Click for today’s readings: 2 Samuel 17:24–18:8; Acts 22:30-23:11; Mark 11:12-26 Jesus’ cursing of the fig tree is an interesting event sandwiched between his triumphal entry into Jerusalem and his cleansing of the temple. Jesus comes to the tree, hungry and expecting to find fruit, even though it is out of season. On the surface, this seems unreasonable.

Click for today’s readings: 2 Samuel 17:1-23; Galatians 3:6-14; John 5:30-47 “Luther, we all know, was the fire-starter of the Protestant Reformation. On October 31, 1517, he posted his Ninety-Five Theses on the cathedral door at Wittenberg. He rejected the authority of the pope and church councils to determine the actions and beliefs by which a person could

Click for today’s readings: 2 Samuel 16:1-23; Acts 22:17-29; Mark 11:1-11 Consider the four entrances in our readings today. When David came to Bahurim, a village to the east of Jerusalem, he was cursed while stones were thrown at him and dust flung into the air around him. David understood this rejection to be part of the consequences

Click for today’s readings: 2 Samuel 15:19-37; Acts 21:37–22:16; Mark 10:46-52 I tend to think Bartimaeus is rude. I peg him as one of those boisterous, disruptive characters who trample decorum. “Shhh, be quiet,” says everyone. But he shouts more loudly! Who does he think he is: ignoring the instructions of the majority and bellowing to have

Click for today’s readings: 2 Samuel 15:1-18; Acts 21:27-36; Mark 10:32-45 Jesus foretells his death and resurrection a third time. James and John want a piece of the glory, to sit on either side of Jesus in his glory. According to the Gospels, Jesus’ glory is the cross, his suffering and death, his dying for us.

Click for today’s readings: 2 Samuel 14:21-33; Acts 21:15-26; Mark 10:17-31 I knew a wealthy fellow in a church I served, who accumulated just about all he desired for his personal enjoyment. Nevertheless, he continued buying more and more things. He found himself using up almost all of his spare time cleaning, polishing, repairing, and acquiring

Click for today’s readings: 2 Samuel 14:1-20; Acts 21:1-14; Mark 10:1-16 As the twelve were seeking further explanation from Jesus concerning divorce, people began bringing children to Jesus so that he might touch them. Even as the disciples objected, they kept bringing the children to be touched and blessed. Throughout Mark’s gospel, being touched by Jesus

Click to read today’s readings: 2 Samuel 13:23-39; Acts 20:17-38; Mark 9:42-50 In Mark 9:41, Jesus tells us that small acts of kindness to believers carry great rewards, and in verse 42 he tells us that acts which lead believers to sin carry a severe punishment. When Jesus refers to little ones, he could mean children or those