There’s a lot of talk these days in the non-profit and business world these days about “elevator speeches.” If we run into someone in an elevator, and they ask about our cause, our start-up business, or our church, we should be able to give a quick summary, short enough to fit the elevator ride. When people ask about my church, I say something like: “Gaithersburg is a multi-cultural church with members from over thirty countries, so living together is fun and full of things to learn.” If we’re going to the twentieth floor, I can say a little more!

Jesus, always the master communicator, is giving the disciples his version of an elevator speech here. This is the core of what he’s trying to teach them.

We can feel the focus of the gospel shift now.

The first eight chapters of Mark make the case …