• New Testament Reading: Luke 1:5-80
• Old Testament Passage: 2 Chronicles 16:9
• Points to Ponder

“I Am the Lord’s Servant”

Zechariah, Elizabeth and Mary are souls who were cut from the same mold. Flawed for sure, but
undeniably faithful to God. Of John’s parents Luke wrote, “Both of them were upright in the sight
of God, observing all the Lord’s commandments and regulations blamelessly.” How would you like
that to be written of you and preserved so that every generation from now till eternity could read it?
The angel Gabriel greeted Mary with these words, “Greetings, you are highly favored! The Lord is
with you.” And most would agree that she was in her teens at the time! Read More...

• New Testament Reading: Luke 1:1-4; Acts 1:1-2
• Old Testament Passage: Psalm 33:1-5
• Points to Ponder

“The Certainty of the Things You Have Been Taught”

Luke’s account is my favorite! He himself was not an eyewitness to the things Jesus said and did. He
was a Gentile, a trained medical practitioner, converted during the ministry of Paul. No doubt as he
travelled with Paul, and especially while in Jerusalem, he met and conversed with “those who from
the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word.” The result was that not only did he write the
gospel of Luke, but the book of Acts as well. Read More...

• New Testament Reading: Mark 15:42-16:20
• Old Testament Passage: 1 Samuel 15:22-26
• Points to Ponder

“Whoever Believes and Is Baptized”

Mark’s version of the great commission is denied by some. It says in my NIV edition: “The most
reliable early manuscripts and other ancient witnesses do not have Mark 16:9-20.” While it is true
that the Codex Vaticanus and the Codex Sinaiticus stop at Mark 16:8, it is pretty obvious the ending
was lost. A gospel account of Jesus would not end with the words, “So they went out and fled from
the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were
afraid.” That’s obviously not the “end of the story”. Read More...

• New Testament Reading: Mark 14:53-15:41
• Old Testament Passage: Isaiah 53:7
• Points to Ponder

“Jesus Remained Silent”

The motivation to defend ourselves against false accusations is indeed strong. It is almost
impossible to keep silent while others tell lies about you, especially when their testimony is so
obviously fabricated. Mark tells us that those who witnessed against Jesus not only testified falsely,
but that their statements did not agree (14:56, 59). The case against Jesus was so obviously fabricated
that Pilate almost begged him to speak up in his defense. Yet Jesus gave no rebuttal (14:60; 15:5). As
Isaiah predicted, “like a lamb that is lead before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.” Read More...

• New Testament Reading: Mark 14:1-52
• Old Testament Passage: Proverbs 4:23
• Points to Ponder

“Judas Iscariot”

There has been much speculation as to what motivated Judas to betray
Jesus. Was it greed? Was he disillusioned? Did he fake his faith the entire
time or was there a breaking point at which time he gave up his faith? Did
Jesus not fit his idea of what the Messiah should be? Was he looking for a
position of power alongside a victorious military or political leader? Read More...

• New Testament Reading: Mark 13:1-37
• Old Testament Passage: Proverbs 6:9-19
• Points to Ponder:

“Watch!”

It is even clearer in Mark 13 than it was in Matthew 24 that these prophecies are not about the
second coming of Christ at the end of time, but about the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. The
question that initiated Jesus’ teaching came from four of his disciples, who weren’t yet convinced
that he was leaving the first time. So why would they inquire as to his second coming? Plus the
question asked specifically was, “When will these things happen?” What things? The things Jesus
said would happen in v. 2. Read More...

• New Testament Reading: Mark 12:1-44
• Old Testament Passages: Deuteronomy 6:4-5 10:12-13
• Points to Ponder

“And They Were Amazed at Him”

When you read through this chapter, aren’t you also amazed at him? The best minds in Jerusalem,
those most knowledgeable (intellectually) in the scriptures, could not stump him. They wanted to
catch him in his words, but failed miserably. So wise were his responses that “no one dared ask him
any more questions.” This son of a Nazarene carpenter proved without a doubt to the people of
Jerusalem, and the rest of the world, that he indeed was the Son of God. Read More...

