February 25th, 2024

PRAYER: Lord, you have promised that when two or three gather in your name you will be present with them. We depend on that promise today and pray that you will move among us. Lord, we pray that you have inspired Mike's preparation, that you will enliven his presentation, and that you will empower our application. Amen

SERMON: So, last week we explored the first chapter of Mark's Gospel and examined Mark's rapid fire explanation of why the early followers of Jesus, and why we, should accept that Jesus was and is the Messiah.

This week we are looking at one crucial factor in what Jesus' Messiahship will mean.  Suffering. Jesus begins to teach his disciples about his new concept of being the Messiah. That suffering will begin with rejection and that will lead to his death. But that is not the end. All of this will lead to resurrection.

Now before I go much further with the message for this morning I would like to take a moment to consider how we got here. We have moved on from Mark's proclamation of Jesus as Messiah. We are now in chapter 8 of Mark's Gospel. There is a great deal of information and detail contained in those seven chapters. We certainly are not going to have a full understanding of who Jesus is unless we take the time to read those chapters for ourselves.

Unfortunately I have known people who have depended on the word they hear from the scriptures, read on Sunday morning, and the preacher's explanation of some aspect of those readings for the basis of their faith journey.

I have said before that is kind of like eating once a week and expecting to stay healthy and well. Most people I know eat at least three times a day, seven days a week. They would not expect to be able to eat once a week and remain in the best physical health. Yet many folks who claim Christianity as their chosen faith tradition will only hear or engage with Scripture when they come to church on Sunday morning.

Anyway I digress. Today we are dealing with suffering, rejection and death. I suspect that for the disciples this would have been very difficult to hear, understand, and accept. For generations the people of Israel, the Hebrews, had been holding on to and encouraging each other with the concept of the conquering hero Messiah. The people were hoping for their circumstances to be changed by the Messiah. They were looking for the reestablishment of the Kingdom of Israel with all its glory.

Now, to achieve that there would need to be an overthrow of the ruling powers in the country. Many, most likely, expected that somehow the Messiah would be recognized by the spiritual and secular leaders of the country. That there would be collaboration with the existing authorities that would lead to the overthrow of the Roman occupiers.
  
Instead Jesus is talking about suffering, rejection and death. I suspect that anyone one of these things would have brought the idea of Jesus being the Messiah into question. It would have been enough for people to look at their expectations, their hopes, their longings, and their desires and when they heard Jesus turn away.

In fact Peter speaks out his concern about what Jesus is saying. But I am pretty sure he wasn't the only one who was unsure or uncertain. He is concerned for Jesus, but he is also confused because of what he thought he should be looking for. His personal expectations, hopes, longings, and desires get in the way of him understanding what Jesus is saying.

So, I have to admit that I had to stop and consider for myself what am I looking for in the coming of the Messiah? Am I likely to respond or react to the Messiah like Peter did? Or am I more likely to be subtle about it and just not give myself as fully I need to Jesus as the Messiah now?

My faith tradition teaches that Jesus - as the Messiah - is going to come again. What am I looking for? What am I hoping for? What am I longing for? What do I desire to see in the Messiah when he comes again?

Who do I think the Messiah will need to confirmed by? Who do I think he will need to get collaboration from to be successful in his claiming the role of Messiah? What signs or events do I think will need to happen so that we will recognize him as the Messiah?
 
On the other hand how might I have to adjust my expectations? What in my expectations might be blocking me from being as ready as I might be? Or what could be holding me back from serving as fully as I could? What am I waiting for before I commit myself fully to the work of the Messiah?
Lent is a good time to pause and consider some of these questions. To stop and think about how I understand the Messiah. To examine my current response and reaction to Jesus.

Then there are the words that follow the interchange between Jesus and Peter. The expectation of suffering, rejection and death, as Jesus outlines it, is something that all his followers need to be prepared for.

How do I feel about that? Much has been made in certain parts of the church about our need to suffer as we live for Jesus. Various communities of faith have grown up in an effort to provide an avenue for people to live sacrificially. Mission's organizations have developed in an effort to meet the need to live sacrificially for others around the world.

I wonder sometimes if what we as a generation should be doing and thinking about the last section of this passage from Mark 8: 36-38:

"For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? 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."

Now I would suggest that most of us would say that we are not "ashamed" of Jesus or of "his words." But at the same time I know that I am not all that keen or eager to speak up for him either. How might I be subtly denying my Lord and savior in my everyday behaviors and attitudes?
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Once again I am going to use the Collect for today to end my message:
"Be gracious to all who have gone astray from your ways, and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of your Word, Jesus Christ your Son"