Advertise on podcast: Houston Chinese Church - English

The events in our passage unfold abruptly and chaotically, yet Jesus had predicted them on several occasions. Everything happens as written so that the Scriptures may be fulfilled. The betrayal by Judas, the desertion by his disciples, the trial by religious leaders—these developments invite us to admire the character of Christ and to consider our own response to similar situations.

As we look at Christ's perfect submission to the Father's will, may we seek to grasp the weight and depth of His intense struggles and learn what true surrender looks like. So, how then do we press forward in faith when following God feels overwhelming, troublesome, or costly?

The Passover meal was a celebration, but the Supper Jesus shared with his disciples that last night carried a somber tone. Beginning with a revelation of betrayal by one of them, it ended with a prediction of desertion by all of them. However, this contrast serves to reinforce the gospel point that the Lord’s Supper is a table of grace—not merit. It’s not for those who think they are worthy, but for those who know they are not.

Our view of someone determines how we treat them. For instance, your respect for your parent differs from your respect for a stranger. You interact with a co-worker differently than how you interact with your boss. This applies also to our treatment of Jesus. Our view of Jesus determines how we treat him. This should then prompt us to wonder: what view should we have of Jesus so that we treat him properly?

Every person has a vision of the ultimate future (aka eschatology) that shapes his/her obligations and decisions today. In today’s passage, Jesus speaks about his second coming and the end times. However, we tend to brush off such eschatology as irrelevant to our daily lives because it seems far-fetched or too far off. But, that would be a perilous mistake. Instead, let us heed Jesus’ call to stay awake because he will return one day, and that future truth should shape how we live in the present.

Mark 13 records Jesus’s Olivet Discourse with his disciples (cf. Mt 24, Lk 21). This passage is notoriously difficult to interpret. Some believe all of Jesus’s predictions were fulfilled in the first century, while others think they will be fulfilled in the future. The answer likely lies somewhere in between. While many turn to Jesus’s teaching to predict the end times, he’s more concerned with preparing his disciples to endure the challenges of our present time.

The Pharisees and Sadducees have attempted their “swings” at Jesus and now Jesus faces the last group of Jewish leaders, the Scribes. He’s faced with the question: “Which commandment is the most important of all?” Out of the 613 commandments, which one does Jesus choose? He replies with what we now know as the “Greatest Commandment” and a commandment on loving our neighbors. So how do we follow this commandment of Loving God? What does it take? What does it look like?

In this text, Jesus faces religious leaders from a sect of Judaism that denied the existence of an afterlife. The Sadducees thought they had devised a flawless theological trap for Jesus. But his response not only exposes the fallacy in their assumptions about Scripture and the power of God but provides true hope in the face of our mortality.

We’ve been told not to talk about religion and politics at the dinner table because they often elicit strong opinions and can be divisive. But politics – when understood broadly as how a group of people make decisions to live together – undergirds what it means to be in community (society, workplace, school, church, etc.). As Christians, how should we view and engage politics in light of our faith? We derive guidance from this morning’s passage where we understand the politics of Jesus as he confronts an explosive issue of his day.

As Jesus’s earthly life and ministry speed towards a dramatic conclusion at the cross, his authority is challenged and ultimately rejected by the religious leaders of his day. While the attitude and actions of his adversaries are the focus, we can also gain profound insights into the nature and character of the God who sent his Son on a mission to the cross.

When Jesus entered Jerusalem that first Palm Sunday, he went to the temple searching for fruit—the fruit of true faith. Sadly, there was none to be found. Consequently, Jesus cursed the temple, foretelling its demise. The question for us is what will he find if he visits our church today?

We experience anxiety and pain when we try to anchor our lives on things that can be so easily upended. The Psalmist exhorts restless and anxious people to root their security and hope in God during times of trouble. But why is God our best safety net in times of trouble?

It’s natural for us to praise things. We praise our children before others. We praise the vacations we’ve been. We praise others for their accomplishments. But we don’t find ourselves praising God easily. In fact, it might even be unnatural. Yet the Biblical authors call upon us to praise God. How do we become more natural in our praise of God?

Psalm 96 unabashedly declares the greatness of God and calls his people to worship him accordingly. This exuberant and uplifting psalm reminds us that God created us and redeemed us as his people so that we would declare his glory among the nations.