Travis Bruno

It was mostly Jimmy! And I am so grateful to get to do this alongside y'all. I hope it was an enriching year!!

So, the way John refers to himself as "the one whom Jesus loved" several times... is that more of a normal kind of thing in writing from this time? The author using a phrase to refer to themself? Beca...

Gosh, with the note yesterday comparing the feet-washing to Jesus's final act on the cross, this challenge has some added weight! We know Jesus isn't just asking everyone to clean other feet. So let's...

One of my favorite and sentimental moments... the humility and intimacy between Jesus and his disciples, the teacher and his followers. Something extra I found in my study notes clarifies the comparis...

@siteadmin It is really really interesting to think more about those plotting against him... to think about what it may have felt like living with the constant reality of the Roman occupation. What le...

@siteadmin I have definitely been noticing this trend in tension… Jesus seems to keep saying things in a way that sounds like he is connected to and living out of relationship to a God that is entirel...

I know I’m a week late, but catching up and I had to post! v23 is quite an answer to some of my wonderings on the week before! In a similar way, “bending” the Sabbath for circumcision happens, all the...

I don’t know what, if any, additional meaning the difference makes. But I thought it was interesting where the words change for “eat”: v52, 53 - eat - esthio: to eatv54, 56, 57 - eats/consumes - trogo...

So Jesus is kind of talking about his chain of authority and a sort of chain(progression) of salvation… It’s both so open, but also maybe restricted? Jesus says everyone who looks to him and believes ...

@shelley-johnson Yes, for sure! That reference to Luke 13 is so good… to be set free from what binds us. I feel like this is an interesting lens with which to approach sabbath. It’s a time to lay down...

I’m trying to understand more about Sabbath and what God really desires for us with that command… I wonder if “these things” Jesus was doing on the Sabbath are like a Holy bending of the rule, or if t...

I wanted to get some more context, here’s some notes from an NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible: Samaritans: A people who claimed that they were descendants of Jacob but whom Jews considered to be ...

What humility from John the Baptist… He isn’t swayed by “losing” disciples to another, but he recognizes the whole picture, the whole point of the wedding. He is celebrating his friend, the bridegroom...

How interesting that I rarely think about the value of the context before John 3:16! Even though it’s one of those that begins with a word connected it to the preceding section… And the connection to ...

Always a good start to ministry, haha! I know how it feels to interpret this interaction with his mom from our culture/perspective… Jesus kinda pushes back, but his mom just ignores it and expects him...

ALSO what an invitational Jesus! What are you seeking? Come and you will see. I know this is most directly a response to where he’s staying, but it feels much bigger than that, right? Am I reading ...

Okay, so… what sort of meaning did the words “Messiah” and “Christ” have for these Jews “pre”-Jesus? Some interesting notes: Easton’s Bible Dictionary Messiah: (Heb. mashiah), in all the thirty-nine...

@shelley-johnson I imagine we get a taste of it with things like the sunrise each morning… Like you knew it was coming and can expect what it’ll probably look like but actually seeing it catches your ...

It’s a little confusing in v31 & 33 he says he didn’t know him — Like John didn’t quite yet understand who his cousin Jesus was? But he also among these verses says exactly who Jesus is: “Behold,...

This is definitely one of those hard sections where I'm not sure where the line is for the application of the parable... and even still, what is the lesson here? It seems like it's generally about bei...

Just sort of realizing how interesting a lesson this is on hospitality... One one hand, how wonderful a transformation, once Jesus reached out, to see Zacchaeus totally flip is lifestyle and commit to...

Getting into the action this week!!! My prayer is for more awareness of the enemy's approach, so I can have the right response to his temptations and offers for false wholeness... Thank you Jesus for ...

@shelley-johnson I love those things you pointed out!! What important reminders to consider when looking at our own posture and spirit...

Posted by: @siteadmin 6 The chief priests took the silver and said, “It is not lawful to put this into the temple treasury, since it is blood money.” The irony... 😫

I’m reminded of the passage we talked about with Youth last night, specifically Philippians 2:6-11… Jesus emptying and humbling himself, not holding onto his true equality with God, but perfectly obed...

@jimmy and if the whole point is that wholeness, what do you do with such a stark contrast of the results of sheep vs goats? That is still kind of a hard thing for me to reconcile in these passages. ...

To me, this part is like the practical explanation that Jesus sometimes gives to his disciples after his parables… with the virgins and with the talents, the point is not to just wait for the Jesus to...

@shelley-johnson It certainly is about a foretelling of Jesus' death within the context of prophet rejection! Maybe it's both in some way. 😜 I see the parallel in that reality (of the prophets...

This passage reminds me to be careful of any entitlement I might feel because I'm already "in"... I'm not motivated by just seeking inheritance for myself, but should work to give back a "portion of t...

Posted by: @siteadmin 20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, and kneeling down she asked him for a favor. What do you think Matthew was doing, telling it as their mothe...

Ok, I’m going to try to do/edit this post to keep my overall thoughts for these chapters… Moments: The Sower/Seeds - the nature of things, some people are more/less “built/prepared” to receive the Gos...

