Reading Mark 8:1-21. What is the best free bread? What is the leaven of the Pharisees?

Reading Mark 7:24-37. How does Jesus interact with Gentiles? Why does He do miracles in different ways? How do we grow in faith?

We read Mark 7:1-23. Which Old Testament laws no longer apply? Which laws made up by men never should have applied? What is the law good for?

Reading Mark 6:30-56. Prayers from Psalm 23 to Job 9 help us understand Jesus' feeding thousands and walking on water. How does the feeding of thousands prepare us to understand receiving the Lord's Supper?

We read Mark 6:7-32. There is a great contrast between Herod who seems empowered, but whose kingdom is undercut from within his own house and the kingdom Jesus proclaims, which is heading towards death, but not for final defeat. John the Baptist prophesies the Christ, even in death.

Heading into Holy Week, we take a break from reading only the Gospel according to Mark. Here we read the seven last words of Jesus from the cross and talk about why we love Lutheran Holy Week traditions.

Reading Mark 5:21-6:6. We marvel at how Mark shows the humanity of Jesus in the midst of incomparable miracle-working. What does it mean, "Your faith has healed you?"

Reading Mark 4:30-5:20. Moving from the mustard seed parable to a stretch of Mark that is full of "great fear," we ask "If God is for us, who can be against us?"