The Daily Readings for SUNDAY, September 16, 2018 - Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost

Peter’s Declaration about Jesus
Mark 8:27-38

The Daily Readings

SUNDAY, September 16, 2018 - Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost

(Revised Common Lectionary Year B)

Greeting

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

~ Phillipians 1:2

Prayer of the Day (Collect)

O God, because without you we are not able to please you, mercifully grant that your Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Confession and Forgiveness

Trusting God's promise of forgiveness, let us confess our sins against God and one another.

Eternal God our creator, in you we live and move and have our being. Look upon us, your children, the work of your hands. Forgive us all our offenses, and cleanse us from proud thoughts and empty desires. By your grace draw us near to you, our refuge and our strength; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Lessons

Old Testament

Isaiah 50:4-9a 
The Servant’s Humiliation and Vindication
50:4 The Lord God has given me
    the tongue of a teacher,
that I may know how to sustain
    the weary with a word.
Morning by morning he wakens—
    wakens my ear
    to listen as those who are taught.
5 The Lord God has opened my ear,
    and I was not rebellious,
    I did not turn backward.
6 I gave my back to those who struck me,
    and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard;
I did not hide my face
    from insult and spitting.

7 The Lord God helps me;
    therefore I have not been disgraced;
therefore I have set my face like flint,
    and I know that I shall not be put to shame;
8     he who vindicates me is near.
Who will contend with me?
    Let us stand up together.
Who are my adversaries?
    Let them confront me.
9 It is the Lord God who helps me;
    who will declare me guilty?
All of them will wear out like a garment;
    the moth will eat them up.

The Psalm

Psalm 116:1-8 Dilexi, quoniam
1 I love the Lord, because he has heard the voice of my supplication, *

because he has inclined his ear to me whenever I called upon him.

2 The cords of death entangled me;
the grip of the grave took hold of me; *

I came to grief and sorrow.

3 Then I called upon the Name of the Lord: *

"O Lord, I pray you, save my life."

4 Gracious is the Lord and righteous; *

our God is full of compassion.

5 The Lord watches over the innocent; *

I was brought very low, and he helped me.

6 Turn again to your rest, O my soul, *

for the Lord has treated you well.

7 For you have rescued my life from death, *

my eyes from tears, and my feet from stumbling.

8 I will walk in the presence of the Lord *

in the land of the living.

The Epistle

James 3:1-12
Taming the Tongue
3:1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 2 For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle. 3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide their whole bodies. 4 Or look at ships: though they are so large that it takes strong winds to drive them, yet they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits.

How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell. 7 For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, 8 but no one can tame the tongue—a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and brackish water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, yield olives, or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water yield fresh.

The Gospel

Mark 8:27-38
Peter’s Declaration about Jesus
8:27 Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” 28 And they answered him, “John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” 29 He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Messiah.” 30 And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.

Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection
31 Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”

34 He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. 36 For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? 37 Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? 38 Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

Here ends the Lessons

Click HERE to read today's Holy Gospel Lesson message

The Apostle's Creed

We believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

We believe in Jesus Christ, his only son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

Closing Prayer

Lord God, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go, but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us; through Jesus Christ ore Lord. Amen.

Blessing

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.

~ Numbers 6:24-26

The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle and Gospel lessons are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Church of Christ in the USA, and used by permission. The Collects, Psalms and Canticles are from the Book of Common Prayer, 1979.
“Who do people say that I am?”

The Sermon for SUNDAY, September 16, 2018 - Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost

"Who do you say that I am?"

The Holy Gospel comes to us this morning from Mark the 8th chapter, beginning at the 27th verse.

8:27 Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” 28 And they answered him, “John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” 29 He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Messiah.” 30 And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him. 31 Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.” 34 He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. 36 For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? 37 Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? 38 Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

Almighty God, who called your Church to bear witness that you were in Christ reconciling the world to yourself: help us to proclaim the good news of your love, that all who hear it may be drawn to you; through him who was lifted up on the cross, and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

A representative of "Teach America" visited Duke University, one of those rich Ivy League kind of universities.

