Biblically Based, Christ Centered, Caring Community in Annapolis, MD
Mark’s cryptic, unusual ending to his Gospel is a call for us to overcome fear and to share the Good news of the resurrection and the message of grace and restoration, knowing that God will accomplish His work despite our wavering faithfulness.
Text: Mark 16:1-8
While Jesus stands resolute and fearless in His trial, Peter crumbles under fear, denying Jesus just as Jesus had prophesied would happen. Yet, he was later restored by Jesus to a life of faithfulness.
Luke 1:39-45
Jesus refuses the false expectations of the crowd, but reveals His true identity to His disciples by walking on the water, and confirms it through His healing power.
Mark 6:45-56
Satan’s demonic forces want to confuse, enslave, and destroy, but Jesus has the authority to restore people who can then go forth to tell others of all He has done.
Mark 5:1-20
Jesus’ Sovereignty over the storm reveals His Deity and invites His disciples to turn from the fear of circumstances to the fear of God and trust in His Sovereign care.
Mark 4:35 – 41
We as God’s people must shine His light on our paths exposing our fears, so that we may dwell more richly with the King!
Psalm 27
We should respond to times of sickness and suffering with faith in God rather than fear, and act with love for our fellow humans, looking for how God is working to draw people to Himself.
Psalm 46
Spiritual strongholds are entrenched habits of thought, emotions, speech, and actions Satan uses to keep us from experiencing freedom in Christ.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5
When David does not seek God and trust in His Word but instead acts based on his internal fears, he wanders into a period of exile and sin.
1 Samuel 26-28:2 (1 Samuel 27:1)
David’s time as a fugitive fleeing the madness and wrath of Saul shows that real security is found in God, not our outer circumstances.
1 Samuel 21-22 (22:1-5)
We often hold two completely contradictory expectations of how God will respond when we turn to Him for help. God would have us know that He rejoices over us.
Luke 15:1-32
Angels are mighty beings who stand in the presence of God and do His will, but they were awestruck at the mystery of the Incarnation and praised God.
Luke 2:8-20
Over time, Saul’s sin grew from a lack of personal integrity to consulting witches – with devastating effects for himself and those under his leadership.
1 Samuel 18-28 (1 Samuel 18:20-22; 28:3-7)
When Saul was rejected as king because of his sin, rather than repenting and finding his identity in God, he let his jealousy drive him to fear and despise others.
1 Samuel 16-28 (1 Samuel 16: 14-23; 18: 5-17)
Saul was rejected as king because he feared others and did not obey God’s word, and then made excuses for his sin, hoping that the rituals of worship would excuse his rebellion.
1 Samuel 15 (1 Samuel 15:22-23)
The crucible of faith reveals exactly where our ability ends and invites us to experience the power and kindness of a faithful God.
Matthew 14:22-32
Saul is a compulsive man, full of rash and foolish actions, rooted in his confusion over how to walk in God’s favor.
1 Samuel 13:1-15
God desires for our prayers to be filled with reality, including deep the deep anguish arising from living in this fallen world, and the hope that comes from knowing that in Christ we are never alone.
Psalm 22
Because of God’s love, every person who has confessed Christ as Lord has been given a Divine confidence of salvation from God. This Divine confidence is seen in our love for God and our fellow man.
1 John 4:18-19