KMCD 30: The Castle of the Kingsman

He did not remember lying down, only waking—thorns pressed light against his brow, not to wound but to mark. A Voice he could not see, only feel, said, “Rise. You have a castle. Come and see what has been built for you.” He almost laughed. His soul, as far as he’d ever known it, was […]

WIWO: Mark – Episode 25: Review and Reflection

Four C’s Questions for the Entire Gospel: Context: How has your understanding of first-century Judea and religious conflicts enhanced your reading of Mark? Jesus is interacting and engaging with a world that is divided politically and religiously. And in those divisions, people are looking to assert a degree of authority and to establish some hope […]

KMCD 28: Supplication and the Kingsman

What happens to the man who forgets how to ask? I don’t mean the man who’s forgotten his manners. I mean the one who has quietly stopped believing that asking changes anything, and so he just gets on with it — grits his teeth, manages the anxiety, tells himself that’s just what maturity looks like. […]

WIWO: Mark – Episode 24: Gethsemane, Trial, and Crucifixion

Reading: Mark 14:32-15:47 Context: What does Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane reveal about His humanity and obedience to the Father? The prayer reveals Jesus’ appreciation for the gravity of the situation and, even at this late stage, appeals to the Father, who can do anything. At the same time as He appeals, He knows the decision […]

KMCD 27: The Kingsman and the Tale of Two Kingdoms – Part Two

Read here to see what happened in The Tale of Two Kingdoms Part One. Eli turned the story over in his mind. “So the garden is…?” “The life of Christ within you,” Micah said. “The hidden life. The inner kingdom. The place where God grows what only He can grow. But many disciples, while speaking […]

WIWO: Mark – Episode 23: Betrayal and the Last Supper

Reading: Mark 14:1-31 Context: How does the woman’s anointing of Jesus contrast with Judas’s betrayal preparations? What a fascinating set of circumstances. The woman doesn’t know she’s anointing Jesus for burial; she’s offering a heartfelt expression of devotion to Jesus. She loves Him and is keen to express that in a lavish, expensive and deep […]

KMCD 26: The Kingsman and the Tale of Two Kingdoms – Part One

The city was called Meridian. It was not an ancient city of stone gates and camel roads. It was glass, steel, noise, traffic, digital billboards, coffee shops, podcasts in earbuds, calendars filled two months ahead, and souls too hurried to notice they were starving. In Meridian lived a young believer named Eli. He loved the […]

WIWO: Mark – Episode 22: Signs and Watchfulness

Reading: Mark 13:1-37 Context: What prompts Jesus’ teaching about future events and the destruction of the temple? A seemingly passing comment is the spur that gets Jesus talking about future events. The passing comment is a moment where someone admires the temple. It’s a fairly innocuous statement as they go. Yet within it, there is […]

WIWO: Mark – Episode 21: Love, Generosity, and Judgment

Reading: Mark 12:28-44 Context: How does Jesus’ response about the greatest commandments summarise all spiritual obligations? All we do must come from a heart of love for God. A love that has to be commanded because it’s not natural for us to give that love to God first and foremost, and we’re not that inclined […]

KMCD 24: The Hand of God and the Kingsman

This is being written during the football World Cup. The phrase “the hand of God” would remind some people of something that knocked them out of the 1986 World Cup. This is not about that incident, though it is handy to remember that the wins in life only come from God’s hand. Consider Nehemiah 2:1-8. […]