I’d like to welcome those of you who are guests this morning. I feel a bit like a… Read More »Follow: The Perfect Prayer (Mark 14) August 4, 2013 – Sunday Morning Message Chris Altrock
Last summer a father in Memphis was forgotten by his family.[1] News Channel 5 carried the story. The father’s family was traveling from Texas when they stopped at a Memphis gas station. They were going fill up with gas and switch drivers. The father had been driving while another driver was sleeping in the back of the van. The plan was for the father to now sleep in the back while the other adult drove. The father went into the gas station to pay the bill for the cash. When he came out, his van and his family were gone. The family thought the dad was already in the back asleep. So they loaded up and took off. The distraught dad called his cell phone, which was in the van, but no one answered. He called the cell numbers for each of the other family members—all six of them—but no one answered. He finally used a computer at a hotel next to the gas station to use Facebook to contact a friend who then was able to make contact with the family in the van. The family had driven 100 miles from Memphis before they got word that Dad was not in the back. The father told reports that he’s sure that the whole was just an accident.Read More »Follow: Uncommon (Mark 7) June 16, 2013 – Sunday Morning Message
“And when evening came…he was alone on the land (Mk. 6:47 ESV).” This is how Mark describes Jesus near the end of Chapter 6. It’s been a tough chapter. Jesus gave the sermon in his hometown and all anyone could do was criticize the preacher and his message. Can you imagine that? Jesus comes to Highland and preaches and all we can do is nitpick the sermon while we’re at lunch. That’s what happened at the beginning of this chapter. Then, Jesus’ cousin John the Baptist was arrested, imprisoned and executed. There are few people who were closer to Jesus than John. And now John is killed. Such injustice! And while trying to find a quiet spot for his road-weary apostles to rest, thousands of people crowd around Jesus, clamoring for help. It’s been a pretty tough chapter.Read More »Follow: Take Heart (Mark 6) June 9, 2013 – Sunday Morning Message
Like starving people devouring a surprise meal, Mark’s first readers must have devoured his gospel. Living in the city of Rome and facing persecution, Mark’s first readers must have scoured the pages of this letter, moaning for some morsel of hope.
After all, they were surrounded by people who believed the worst about Christians. Romans accused Christians of being aloof, secretive and responsible for calamities because Christians did not worship the traditional gods.[1] Writing a generation later, a man named Tacitus would describe the situation of Christians in Rome in these words:[2]
Their deaths were made farcical. Dressed in wild animals’ skins, they were torn to pieces by dogs, or crucified, or made into torches to be ignited after dark as substitutes for daylight. Nero provided his Gardens for the spectacle, and exhibited displays in the Circus, at which he mingled in the crowd – or stood in a chariot, dressed as a charioteer. Despite their guilt as Christians, and the ruthless punishment it deserved, the victims were pitied. For it was felt that they were being sacrificed to one man’s brutality rather than to the national interest. (Tacitus)
How could Mark’s readers endure Rome? Perhaps they hoped to find an answer in Mark’s letter.Read More »Follow: A Word about Words (Mark 4) May 26, 2013 – Sunday Morning Message