@mallary-malwick SAME. It’s been a tricky week to read through so far. 😜 One thing I wanted to share that I find in the NET Study Notes: “What he has will be taken from him.” The meaning is ...

This idea that there are some people that are “poisonous weeds” that will be thrown into the furnace is hard for me to process… Maybe this is just an idea that helps to explain the way some won’t beli...

I feel like I am often trying to find better words to express this idea, and one way it has come to mind as I read these chapters is this: Jesus is yearning for us to discover the point. It’s not succ...

@vltaylor1136 I wonder if it’s sort of a warning to the expert in the law? Jesus may know that what he is asking, he doesn’t truly know the full scope of what it means (reminds me of the rich young ma...

@shelley-johnson I’m the same, Shelley!! I think the word pursue feels a lot more engaged, and it makes me think of God’s continual pursuit of us, as well… maybe it’s just because it’s a new word, but...

@jimmy lol, fair enough.

@jimmy Man that is a lot to take in, but I do think it makes a lot of sense... I like the idea of wrestling vs. rebellion... I think about how we get sort of taken aback by some of these laws because ...

@siteadmin So... can you help me move beyond: "Dang... the Law of Moses was more awful than I thought!" ??? And what does it mean for "a spirit of jealousy to come on a man" ? (Even if "she has not d...

@jimmy Us from God vs. God from Us – that is helpful to think about! The things that stick out in my memory are the moment where the men died after touching the Ark as it was falling, and something ab...

@siteadmin I guess how I said it above? …the idea that in a moment, Jesus experienced separation from God. Jesus feeling the physical cost of the cross for sure, and the relational pain from moments ...

We made it through! How was Mark for you? As Jimmy said in the Podcast, "Where is the resurrected Jesus among you?!"

@okiebull13 @jimmy I've also considered the element of "Jesus taking on our sins" as part of the cross... and the idea that in a moment, Jesus experienced separation from God. Jesus feeling the physic...

I think the only positive thing I get from this section is considering why Simon of Cyrene is mentioned so specifically... We remember the context of Mark's writing as it was intended for his faith co...

@jimmy I have no words for how horrific this practice is. 😫 Regardless of who receives it.

@silverfx23 Don't be afraid to jump in! 🙂

@jimmy Next time don't reply until you say all you need to say! 😉 But that is a helpful reminder, thank you!! And informative background...

@jimmy Like, when I look at these verses in Mark (and also checked the other Gospels to see, as well), I don't necessarily see instructions for what we do for communion today... Obviously it's related...

@jimmy @vltaylor1136 I was wondering similar things! What would Jesus's words have sounded like and meant to these guys? How does our sacrament of communion, feeling so ancient and established, come f...

Some further thoughts I couldn't compose in the moment on the podcast about the woman anointing Jesus... The beauty that she gets it... Of all Jesus's closest people and those most devoted and desper...

@mallary-malwick Gosh, I hadn’t really thought of that but I think you’re right! What a conversation that would have been… Part of me hopes he still got that chance somehow.

@mallary-malwick What do you think might be leading him to take the path he chooses? We see how the rest of the disciples often miss the point, too (i.e. those indignant by the woman here; and many ot...

An interesting thing I read in the NET notes, refers to how persecution will play out in Jewish contexts (councils & synagogues) and Gentile contexts (governors & kings)… And he then says the ...

@jralphsmith It's really interesting to see the stone "types" change! And always amazing to think about how they could have moved such large stones so many years ago... So this is like a retaining wa...

One thing that certainly helps me process this chapter is to first consider it as it was originally experienced (as disciples and others with Jesus) and second as it was later read/shared from Mark's ...

So is Jesus, in a way, pointing out a hiccup in their beliefs that is similar to the kind of trapping the experts have been doing? It just feels like he is able to walk circles around them with this r...

I am just so encouraged by this interaction. In contrast to the other challenging questions, this expert seems to be drifting closer to the truth in Jesus… He is not far from the kingdom of God!

@amberhocker @shelley-johnson The mystery of faith… the power of prayer… I’m with ya. Don’t worry! We finally clear it up in the podcast, so be looking out! PS - We definitely don’t. Hahahaha, but I t...

This is a tough one. Whenever this passage has been talked about, I usually come away feeling discouraged because of all the good things I have prayed for that haven’t come about… Did I just not belie...

@jimmy @silverfx23 That was definitely something I think I faced for the first time, when we went through the OT a couple years ago… and it is odd to think about. But just like Jesus’s teachings often...

Man... reading through this (and peeking into tomorrows portion) again, I'm getting a new picture that is much darker and sort of chilling. This is my interpretation, anyway: Then Jesus entered Jerus...

@jimmy So, I suppose another important element about this section is Jesus's response is primarily in response to that context... not to us. This isn't to say it doesn't have an application or meaning...

Okay so... this is a difficult passage (including v10-12 in Tuesday's reading). I think/hope what we shared in the podcast can help when we deal with this one. Just one other thing I wanted to say, th...

