26:1–5 Both Jesus and His enemies long for His impending death. They plot to kill Him, but He longs to offer up His life for them and for the whole world. Pray for those who oppose the Gospel. Despite such opposition, the Lord is at work for the good of His people. • How great is Your love, O Jesus! Grant me courage in the face of all trouble. Amen.
26:6–13 A woman anoints Jesus, which greatly offends His disciples. They take offense where no offense should be taken. Jesus, however, commends the woman, because her action points to His death for the world, which in turn points to His love for you. • Strengthen our faith, dear God, to focus on Christ’s death and resurrection for us and not on distractions. Amen.
26:14–16 Judas agrees to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. How often we, too, have betrayed Christ and sent Him to the cross for a lot less than 30 pieces of silver. Christ, however, still loves us. He died for Judas’s sin and for ours. Repent of all insincerity, doubt, and fear to bear witness. The Lord is ever ready to hear your prayer and forgive your sin. So great is His mercy! • Hear my cry, O Lord, and answer when I call. Grant me a sincere faith. Amen.
26:17–25 Jesus celebrates the Passover with His disciples, even as He warns Judas against betraying Him. In the same way, God warns us daily not to yield to sin and thus betray Him. He also invites us to partake of fellowship with Him, as Christ did with His disciples at the Passover, freely offering His forgiveness. • Lord Jesus, forgive my betrayal, and strengthen me to follow You. Amen.
26:26–29 Christ institutes His Supper. He continues to offer His body and His blood for us Christians to eat and to drink for the forgiveness of sins whenever we come to His Table. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for His righteousness! • “Lord, may Thy body and Thy blood Be for my soul the highest good!” Amen. (LSB 618)
26:30–35 The disciples, especially Peter, do not perceive the danger. They think they are strong enough to face anything without denying Christ. How often we foolishly copy Peter and substitute recklessness for humble faith. Fortunately, Jesus knows our weaknesses and is ready to restore us, even as He restored Peter. • Grant us grace to trust Your strength, O Lord, and not our own. Amen.
26:36–46 Jesus prays three times in Gethsemane, while His disciples give themselves over to sleep rather than to prayer. How often we get ourselves into trouble because we do not bother to pray! Pour out your heart to the Lord in sincere prayer again and again. Christ’s prayer and obedience to the Father open the portals of heaven to your prayers. • Let us hasten to bring our petitions before God’s throne of grace! Amen.
26:47–56 Judas betrays Jesus, but Jesus refuses to allow His disciples to use violence to defend Him. Evil permeates the scene: there is treachery, cowardice, and false bravado. But the sinless Son of God stands in the midst of these evils and allows these things to take place so He can redeem us. • Dear Savior, thank You for redeeming me, a sinner. Grant me wisdom and courage in the hour of temptation. Amen.
26:57–68 Jesus stands trial before the Council. Christ notes that He will come again to judge them and all who have sinned. He makes this confession so He can go to the cross and die for all who have perverted justice. Today, deal fairly with others, and pray for your persecutors. The death of Jesus atones for your sins and avails for them too. • Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, have mercy on us. Amen.
26:69–75 Peter denies Jesus three times. His failure teaches us that mere bravado cannot keep us from sinning. But Jesus will restore Peter, even as He forgives us when we fall into sin. • Thank You, Lord, for Your constant forgiveness. Keep our hearts even when we fail to mind our tongues. Amen.
27:1–2 Christ is handed over to Pilate. When others betray you or falsely speak evil against you, take counsel with Jesus. He knows your sorrows and has borne your sins. He will sustain you in the hour of trial. • Lord Jesus Christ, let us die to sin and live to You. Lift up our hearts. Amen.
27:3–10 Peter’s denial is followed closely by Judas’s suicide. The two commit similar sins in betraying Christ, but things turn out differently for each. Both are sorry for their misdeeds—perhaps Judas is even sorrier in that he tries to undo the damage. But Judas ends his life in despair, while Peter ultimately trusts in Christ, who alone can save us from guilt and despair. • Oh, let us ever flee to You, Christ, when overwhelmed by our sin! Let us not despair but know the depth of Your mercy. Amen.
