In Mark’s Gospel this week it is becoming apparent that Jesus’ mission is becoming more and more revelatory in both word and deed and as a result harder and harder for him to hide and remain unnoticed. Prior to this passage, Jesus had taken the blind man away from the village and crowds so as to heal him and then when healed, swore him to secrecy. Now, Jesus leads the disciples away from the busy goings on of the lake, to converse, test and teach them, and here too he swears them to secrecy. Jesus knows that the journey forward will be a dangerous one that will set him and the disciples apart.Geographically, Mark takes us from the lake side of Bethsaida and on a journey into the slopes of the mountains surrounding Caesarea Philippi, and as Jesus and the disciples climb, Mark also takes us to the peak of the Gospel. Along with the disciples, we scan back over the landscape of where we have come from and all that has occurred so far, as listeners, readers and disciples ourselves, we are being invited to see all that has brought us this far, to piece together all that Jesus has been and done and how it has changed us.Now Jesus wants to know that the disciples have fully understood the magnitude of all that they have witnessed and been taught. Not just on the surface, but looking to see if they had really grasped what was going on and what might be still to come. When Jesus asks Peter “But who do you say that I am?” Peter responds with “You are the Messiah”. Immediately they are sworn to secrecy. This had now become dangerous talk. Jesus goes on to teach them how the Son of Man must suffer, be rejected by all and be killed, only to rise again after three days. Peter cannot get his head around this! Peter was still thinking of Jesus in terms of a victorious military king from the line of King David, someone with enough power to stand up to and defeat the Romans. But Jesus’ Messiahship was in fact the Messiah of Isaiah 53: the suffering servant king, the one who will bring about God’s rule by giving up his life in Jerusalem. And when Peter expresses his deep disapproval for what was said, Jesus fiercely put him in his place “Get behind me Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things”. The disciples are still struggling to get it. Maybe their minds won’t allow them to really see what is going on because following the ‘King Jesus’ they had in their minds would bring great things with it, such as fame and status but what Jesus was explaining meant something completely different. Jesus goes on to have a further two conversations with the disciples later on in Mark’s Gospel as the disciples grapple and struggle to come to terms with the truth of what was to come. Jesus had come as the Son of Man not to be served as any earthly king would be, but instead to become the servant, by giving his life as a ransom for many. To follow him would be like saying yes to dying. The death of the old self and attachment to all of those earthly desires that lead to self importance and instead taking up the cross of self sacrifice and service to others.It is not surprising that the disciples and us alike find it so very hard to allow our minds to consider that this is what is needed of us. To leave behind our attempts at trying to please the world and the idea that the world can please us, and turn instead to following Jesus in all we do, say and be. I personally cannot say that I have cracked this one. I will probably never crack this one in my lifetime, it is an ongoing process that brings with it both joy and sadness. But Jesus continually invites the crowds, disciples, all whom he meets and us to follow him by denying ourselves, taking up our own cross, and consciously journeying into the suffering, rejection, death and finally the resurrection. God’s rescue operation for the world as promised in the Old Testament was a promise for the Israelites, those in Jesus’ time and is still a promise for us today. That if we keep setting our minds on divine things, rather than be distracted and overcome by human things, our lives will be saved. Jesus calls us to leave behind pleasing the world and instead follow him. It has to be Jesus first, divine first, then and only then will we see everything that our human lives are made up of, through the correct filter. Jesus is God’s gift of grace to us after all. Jesus’ response is what counts. Not the worlds’. Like the disciples, it may take our whole lives to comprehend what all of this really means for us personally and in all likelihood we will never fully understand but in this passage from Mark’s Gospel we are being assured that in following what God has offered us in grace: his son Jesus Christ, when the Son of Man comes in the glory of his Father and with the holy angels, of us he will not be ashamed. Natalie ReesOrdinand - St Peter’s Church, Sheringham.
Lord, direct our thoughts, and teach us to pray. Lift up our hearts to worship you in spirit and in truth, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.‘The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace.’ (James 3:17-18)Hymn: Praise to the Lord, the Almighty...James 3:1-12The gospel calls us to turn away from sin and be faithful to Christ. As we offer ourselves to him in penitence and faith, we renew our confidence and trust in his mercy. Let us confess our sins: Most merciful God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we confess that we have sinned in thought, word and deed. We have not loved you with our whole heart. We have not loved our neighbours as ourselves. In your mercy forgive what we have been, help us to amend what we are, and direct what we shall be; that we may do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with you, our God. Amen.May the God of love bring us back to himself, forgive us our sins, and assure us of his eternal love in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Prayer for the day: God, who in generous mercy sent the Holy Spirit upon your Church in the burning fire of your love: grant that your people may be fervent in the fellowship of the gospel that, always abiding in you, they may be found steadfast in faith and active in service; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Mark 8:27-38Please see the Message from the Minister.Let us pray: We pray for St Peter’s Church and the Church throughout the world: for the strength and courage to share God’s love; We pray for the world: for reconciliation where there is conflict, for justice and peace; We pray for our communities, families and friends: for relationships to flourish; We pray for all who are sick or suffering: for healing in mind, body and spirit; We pray for people who have been bereaved: for comfort in their grief. Let us pray the prayer that Jesus taught us: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory for ever and ever. Amen. Hymn: Will you come and follow me...May the love of the Lord Jesus draw us to himself, the power of the Lord Jesus strengthen us in his service, the joy of the Lord Jesus fill our hearts, and may the blessing of God Almighty who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit rest upon us and and be with us always. Amen.Let us go in peace to love and serve the Lord, in the name of Christ. Amen.
