touching, healing, and speaking to poor and needy people. Mark’s theme of serving and sacrifice is still a God-honoring pattern for present-day disciples to follow. Mark is not shy about moving us along from one miracle to another. His favorite word is straightway, which means “immediately.” Under the direction of the Holy Spirit, he records more of Jesus’ deeds than he does of His actual teachings. To the other three Gospel writers he left the writing of Jesus’ teaching, ancestry, birth, and childhood.