We already knew that God is a God of power yet compassion, purity yet forgiveness, high above all but utterly faithful as a friend. But Jesus revealed something new, something shocking, something almost unbelievable, at the very core of the supreme being.
The truth behind baptism is deeply empowering and encouraging, and can explain some of the tensions we experience as we try to live the Christian life.
The resurrection of Jesus was not simply coming back to life, but the start of a new kind of humanity. It gives us access to a new kind of life within us—empowered for victory.
The center of Mark holds the core of Jesus' teachings, but it is not what anyone was expecting. Even today there are many who think they are followers of Jesus but don’t understand this idea. First and foremost the challenge is to us, to follow Jesus in this surprising way.