She stood up in front of the large group and said to them," I can tell by looking at you that I have probably come to the wrong place. Somebody told me this was a BMW campus and I can believe it looking at you. Just looking at you, I can tell you are a success. Why would you be on this campus if you were not successful and heading for successful jobs.

"And yet here I stand, hoping to talk one of you into giving away your life in the toughest job you will ever have. I am looking for people to go into the hollows of West Virginia, into the ghettos of South Los Angeles and teach in some of the most difficult schools in the world. Last year two of our teachers were killed on the job.

"I can tell, just by looking at you, that none of you are interested in that. So go on to law school, or whatever successful thing you are planning on doing.

"But if by chance, some of you just happen to be interested, I’ve got some brochures here. Meeting over."

With that, the whole group stood up, pushed up the aisles and ran to the front a fought over the brochures.

People want to be a part of something important, something bigger than themselves.

Jesus, who has kept the people breathless trying to keep up to him, asks the disciples, "Who do people say that I am? Here they were at Ceasarea Philippi, the very center of Roman power and all that is wise and they answer, "Oh that’s easy -- John the Baptist, Elijah or one of the prophets.

Then Jesus gets personal -- "who do you say that I am?" Peter, always near the front of the crowd blurts out, "You are the Messiah!"

Jesus has been marching the disciples and all those who would follow all over the country side. In Mark, especially, Jesus is always on his way somewhere else. Mark’s favorite word must be ’immediately’ because no sooner has one thing happened that Jesus is ’immediately’ off some where else.

You have to think the disciples must have been breathless. They want to follow Jesus but they are always a step behind. No sooner than they think they have Jesus figured out and he takes them to new places, asks them to consider new thoughts, new ways of living, shows them another side of who he is .

This may be why the early Christian Church was called "The Way". They were part of a journey -- following Jesus, not knowing where they were going, or what lay ahead but that Jesus was leading and that was enough.

So Jesus asks the disciples, as he asks us, "Who do you say that I am?" And a breathless Peter says, "You are the Messiah!", knowing that this Jesus is the leader they want to follow. Here is the one who is about something important; one who heals, gives hope, shatters preconceived notions. This is the leader that keeps pulling them out of what is comfortable and throwing them into something new.

Jesus begins to tell what the journey will look like. There will be rejection and death for him as he heads for Jerusalem and crucifixion.

Peter, revealing that he is still one step behind, blurts out, "No it will never happen, you are too good a person for that!"

And so Jesus rebukes Peter telling him that he isn’t thinking like a person on the Way. The Way which must first journey through death. There is no time or place on this journey to seek out the comfortable.

Faith is a journey, faith is not knowing certain things, memorizing facts.

Jesus says, "Get behind me Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things" Faith is relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Faith is committing ourselves to the journey and hanging on for the ride not knowing where the journey will lead us, but we do know who the leader is.

A gift to the Christian faith is the articulation of the Theology of the Cross. Life as a Christian will have pain and suffering but in the midst of that pain we will find Jesus suffering with us and walking with us through our pain to resurrection on the other side. It is the midst of pain that we experience Jesus most acutely-- where our faith grows stronger.

Being a Christian does not mean an absence of pain. We read in Psalm 23 "Even though I walk through the shadow of death. . ."

The "human things" want to hold on to us, we want to hang on to something because the journey can be unsettling. Like Peter on the Mount of Transfiguration wanting to build tents for Jesus and the prophets. We try to make faith into a set of fundamental beliefs that we must adhere to, we try to force our church to remain static in a time of rapid change. Change has always been a fact of life even if now it is so very rapid.

Jesus lumps all these attempts into "human things not divine things". Imagine wanting a child to remain 3-years-old forever. To a time when they think parents can do no wrong, when they are cute and easy to manage. But it is wrong, even impossible, if we want that child to grow into what he is meant to be.