27:11–14 Jesus silently listens to His accusers. His silence leads to His condemnation, but also to our forgiveness. When foes accuse you, curb your tongue. Loose your tongue in prayer to the One who takes away your sin. • Thank You, dearest Jesus, for Your silence before Your accusers and Your sacrifice for us. Amen.
27:15–23 The crowd chooses to release Barabbas instead of Jesus. They prefer the sinful ways of Barabbas and seek to crucify their true Lord. Just as the Lord’s ways disturbed and threatened the people of Jerusalem, His ways disrupt our self-security. The silent Lamb of God would lead us away from the ways of the world to walk in His ways. He was condemned to death, that we might go freely into His kingdom. • Thank You, Lord, that You did not choose freedom for Yourself but life for me. Amen.
27:24–26 Pilate condemns Jesus to death while he seeks to absolve himself of responsibility for it. No matter how a sinner tries to evade responsibility for sin, he cannot wash himself of it. Thanks be to God that Christ took responsibility for the sins of the whole world and let Himself be crucified for our sakes. • I am guilty, Lord; grant me Your forgiveness and a new heart. Amen.
27:27–31 Jesus is mocked as a false king by the Roman soldiers. They despise His weakness, but it is the way that He would win His kingdom—He will redeem the world and win His subjects on the cross. How different are the Lord’s ways by which He rescues us! • Hail, O true King of the Jews and of all the world. I confess You as my King. Amen.
27:32–44 Jesus is crucified and reviled on every hand. Here we see the full depth of our sin: the pain of the cross and the reviling of the whole world is what we deserve. But we also see the full depth of God’s mercy in that He willingly submitted Himself to this torture for our sakes. • Grant, O God, that I boast in nothing but in the cross of Your Son. Amen.
27:45–56 After Jesus cries in agony at His abandonment, He dies. His death is followed by supernatural signs. His cry shows the abandonment that we should have experienced. But by His death, He destroyed the power of death and removed the barrier that separated us from God. • We praise You, O Christ, and we bless You. By Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world. Amen.
27:57–61 Jesus is buried. By sharing our human grave, He sanctifies our tombs and makes them places where our bodies can rest, confident in the resurrection. Honor the faithfully departed by remembering their graves and by praying for their families. As Christ burst from His tomb, so shall He raise all the dead on the Last Day. • Thank You, Lord, for the life and sacrifice of others and for the certain hope of the resurrection. Amen.
27:62–66 The chief priests and their allies secure Jesus’ tomb to prevent a faked resurrection. Their act, done out of unbelief, will ironically give them compelling evidence for the resurrection. Christ permits this to happen so His disciples could be confident that His resurrection was no hoax, but fact. • Living Lord, You triumphed over all Your enemies. Be with us always and deliver us. Amen.
28:1–10 The women see the empty tomb and the angel, who proclaims that Christ has risen. Though Christ’s resurrection terrifies His enemies, such as the guards at the tomb, it brings great joy to His followers. Rejoice today in His resurrection and pray for His reappearing. • Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Amen.
28:11–15 The guards report Christ’s resurrection to the authorities, but the authorities prefer to create and spread a lie. Though many have been deceived over the centuries, the Good News of Christ’s resurrection has triumphed over the skepticism of Christianity’s critics. • “Jesus lives! The vict’ry’s won! Death no longer can appall me; Jesus lives! Death’s reign is done! From the grave will Christ recall me. Brighter scenes will then commence; This shall be my confidence.” Amen. (LSB 490:1)
28:16–20 Christ commissions His disciples to go and make disciples of all nations through Baptism and teaching. Christ promises to be with us, and He is the one who makes disciples through our baptizing and teaching. Today, remember your Baptism and confirmation in the faith, which are precious blessings for the Lord’s disciples. His love and care are new for you every morning. • Send us, Lord, to make disciples in Your name in accordance with our callings in life. Amen.
1:1–8 Mark begins by telling of (1) John’s call to repentance, (2) Baptism, and (3) eager expectation of the Messiah’s coming. John warns us not to adopt worldly values and expectations. Happily, all of us who are baptized have received the promised Holy Spirit, who continually forgives us, restores us, and focuses us on the splendor of Jesus’ second coming. • Lord, remind us of the washing we received in Baptism, for through it Your Holy Spirit was poured into our hearts. Keep us steadfast in the hope of Your glory. Amen.
