Dear Congregation,
Our scripture story continues from last week. Jesus is still on the move. Like last Sunday, He continues to warn His disciples not to tell anyone about Him.
As we continue to find our way with our healing hands and healing hearts (the sermon from September 8th), a command comes from Jesus that can help us bring healing and wholeness into the world. Jesus says what is familiar to most (or all) of us: “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me."
The last three words Jesus shares in this verse help us heal ourselves and others. "And follow me."
Think about what happens when we give up our own way to follow Jesus. The decisions we make, the direction we go, and the distance we cover connects us to the world and the world to Jesus.
As we begin our focus on this Sunday and find our way toward healing others (and ourselves), let's not just listen to Jesus, let's also follow Him to wellness.
Our lectionary text for Sunday, September 15th, is Mark 8: 27- 38.
Peter’s Declaration about Jesus
27 Jesus and his disciples left Galilee and went up to the villages near Caesarea Philippi. As they were walking along, he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”
28 “Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say you are one of the other prophets.”
29 Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”
Peter replied, “You are the Messiah.”
30 But Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.
Jesus Predicts His Death
31 Then Jesus began to tell them that the Son of Man must suffer many terrible things and be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but three days later he would rise from the dead. 32 As he talked about this openly with his disciples, Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things.
33 Jesus turned around and looked at his disciples, then reprimanded Peter. “Get away from me, Satan!” he said. “You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”
34 Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. 35 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. 36 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? 37 Is anything worth more than your soul? 38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my message in these adulterous and sinful days, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”