Scripture: Mark 6:32-44 Building Kickoff Sunday in Charlotte, 1998 Bob Carlisle sang (Butterfly Kisses) Consultant: good news & bad news The answer to the title? Yes, definitely yes! The formula is in today’s text God always provides whatever is needed to accomplish His will Not necessarily to accomplish what we want < Craddock story > God provided this teaching opportunity For both the crowd & the disciples God provided a huge lawn for the mealtime God even ensured the disc

Scripture: Mark 6:13-16 Privacy is a modern invention. Until quite recently, most people lived in small communities where everyone knew everyone else’s business. (Not unlike Reeds!) Until a few hundred years ago, everybody heard what was going on in the world by talking to neighbors & strangers, gossiping in marketplaces, & passing on stories of anything curious or striking. Only the royal, & the very rich, could afford something approaching privacy; & they achieved it, o

Scripture: Mark 6:6b-13 “You don’t have time for breakfast,” I told Bryan. “You’re supposed to be at work in 20 minutes. Your shift starts at 10. You don’t want to be late.” It was a Saturday morning & he had emerged, sleepily, well past his alarm. It took 15 minutes to get to Chic-Fil-A. Pull on a pair of shoes & a shirt, here’s some money, & off you go. I hoped he would make it. Jesus didn’t even let the disciples take an extra shirt or money. These are emergency inst

Scripture: Mark 5:21-43 I grew up in the Episcopal Church, so I also grew up with the Book of Common Prayer (the worship book for Episcopalians). In it is a prayer written by Thomas Cranmer for use on Palm Sunday – the Sunday before Easter. The prayer reads in part: “Grant that we may follow the example of Jesus’ patience.” What does Cranmer mean by patience? Patience is love for the long haul; it is bearing up under difficult circumstances; it is not giving up or giving