• New Testament Reading: Mark 11:1-33
• Old Testament Passage: Psalm 5:1-3
• Points to Ponder

“A House of Prayer”

Do you ever feel uncertain as to what to pray for? Do you ever feel foolish bringing your requests
before God because you believe that He alone knows what is best, and you know that you have no
idea? I do! It’s not that I don’t believe God’s promises regarding prayer, but rather that I often don’t
know what to ask of him? Read More...

• New Testament Reading: Mark 10:17-52
• Old Testament Passage: Ezekiel 22:30
• Points to Ponder

“Whoever Wants to Become Great”

Jesus once again turns another of the world’s most accepted and applied “truths” on its head! The
greatest among us is not the one who has gained the most education, fame, fortune or
accomplishments. The greatest is the one who serves the most. The ambition to be a great spiritual
leader is not to be discouraged -- no one becomes a spiritual leader by accident or without desire.
Paul wrote, “If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task” (1 Timothy 3:1). Read More...

• New Testament Reading: Mark 9:33-10:16
• Old Testament Passage: Deuteronomy 6:4-9
• Points to Ponder

“Let the Little Children Come”

Really powerful and influential people in our world are not normally people you could see welcoming
little children into their midst. Maybe for a photo op, they might attend a school or visit an
orphanage, but can you really see Stephen Harper or George Bush spending time with the children? Read More...

• New Testament Reading: Mark 9:2-32
• Old Testament Passage: Genesis 45:4-7
• Points to Ponder

“Help Me Overcome My Unbelief!”

Continuing with the same theme from yesterday -- I do believe that Jesus is the Son of God. That
issue is settled completely in my mind. However, applying that faith to opportunities and challenges
of daily life, is the real issue. If everything is possible for him who believes, and I believe, then why
isn’t everything always possible for me? Read More...

• New Testament Reading: Mark 8:1-9:1
• Old Testament Passage: Psalm 20:6-9
• Points to Ponder

“Do You Still Not Understand?”

Come on guys! Do you really think Jesus is concerned that you only brought
one loaf of bread with you? With Jesus, one loaf is enough! Bring him what
you have and he’ll give you what you need! Stop worrying and listen! Read More...

• New Testament Reading: Mark 6:45-7:37
• Old Testament Passage: Psalm 119:89-96
• Points to Ponder:

Contradictory or Complementary?

Each of the scenes in this portion of Mark are also found in the gospel of Matthew; but you’ll notice
that they aren’t just copied and pasted from one account to another. The first three gospel accounts
actually share a lot of “scenes” from Jesus’ life and ministry in common, yet only very infrequently
are they identical. Some have claimed that if indeed the Bible is from God then the various
accounts of the same scenes should be identical. These critics see the differences between accounts
as errors, omissions and/or contradictions that prove that these accounts are not inspired by God.

While God oversaw and directed the writing of these accounts, he used human agents to record
what they saw, heard, discovered and to put it together in such a way so as to fulfill their intended
purpose. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are four separate witnesses who are testifying from their
own perspective and emphasizing the details of Jesus’ work and teaching that are most important for
convincing their intended audiences that Jesus is indeed the Christ, the Son of God.

While critics use the differences in the gospels as a reason for their unbelief, we, who believe, use
those same difference to fill out and enhance our understanding of the incredible, complex and
divine nature of our Lord and Saviour!

• Questions to Consider: Does the fact that there are differences in the gospel accounts cause
you any concern? Explain your answer. Suggestion: take at least one of the scenes from today’s
reading and compare it with the same scene in Matthew’s account and note the differences (if
any). Are those differences contradictory or complementary?

• New Testament Reading: Mark 6:1-44
• Old Testament Passages: Nehemiah 4:16-18, 21-23
• Points to Ponder

“And Get Some Rest”

Tonight as I write this, I am very tired. It has been a very busy first six weeks of the year and the
last two weeks I’ve been way out of schedule mostly due to two out of town trips. I have another
one next week. Also I’ve had the stomach flu for 3 days and my wife sprained her ankle. I could go
on and talk about my responsibilities, deadlines, emotional stresses, etc., but I think you probably
get the picture and can relate. I find Jesus’ words in Mark 6:31 very appealing right now, as I’m sure
the disciples also did. Read More...

• New Testament Reading: Mark 4:35-5:43
• Old Testament Passage: Exodus 14:13-14
• Points to Ponder

“Don’t Be Afraid; Just Believe”

The Roman Empire was extremely powerful. They literally crushed their enemies. Anyone who
stood in their way was forced to submit or was destroyed. No one could stand up against the mighty
legions of the Roman army. Power was extremely important to the Roman people.
Read More...

