Hope Church South Bedfordshire Talks

Hope in The Word Mark 12:13-27

Hope Church continues our new series of Podcasts "Hope in the Word". Today we look at Mark 12:13-27 and people share what they learn from this passage and their experiences. Bob prays and Jenny reads the passage for us.
Today we look at Jesus facing opposition through some well weighted questions designed to get him to slip up. His answers are brilliant and also correct, inspire and inform our understanding of life after death. 
Mark 12:13–27
Paying Taxes to Caesar
[13] And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians, to trap him in his talk. [14] And they came and said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone’s opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?” [15] But, knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, “Why put me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” [16] And they brought one. And he said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said to him, “Caesar’s.” [17] Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they marveled at him.
The Sadducees Ask About the Resurrection
[18] And Sadducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection. And they asked him a question, saying, [19] “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife, but leaves no child, the man must take the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. [20] There were seven brothers; the first took a wife, and when he died left no offspring. [21] And the second took her, and died, leaving no offspring. And the third likewise. [22] And the seven left no offspring. Last of all the woman also died. [23] In the resurrection, when they rise again, whose wife will she be? For the seven had her as wife.”
[24] Jesus said to them, “Is this not the reason you are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God? [25] For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. [26] And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? [27] He is not God of the dead, but of the living. You are quite wrong.” (ESV)
 

Hope in The Word Mark 12:1-12

Hope Church continues our new series of Podcasts "Hope in the Word". Today we look at Mark 12:1-12 and people share what they learn from this passage and their experiences. Helen prays and Bob reads the passage for us.
Today we look at the parable of the vineyard and the tenants and see how God 'the owner of the vineyard' approaches this problem and also how Jesus describes himself as 'the stone the builders rejected" which became the 'cornerstone".
Mark 12:1–12
 
The Parable of the Tenants
 
[1] And he began to speak to them in parables. “A man planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a pit for the winepress and built a tower, and leased it to tenants and went into another country. [2] When the season came, he sent a servant to the tenants to get from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. [3] And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed. [4] Again he sent to them another servant, and they struck him on the head and treated him shamefully. [5] And he sent another, and him they killed. And so with many others: some they beat, and some they killed. [6] He had still one other, a beloved son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ [7] But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ [8] And they took him and killed him and threw him out of the vineyard. [9] What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others. [10] Have you not read this Scripture:
 
“‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
[11] this was the Lord’s doing,
and it is marvelous in our eyes’?”
 
 
[12] And they were seeking to arrest him but feared the people, for they perceived that he had told the parable against them. So they left him and went away. (ESV)

Hope in The Word Mark 11:20-33

Hope Church continues our new series of Podcasts "Hope in the Word". Today we look at Mark 11:20-33 and people share what they learn from this passage and their experiences. Bob prays and Faith reads the passage for us.Today we find the fig tree Jesus cursed has withered overnight. Jesus uses the discussion to teach about prayer and faith and how nothing is impossible. The passage closes with Jesus answering his powerful critics with great wisdom leaving them unable to answer his question.
Mark 11:20–33
[20] As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. [21] And Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.” [22] And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. [23] Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. [24] Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received(1) it, and it will be yours. [25] And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”(2)
[27] And they came again to Jerusalem. And as he was walking in the temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to him, [28] and they said to him, “By what authority are you doing these things, or who gave you this authority to do them?” [29] Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question; answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. [30] Was the baptism of John from heaven or from man? Answer me.” [31] And they discussed it with one another, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ [32] But shall we say, ‘From man’?”—they were afraid of the people, for they all held that John really was a prophet. [33] So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”
Footnotes
(1) 11:24 Some manuscripts *are receiving*
(2) 11:25 Some manuscripts add verse 26: *But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your trespasses* (ESV)
 

Hope in The Word Mark 11:12-19

Hope Church continues our new series of Podcasts "Hope in the Word". Today we look at Mark 11:12-19 and people share what they learn from this passage and their experiences. David prays and Helen reads the passage for us.Today we look at Jesus turning over the money changers in the temple and teaching about the temple. This has a lot of application to us today.(Apologies there is some minor interruption in quality on this recording due to intermittent internet connection)
 
Mark 11:12–19
[12] On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry. [13] And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. [14] And he said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it.
[15] And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. [16] And he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. [17] And he was teaching them and saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.” [18] And the chief priests and the scribes heard it and were seeking a way to destroy him, for they feared him, because all the crowd was astonished at his teaching. [19] And when evening came they(1) went out of the city.
Footnotes
(1) 11:19 Some manuscripts *he* (ESV)