There is a disturbing trend in the Christian community that denies pain. There is a pastor in a very large church that maintains he has never had a bad day. This would have to include those days when his wife died of insulin complications, when members of his board charging him and other leaders of fraud. It doesn’t ring true. Some would say, "be saved" and all your problems will go away".

No, hardship will come. We will, in fact seek out pain. As we seek to live out our baptism as disciples of Jesus, we will seek to lose ourselves in the needs and pains of others. Our pain will likely increase as we seek to be faithful. There is a trend in the post-modern world of persecution of the Christian church. There seems to be a tolerance for other groups but a growing intolerance for Christians.

But then, If Jesus was to suffer and die, why should we his followers expect anything less? It is part of the journey. We are following a leader whom we trust and know is worth following because he leads to life.

In the midst of hardship, we are not alone. We seek to deny ourselves and take up our cross and follow. When those in need cry out, we answer.

This requires discipline, from the root of the word disciple. Some of the worldly thinking would have us believe that being on the journey is easy and requires no effort. And so firmly convinced that God loves and accepts us, we seek to prepare ourselves to be fit for the journey.

Imagine deciding to go on a camping trip and rushing out to the lake without packing the camping equipment, the axe, the utensils, the tent. Imagine Tiger Woods deciding one day that he was going to be the best golfer in the world and then going out and doing it without any work. Impossible. It is discipline that finds him the last golfer off of the practice tee as the sun is going down after shooting a 7-under par that day and leading the field.

"The way", the journey, requires discipline of us as well. We seek to no be no longer "setting our minds on worldly things" rather the divine.

• Psalm 19, "learning the law of the Lord, the precepts of the Lord, the commandments."

• James, learning to control our tongues which so often get us in trouble.

• Proverbs: wisdom that seeks knowledge, that refuses to be content with simple, simplistic thinking.

Taking up our crosses and following, not knowing where we are going but that the one who leads us is worthy, promises us the life that Jesus promises. Jesus warns us to be vigilant of "human things" that would pull us from the journey. Human things such as equating faith with facts rather than being seen as a relationship. Maybe that is why Jesus insists over and over again that they tell no one but to come and see.

Being a disciple is daring to have our hearts set on fire by the words and actions of this Jesus who has the people in Mark breathless trying to keep up.

Daring to lose ourselves in the service of others rather than counting the cost to ourselves before we get involved.

The way of the cross is not easy, it requires discipline and choices. But then if you don’t know where you are going any place will do. The way of the cross, discipleship contradicts the easy way of the world. The easy notion that our faith will be strong without exercise; that our children will have faith without us practicing our faith so that they can see us and model after us. The way of the cross means not being ashamed of the one who leads, we simply follow.

The way of the cross may earn us the scorn and ridicule of those around us. It is about being the kind of witness to the faith who strives to forget his or her opinion of who is bad and who is good, and instead strives to treat all people with love. It is about being the kind of witness that refuses to be pulled into gossip but seeks to put the best construction on the actions of others. It is about being willing to follow Jesus, knowing that we will have to change, that we will have to forget taking the easy way out and instead remembering what is good and true and loving.

Life as we want to live it is being willing to say with Peter that "You are the Messiah!" not knowing fully what that means, what the confession will bring, not knowing what tomorrow will bring but knowing such a confession will lead to life because it is Jesus that leads us on the journey.

Who do you say that I am?

You are the Messiah!!

Now we set out on the journey, the way. We don’t know what the future will hold. We don’t know what exercise we will need to keep us in shape. We do know who leads us and it is enough. The Messiah -- the Lord.

Seeking God?

Click HERE to find out more about how to have a personal

relationship with Jesus Christ

The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle and Gospel lessons are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Church of Christ in the USA, and used by permission. Sermon written by Roger Haugen.
Faith is a journey, faith is not knowing certain things, memorizing facts.

The Morning Prayer for SUNDAY, September 16, 2018

Sunday morning prayer

Lord on this special day, I run into Your loving arms. May Sunday be a celebration, filled with thankfulness, where I connect with the presence of Heaven, seek Your beauty and goodness, and cherish special family time together. Come fill my heart afresh with Your love. May it overflow with Heaven's bounty, moving through this rest day and into the week ahead.