• New Testament Reading: Mark 4:1-34
• Old Testament Passage: Isaiah 6:9-10
• Points to Ponder

“He Who Has Ears To Hear”

What is the kingdom of God? Many of us have been taught and perhaps still believe that the
kingdom of God and the church are synonymous. But is that what the word of God really teaches?
Jesus often used parables to explain fundamental truths about the kingdom of God. We have three
of them in this chapter -- the goal of which are to bring out into the open whatever is concealed. So
it was Jesus’ intention to disclose these truths to people who had “ears to hear.” Today we can
understand what the kingdom of God is like, if we have “ears to hear.” Read More...

• New Testament Reading: Mark 3:7-35
• Old Testament Passage: Micah 7:5-7
• Points to Ponder

“He Is Out of His Mind!”

People who are truly committed to God are often seen by those without faith as being fanatical to
the point of lunacy. In his most recent book, “The God Delusion”, well known atheist Richard
Dawkins states “that belief in God is not just wrong, but potentially deadly”. Faithful followers of
Jesus so immerse themselves in the lives of others that it seems that they couldn’t care less about
their own lives. Their priorities and thus their schedules are so “other-focused” that they often
struggle to find time for themselves, because the needs around them are never ending. Read More...

• New Testament Reading: Mark 2:1-3:6
• Old Testament Passage: Psalm 119:9-16
• Points to Ponder

“Lord of the Sabbath”

Jesus was always doing and saying things that no one expected. At times, even his disciples were
amazed (and no doubt troubled) by his actions and his words. He was not afraid to challenge the
status quo or to upset those who held to their traditions over the word of God. He used these
situations as an opportunity to teach the truth about God’s commands. Read More...

• New Testament Reading: Mark 1:9-45
• Old Testament Passage: Isaiah 58:6-7
• Points to Ponder

“That Is Why I Have Come”

Jesus knew what he had come to earth to do. And so, when the time was
right, he came forward from the crowds and was baptized. John had
prepared the way so that at least some were ready to believe that Jesus was
the Christ, the Son of the living God. With this small band of followers
Jesus began his public ministry of teaching and healing. Read More...

• New Testament Reading: Mark 1:1-8
• Old Testament Passage: Malachi 3:1-5; Isaiah 40:1-11
• Points to Ponder:

“Prepare the Way for the Lord”

God’s preparation is perfect. At least two of his prophets spoke of the coming, not only of the Lord
himself but also, of a messenger who would prepare his way. In the opening lines of Mark both
Malachi and Isaiah are quoted. When you read those prophecies in context you can understand
better why the Lord was coming and why he needed someone to prepare the way. Read More...

• New Testament Reading: Matthew 27:57-28:20
• Old Testament Passages: Psalm 16:9-11
• Points to Ponder

“He Has Risen!”

We don’t honor a dead martyr; we worship a living Saviour! That’s the claim that makes the
Christianity good news, and unique among all the religions of the world. If Jesus was not raised from
the dead, then we as Christians are to pitied more than all people, for our faith is vain. If the
apostles created the story and spread the lie, then, you’ve got to throw the whole thing out. Jesus
was at worst a fraud, and, at best a work of fiction, or both. The “apostles” were elaborate and
effective con men, but nothing more. And we have believed a lie and perpetrate that lie every day of
our lives. Read More...

• New Testament Reading: Matthew 27:1-56
• Old Testament Passage: Isaiah 53:4-12
• Points to Ponder

“The Suffering of His Soul”

Recent screen depictions of the crucifixion have gone to great lengths to impress upon us the horror
of crucifixion. And indeed, crucifixion was a extremely gory, tortuous, humiliating, dehumanizing,
drawn out means of execution. It was designed not only to “properly” punish the offender, but to
instill terror into the conquered subjects of the Roman empire -- “And so shall you die, if you dare to
challenge us.” But not one of the gospels’ authors gives us such a detailed, blow by blow, account.
There are no slow motion, up close word pictures of the pounded nails piercing his flesh, ripping his
nerves and rupturing his blood vessels. Read More...