Hope in The Word Mark 11:1-11

Hope Church continues our new series of Podcasts "Hope in the Word". Today we look at Mark 11:1-11 and people share what they learn from this passage and their experiences. Helen prays and Bob reads the passage for us.Today we look at Jesus' triumphant entry to Jerusalem and its implications. This includes the fulfilment of an old prophecy in Zechariah 9:9 which predicts a mighty Messianic warrior coming to bring freedom. (Apologies there is some minor interruption in quality on this recording due to intermittent internet connection)
Mark 11:1–11
[1] Now when they drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus(1) sent two of his disciples [2] and said to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately as you enter it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it. [3] If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it and will send it back here immediately.’” [4] And they went away and found a colt tied at a door outside in the street, and they untied it. [5] And some of those standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” [6] And they told them what Jesus had said, and they let them go. [7] And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it, and he sat on it. [8] And many spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields. [9] And those who went before and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! [10] Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!”
[11] And he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple. And when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.
Footnotes
(1) 11:1 Greek *he* (ESV)

Hope in The Word Mark 10:46-52

Hope Church continues our new series of Podcasts "Hope in the Word". Today we look at Mark 10:46-52 and people share what they learn from this passage and their experiences. Faith prays and Helen reads the passage for us.
Today we look at the healing of a man called Bartimaus who was blind and begging by the side of the road when Jesus passes on his way to Jerusalem. The story also challenges our willingness to seek Jesus and reach out in faith. 
Mark 10:46–52
[46] And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. [47] And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” [48] And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” [49] And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.” [50] And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. [51] And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.” [52] And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way. (ESV)

Hope in The Word Mark 10:32-45

Hope Church continues our new series of Podcasts "Hope in the Word". Today we look at Mark 10:32-45 and people share what they learn from this passage and their experiences. Bob prays and Faith reads the passage for us.
 
Mark 10:32–45
[32] And they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. And they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. And taking the twelve again, he began to tell them what was to happen to him, [33] saying, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles. [34] And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise.”
[35] And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” [36] And he said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?” [37] And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” [38] Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” [39] And they said to him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized, [40] but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” [41] And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John. [42] And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. [43] But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant,(1) [44] and whoever would be first among you must be slave(2) of all. [45] For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Footnotes
(1) 10:43 Greek *diakonos*
(2) 10:44 Or *bondservant*, or *servant* (for the contextual rendering of the Greek word *doulos*, see Preface) (ESV)

Hope in The Word Mark 10:17–31

Hope Church continues our new series of Podcasts "Hope in the Word". Today we look at Mark 9:38-50 and people share what they learn from this passage and their experiences. Nigel prays and Bob reads the passage for us.Jesus continues his challenging teaching regarding 'His upside down Kingdom', the Kingdom of God, so different to the world he lived in and we live in today.  In today's passage his teaching challenges the world's thinking on wealth.Mark 10:17–31
[17] And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” [18] And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. [19] You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” [20] And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” [21] And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” [22] Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
[23] And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” [24] And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how difficult it is(1) to enter the kingdom of God! [25] It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” [26] And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him,(2) “Then who can be saved?” [27] Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” [28] Peter began to say to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you.” [29] Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, [30] who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. [31] But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
Footnotes
(1) 10:24 Some manuscripts add *for those who trust in riches*
(2) 10:26 Some manuscripts *to one another* (ESV)

Hope in TheWord Mark 9:38-50

Hope Church continues our new series of Podcasts "Hope in the Word". Today we look at Mark 9:38-50 and people share what they learn from this passage and their experiences. Stephen prays and Faith reads the passage for us.
In today's passage Jesus continues his teaching the disciples about the kingdom and the right attitude to sin and preserving what is right. 
 
Mark 9:38–50
[38] John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name,(1) and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” [39] But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. [40] For the one who is not against us is for us. [41] For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward.
[42] “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin,(2) it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. [43] And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell,(3) to the unquenchable fire.(4) [45] And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. [47] And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, [48] ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’ [49] For everyone will be salted with fire.(5) [50] Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”
Footnotes
(1) 9:38 Some manuscripts add *who does not follow us*
(2) 9:42 Greek *to stumble*; also verses 43, 45, 47
(3) 9:43 Greek *Gehenna*; also verse 47
(4) 9:43 Some manuscripts add verses 44 and 46 (which are identical with verse 48)
(5) 9:49 Some manuscripts add *and every sacrifice will be salted with salt* (ESV)

Hope in The Word Mark 10:1-16

Hope Church continues our new series of Podcasts "Hope in the Word". Today we look at Mark 10:1-16 and people share what they learn from this passage and their experiences. Faith prays and Jenny reads the passage for us.Jesus continues his counter cultural teaching showing that the standards of the Kingdom of God are higher than previous law. He challenges the divorce culture of his day and says God's intent is for man and a woman to become a married unit for life. 
Mark 10:1–16
[1] And he left there and went to the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan, and crowds gathered to him again. And again, as was his custom, he taught them.
[2] And Pharisees came up and in order to test him asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” [3] He answered them, “What did Moses command you?” [4] They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce and to send her away.” [5] And Jesus said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. [6] But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ [7] ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife,(1) [8] and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. [9] What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”
[10] And in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. [11] And he said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her, [12] and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”
[13] And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. [14] But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. [15] Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” [16] And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.
Footnotes
(1) 10:7 Some manuscripts omit *and hold fast to his wife* (ESV)