Lord on this special day, I run into Your arms. Spend cherished time with family, and find shelter in Your palm. May Sunday be a celebration, full up to the brim, with Heaven's promise ringing loud, and Your love flowing in.

Amen

Verse of the Day for SUNDAY, September 16, 2018

1 John 4:16 (NIV) And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.

Read all of 1 John 4

Listen to 1 John 4

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Un dia a la Vez - Ángeles a nuestro alrededor

Ángeles a nuestro alrededor

Ningún mal habrá de sobrevenirte, ninguna calamidad llegará a tu hogar. Porque él ordenará que sus ángeles te cuiden en todos tus caminos.

~ Salmo 91:10-11 (NVI)

Hablar de los ángeles son palabras mayores y la verdad es que no voy a entrar en ese tema de explicarte cómo son. Lo único que puedo decirte es que la Biblia registra más de cien versículos donde los ángeles tuvieron su aparición en diferentes momentos de la historia bíblica.

En el mundo actual, hay personas que dicen que han tenido experiencias con ángeles, que los han visto. Aunque yo no he visto ninguno, sí creo que Dios nos envía ángeles que nos protegen de todo mal y peligro.

En realidad, es importante que te acostumbres a orar y a pedirle a Dios que les ordene a sus ángeles que estén alrededor de nuestras casas, autos e hijos. En mi caso, confío en que a pesar de que no los veo, están siempre conmigo. Además, sé que en muchas ocasiones me han librado del peligro.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
En el mundo actual, hay personas que dicen que han tenido experiencias con ángeles, que los han visto.

Standing Strong Through the Storm - LOVE’S SACRIFICE

LOVE’S SACRIFICE

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

~ John 15:13 (NIV)

Jesus says the ultimate test of true love is the willingness to die for others—especially your friends. Of course, He personally demonstrated this Himself in giving His life on the cross for you and me. And today He continues to call those who follow Him to make this sacrifice as well. This classic war zone missionary story illustrates the point:

The mortar rounds landed in an orphanage run by missionaries. The missionaries and one or two children were killed outright and several more children were wounded including one girl about eight years old.

The medical staff who arrived to help soon realized that the young girl was the most critically injured. Without quick action she would die from shock and loss of blood.

When explained to the other children that a blood transfusion was imperative, the request for a blood donor met with wide-eyed silence.

Then one small hand went up and a young boy volunteered. He was quickly laid on a pallet, his arm swabbed with alcohol, and the needle inserted into his vein.

Through the ordeal, he lay stiff and silent but continued to sob later turning into steady, silent crying. The medical team kept asking if it was hurting but he would shake his head and continue to cry.

After a while the boy stopped crying, opened his eyes and looked questioningly at the nurse who took the needle out of his arm. When she nodded, a look of great relief spread over his face.

The boy had all along thought he was dying. He misunderstood, thinking that he was to give ALL his blood so the other little girl could live. And she was his friend.

RESPONSE: Jesus calls me today to show sacrificial love—especially for those I consider friends.

PRAYER: Pray that this depth of love will become a reality in the church of Jesus Christ and in your life.

Standing Strong Through The Storm (SSTS), a daily devotional message by SSTS author Paul Estabrooks. © 2011 Open Doors International. Used by permission.

LHM Daily Devotions - From God Can Nothing Move Me

"From God Can Nothing Move Me"

Sep. 16, 2018

"Praise God with acclamation and in His gifts rejoice.
Each day finds its vocation responding to His voice.
Soon years on earth are past; but time we spend expressing,
the love of God brings blessing that will forever last.

Yet even though I suffer the world's unpleasantness,
and though the days grow rougher and bring me great distress,
that day of bliss divine, which knows no end or measure,
and Christ who is my pleasure, forever shall be mine."

