When we look at the twelve disciples Jesus chose, it’s clear they weren’t the kind of men most people would expect to change the world. They weren’t famous, powerful, or educated. Some were fishermen, one was a tax collector, one was known for his extreme political views, and one even turned out to be a traitor. Still, these are the men Jesus selected to carry out his mission.
In Luke 6:13 we see Jesus and the 12 followers he picked to be his apostles. There’s nothing spectacular in the way the choice was made, and the men themselves were quite ordinary. They didn’t have formal religious training. They weren’t leaders in society. They were regular people who worked with their hands—simple and humble.
But isn’t that the point? Their influence can’t be explained by their own abilities. The power that changed the world came from God working through them. It was never about who they were, but about what God did through them. Consider, 1 Corinthians 1:27 says, “God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise.”
Why did God choose them? We may never fully understand. But we do know this—He often chooses those who seem unimportant in the eyes of the world so that all the glory goes to Him. These men, just like Jesus from Nazareth, were doubted and dismissed. Yet through humble obedience, God used them to do something amazing.
In today’s world, it’s common for young mothers to take jobs outside the home. Many do this to help meet financial needs, especially when money is tight. Others may have different personal reasons. Still, the Bible gives clear direction. In Titus 2:4-5, Paul encourages young women to love their husbands and children, to live wisely and purely, and to be busy at home, kind, and respectful to their husbands.
This guidance isn’t meant to be harsh or rigid, but it does give priority to the home. While it doesn’t say a woman can never work outside the house, it does show that her main focus should be her family—supporting her husband, caring for her children, and creating a home filled with peace and spiritual focus.
Of course, life doesn’t always go as planned. A woman may lose her husband through death or divorce, or the family may face sudden financial hardship. In such cases, she may need to work to provide for her household. But even then, the long-term goal remains—to make the home a place where love, faith, and family are at the centre.
Scripture sets the standard, but God also sees each person’s situation with compassion and wisdom.
Some people say they are “led by the Holy Spirit,” but not everyone means the same thing when they use that phrase. This idea comes directly from Galatians 5:18, “But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.”
So, what does that mean?
Some think being led by the Spirit is a feeling or special guidance that only a few Christians receive from time to time. However, that’s not what the Apostle Paul was teaching. He was making a clear statement about a believer’s identity. When someone is led by the Spirit, they are no longer under the law’s judgement. That means they are not trying to earn salvation by following rules—they now live under the Spirit’s direction and power.
If you are a follower of Christ, the Holy Spirit lives inside you. Your body becomes His temple. The Spirit helps you feel close to God, calls out to the Father through you, shows you when you’ve done wrong, and helps you understand the Bible. He also moves you to live in a way that pleases God.
Being led by the Spirit isn’t something that happens sometimes—it’s the way of life for all true believers. Without the Spirit, a person is still under the law’s curse, trying to be saved by good deeds, and without real spiritual strength. But with the Spirit, believers have both freedom and power.
When people imagine heaven, they often think of calm, beauty, and safety. These are true ideas. But it may be surprising to hear that the Bible describes the New Jerusalem—a city in heaven—with walls and gates. In Revelation 21, the Apostle John shares a vision of this holy city. It is large and magnificent, surrounded by strong walls and 12 gates. This makes us wonder: why would heaven need such features?
There is no evil or sin in the New Jerusalem, nor anywhere in the new heaven and new earth. Everything is pure and righteous. So, the walls are not for protection from danger, because danger simply doesn’t exist there. Instead, the walls and gates mark the city as something special. They show that this is the central place of God’s glory.
The New Jerusalem is more than just a city—it is where God’s throne is. From there, His glory shines out, lighting the city’s golden streets and sparkling through its jewels and pearl gates. This beauty spreads across the eternal creation. Revelation 21:23 tells us, “The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light.” This city is the heart of heaven, and from it, God’s glory fills all eternity.
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In his sermon on Mark chapters 9 through 11, Dr. McGee begins by examining the Transfiguration in Mark 9, highlighting Mark’s detailed account and suggesting it reveals Christ’s perfect humanity rather than primarily his deity, which is John’s focus. He connects this event to Peter’s later testimony as an eyewitness of Christ’s power and coming. Dr. McGee explains Jesus taking Peter, James, and John to the mountain, not as favoritism, but perhaps due to their spiritual immaturity. The appearance of Moses and Elijah signifies the law and the prophets testifying to Jesus. Despite this glory, the disciples fail to cast out a demon at the foot of the mountain, illustrating the contrast between heavenly glory and earthly struggles. Dr. McGee emphasizes that the Transfiguration itself doesn’t save; it points towards the necessity of Christ’s death and resurrection.
Continuing in Mark 9, Dr. McGee interprets the disciples’ failure as a reflection of the church’s present-day ineffectiveness in a world he describes as troubled and even “demon possessed”. He criticizes the church for engaging in various activities while neglecting the primary task of bringing people to Jesus. Jesus’ rebuke of a “faithless generation” and his statement “bring him unto me” are central to this point. The disciples’ subsequent inability to cast out the demon is attributed to a lack of prayer. Dr. McGee also touches upon Jesus’ second announcement of his death and resurrection, the disciples’ misunderstanding and argument about greatness, and Jesus’ teaching against a sectarian spirit after John forbids an outsider from casting out demons in Jesus’ name. He notes Jesus’ stern warning against offending little ones and his direct teaching about hell.
Moving into Mark 10, Dr. McGee discusses marriage and divorce, noting the Pharisees’ attempt to entrap Jesus. Jesus shifts the focus from divorce back to God’s original design for marriage as a union of one flesh created at the beginning. He explains that divorce was permitted due to the “hardness of your heart” but was not God’s ideal. Dr. McGee addresses adultery in the context of remarriage and clarifies why Mark’s account of divorce differs slightly from Matthew’s, considering Mark’s Roman audience. He then examines the blessing of the little children, highlighting their importance and suggesting adults should embrace a childlike faith. The encounter with the Rich Young Ruler is analyzed as an example of someone relying on outward obedience to the law while lacking a true relationship with God, hindered by his wealth. Jesus’ teaching on the difficulty for the rich to enter the kingdom is explained, emphasizing that salvation comes through God, not human effort or riches.
Finally, in Mark 10 and 11, Dr. McGee addresses Jesus’ final journey to Jerusalem, including his repeated predictions of his death and resurrection. He interprets James and John’s request for positions of power and Jesus’ response about those places being prepared by God. The core of Jesus’ mission is emphasized: to minister and give his life as a ransom for many. Dr. McGee briefly mentions the healing of blind Bartimaeus. Transitioning to Mark 11, he describes Jesus’ public entry into Jerusalem as a presentation of himself as the Messiah, which ultimately led to rejection. He suggests this entry occurred over three days and was not a triumphal procession in the worldly sense. The cursing of the fig tree is interpreted as a symbol of Israel’s fruitless religious outward appearance. The cleansing of the temple is depicted as Jesus purging a corrupt religious system. This event leads to a discourse on the power of prayer through faith in God, clarifying that this power is for spiritual strength rather than literal miracles, and emphasizing the importance of forgiveness. The sermon concludes with Jesus’ skillful handling of the chief priests and elders who question his authority, using a counter-question about John the Baptist to silence them.
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