1:9–11 The Father declares Jesus is His Son as the Spirit descends on Jesus. Jesus’ status as God’s Son makes Him a target of Satan’s assaults (1:12–13). This same dynamic continues in the lives of God’s children today, as Satan does all that he can to tempt the baptized. Yet, our own Baptism joins us to Christ and clothes us with His righteousness. • Lord, You humbly stood in our stead when baptized by John and thereby gave us a share in Your life, death, and resurrection. Let us therefore celebrate our place in God’s family, obeying the Father, dwelling richly in the Spirit, and ever following You. Amen.
1:12–13 Jesus’ successful struggle against temptation in the wilderness prefigures His final victory at the cross over our ancient foe. From the days of Adam and Eve, we have continuously fallen into Satan’s traps. Jesus, after uniting Himself with fallen humans through Baptism, won a preliminary victory over the evil foe’s temptations. At the cross, Jesus gained an even more wonderful victory for us. His resurrection proves that Satan cannot prevail. • Lord, when we are tempted, remind us of Your own struggles and trials. You have broken Satan’s power once and for all. Amen.
1:14–15 On the one hand, Jesus’ message sounds much like the message of John and the prophets. On the other hand, the arrival of the Messiah fulfills prophecy and ushers in a new era. The Church’s message today has the same combination of new and old. True, it focuses on the age-old problem of sin and human failure. However, the Gospel delivers the forgiveness of sins and with it the hope of an eternal future with God. • Lord, help us to see You clearly and so believe that Your kingdom is still among us. Move us to a steadfast hope for the future and to daily repentance and new life. Amen.
1:16–20 The first thing Jesus does in His public ministry is to call two pairs of brothers. They respond by dropping everything, following Him, and becoming “fishers of men.” The same invitation to discipleship confronts people today: either drop everything and, in faith, follow Jesus and make sacrifices, or run the risk of missing out on the Kingdom. Thankfully, we are not left to our own devices in this regard. God’s Holy Spirit, working through the Word and Sacraments, moves us to faithful discipleship and so also to eternal life. • Lord, thank You for calling us into Your kingdom, for which You declare us fit by Your grace. Keep us faithful in our calling, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
1:21–28 Jesus’ authoritative teaching and power over the unclean spirits create an immediate stir among those beholding Him in the early days of His ministry in Galilee. Today, we often see the same thing. People continue to be interested in and even amazed by Jesus’ teaching, and yet many fail to depend on Him for life and salvation. By the power of His authoritative Word and Spirit, however, others are indeed brought into saving faith and life. • Lord Jesus, move us to an unquestioning trust and mature faith in You. By the power of Your Word and Spirit, make us steadfast in the hope of glory. Amen.
1:29–34 Jesus’ first day of public ministry—the Sabbath—is a busy one. Given the endless series of things to which Jesus attends, we sometimes imagine that He is too busy for us and our problems. But Jesus knows and cares for each of us individually. He actually commands us to lay all our needs before Him and stands ever willing and able to help us. • Lord, teach us to turn to You in every need. Then give us grateful hearts so that, after receiving Your kindness and healing, we thank and serve You. Amen.
1:35–39 Though Jesus has much more to do among the people of Capernaum, He makes time for private devotion and then insists on moving on to visit other towns and villages. His unswerving adherence to the right priorities stands in sharp contrast with our own tendency to lose focus, allow others to set our agenda, and put lesser things above what is most important. Given our weaknesses, it is reassuring that Jesus keeps things straight. His highest goal was, and is, to fulfill the Father’s command that He save the lost. • Lord, preserve us from misplaced priorities. Keep us focused on Your Gospel, that we may know and do what is pleasing in Your sight. Amen.
1:40–45 When a leper seeks Jesus’ help, the Lord not only heals him but also makes sure that the man is restored to his rightful place in society. Though we may no longer ostracize people for contracting leprosy, there are a host of ways that people experience alienation from family, church, and the larger community. But Jesus’ healing will remedy such alienation. His grace makes peace with God, restores our broken relationships, and thus puts us right with one another. • Lord, thank You for Your healing power. Hear our cries for help, heal us according to Your wisdom, and then move us to tell others what You have done. Amen.
