At the Feet of the Teacher | Clean and UnClean - Mark 8:1-21
November 17, 2024 • Sara Jane Nixon • Mark 8:1–21
(prayer) Lord, you ask us for everything we have. Then you take all our loaves, and fishes and leave us standing empty-handed. But once we have handed everything over to you, the miracle begins. You multiply our meager offering and feed not only the multitude but ourselves as well. You are faithful, Lord, always and forever. I offer you all I have, knowing that you are my Provider.
At the Feet of the Teacher Jesus' Authority - Mark 6:30-44
October 13, 2024 • Sara Jane Nixon • Mark 6:30–44
(prayer) Father, give us Jesus’ wisdom, Jesus’ heart, Jesus’ determination to minister to all the need of hungry humanity. Jesus could simply have preached and then sent the masses away to the nearby villages to have their physical needs met by the world. But he had compassion on the hungry and instructed his disciples to feed them. Again today, Lord, minister to our famished world through your church with bread for both body and soul. May we never send the hungry away to be fed by the world. Rather, may compassion and generosity accompany our confession of the gospel of Christ and result in thanksgiving to you.
At the Feet of the Teacher | The Authority of God - Mark 6:7-29
October 6, 2024 • Sara Jane Nixon • Mark 6:7–29
Jesus could have done greater miracles in Nazareth, but he chose not to because of the people’s pride and unbelief. The miracle he did had little effect on the people because they did not want to accept his message or believe he was from God. Therefore, Jesus looked elsewhere, seeking those who would respond to his miracles and message.
Herod arrested John the Baptist under pressure from his wife and advisors. Though he respected John’s integrity, in the end he had him killed because of pressure from his peers and family. What you do under pressure often shows what you are really like. As a tetrarch under Roman authority, Herod had no kingdom to give. His offer of half his kingdom was his way to say he would give Herodias’ daughter almost anything she wanted. When Herodias asked for John’s head, Herod would have been greatly embarrassed in front of his guests if he had denied her request. Words are powerful. Because they can lead to great sin, we should use them with great care!
At the Feet of the Teacher | Jesus' Authority - Mark 6:1-6
September 29, 2024 • Sara Jane Nixon • Mark 6:1–6
(pray) In the place where you were without honor, Lord Jesus, you could not work many miracles. It was not that you were unwilling. Your Word says that you were unable. Because you could do only the things you saw the Father doing, is it possible that the Father withheld his permission because the people treated you with doubt and disrespect? Lord, deliver me from a doubting spirit. I want to honor you with my whole heart so that you can minister your life freely to me.
At the Feet of the Teacher | Jesus' Authority
September 22, 2024 • Sara Jane Nixon • Mark 5:21–43
Jesus was not angry with this woman for touching him. Jesus knew she had touched him, but he stopped and asked who did it in order to teach her something about faith. Although she was healed when she touched him, Jesus said her faith caused the cure. Genuine faith involves action. Faith that isn’t put into action is no faith at all.
Jarius’ crisis made him feel confused, afraid, and without hope. Jesus’ words to Jairus in the midst of crisis speak to us as well. “Don’t be afraid. Just trust me,” In Jesus’ mind, there was both hope and promise. The next time you feel as Jairus did, remember to see your problem from Jesus’ point of view. He is the source of all hope and promise.
At the Feet of the Teacher | Jesus' Authority - Mark 5:1-20
September 15, 2024 • Sara Jane Nixon • Mark 1:1–20
(prayer): I’m amazed at all you’ve done for me: who am I, that you’d bless me so. I stand in awe of all your wondrous deeds: you’ve dealt with me so graciously. Thank you Lord, that there are no hopeless causes with you. The rejects of society---the mad, the diseased, the demon possessed—were recipients of your power and deliverance while you walked this earth. It was deliverance so complete, so life-transforming that they rushed away on fire with thanksgiving and love to tell the world the Good News. O Lord, give all your liberated children that heart. Please, Lord, give it to me.
At the Feet of the Teacher | The Authority of God - Mark 6:45-56
October 20, 2024 • Sara Jane Nixon • Mark 6:45–56
Even after watching Jesus miraculously feed 5,000 people, the disciples still could not take the final step of faith to believe he was God’s Son. If they had, they would not have been amazed that he could walk on water. They did not transfer the truth they already knew about him to their own lives. We read that Jesus walked on the water, and yet we often marvel that he is able to work in our life. We must not only believe these miracles really occurred, we must also transfer the truth to our own life situations.
