This morning, my family had a brief time of worship together. We're trying out homeschooling our four kids this year, and we've been trying to kick off each weekday with worship. It's a simple thing: we light a candle, my daughter opens the Word and reads a verse she finds there, I read a longer selection from the Word (we're going through the Gospel of Mark right now), and then we have a short discussion. We finish by going around and giving everyone a chance to share a final thought, then say the Lord's Prayer together. It's very much a "small group" experience.

Anyway, this morning, we read a very short story about Jesus, and I found it particularly intriguing:

The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him. And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, "Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation." And he left them, got into the boat again, and went to the other side. (Mark 8:11-13)

I love that!

First of all, Jesus was in the middle of a tour of the land in which he was going around casting out demons, curing deafness, and had only one paragraph previously fed thousands of people with just a handful of food, and not for the first time!

But the Pharisees wanted a "sign".

And the Lord's reaction? Wow. We all smiled at that, and laughed a little in sympathy. What a powerfully human reaction: he "sighed deeply in his spirit". Of course he did!

But it was his next move that really grabbed my interest the most...

Click here to read the rest of the story on Mac's blog 

Something to Think About

So who is Jesus, anyway?

Lots of people throughout history have expressed their opinions on this topic, and you probably have heard at least one or two popularly taught "doctrines" on the subject. But what if you had never heard of Jesus? Imagine you are totally new to the whole idea of Christianity, put aside all preconceived notions, and read through the following statements taken from prophecies in the Bible, and come to your own conclusion:

Behold, a virgin will conceive and bear a Son, who will be called God with us. (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23)

A Child is born to us; a Son is given to us. Authority will rest on his shoulder, and his name will be called Wonderful, God, Hero, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)

It will be said in that day, "Behold, this is our God. We have waited for him to free us. This is Jehovah whom we have waited for. Let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation." (Isaiah 25:9)

The voice of one crying in the desert, "Prepare a way for Jehovah; make a level pathway in the solitude for our God. And all flesh will see it together." (Isaiah 40:3, 5)

Behold, the Lord Jehovih is coming with strength, and his arm will rule for him. Behold, his reward is with him; like a shepherd he will feed his flock. (Isaiah 40:10-11)

Jehovah said, "Rejoice and be glad, daughter of Zion. Behold, I am coming to live in your midst." Then many peoples will cling to Jehovah in that day. (Zecharaiah 2:10-11)

I, Jehovah, have called you in justice; I will give you as a covenant to the people. I am Jehovah. This is my name. I will not give my glory to another. (Isaiah 42:6, 8)

Behold, the days are coming when I will raise up for David a righteous offshoot who will reign as king and execute judgement and justice on the earth. And this is his name: Jehovah our Justice. (Jeremiah 23:5-6; 33:15-16) 

So what do you think? Click here to email me your own thoughts on this. And this isn't a test! I honestly want to hear the different viewpoints of as many people as possible.