April 23 / Mark 5:1-10

Mark 5:1-10 “Notice what you notice.” Mark’s account of the Gerasene demoniac, the first half… Two items struck me. First, when the demon first approached Jesus, the demon-possessed man …ran and fell down before Him (v. 6, ESV). The NASB has “bowed before Him”. Either way, the demon bowing down before Jesus clearly showed that …

April 22 / Matt. 8:28-34

Matthew 8:28-34 “Notice what you notice.” For the next few days we will be across the Sea of Galilee in the country of the Garasenes, where Jesus meets one or two demon-possessed individuals (Matthew has two; Mark and Luke have one). Matthew’s account is quite short compared to the other two. Mark’s account is the …

April 21 / Matt. 8:23-27; Mark 4:35-41; Luke 8:22-25

Matthew 8:23-27, Mark 4:35-41, and Luke 8:22-25 “Notice what you notice.” HAPPY EASTER!! So today we leave Galilee for the first time in months, ever since Jesus came to Nazareth and Cana after leaving Jerusalem. While Matthew and Luke have Jesus getting into a boat on just “any day”, Mark has Jesus leaving in the …

April 20 / Mark 4:26-29,33-34

Mark 4:26-29, 33-34 “Notice what you notice.” Mark adds to Matthew’s seven parables in chapter 13 with one of his own, the Parable of the Growing Seed – a parable found only in Mark. Frankly, to me, it’s something of a romantic parable: …first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the …

April 19 / Mark 4:21-25; Luke 8:16-18

Mark 4:21-25 and Luke 8:16-18 “Notice what you notice.” …for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away (Luke 6:18). We saw this verse earlier in Matthew (and also today in Mark) – I remember texting …

April 18 / Matt. 13:44-52

Matthew 13:44-52 “Notice what you notice.” Another late evening RTB for me… We’ve just got a lot going on that requires daytime hours. Sorry to those of you who wait for my note to begin your reading…!! So today, two similar parables (Hidden Treasure and Pearl of Great Value) and one “end-time” parable, similar to …

April 17 / Matt. 13:31-33; Mark 4:30-32; Luke 13:18-21

Matthew 13:31-33, Mark 4:30-32, and Luke 13:18-21 “Notice what you notice.” Two parables today – the mustard seed and leaven. A common denominator seems to be growth. The mustard seed is small, yet when planted grows into a 10-foot tree. And leaven “grows” the flour mixture to make bread or cakes. But the two examples …

April 16 / Matt. 13:34-43

Matthew 13:34-43 “Notice what you notice.” I keep seeing “the house”: Then He left the crowds and went into the house (v. 36). I just find it fascinating that Jesus has “a house” to go into. In addition, whenever I see “the house”, I just expect that He is in Capernaum, staying with Peter. Nothing …

April 15 / Matt. 13:24-30

Matthew 13:24-30 “Notice what you notice.” Matthew’s Parable of the Weeds (Tares)… Jesus’ explanation for this parable comes tomorrow, so be careful not to try to explain the parable or make too much of the meaning behind the story. This is the first of six “kingdom of heaven” parables in this chapter, with Jesus using …

April 14 / Luke 8:4-15

Luke 8:4-15 “Notice what you notice.” Luke’s account of the Parable of the Sower… In spite of being the shortest of the three accounts of this parable, Luke has two items that the other writers do not have. The first is in verse 8, As He said these things, He cried out (or He called …