2:1–12 In the presence of many who doubt Jesus’ ability, He forgives and heals a paralyzed man simply by speaking the word. Today, there are still some who doubt the power of Jesus’ Word—there will always be such naysayers. But, as Peter reminds us, though our flesh will perish, the Word of the Lord stands forever (1Pt 1:24–25). Through faith in the Gospel, we receive the promise of life everlasting. • Lord, You can do all things. Give us such a bold confidence in You that even those around us, many of whom are paralyzed by sin and doubt, may be blessed through our steadfastness. Amen.
2:13–17 Jesus outrages His critics by calling Levi the tax collector to follow Him, then eats with a houseful of equally “defiled” people. This story invites the modern hearer to reflect: am I more like the manifest sinners of this story or like those who criticize Jesus’ openness to be with the unworthy? Either way, you stand in need of forgiveness. Thankfully, Jesus brings healing and forgiveness to all, even manifest sinners and smug hypocrites. • Lord, preserve us from both our crass and hidden sins. Grant us a rich measure of Your grace, that others may see Your mercy and be drawn to the healing and fellowship that only You can provide. Amen.
2:18–22 Jesus stresses that the time of fulfillment has arrived, and thus totally new ways of thinking and acting are in order. In our own lives, the same dynamic is at work. It will not do simply to patch some little bit of the Gospel onto our existing lifestyle and expect it all to hold together. Thankfully, the Lord offers such surpassingly great promises that the old is made obsolete. That is what Paul meant when he said, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation” (2Co 5:17). • Lord, so fill us with the surpassingly great promises of Your Gospel that we count all else as loss for the greater hope of attaining eternity with You. Amen.
2:23–28 When the Pharisees accuse Jesus’ disciples of violating the Sabbath, Jesus uses the opportunity to claim divine authority and assert His messianic status. Sadly, there are people today who still level criticisms like the Pharisees of old, criticizing Jesus’ followers because they really wish to criticize the authority and status of the Lord. But neither Jesus nor His Church can be dismissed. Through these same disciples, Jesus would spread the good news of peace, rest, and comfort. • Lord, defend Your people from those who hate You and would therefore do harm to Your Church. Help the Church to see that the battle is Yours and that You can do all things. Amen.
3:1–6 Again, Jesus demonstrates His authority over the Sabbath, this time by restoring a man’s hand. He knows all our burdens and desires to grant us rest. Call on Him in earnest prayer. When the Lord is for us, none can oppose us! • Lord, lead us to take Your Word to heart. By Your Holy Spirit, work in us a faith that knows You as the way, the truth, and the life. Amen.
3:7–12 In contrast to the Pharisees’ and Herodians’ hostility, the crowds enthusiastically press around Jesus to listen and be healed. The mixed reaction to Jesus has not changed over the years. Many still reject Him, while others desperately seek His help. He nonetheless attends to people’s physical and spiritual needs. He continues to bless those who seek Him today. • Lord, draw us to You, that we might learn from You and be healed by You. Count us among the eager crowds who leave everything else to be near You. Amen.
3:13–21 Even as Jesus seeks to expand His ministry by appointing and sending 12 apostles, His family comes and tries to make Him stop what He is doing. How ironic that those who think they know Jesus best are trying to stop Him from fulfilling His mission! Unfortunately, similar examples are still seen, as when lifelong Christians undermine sound mission strategies. But the Lord and His mission are not overcome by even this opposition. Jesus willingly faced death and conquered it for us. In Him is our hope of eternal life. • Lord, overcome our fear when we do not understand Your plans. Focus us instead on Your call to follow and Your gracious promise to lead. Amen.
3:22–30 Those who refuse to recognize Jesus as God’s Son and acknowledge His works as manifestations of the Holy Spirit remain under the dominion of Satan. But Jesus has overcome Satan. Those baptized into Christ have received not only Him but also His promised Holy Spirit. • Lord, preserve us from the power of Satan. Remove any lingering doubts we might harbor, that we might be confident in the fact that You have bound him and rescued us from his dominion. Amen.
