So many times we lay our lists at the feet of the Father, asking for what we need (because He tells us to ask). Unfortunately, sometimes what we really need isn't obvious to us. We The Kingdom's song "Holy Water" celebrates the forgiveness of God. Let's join them. There's a story of faith, friends, forgiveness, and healing in the Gospel of Mark. But it doesn't play out like we would expect it. Let's explore it together this week. On this week's episode I discuss: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Reading in context Use section headings Making observations Writing down your observations Sharing with a friend Our key Scripture area - Mark 2:1-12 Getting our bearings to understand what is going on by previewing the section headings leading up to our key Scripture area How Jesus was starting to get so famous He could not enter towns freely - Mark 1:45 Not overthinking WHERE in Scripture we are studying, but also not being held back by preconceptions How Jesus was teaching as much as He was healing Making observations Who was in the room? What spoken words were recorded? What were the actions taken? (Hint: look for verbs) Defining the duties of Scribes - BlueLetterBible.org Observing that Jesus SAW their faith - James 2:14-17 A quote by John Piper, "'Son of Man' has the double meaning of human being and, according to Daniel 7, exalted heavenly one. And Jesus means to communicate both of those." - DesiringGod Article God's promise that if we confess our sins, He will forgive them - 1 John 1:9 Additional Resources Lyrics and Chords - WorshipTogether.com More information about John's baptism - GotQuestions.org When we forget the necessity for forgiveness, we become entitled. Check out this interesting article from ChurchLeaders.com. This Week's Challenge Read Mark 2 for yourself. In fact, go ahead and start in Mark 1 and read through Mark 2 to read in context. Pull out a notebook and interact with God's Word. Write down your observations. Read with a friend and mark down observations together! Consider the emphasis Jesus put on forgiveness in this account. If you are a follower of Christ, celebrate His forgiveness freely given -- just repent, confess, and be purified.