Author Archives: Bill Rasco

In Luke 4, Jesus is preparing for His public ministry. Before starting, Jesus walks with the Holy Spirit into the wilderness where Satan is waiting to tempt Jesus. Satan is not easy on Jesus. The temptations are hard. Food for … Continue reading →

The cross looms large in the thoughts of Jesus. The time has come. The next few hours, the next few days, will be full of rejection, pain, and death. Jesus goes to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. Amid the … Continue reading →

“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.” (Mark 11:17) The words sometimes stun us. The picture is sometimes hard to imagine. … Continue reading →

His name is Bartimaeus, and he is blind. He sits by the road, and begs. The mercy of others is his only hope. In Mark 10:46-52, we encounter his story. Listening as the crowds pass by on the road, Bartimaeus … Continue reading →

I don’t know his name, but I know his problem. Mark 5 tells us that there was “a man with an evil spirit.” His life is a mess. No clothes, no dignity, his body is ravaged by evil. He is … Continue reading →

THE Story This week we begin the Book of Mark. It is the story of Jesus all over again. But don’t let that stop you from sitting in awe as Jesus embeds His story on your heart this week. As … Continue reading →

There is nothing more central to the Christian’s faith than the cross of Jesus. The cross was meant to be a punishment and a humiliation. Jesus changed that. The cross is a place of hope and beauty. It is the … Continue reading →

Matthew 23-26 contains difficult words, but deep truth. Facing the cross, Christ’s final teachings urgently point to our need to fully commit to a relationship with God. Jesus begins by confronting the religious elite and outlining seven woes or barriers … Continue reading →

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” The question comes from a group of Pharisees in Matthew 22. Jesus takes them back to center by answering, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all … Continue reading →

In Matthew 16:5-12, Jesus has an interesting discussion with His apostles. Traveling to a new place, the disciples realize that they forgot to bring any bread with them. Remember that this moment of hunger is framed by two miracles that … Continue reading →