Book: Mark

Pastor Wes reflects on the story of the unnamed woman who suffered for 12 years, reaching out in desperation to touch Jesus’ robe. He connects her struggle to our own experiences of pain—physical, emotional, and spiritual—urging us to let her story meet our own. Rather than explaining suffering through simplistic answers like karma, destiny, or the devil, Jesus responds with presence and love, affirming the woman’s faith and calling her “daughter.” The sermon invites us to recognize God’s nearness in our struggles and to reach out in faith, knowing we are seen, loved, and restored.

Pastor Wes explores the bold beginning of the Gospel of Mark, contrasting its message with the political “good news” of the Roman Empire. Unlike the festive narratives of Jesus’ birth in other Gospels, Mark launches with the declaration of good news amid the wilderness, a setting of struggle and transformation. Pastor Wes highlights the tension between the world’s headlines—stories of conflict, disaster, and personal challenges—and Mark’s announcement of God’s presence through Jesus Christ.

This good news confronts both external oppression and the internal stories we tell ourselves, offering hope and grounding in God’s transformative presence. Pastor Wes invites the congregation to reflect on their own “wilderness” experiences and examine the headlines of their lives, encouraging them to hear and live out the true good news that speaks to the heartlines of all people.

This sermon explores the dual nature of faith and healing through the story of Bartimaeus, the blind man. Using the metaphor of “two sides of a coin,” Rev. Ellen Marsey highlights Bartimaeus’s healing as both a physical restoration and a spiritual call. Bartimaeus’s act of reaching out exemplifies humility and dependence on God, challenging our self-sufficiency. The message concludes with a call for discipleship, where even in our own woundedness, we can find strength to serve others.