• New Testament Reading: Matthew 26:1-75
• Old Testament Passage: Isaiah 52:13-53:3
• Points to Ponder

“All The Disciples Deserted Him”

“Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.” I can picture myself saying those very words to
Jesus, if I had been in Peter’s place. And yet I can also picture myself doing exactly what Peter did
when “push comes to shove”. I know that for two reasons. First, why would I think I would
respond any differently that those who were with Jesus at the time? I am certainly no more spiritual
than they were. Second, I’ve seen myself do exactly the same in situations of conflict, opposition
and persecution in my own life, even though I promised via my baptism, “Lord, I will never deny
you.” Read More...

• New Testament Reading: Matthew 24:42-25:46
• Old Testament Passage: Proverbs 6:6-11
• Points to Ponder

“Therefore Keep Watch”

Judgments in time and the judgment at the end of time have something in common -- they come
suddenly upon those who are not vigilant! Even though God, through his prophets and apostles,
gives us warnings, we so easily allow ourselves to be lulled in a sense of false security. We tend to
procrastinate when it comes to preparing ourselves for the day of the Lord. Instead of focusing our
energy on issues of eternal significance we focus on issues of temporal significance, convincing
ourselves that we will “get around to it”. Read More...

• New Testament Reading: Matthew 24:1-41
• Old Testament Passage: Isaiah 13:10; 34:4; Ezekiel 32:7; Joel 2:10, 31
• Points to Ponder

“Not One Stone Here Will Be Left”

This is a much misused passage. It is not a prophecy concerning the second coming of Christ; it is a
prophecy concerning the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 at the hands of the Romans. This is
judgment language, used by virtually all the Old Testament prophets to predict God’s judgment
coming in time on nations or individuals who persisted in ungodliness. It sounds like “end of the
world” language because for those judged, it was the end of their world. But this is not a passage
about Christ’s coming at the end of time to judge the whole world. Read More...

• New Testament Reading: Matthew 23:1-39
• Old Testament Passage: Isaiah 5:8, 11, 18-23
• Points to Ponder

“How Often I Have Longed”

When we read Matthew 23, Jesus’ strongest and clearest denunciation of the
Pharisees, what tone do we hear in his voice? Are these the rantings and
ravings of a man who has been pushed over the edge, whose frustration level
has reached its limit, who has finally had enough and who is going to have the last word before his
enemies crucify him? Do we see in Matthew 23 a justification for harsh rebukes? No! In all his
interactions with the Pharisees, Jesus’ ultimate purpose was to save their souls. He was not trying to
win an argument or put them in their place. He was trying to open their hearts and win them over
to God. Read More...

• New Testament Reading: Matthew 22:1-46
• Old Testament Passage: Hosea 4:1-6
• Points to Ponder:

“You Do Not Know the Scriptures”

All of us have probably been in “no win” situations -- trapped between two possible answers, either
of which can be used against us. Jesus was put in those situations on many occasions, as cleverly
devised plans were carried out by his opponents with precision. What they didn’t take into
consideration was that Jesus didn’t care how he looked, but only that truth was spoken and God
glorified. Therefore he didn’t panic, but with a peaceful spirit was able to respond in such a way that
his accusers were left speechless. Read More...

• New Testament Reading: Matthew 21:1-46
• Old Testament Passages: 2 Samuel 12:7-14
• Points to Ponder

“Those Whom I Love I Rebuke”

Of the many qualities of Jesus, this one challenges as much as any other -- the willingness to
confront. Jesus didn’t go around confronting people for any of the selfishly, sinful reasons that have
motivated me at times to confront -- anger, frustration, embarrassment, self-righteousness, selfjustification,
blame shifting, selfish ambition, etc. He confronted because he cared and wanted more
than anything for those in sin to be moved to repentance. Read More...

• New Testament Reading: Matthew 20:1-34
• Old Testament Passage: Exodus 34:6-9
• Points to Ponder

“Jesus Had Compassion On Them”

One of the things I find hardest to imitate in Jesus is to be completely committed to righteousness
in my life and leadership, but at the same time to be overflowing with compassion and forgiveness
for all sinners! I find that I am either full of zeal and determined and focused in my obedience to
God but hard toward those who are struggling and floundering and hurting or I am understanding
and empathetic with the sinners but soft when it comes to expecting obedience. Read More...