3:31–35 Loyalty to God takes precedence over loyalty to blood relations. This is still hard to hear today, as the temptation to put relationships with family and friends above God can be overwhelming. But the Lord wants us to have both relationships, and have them as healthy as they can be. He stands first in our lives because He placed Himself last, to humbly bear our sins and make us children of God. • Lord, thank You for the privilege of being included in Your eternal family. Keep us in this faith and life forever. Amen.
4:1–9 The parable of the sower helps explain why not everyone who hears the Gospel believes it and bears the fruit of faith. Such failures are seemingly more common today than ever, even among traditionally Christian peoples. At the same time, the Word of the Lord accomplishes His good purpose. It works miracles in lives where the Spirit has His way. • Lord, continue to plant Your Word richly in us. Remove the stones and weeds that impede Your Word, and thereby bring forth a harvest of mature fruit in all who believe. Amen.
4:10–20 Jesus interprets the parable of the sower for His disciples. The failures of the various soils to produce for the Lord are still common: people even now refuse to hear, fall away when hardship comes, and allow worldly concerns to overwhelm their faith. Yet, by God’s grace, many receive the Word in good faith and produce richly. Not even the gates of hell can prevail against His Church. • Lord, help us to see and perceive, to hear and understand. Remove every impediment to our faith. Let Your Word bring forth lasting fruit in our lives. Amen.
4:21–25 Jesus continues the theme of producing for the Kingdom by comparing His people to lamps set on a stand and by promising that faithfulness will be rewarded. It is a great pity, therefore, that so many Christians thwart God’s desire to bless faithfulness by failing to put their faith into practice wholeheartedly. The Lord forgives those who repent, and He calls us to focus on His mission. Though we are generous, He is more generous still and blesses more and more. • Lord, thank You for graciously rewarding our small kindnesses with outpourings of even more precious blessings. Amen.
4:26–29 God’s kingdom grows mysteriously of itself, at its own pace, and through the power of the Word. This reality often causes frustration among those who eagerly long for a rapid expansion of the Kingdom, and all the more as we only have a short-term view of things. But God’s kingdom grows according to His plan and timetable. And it is a great blessing that things ultimately depend on Him and not us, for only He is able to bring home a great harvest for life eternal. • Lord, as You have begun a good work by planting Your kingdom in our world, bring it to a full harvest in Your own good time. Amen.
4:30–34 Jesus’ parables reassure believers that over time the kingdom of God will grow incredibly large, far beyond its unassuming beginnings. Precisely because the Kingdom grows so slowly and its Lord is so patient, believers tend to become discouraged and its enemies are emboldened. But in the end, the Kingdom alone will stand, and everything else will be overthrown. Thank God, He shelters His people of every nation in its eternal shade. • Lord, let us see both in fact and by faith that Your kingdom will someday be all in all. Keep us ever sheltered safely within its branches. Amen.
4:35–41 When Jesus rebukes the wind and waves, the lifeless storm shows a greater recognition of His divine power than the disciples. Similar examples still abound, as the brute forces of nature invariably obey the Lord’s commands better than people, including God’s own children, obey them. But the Lord nonetheless continues to love and care for us, despite our dullness and doubts. He not only calms all of the storms in our lives but actually does so in ways that mature our faith and lead us to trust Him more deeply. • Lord, forgive our doubts, for we sometimes take Your silence as nothing more than sleepy indifference. Remind us that You never sleep nor slumber, but always keep us under Your watchful eye. Amen.
5:1–20 Despite Jesus’ magnificent work of deliverance, the reaction to Him is mixed. The man eagerly wishes to follow Jesus and then enthusiastically furthers His cause, while the townspeople ask Jesus to go away. The Lord still receives the same kind of mixed reaction today, even among those who follow Him, especially when doing so requires a change from established ways. But what remarkable kindness Jesus shows! He rescues people from the devil’s power and even the grave itself, and then allows them to be witnesses to the wonders of His grace. • Lord, rescue us from the power of Satan, and draw us from the grave through Your resurrection. May we learn joyfully to tell our neighbors what good things the Lord has done. Amen.
