On All Saints Sunday, we explored Mark 9:30–32, where Jesus tells His disciples that He will be handed over, killed, and rise again—but they don’t understand. They wanted victory without a cross, glory without grief. This message reminded us that God’s plan still works, even when it looks like it doesn’t. The cross wasn’t a tragedy; it was the triumph of love. Faith doesn’t mean avoiding suffering—it means trusting God in it.

In Mark 8:1–10, Jesus feeds four thousand people in Gentile territory, showing that His compassion has no borders. The disciples had seen Him multiply loaves before, but when the crowd looked different, their faith faltered. Jesus reminds them—and us—that His mercy isn’t limited by background or belonging. What He did for Israel, He now does for the nations. The same question still echoes today: “How many loaves do you have?” Whatever we bring—our time, our gifts, our obedience—He multiplies for the sake of others. The Gospel isn’t running out; there’s more than enough to go around.

In Mark 3:13–19, Jesus calls twelve disciples who could not have been more different—fishermen and scholars, a tax collector and a zealot, doubters and dreamers, even a betrayer. Yet He binds them together under one purpose: to be with Him and to be sent by Him. This passage reminds us that discipleship begins with presence before performance and intimacy before activity. Jesus doesn’t just call individuals; He creates a community. The mission of God was never meant to be done alone. Even now, He is still forming a people who speak hope, bring healing, and stand firm—together.

In Mark 2:1–12, four friends lower a paralyzed man through a roof to reach Jesus. But before healing his body, Jesus speaks to his soul: “Son, your sins are forgiven.” The crowd expected power; Jesus offered something deeper—restoration. The real miracle isn’t that the man walked—it’s that he was made whole. Forgiveness is the greater healing, and it still changes everything. Jesus still says, “Get up.” And when He does, shame lifts, hearts awaken, and lives are never the same.

The Gospel of Mark begins with no manger or Magi, just one bold announcement: “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” This message reminded us that the gospel isn’t blurry—it’s a person. Jesus doesn’t just bring good news; He is the good news. In His baptism, He stepped into the water to stand where sinners stand, identifying with our brokenness so that we could stand secure in the Father’s love. And in the wilderness, He stood firm where every other human fell. The heavens are open, the Father’s voice still speaks, and the Gospel has a name—Jesus.

In the final message of Retold: The Sunday School Stories You Thought You Knew and the Gospel You Didn’t See Coming, Pastor Dave preached from Daniel 6 and reminded us that the lions’ den isn’t a story about Daniel’s strength but about God’s faithfulness. “Faith that bends under pressure breaks,” he said, “but faith that kneels under pressure stands.” Just as God shut the lions’ mouths for Daniel, Jesus has conquered the greater den of death for us. The stone isn’t the end, and the lions don’t get the last word—the living God does.

Pastor Dave preached from Daniel 3, reminding us that God never forgets His people in the fire. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown into the flames for refusing to bow, but the fire that was meant to destroy them became the place where God’s presence was most visible. “The real story isn’t whether God will keep you out of the furnace,” Pastor Dave said. “The story is that He will never leave you in it. The same God who met them in the flames walks with you in yours.”

Pastor Dave reminded us that David and Goliath isn’t a story about finding our inner courage—it’s about trusting the God who fights for us. “We’re not David in the story,” he said. “We’re Israel, in need of a champion.” Jesus is that champion—the one who stood in the gap, faced our greatest enemy, and won the victory we could never win.

Pastor Dave preached from Exodus 14 and reminded us that when Israel stood trapped between Pharaoh’s army and the Red Sea, God revealed His power in their helplessness. “God fights for us when we cannot fight for ourselves,” he said, “and He makes a way where there seems to be no way.” Just as God parted the waters for His people, Jesus has made a way through the greater sea of sin and death—our rescue, our hope, and our victory.

In the first message of Retold: The Sunday School Stories You Thought You Knew and the Gospel You Didn’t See Coming, Pastor Dave reminded us that the story of Noah’s Ark isn’t about animals and a boat—it’s about God’s justice, mercy, and rescue. “We try to manage our struggles,” he said, “but God wants to transform our story.” The flood couldn’t fix the human heart, but Jesus could. The ark offered temporary rescue; the cross gives permanent redemption.