Mark 8 (résumé): Jesus feed 4,000

Jesus had been teaching a crowd of 4,000 men for 3 days and had compassion on their hunger multiplying 7 loaves and some small fish to feed them (with fish sandwiches like at McDonald's!) There were 7 basketfuls left over at the end. Jesus went on to warn saying: "Be careful... watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and of Herod". Jesus then questioned if they were understanding his message and asked how many basket's were left over after the feeding of the 5,000. They answered "twelve", and after the 4,000?, and they said "seven". (i.e. don't worry about bread because Jesus will provide is the message!) Then comes an interesting healing of a blind man. Jesus spat on his eyes and laid hands on him. However the man was initially only partially healed, so Jesus laid hands on him again and his sight was fully restored. Jesus then asked the disciples whom people were saying he was, and they said Elijah, John the Baptist or one of the prophets. "But what about you... what do you say?... and Peter answered You are the Christ". Jesus then warned them not to tell everyone. Jesus, in the light of Peter's confession, told them that he would be killed and after 3 days rise again. Peter rebuked this so Jesus told him that he was lacking having the things of God in mind. Then he said that anyone who wanted to follow him should deny himself and take up his cross. 

Mark 7 (résumé): Clean & Unclean

 Now the Pharisees complain that Jesus' disciples are eating without ceremonially washing their hands. Jesus replied: "You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men". For "Nothing outside a man can make him unclean by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him unclean... All evils (sexual immorality, evil thoughts, theft, murder, greed etc.) come from within and make a man unclean". Then came an incident with a Greek woman imploring deliverance for her devil-possessed daughter. Jesus said, "first let the children (Jews) eat what they want and not toss it to the dogs (Gentiles)". The woman said yes, but the dogs eat the crumbs from under the table! This brilliant answer triggered action from Jesus and she was set free of the demon. Finally the people brought a deaf and partially dumb man to Jesus. Jesus put his fingers in the man's ears and spat on the man's tongue and touched it, saying "Be opened"! The man was completely healed. 

Mark 6 (résumé): A Prophet without honour

 Jesus went to Nazareth with his disciples and the people were "amazed" by his teaching as they all knew his family well. Jesus commented "that among his relatives a prophet is without honour". Then Jesus sent out the 12 to teach from village to village taking virtually nothing with them, but to trust God. They preached repentance, drove out demons and healed the sick. When King Herod heard about all Jesus was doing he thought it was John the Baptist raised from the dead. For Herod had been tricked into beheading John after having made a rash promise to the daughter of Herodias. Then Jesus performed another miracle feeding 5,000 men from 5 loaves and 2 fish, and there were still 12 baskets of food left over. Jesus then went for a time of prayer alone whilst the disciples went ahead in a boat. Then Jesus caught up with them walking on the water, but they thought it was a ghost! Jesus then said: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid". 

Mark 5 (résumé): Healings

Jesus went to the Gerasenes region and was encountered by a spirit-possessed man who lived in the tombs and was unchainable. He told Jesus his name "Legion" but Jesus delivered him and sent the evil spirits from him into a herd of 2,000 pigs which committed suicide, but the man ended up "sitting, dressed and in his right mind". Then a synagogue ruler called Jairus asked Jesus to go with him to heal his 12-year-old daughter, but on the way he was delayed healing a woman "who had been subject to bleeding for 12 years". The woman touched the hem of Jesus' garment and received her healing. When Jesus finally arrived at Jairus's house his daughter had already died, but Jesus said to him: "Don't be afraid. Just believe!" Then Jesus took the girl by the hand and told her to "get up". Immediately she got up and walked around so that people "were completely astonished".

Mark 4 (résumé): Parables

Mark 4 begins with the Parable of the Sower in which a farmer sowed seeds in 4 different locations. In the first the seed fell on a path and birds came and ate it (the birds, represent Satan, says Jesus, who takes away the seed of the sown word); the second place the seed fell was on rocky soil so the plants had no roots and quickly withered (represents people who receive the word with joy, says Jesus, but without roots they soon give up); The third place the seed fell was among thorns which choked the plants (typifies people who receive the word but the care and wealth of this life choke it); the fourth place is good soil which produces abundant fruit. Then Jesus goes on to ask who puts a lamp under the bed? For light is given to reveal that which is hidden... "and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you - and even more!" Then comes the Parable of the Growing Seed telling of seed which grows come what may implying that the seed of the kingdom will produce fruit no matter what. This is followed by the Parable of the Mustard Seed "which is the smallest seed" yet planted "it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants". Finally Jesus calms a storm for the disciples in a boat on Lake Galilee and they were amazed that "even the wind and waves obey him!"

Hospital visit

Yesterday Liz and I visited Pastor Nezinho Abílio (Vazante church) in the Patos Cancer Hospital where he underwent an exploratory operation to see what and how can be done for his stomach cancer as they couldn't tell via MRI. He now awaits the results. Please pray.

QPR are now in top place in the Championship having beaten Portsmouth 3 x 1 away! This means that if this were May 2027 QPR would be about to play Arsenal and Manchester City in the Premiership! The only problem is is that it's still August 2026! 😃

Last night I was on the way to preach at Green Pastures when I had 2 incidents which meant I ended up not making it. First of all a motorbike came at me head-on driving on my side of the road and I had to swerve abruptly to avoid collision. Then the jeep started spluttering and failing so I came home and will get the vehicle fixed this week.

Mark 3 (résumé): Healings, crowds and the appointing of the Apostles

The chapter starts with Jesus healing a man with a shrivelled hand in a synagogue on a Sabbath causing the usual consternation with the Pharisees. Jesus retorted asking whether he should do good or evil on a Sabbath, but the Jews didn't answer. This angered Jesus to see such stubborn hearts. Crowds kept following Jesus from wide-ranging places seeking at least to touch Jesus to be healed, and evil spirits always fell down before Jesus declaring he was the Son of God, but Jesus told them to shut up. Then Jesus went up into the hills where he designated 12 apostles: 1. Simon (whom Jesus gave the name Peter). 2. James son of Zebedee. 3. His brother John. (Jesus called these 2 Boanerges - sons of thunder). 4. Andrew. 5. Philip. 6. Bartholomew. 7. Matthew (Levi). 8. Thomas. 9. James son of Alphaeus. 10. Thaddaeus. 11. Simon the Zealot. 12. Judas Iscariot. Then Jesus was so besieged by a crowd that Jesus and the disciples couldn't even eat, and Jesus' family said he "was out of his mind". Teachers of the law said he was casting out demons by the power of Beelzebub! Jesus rebuffed this saying "how can Satan drive out Satan"? He rebuked them for such aggressive criticism saying "whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven". Then came further contact between Jesus and his family, but Jesus showed his supreme commitment to his mission saying: "Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother".