Rev. Paul Leonard

We take a look at the transfiguration in the gospel of Mark

In today's passage, Peter finally gets what 8 chapters of Mark have been building towards the recognition of Jesus as the Christ. However, the same issue that we have been looking at this entire series remains. Peter's definition of Messiah is still very different than Jesus'. This passage represents a pivot point in the gospel, so we this is the first of two messages looking at this section.

Mark ch 8, parallels much of the material from the 1st half of Mark Ch 6 & 7. 

Using the story so far we look at the specific point Jesus was making with feeding the 4000, as well as how aggressive the debates with the Pharisees and scribes were becoming.  

This episode looks at two miracles of Jesus. The healing of a gentile woman's daughter and the healing of a deaf/ mute.  

Many of us live lives that are characterized by only accepting half of the Gospel, only the outline. Rev. Paul in a special message for Back to Church Sunday extorts his listeners to accept the full gospel of Christ.

We take a look at an incident of very purposeful rejection of the oral traditions of the scribes by Jesus

We look at the story of Jesus feeding the 5000.

In Mark's Gospel Jesus uses this miracle to establish a very poignant connection between him and Moses and Isaiah's/ Ezekiel's prophecies. 

*Note: this is a re-upload after an error the first time

John was the prophet who prepared the way of the Lord, and that in today's story means he quite literally faced his own death. This sermon explores what it means that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of the Prophets and how we all in some ways play the same roll as John the Baptist did.

We look at the story of how Jesus sent out the disciples, and how that required an attitude of complete innovation, and a strong dependence on Grace 

Jesus could find any respect in his hometown. This sermon follows the text a bit more loosely than our series has so far, focusing on the 10th commandment (9th in some traditions) "Thou shall not covet"

Today's sermon explores two different miracles of Jesus that the Gospel of Mark wraps together. We explore why Jesus' healing of the woman with the 12 year hemorrhage and the raising of the synagogue leader's daughter are wrapped together in Mark.