Joe Barnett

Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.                                      —Acts 2:40 Peter told the Pentecost crowd about Jesus, who had been nailed to a cross outside Jerusalem fifty-three days ago. “God raised him from the dead,” he said, and made […]

Christ loved us and gave himself up for us.                         —Ephesians 5:2 During the Last Supper Jesus stunned his disciples with declarations that one of them was going to betray him and one was going to disown him (Jn 13:21, 38). Judas betrayed him,

Are your hearts hardened?             —Mark 8:17 The Pharisees challenged Jesus to prove himself by giving them a sign from heaven (Mk 8:11). The miracles they’d seen him perform—healing the sick and exorcising demons—weren’t enough for them. They wanted to see fireworks, something spectacular straight from the sky—like Elijah calling

When Jesus heard this, he was astonished.                     —Matthew 8:10 The gospels cite the amazement of Jesus only twice. On the one hand, he was amazed by the lack of faith of his own people, the Jews. In his home town he was ridiculed and rejected.

Blessed are you, Simon.      —Matthew 16:17 “Who do you say I am?” Jesus asked. “You are the Christ,” Peter answered: “Now I’m going to tell you who you are,” Jesus said. “You are Peter, a rock” (MSG). But hold the phone! Moments later, when Peter took Jesus to task for predicting his death,

Don’t be afraid; just believe.             —Luke 8:50 One was a well-known man with a dying daughter; the other an unknown woman with an incurable illness. He (Jairus) was an important synagogue official; she (name unknown) was an anonymous nobody. He was about to lose a daughter that had given

Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.    —Mark 5:34 The dear woman had been ill for twelve miserable years. “[A] long succession of physicians had treated her, and treated her badly, taking all her money and leaving her worse off than before” (Mk 5:26 MSG). Give up? Not this lady! She stealthily

Lord, teach us to pray.         —Luke 11:1 Jesus’ life was a ministry of healing, helping, and hope—all immersed in prayer. He laid his heart and his concerns at the feet of the Father. Model your prayers after his. His prayers were submissive: “[N]ot as I will, but as you will” (Mt

How many loaves do you have?               —Mark 6:38 The crowd was large. The hour was late. So Jesus’ disciples urged him to call it a day and send the hungry horde home for dinner. “You give them something to eat,” Jesus said. He had to be kidding, right?