus.

In our area, there are many resources for leaders, books that describe leadership, and how to improve your leadership. People who offer personal coaching and teaching so that you can improve and become a better leader. This is because leaders matter and they make a big difference in our lives. The lesson today is from Mark 3, and J. Mark will examine the best leader—Jesus. We see several actions that Jesus took as a leader that we can take as well to help us all be better leaders. Join us for “A Model for Leaders.”

How does Jesus show that he is Lord over the Sabbath? Jesus supports His claim to the lordship of the Sabbath by posing two arguments. In our previous episode, we examined His argument from scriptural precedent. In this second part of “Lord of the Sabbath”, we will discover his second argument—the human predicament. Jesus shows the Pharisees that the Sabbath is not for God, but rather for his creation.

In this first part of studying Mark 2:23-3:6, we will delve into Jesus’ teaching on the Sabbath. Ordinary people flocked to hear Jesus’ teachings, but the Pharisees had begun to openly oppose Him. Jesus confronts them with the statement that HE is the One qualified to decide what constitutes keeping the Sabbath, not them! Several words from His statement became the title for our study: “Lord of the Sabbath.” Other Places to Listen: Our website: https://heraldsofhope.org/hopefortoday/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0LdD2ZaEc8FZsGNAQKZQnO?si=3158ac68101a46c2 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hope-for-today-english/id1788937752

One of the things that validates God’s work on the earth is the lives that he changes. The Gospel can change people dramatically. This change is not normal, but when we see it, it reminds us of God’s amazing grace. No one, no matter how evil and brutal, is beyond God’s grace. The characteristic of joy is central to the portion of Scripture we are studying this time. The text we study today is Mark 2:18-22, and I’ve titled our study “The Gospel Pattern.” Other Places to Listen: Our website: https://heraldsofhope.org/hopefortoday/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0LdD2ZaEc8FZsGNAQKZQnO?si=3158ac68101a46c2 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hope-for-today-english/id1788937752

When you put a candle in the flame, it goes from hard to soft, but if you put a piece of bread in the same flame, it becomes stiff and rigid. This illustrates today's lesson: the same flame has an opposite effect depending on the material it burns. Jesus' grace had a different impact on two groups: sinners and religious people. In this episode, “The Offense of Grace,” we look at Mark 2:13-17 and follow the actions and reactions to the grace of Jesus and see how it can both be restorative and offensive.

The forgiveness we experience from Jesus is unique and powerful. Today, we reflect on the story of the paralytic being forgiven and healed in Mark 2:1-12. Jesus uses the healing of a paralyzed man to illustrate how our decisions affect our lives and our relationship with Him. In this episode, “Jesus Forgives and Heals,” we learn about how Jesus redeems and restores broken things.

Last time, we discussed the authority of the servant, and today we will examine a few practical areas of Jesus' ministry that are worth considering and applying to our lives. Jesus was here on earth and lived among us. In this episode, we’ll be looking at Mark 1:35-45, where Mark’s record of Jesus’ early ministry provides a template for us to follow in our service for Christ.

Authority has often been abused. The problem is not authority, but rather our own sinfulness. In Mark 1:21-24, Jesus demonstrates his authority in both the physical and spiritual realms. His authority over three different things—over definition, over demons, and over disease. Join us as we look at “The Authority of the Servant.”

Today, we explore the account of Jesus calling several of His disciples. In Mark 1:16-20, Jesus outlines a series of steps the disciples took to follow Him—the call, the commission, and the commitment. Jesus invites them to follow Him, so they immediately drop what they are doing and go with Jesus. This invitation wasn’t just for those disciples—each one of us is called to follow Him in the same way. Listen to this episode to hear about how we can follow Jesus.

Our episode this week is a continuation of last week’s episode “Preparing the Son of Man.” Last week, we examined how Jesus received approval and praise before His ministry. We will continue to look at the other two processes that Jesus went through—authentication and proclamation. J Mark teaches from Mark 1: 9-15 which shows us a closer look at these processes.

Our episode today examines Jesus and what He experienced to confirm His life here. This lesson, which is divided into two parts, is titled “Preparing the Son of Man,” and it highlights the different processes—approbation (approval), authentication, and proclamation—that Jesus went through to prepare for his ministry. These processes are essential in our preparation for sharing the Good News. Join us as we study Mark 1:9-15.

In this episode entitled “Preparing the Way,” J. Mark highlights three key aspects of this preparation: the mandate, the messenger, and the message. Are you ready to be a messenger and share the message of Jesus?

On this episode of Hope for Today, we’re beginning a study of the Gospel of Mark. That’s why I’ve titled today’s teaching, “On Your Mark.” This episode will explore some of the background material that helps enhance our understanding of Mark’s Gospel.