# Today’s lecturer is co-pastor Mizuguchi

1. Disciples cause little ones to sin

Last Sunday we learned that Jesus predicted his death three times and why. The scripture portrayed reaction of the Twelve who could not understand Jesus’ intention to die on the Cross. Jesus said to them “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise."(Mark 9:31) because they did not acknowledge the meaning of the first prediction and discussed about who would be the first in the Jesus’ kingdom. Jesus tried to put them right ;- Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.” and “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.” (Mark 9:35,37)) (³¤­…)

1. The Passion, predicted three times

The last Sunday we read about Peter’s confession and Jesus’ first prediction of the Passion (see Mark 8:27-35). Mark reported that Jesus foretold about his death three times ( the third is 10:33). And all of them were written in a coherent tone. Three of them show in common that Jesus’ disciples could not understand its real meaning and were always expecting a glorious future in Jerusalem despite Jesus’words. (³¤­…)

1. Get behind me, Satan!

We are continuing the lecture on the Gospel according to Mark. The latest reading portion showed us that Jesus retreated to pagans place to avoid conflicts in Jewish cities with Jewish authorities.

But the time has come and Jesus gets back. Today’s passage tells us about the opening of Jesus’ new activity, the journey to Jerusalem. (³¤­…)

1. Ephphatha

Today’s reading portion is titled “The Healing of a Deaf and Mute Man”. 115 cases of healing acts are reported in Synoptic Gospels. However it is very difficult for us, who live in today’s modern world, to admit that those miraculous stories happened really and literally. Many of us reject and considered them to be ridiculous fables. Some others acknowledge them because it was Jesus, the son of God, who performed. (³¤­…)

# Today’s lecturer is the assistant Pastor Mizuguchi.

1. Jesus criticizes formalism

During last 5 weeks we had read about ” Bread of life” from the Gospel according to John. Today we go back to Mark’s writing, chapter 7 and focus on its main theme, ” What makes humans unclean”.

At the beginning of the chapter, Pharisees and law teachers come to Galilee to survey and find excuse for accusation of Jesus’ ministry. Though they had remained till then defensive against Jesus’ teaching, they decided to change their attitude to be offensive. In that purpose they set off from Jerusalem to Jesus’ preaching place. (³¤­…)