5:21–43 Jesus heals Jairus’s daughter and a woman with a chronic ailment. Like Jairus, we often worry that the Lord’s delay in answering our prayers may end up in catastrophe. But the Eternal One, who overcame death by rising from the dead, never runs out of time. In fact, His gracious promise is that we shall share eternal life with Him. • Lord, grant us to believe without doubting that You can heal every illness. Give us patience, as well, that we might be unmoved while waiting for You to act in Your own good time and in accord with Your gracious will. Amen.
6:1–6 Two very different astonishments stand side by side: Jesus’ teachings amaze His hometown neighbors; yet their close-minded hard-heartedness leaves Jesus amazed. We see similar contrasts today as people experience so much goodness from God and yet remain unthankful and unbelieving. But Jesus did not retaliate or write people off, even when they scornfully dismissed Him. He took the world’s rejection and, through His sacrificial death, reconciled all people to God. • Lord, give us eyes to recognize You, ears to receive Your Word, and hearts to believe its promises. By Your grace, bring us to the fullness of Your glory in heaven. Amen.
6:7–13 The disciples multiply Jesus’ healing and revealing ministry, building on the foundation laid by John the Baptist and anticipating their own ministries, which will bear full fruit after Jesus’ ascension. Even as Jesus sends the Twelve, He anticipates that not everyone will welcome the Gospel, as is still true today. Nevertheless, God unfailingly opens hearts and doors to their ministry, and He promises to do the same until the end of time. • Lord, give us courage to share Your Word to a dying world in these uncertain times. Open hearts to repentance and faith in the Gospel. Amen.
6:14–29 Coming just after the story about Jesus’ rejection in Nazareth, the tragic story of John gives an unmistakable foreshadowing of what awaits Jesus: rejection and even violent hostility. But rejection and violence cannot overcome the risen Lord. His victory over death and the grave shows how wonderfully He can turn such antagonism into life and salvation. • Lord, give us a faith like John’s, especially his integrity and trust. Help us to believe unquestioningly that faithfulness unto death will receive the crown of eternal life. Amen.
6:30–44 When a multitude of Jesus’ followers have far too little food for all to eat, Jesus multiplies five loaves and two fishes so that all are satisfied. When problems threaten us and needs overwhelm our resources, what is our reaction? Do we turn first to the Lord? We should, as His Word makes clear, for He still treats His flock with compassion and more than provides for every need of body and soul. • Lord, thank You for providing so abundantly and for graciously sustaining our bodies and souls. Teach us to turn to You first in every want and need. Amen.
6:45–52 Demonstrating mastery over the winds and waves for a second time, Jesus calms another storm. Even more amazing, however, is the fact that Jesus’ disciples still do not recognize His divine nature. Too often, our eyes are also blind and our hearts are just as hard. It is a good thing, therefore, that He who walked on the water that night also died in Calvary’s darkness to save us from our hard-heartedness. • Lord, save us when we are overcome by life’s storms and our hearts are darkened by unbelief. Calm the tempest, open our eyes, and create within us the faith to recognize You. Amen.
6:53–56 Not long after Jesus’ disciples failed to recognize an unmistakable display of His divinity, the people of Gennesaret show great faith by receiving Jesus and clamoring for His healing power. Even today, those new to the faith often exhibit more conviction than those who have known Jesus for a long time. It is good news, then, that Jesus remains devoted to us even when our commitment wavers or fails. His resolve to suffer and die for all is ample proof of that. • Lord, give us the zeal of the Gennesaret believers. May we ever press toward You, resolute in our conviction that You can heal and restore us. Amen.
7:1–13 Jesus criticizes the Pharisees for being overly concerned with man-made observances while failing to fulfill God’s Commandments. Such hypocrisy still abounds, as most people worry more about human opinions than what God thinks. Given our own failures in this regard, it is a good thing that the Lord not only commands in His Word, but also graciously forgives and promises goodness. • Lord, cleanse us each day from our sins. We thank You that Jesus was made a fragrant, sacrificial offering for us. Amen.
