More Than Meets the Eye
Jesus condemned the scribes who looked outwardly impressive but were inwardly far from God, but He praised a poor widow whose tiny offering flowed from a heart of true faith and love for God.
Mark 12:38-44
The Messiah’s Divine Authority
Jesus calls everyone to embrace the true identity and authority of Messiah – the Son of God!
Mark 12:35-37
The Heart of God’s Law
Jesus taught that the heart of God’s Law is to love God with my whole heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love my neighbor as myself.
Mark 12:28-34
Life After Death
Jesus showed that Scripture teaches that life continues after death when God’s people experience the fullness of life and the promises of God.
Mark 12:18-27
Series Outline for Catechism – Foundations of the Faith
This ongoing series looks at the BRCC Catechism question by question.
The Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Man
The Pharisees and Herodians try to trap Jesus in a false dilemma about paying taxes, but in His brilliant answer Jesus provides the basis for a Christian view of government and citizenship.
Mark 12:13-17
God’s Vineyard and the Wicked Tenants
The parable of God’s vineyard and the wicked tenants displays the patience and mercy of God, the wickedness of the leaders of Israel, and God’s vindication of Jesus.
Mark 12:1-2
The Conflict Intensifies
Jesus’ teaching, actions, and authority consistently caused amazement among the people, but they also prompted fear and opposition, especially among the leaders, and this pattern intensified as Jesus ministered in Jerusalem during His final week.
Mark 11:27-33
Faith, Prayer, and Forgiveness
The fruit of true worship in the New Covenant that God desires is faith, prayer, and forgiveness.
Mark 11:20-25
The King Comes To His Temple
Like the fig tree, the Temple was utterly barren of fruit and Jesus pronounced it to be dead, never to bear the fruit of true worship of God again.
Mark 11:11-25
The King Comes To His City
As He entered Jerusalem for the final time, Jesus purposefully fulfilled several Messianic prophecies, and the crowd’s joyful response was also a fulfillment of the prophecies regarding the coming of the King to His City.
Mark 11:1-11
Lessons for Disciples – True Sight
The interaction of Jesus and Bartimaeus that led to his healing and salvation is the picture of true sight and the model of real discipleship.
Mark 10:46-52
Way to Worship
Scripture tells us a lot about worship, but how do we become true worshipers of God? And why is it so important as Christians to participate in worship?
John 4:19-26
The Meaning Opportunity
Everyone has faith in something, we are all believers in something. This raises questions though. How we think about meaning and purpose drive our behavior and inform our thinking. But we fool ourselves if we put faith in things that aren’t true; and fail to adequately address the doubts we all have whatever we believe.
John 18: 33-38
Jesus Is the Victor
All of creation is under a curse and subject to constant evil which leads to suffering and death. But Jesus has won a monumental victory over Satan, sin, suffering and eternal death, and followers of Christ can live boldly and rejoice in knowing that they have eternal life and freedom from the antagonists of God.
Revelation 20:15-22:7; Genesis 3:1-19
The Pattern of Discipleship
Disciples personally respond to Christ in repentance and faith, obey His command to be baptized, and are vital members of a local church.
Acts 2:36-47
Lessons for Disciples – A King’s Ransom
Jesus the King is the Servant of the Lord Who will lay down His life to ransom His people, taking their sin and punishment on Himself, setting them free from death and restoring them from exile to be the people of God.
Mark 10:45
Lessons for Disciples – A Kingdom of Servants
Disciples must follow Jesus in rejecting the world’s grasping for power, choosing to live as servants, willing to be mistreated and suffer, trusting God the Father to vindicate His followers in His own time.
Mark 10:32-45
Lessons for Disciples – The Kingdom and Wealth
Disciples of Christ must recognize and reject the temptation to trust in riches, look to God alone as their source of identity and salvation, and use their wealth to be a blessing to others.
Mark 10:17-31
Transformed by Trinity
Trinity makes salvation possible and Trinity makes salvation sweet. Only with a God of Trinity can we be freely welcomed in together as brothers and sisters to share the joy of God and cry together, “Abba Father!”
Genesis 1:1-3; John 1:1-3
Lessons for Disciples – Entering The Kingdom
No human can enter the kingdom of God by their own works or efforts but only by the grace and work of God.
Mark 10:17-31
Lessons for Disciples – The Kingdom, Disciples, and the Little Children
Unlike the kingdoms of this world, the Kingdom of God does not give preference to the powerful or wealthy but is open to everyone who will receive it like a little child by recognizing their helplessness and great need that only Jesus can meet.
Mark 10:13-16
The Resurrection Changes Everything!
The physical resurrection of Jesus from the dead changes everything, and His followers gather each week to remember His resurrection and then take the Good News forth to everyone.
John 20:19-29
The Great Reversal
Easter celebrates the Great Reversal, when God overruled the wicked decision of humanity to reject and crucify Jesus, raising Him from the dead so that life has swallowed up death for all who trust in Him.
Acts 2:22-24
Lessons for Disciples – Marriage (Part 3) – Joined Together By God
When a man and a woman take covenant marriage vows God supernaturally joins them together, creating a new union that they must spend the rest of their earthly life nurturing through healthy practices so that their marriage flourishes to the glory of God and their joy.
Mark 10: 5-9