Lord, direct our thoughts, and teach us to pray. Lift up our hearts to worship you in spirit and in truth, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.‘Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul! I will praise the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God as long all my life long.’ (Psalm 146: 1-2)Hymn: For the healing of the nations...Isaiah 35:4-7aThe gospel calls us to turn away from sin and be faithful to Christ. As we offer ourselves to him in penitence and faith, we renew our confidence and trust in his mercy. Let us confess our sins: Most merciful God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we confess that we have sinned in thought, word and deed. We have not loved you with our whole heart. We have not loved our neighbours as ourselves. In your mercy forgive what we have been, help us to amend what we are, and direct what we shall be; that we may do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with you, our God. Amen.May the God of love bring us back to himself, forgive us our sins, and assure us of his eternal love in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Prayer for the day: Almighty God, whose only Son has opened for us a new and living way into your presence: give us pure hearts and steadfast wills to worship you in spirit and in truth; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Mark 7:24-37Please see the Message from the Minister.Let us pray: We pray for St Peter’s Church and the Church throughout the world: for the strength and courage to share God’s love; We pray for the world: for reconciliation where there is conflict, for justice and peace; We pray for our communities, families and friends: for relationships to flourish; We pray for all who are sick or suffering: for healing in mind, body and spirit; We pray for people who have been bereaved: for comfort in their grief. Let us pray the prayer that Jesus taught us: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory for ever and ever. Amen. Hymn: I heard the voice of Jesus say...May the love of the Lord Jesus draw us to himself, the power of the Lord Jesus strengthen us in his service, the joy of the Lord Jesus fill our hearts, and may the blessing of God Almighty who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit rest upon us and and be with us always. Amen. Let us go in peace to love and serve the Lord, in the name of Christ. Amen.
Throughout the Olympics and Paralympics we are discovering the names of people we never knew a few months ago. Attached to those names are special stories of courage and tenacity and of the will to succeed. Those people are ordinary folk who have found themselves in extraordinary situations, winning gold and silver and bronze medals. In the Gospels, there are stories of people who, like the Olympians, are ordinary people. Often we don`t know their names and we know little about their backgrounds . . but they are part of the great tapestry of the Gospel proclaimed down the centuries, a tapestry of which you and I are part today. There are two such people in our Gospel today. The first one is a woman, and more than that, a Gentile, coming from an area avoided by the Jewish people. We don`t know her name or her history. In later writings she is given the name Justa and her daughter had the name Berenice. This anonymous woman comes to Jesus through desperation. She has heard about his healing powers and she longs for him to heal her daughter from a serious disease. She knows that she has disadvantages: she is a woman and a Gentile. Jesus` reply seems harsh as he reminds her of his mission to the Jewish nation. But she perseveres and is rewarded. Her daughter is healed. This woman came to Jesus, and she persevered in her request. Here is a simple picture of our daily relationship with Jesus. Think of the people for whom you have a concern at this moment: maybe someone who is very ill or someone who is going through a dark tunnel of depression. It may be someone who is finding it hard to climb out of the deep darkness of bereavement. We long to help them, and perhaps we offer words of encouragement or practical help. But how much are we praying for them? How much are we persevering in prayer? Is it daily or weekly – or when we think about it? The Gospels are full of accounts of people who have come to Jesus and asked for his help, and who have gone on asking. Such an attitude puts God in his place as almighty . . and such an attitude enables our faith to grow. In this Gospel reading there is another anonymous person who meets Jesus, this time from beyond Galilee. It is a man who could neither hear nor easily speak for himself, a man who is brought to Jesus by his friends. It is an unusual account of healing. Jesus takes the man aside. He puts his fingers in the man`s ears. He spits and touches the man`s tongue. And from deep within comes a sigh from Jesus, as though he is groaning at the sadness of this man`s suffering. He can`t speak to him to be understood. Instead he uses signs, signs to touch the man and reach the deepest part of his being to bring healing and wholeness.We need to be open to the different ways in which Jesus works in our lives. It may be that we are praying about a particular situation which doesn`t seem to change. We need to say to God as we pray: `Lord, help me to be open to what you want to do in this situation, in my life, in our church. What do you want to say to me before I speak to you? How do you want me to pray?` At the end of this account of the healing of these two people is the account of the watching crowd`s reaction. They were amazed, and their words link to the prophecy in Isaiah 35 of the task of the Messiah: `He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.` And they say something else about Jesus: `He has done everything well.`However you feel about yourself this morning: remember that he has done everything well.However you feel about apparent unanswered prayer, remember that he has done everything well.When the storms come and you feel you are sinking, remember that he has done everything well. When you despair of the state of the world, be reminded that God is in control, and that his kingdom is coming. Isaiah 35 again: `Say to those with fearful hearts, `Be strong, do not fear; your God will come . . water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert.` (Revd) Pat Hopkins