7:14–23 Jesus teaches that people are not defiled by food or other things entering the body from the outside, but rather by their own evil inclinations and sinful behaviors. This teaching exposes the uselessness of our own excuse-making and dismisses our claims that other people and things are to blame for our shortcomings and failures. However, Jesus does not merely condemn; He also sets free. Through His promises we are liberated from sin and reconciled to God. • Lord, renew us each day with clean hearts. By Your Spirit, give us joyous words, generous spirits, and behaviors that reflect Your glory. Amen.
7:24–30 In the regions of Tyre and Sidon, Jesus reveals that He has come to save the Gentiles along with the Jews. Unfortunately, the all-encompassing nature of His Gospel is viewed today as a threat by many Christian communities; outreach to other cultures might be ignored. But Jesus calls us to repent of such notions, and He reaches out to all people. No one lies beyond the scope of His love and grace. • Lord, help us to share the Gospel with all people, especially those who are different from us, that all may be edified in the faith. Amen.
7:31–37 Jesus heals another person in a Gentile region, further emphasizing His love for every race and kind of people. This serves as yet one more example of why we need to avoid the temptation to narrow the scope of the mission and to ignore opportunities to reach out to those who are different than ourselves. Jesus’ healing of this man, immediately after He restored the daughter of the Syrophoenician woman, underscores that He desires to love, cleanse, and heal all people. • Lord, You have done everything well. Help us also to see the depths of Your mercy and grace, that we understand them as gifts meant for all. Amen.
8:1–10 Jesus’ compassion moves Him to feed another hungry crowd by means of a second miraculous multiplication of bread. When Jesus confronts the disciples with feeding the crowds for a second time, they again fail to see that His power provides the way forward. How slowly we sometimes respond in faith! Yet how graciously Jesus continues to provide, both with His Word of forgiveness and with daily bread. He fully satisfies our bodies and souls. • Lord, deepen our hunger for Your Word, and so teach us to turn first to You in every need. Then feed us with Your multiple gifts. Amen.
8:11–13 Even though the Pharisees have already rejected Jesus, they still try to demand that He prove His identity. Scoffers continue to do as much today, denying God but at the same time hurling demands for proof toward Him. Believers, however, know that God is real, and they see the depth of His love in Christ’s suffering and the glory of His promises in the resurrection. • Lord, when we hunger for a sign of Your presence and power, focus our eyes on Your empty tomb. Make this the lasting, satisfying sign that opens our eyes to You. Amen.
8:14–21 The disciples remember their lack of bread but forget about the One who is with them, the very Lord and Creator of all. At times, we are similarly hard-hearted and shortsighted, focusing so much on our need for daily bread that we forget to call upon Jesus, the very bread of life. Nevertheless, Jesus patiently teaches His disciples, showing over and over that He alone can satisfy our deepest needs. • Lord, open the eyes of our hearts, so that we see You as the very bread from heaven, the answer to all our wants and needs. Amen.
8:22–26 Jesus heals a blind man as His disciples continue to struggle with the issue of who Jesus is and what He has come to do. Sin blinds all of us. Yet, Jesus’ gracious touch opens our eyes so that, despite our weaknesses, we recognize Him as the Christ and believe in Him unto life everlasting. • Lord, open our eyes to see You and Your ways. Help us to recognize and confess You clearly as our great physician. Amen.
8:27–30 For the first time in Mk, one of the Twelve recognizes Jesus as the Christ, God’s Anointed One. How slow we are and how dull is our understanding of Jesus’ divinity! We see and yet do not see. And so it is that Jesus graciously continues revealing Himself to us through Word and Sacrament. His Spirit works in us the faith that claims, “Jesus is the Christ.” • Lord Jesus, help us to see You as the true Son of the Father, the Christ anointed as our prophet, priest, and king. Rule us graciously for all eternity. Amen.
8:31–9:1 Jesus warns that He has come to suffer, die, and rise and that everyone who follows Him must carry the cross. Temptation to avoid the anguish of the cross is great. A safe life tempts us to deny Christ and His cross. Yet, Jesus suffered for our salvation and promised to overcome Satan and all our foes. Jesus is the only one sufficient to exchange His life for ours. • Lord, thank You for accepting the disgrace and pain of the cross. Strengthen us to follow You from Your cross to Your glory. Amen.