One of the singular notable qualities of Jesus Christ was His ability to know what was most important at any given moment. He always seemed to move His life carefully around a fixed set of spiritual priorities. Today we compare what others wanted with what Jesus knew they needed.

I. They Pursued Wonder; Jesus Preached the Word (vv. 1-2)

II. They Felt Suffering; Jesus Forgave Sin (vv. 3-5)

III. They Displayed Pessimism; Jesus Demonstrated Power (vv. 6-12)

Learn Your Bible: Meditate on Matthew 6:25-34 and ask the Lord for wisdom in reordering the priorities of your daily life.

Love Your Neighbor: Take time to be the friend who brings those you care about to Jesus this week—through prayer, presence, or by pointing them back to His calling for their lives.

Live in Freedom: Where have you been prioritizing what feels urgent over what Jesus showed us is most important, and what would it look like to surrender that concern to Him?

Our identity and salvation do not need to be achieved or discovered—it’s a gift we can receive through faith. But without Jesus Christ, life ultimately has no lasting meaning or purpose. In this teaching, Dr. Frank Turek presents evidence for the reliability of the New Testament, reminding us that the resurrection of Jesus is the foundation of our salvation, faith, and identity.

The need for human touch is one of our most basic, fundamental needs. We often find Jesus doing exactly that in the gospel of Mark. And just as you have five fingers with which you can touch the world around you, there are five stages to the healing touch of Jesus in this story. Let’s explore them.

I. The Condition (v. 40a)

II. The Cry (v. 40b)

III. The Compassion (v. 41)

IV. The Cure (v. 42)

V. The Command (vv. 43-45)

Learn Your Bible: Meditate on Jeremiah 17:14 and remind yourself that we serve Jehovah Rapha—the Lord who heals.

Love Your Neighbor: How can you reflect the healing love of Jesus in a friend or loved one’s life this week?

Live in Freedom: Surrender the broken and hurting places of your heart to the Lord and invite Him to bring healing and restore your joy and hope.

If we want the life of Jesus, we must adopt the lifestyle of Jesus. If we desire His public power, we must first embrace His private practices. That means stepping away while others rush in, listening when others are speaking, and moving forward when others settle for comfort. In Mark 1:35–39, Jesus revealed the rhythms that lead to a life of faithfulness and fruitfulness: solitude, resistance, and purpose.

I. The Rhythm of Solitude

II. The Rhythm of Resistance

III. The Rhythm of Purpose

Learn Your Bible: Using your favorite Bible dictionary or concordance, study the idea of solitude. If you’re able, access our new Guided Meditations at cabq.us/gm to start practicing the rhythm of solitude in your life.

Love Your Neighbor: Create the opportunity to sit and listen to a friend or family member you haven’t connected with recently.

Live in Freedom: Which of these rhythms do you need to practice this week?

As Pastor Skip Heitzig continues in the study of Esther, we see again how God’s providential hand moved as the new queen stepped out and put action to her faith. In contrast to Haman’s prideful and arrogant behavior, Esther was used by God because of her humility.

In this message, guest Speaker Reverend Will Graham explores the shortcomings of Cain and the offering he brought before the Lord. He cautions against approaching God on our own terms and emphasizes the importance of wholehearted obedience and the importance of diligently guarding our hearts against sin.

After a decree went out to annihilate the Jews, Mordecai publicly mourned and urged Esther to advocate for her people. Pastor Skip Heitzig opens the text to reveal Esther’s call to stand firm in faith and allow God to use her in a mighty way.

Mark introduced Jesus as the Son of God and Israel’s Messiah (see v. 1), who proclaimed His purpose to establish the kingdom of God (see v. 15). But such claims must be substantiated by divine authority. So, the author provides three credentials of this Messianic King to prove His office.

I. Authority Over Dispassion (vv. 21-22)

II. Authority Over Demons (vv. 23-28)

III. Authority Over Disease (vv. 29-34)

Learn Your Bible: Use your favorite study resources to find cross-reference passages that point to Jesus’ authority in each of the areas we studied today.

Love Your Neighbor: Ask God to show you someone in your life who needs to be reminded of His grace, then take one practical step to love them well.

Live in Freedom: Is there something in your life—a doubt, struggle, or secret shame—that you haven’t surrendered to the authority of Christ? Take the first step this week to fully place that in His hands.