Step by Step: Recent Episodes
Whittlesey Baptist Church
If you wanted to know whether Jesus was someone worth following, how would you find that out? You could put his name into an internet search and trawl through all the results. I did that and it returned almost 1 billion pages. A lot of people have written about him and there are lots of opinions out there. A simpler way would be to turn to the Bible and find out about Jesus at source. That's the plan in this series of short talks.
A long time ago and a journey to a place far away. The Magi came from the east, but what did they come to see?
A night to remember in the hills around Bethlehem. It's never gone down like this before.
Just a quiet day? No way. God interrupts Mary with a message. But what is it and where will it lead?
They thought it was all over. Jesus is dead and buried. Time for some grief and then trying to move on with life. What happened next blew their minds.
Why is Jesus’ death a big deal? What really happened and what does it mean? Mark gives us various clues to see behind the scenes and understand what’s really going on.
A travesty of justice. How could so many sign off on the execution of Jesus, an innocent man. What does the reaction of the people involved in his death teach us about human nature, God’s love and our own response?
3 times Peter said, ‘I don’t know him’. How could he? Hadn’t Jesus always been there for him?
Jesus stands on trial. What’s the charge? Where’s the evidence? Are they going to be able to get a guilty verdict
Jesus is God. That means he’s all powerful. So, the cross should have been breeze, right? Yet was it really?
If Jesus could do it all again, what would he change? If he were to look at his life with hindsight, would it end any differently?
Two responses to Jesus. Both extreme, both clear, but also very different. Which response do you identify with?
Two cataclysmic events predicted by Jesus. One’s happened, but what about the other? Will Jesus really come again?
Jesus is teaching in the temple and sees something that impresses him, but what is it? Is it what you expect?
Which is the greatest commandment in the Bible? Is it possible to get it down to one? What does Jesus say?
They intended to catch him out. Questions that couldn’t be answered without getting yourself into trouble. Surely this would be the end of Jesus, or would it?
The leaders in Jerusalem were not happy with Jesus. He’d put their noses out of joint and they were ready to fight back. Here’s round one. But who would it go to?
He saw a fig tree in the distance. Getting there, he saw it had no fruit. Not a surprise really, it wasn’t the time for figs. But then he cursed the tree. What? Why? Is this the tantrum of a toddler not getting his way, or is it something else?
The crowds went wild. Covering the ground with their coats and palm leaves they welcomed Jesus with joy. But what did it all mean?
They wanted the top jobs going. Who wouldn’t? But they didn’t expect that reply from Jesus.
If you want to go to heaven, what do you need to do? Live the right life? Live a good life? Live a religious life? Jesus said we need to become like little children. What’s that about?
Are there any rules for marriage? If there are, who gets to decide them? Society? You? me? If you follow Jesus, does that make any difference to how you feel and what you think about marriage?
Sin. Does it really matter? Why does the Bible get so worked up about it? Is it really so wrong to bend God’s rules or break them once in a while? What does Jesus say?
Being a Christian bring all kinds of benefits. But is that the point? Is it all about what you can get? Is it about belonging to an exclusive club or having some special position?
Jesus’ death would have been an awkward topic of conversation. Imagine what would have gone through his disciples’ minds every time he raised it. Why did he keep talking about it? What can we learn from his persistence?
What problems are you facing? What difficulties are you experiencing? Do you believe Jesus is able to help? Does he have what it takes to make a difference in your life? Do you think it’ll be worth it to bring your problems to him?
He was supposed to make things better. His arrival should have marked an upturn in fortunes. Yet, the expected upward trend seemed more like a downward spiral. Jesus, going to the cross. Was this the biggest anti-climax of all time, or is there something more going on?
Jesus lays it on the line. There’s a cost to following him. It’s not going to be easy. Being a Christian will not be a warm fuzzy cosy life of ease. Are you up for the challenge?
Jesus reached out to heal the blind man as he had done many times before. Yet, this time it was different. ‘Do you see?’, he asked him. ‘Yes, but it’s all blurred, nothing’s clear’. What’s going on? Is this beyond Jesus’ power? Has he reached his limit?
Are you someone who learns from your mistakes? Do you learn from the mistakes of others? In this episode of Step by Step we're brought face to face with a critical mistake that people make when it comes to Jesus. Will we make the same one?
Jesus lived a long time ago and a long way away. Does he really have anything to do with me? In this passage we see that Jesus came for you, wherever and whenever you live.
God is perfect and pure. If we want to know him, we have to be clean. But how? Does that mean lots of baths or something more?
Jesus can heal the sick, raise the dead, drive out demons, calm the storm, forgive sins and all kinds of things. Here we take stock and put it together. What does this all mean?
Is there any point praying to God? Does he care what happens to me? Is he able to do anything? As we look at an incredible miracle of Jesus we see answers to these questions.
If you want to follow Jesus there's one thing you need to understand. Not everyone will agree with you. It was the same in Jesus' day. Some listened, but not all. Some respected him, but not everyone. Some followed, but a lot rejected him.
Jesus calms the storm. He helps the man possessed by demons. What's he going to do next? Is there anything he can't handle?
Is Jesus safe? Does he always do the things we want? Does the answer to that question affect whether we follow him on not?
Have you ever gone WOW! Maybe you've seen something impressive or heard of something incredible? Understand this passage and it's bound to amaze you!
What are you hearing as you listen to Jesus? Are these words that affect you or bounce off and get forgotten? Jesus tells us there is a right and a wrong way to listen.
What is a Christian? What has to be there for someone to be a follower of Jesus? Interest? Bible knowledge? Connections with church? Or is it something more?
What comes into your mind when you think of Christianity? Church buildings? Ceremonies? Do's and don'ts? What should be at the centre of the Christian life?
Who do you think Jesus is interested in? Only religious people? Only those who have been good and kind? You may be surprised!
Are you able to forgive? That's not asking whether you're struggling to forgive or not, but whether you have the power or the authority to forgive? In this passage Jesus claims that he can forgive all sins. What does that say about him?
Why bother watching a set of videos that go through Mark's Gospel from the Bible? Could it really be a good use of time?