@okiebull13 It's there for me! 🧐

Something that just stood out to me, is that this young man approaches Jesus much like others in previous chapters who have had great need for healing: running up and falling to his knees. Maybe this ...

Okay so... what kind of prayer does Jesus mean here? What was prayer to Jews and these disciples during this time? Just "talking to God" as we say it? Or something else?

@silverfx23 Yes! What a roller coaster of awareness, of right and wrong reactions… Ultimately, Peter is just trying, and Jesus always has grace for that because Peter’s heart is for Jesus, even when h...

@jimmy Which means it's okay to moan and groan about things sometimes... @jralphsmith said it well on Sunday, and I am processing it to mean that unless we are contending for something we shouldn't co...

@jimmy GREAT insight, thank you!!!

@okiebull13 Sure sure! I also noticed that part... so I guess I'm wondering what their hearts were hardened to regarding the experience with the loaves. What do you think they were thinking about whi...

@jimmy Back at UCO, we had a large format printer that could print on a 4’ wide roll! Is that big enough??? I can check with some of my current contacts… 😜

What do you think they didn't understand about the loaves??? That it was a miracle? That it was a physical/actual example of God's provision? Just wondering a bit why Mark says their lack of understan...

@jralphsmith I don't quite read as much sarcasm in it... but a sort of exhaustion, maybe? They had all just been catching up from all the ministry they had been out doing, and Jesus himself was like "...

@vltaylor1136 Gosh, that's so true... Like just considering it some entertaining novelty when it's convenient, but throwing it away because you give it no real value. May we grow deeper in our underst...

@jimmy What does pseudepigraphal mean? And I guess I need to make some focaccia bread! Thank you for the extra insight on their “perspective of olive oil.” I didn’t realize it would make a difference,...

@jimmy Thanks for that info! This is where I sometimes feel stuck... I think I notice something within the text, but I don't really know how to figure out if there is meaningful correlation or not. Ce...

So, something I didn’t get a chance to ask before, but I can’t help but notice a sort of parallel in the way Jairus responds to seeing Jesus and how the Legion-demonized Man responds to him. When he ...

Pigs… You mentioned this and when Jimmy mentioned it to me on the Podcast, it made so much sense to me in a new way! I’ve always been puzzled by Jesus’s willingness to send the 2,000 pigs to die—but w...

@jralphsmith Seems like a bad lil' dude* who got caught! Like the unclean spirits are taking advantage of the way God has allowed space for choice and evil... but immediately begs for mercy like it wa...

@jimmy Hahaha, you are crazy… BUT - what a moment/shift in this whole story! Mark is telling it like this is the beginning of the good news flowing into all the world… and I feel like this makes it s...

@shelley-johnson @mallary-malwick Yes, thank you Shelley! It does seem to make more sense in the context of God's Word... especially the parable preceding that one line I mentioned. All things in God...

Two parts that I get kind of caught on… '...so that although they look they may look but not see, and although they hear they may hear but not understand, so they may not repent and be forgiven.' At...

@vltaylor1136 Often for me, the answer to questions of Jesus's meaning almost always start with "It comes down to the heart of it." (Which I suppose could also be debated just as much 😜) So, I...

@shelley-johnson WOW, thank you for all of this... The two key things you shared that were helpful for me: Fasting was primarily for mourning. This, along with the timing of his feast and the Pharisee...

Gosh, I just got swept away yesterday with everything else — but I didn't want to forget this section! Which is easier – forgiveness or healing??? Jesus's question feels like it assumes forgiveness is...

@jimmy Good stuff, thank you! So then, was it more normal to ask for healing (skipping over forgiveness) then? Or is it sort of like a symptom/problem situation where illness is perceived as the symp...

I'm sure we will talk more about Jesus' responses tomorrow, as well, but why do you think Jesus responded with offering forgiveness to their efforts to seek physical healing?

@sailing-bum Wow, I’m definitely going to save your insights in these words! Nautical analogy, and all. 🙃 Futile efforts to prove my worth, when all along He just wants relationship… and the i...

@jralphsmith When I get mornings right — it makes a monumental difference on the rest of the day... but I also need to be better about days where I don't make the morning time, and giving myself grace...

@siteadmin But... I asked @amberhocker first! Hahaha. I tend to think about things like this from the context of my relationship with my own daughter... And so it makes sense from a place, as her fath...

@amberhocker I just mentioned that too!! (In a reply to Jays earlier comment) Why do you think it was the spirit? 👀

@jralphsmith Reading this bit about the wilderness, I want to try and pay attention as we go through… and see what happens in the wildernesses, see how God uses the wilderness. I’ve got to believe th...

@okiebull13 I think the baseline is to read the whole chapter(s) once on Sunday, and then dive into the segments of the chapter(s) again each day through the week. 🙂 And explore any other reso...

What do you think they would have thought of John’s statement about baptism with water vs the Holy Spirit? What was the “Holy Spirit” to Jews of this day? I know what it means for me (especially becau...

@vltaylor1136 I am really looking forward to walking through these personal stories with you and our community! I am praying to not only encounter the person of Jesus in a fresh way, but also to enco...