A dear saint from our church family just went home to be with Jesus, and I had the great privilege of visiting her in hospice during one of her final weeks. The most recent time we were together she was wearing a wig, planning the upcoming women's retreat, and encouraging the 20 or so women who attended her two weekly Bible studies, despite her ongoing battle with cancer. So now, witnessing her wispy bald head and intermittent nausea just a couple months later was sobering to say the least.

My friend and I prayed before entering her hospice room. Not wanting to further tax her weakening body, we hoped instead to encourage her through her time of distress and bring some comfort. But after about 30 seconds in her room it became clear who was going to encourage whom. For the next two hours, we were on the receiving end of the most glorious picture of earthly hope anchored in heaven I have ever witnessed.

Our teacher for the day was in obvious discomfort. Immobilized in a reclining wheelchair in the center of the room, she had water and a couple buckets for nausea within arm's reach of her quilt-covered body. Yet, she did not shy away from letting us see her struggle. In fact, it was as though she saw something priceless tethered to the other end of her suffering body that turned the very location of her travail into holy ground. And most generously she invited us into that sacred space to witness with her the glory for which she was destined.

She personified St. Paul's words: "This light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:17-18).

As I sat in her clear sight line to eternity, my own vision began recalibrating to see the important over the immediate, and I left more certain in the reality of eternal glory and encouraged in my faith than I have been in years. Because my saintly friend chose to find her vocation responding to God's voice and sharing God's love with us -- even in the middle of her pain -- we got to witness the weight of glory being formed in her and us!

THE PRAYER: Dear Jesus, may we ever be entering and inviting others into the eternal love that gives us hope in the midst of even our most distressing earthly struggles! Amen.

This Daily Devotion was written by AmyRuth Bartlett. It is based on the hymn, "From God Can Nothing Move Me." Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
A dear saint from our church family just went home to be with Jesus, and I had the great privilege of visiting her in hospice during one of her final weeks.

Notre Pain Quotidien - La bonne façon de prier

La bonne façon de prier

Lisez : Matthieu 6.5-15

La Bible en un an : Proverbes 25 – 26 ; 2 Corinthiens 9

Mais quand tu pries, entre dans ta chambre, ferme ta porte, et prie ton Père qui est là dans le lieu secret. V. 6

J’admire les gens qui notent des requêtes de prière dans un journal intime usé d’avoir été employé au quotidien, ceux qui font le suivi de chaque prière et de chaque louange, pour ensuite fidèlement mettre à jour leurs listes. Ceux qui se réunissent avec d’autres pour prier et ceux qui usent la moquette à côté de leur lit m’inspirent. Pendant des années, j’ai tenté d’imiter la discipline, la formidable vie de prière et l’éloquence de gens qui sont tellement plus expressifs que moi. Je me suis efforcée de percer ce que je croyais être un mystère, cherchant à apprendre la bonne façon de prier.

En définitive, j’ai compris que notre Seigneur désire simplement que nos prières soient empreintes d’humilité (MT 6.5). Il nous invite à participer à un échange intime par lequel il promet de nous écouter (V. 6). Il n’exige jamais que nous ayons recours à des expressions ou à des mots recherchés ou mémorisés (V. 7). Il nous assure que la prière est un don, une occasion d’honorer sa majesté (V. 9,10), d’exprimer notre confiance en sa générosité (V. 11) et d’affirmer être en sécurité dans son pardon et sa direction (V. 12,13).

Dieu nous assure qu’il tend l’oreille avec intérêt à toute prière, exprimée ou non, ainsi qu’à celles qui coulent en silence sur nos joues sous forme de larmes. Si nous mettons notre foi en Dieu et en son amour parfait, nous avons la certitude qu’en priant d’un cœur humble, soumis à lui et dépendant de lui, nous le prierons toujours de la bonne façon.

Bien prier, c’est faire appel au Sauveur et Seigneur bienveillant.

par Xochitl Dixon

© 2018 Ministères NPQ
J’admire les gens qui notent des requêtes de prière dans un journal intime usé d’avoir été employé au quotidien, ceux qui font le suivi de chaque prière et de chaque louange, pour ensuite fidèlement mettre à jour leurs listes.