Pentecost 14

May my words and my thoughts be acceptable to you, O Lord, my refuge and my redeemer (Psalm 19:14)


SEASON: Pentecost 14
PROPER: 19B
ST. JOHN’S CHURCH
DATE: September 14, 2003

TEXT: Mark 8:27-38 Peter’s Confession and Jesus’ Call
Peter answered him, “You are the Messiah.” . . . . . . . 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.” . . . . . . “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”

ISSUE: Following Jesus as Lord, denying ones self, and taking up the cross is a tremendous shift in the normal scripting of life, both for the time of Jesus and even for now. Jesus was building a new family whose emphasis was so very different. It would not be a family of intimate inner concern and self-serving, but a family of outreach, caring, and compassion. It would confront the world with daring wonder. In Jesus Christ the followers die with him, to be born into a new way of life, in the realm of God.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
This passage from the Gospel of Mark, the oldest of the gospel accounts, is truly and important one. It marks one of the earliest accounts and statements of who Jesus is truly perceived to be, the Messiah. It also describes the stark reality of what it means to be a mission-oriented disciple of Jesus, which folks from the time of Peter himself have had difficulty comprehending.
Jesus raises the question among his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” He was not giving a test. Remember that in this time a persons identity was given by the family: who you married, education, place in the family, and occupation, and your role. What has developed when Jesus selected his disciples and abandoned his own family was the establishment of a new family relationship. He needs to know his identity role, place, in this newly established family. Without some kind of identification and status, or honor, Jesus could not be effective. He would be seen only as a meaningless misfit. Peter says that the people are saying that he is Elijah, Moses, one of the prophets. Moses was a great and highly respected leader and lawgiver. Elijah was a prophet of hope. Basically, the people are saying that like Moses and Elijah, Jesus is a distinctive man of God.
Who does Peter say that Jesus is? He says, “You are the Messiah.” Obviously Peter holds Jesus in very high regard. But, Jesus insists that this be kept quiet, just like he tried in last week’s healing of deaf man, to keep it quiet. HE did not want to snatch at more honor or status than was given to him, otherwise, he would become quickly rejected. Mark’s messianic secret is designed to keep Jesus within certain boundaries that would delay and prevent his rejection for claiming more than the community was willing to give. Peculiar to us of course, but that is the Middle Eastern way.
The concept of Messiah was not always clear at the time. For some folks, the Messiah was a leader like King David who was a militant leader, and unifying king. For others the Messiah was one similar to The Suffering Servant passages in the prophet Isaiah’s writings. Jesus tries to define for Peter what his messiahship will be like: the Son of Man will undergo great suffering, be rejected, killed, and after three days rise.
Peter rejects and rebukes Jesus for this kind of thinking. Jesus, in turn, challenges Peter and lays down the rules of this new family: “Follow me,” he says, “Deny your self, and take up the cross. You have to forfeit you life in order to save it.” Here is moment of great decision for the disciples who up to this point have chosen to be a part of the family of Jesus. There are very defined demands and expectations. Membership in the family of Jesus Christ is a very definite break with the way the world thinks. It’s actually becoming invested in all the great reversals of Jesus Christ.
At this point it is important to understand what is meant by denying ones self, taking up a cross, and dying. In our time we are inclined to see this denial and crucifixion as living a kind of dreary life. The modern world is inclined to see it that way. It is not likely that the disciples of Jesus would have bought into living a dreary life. Life was already pretty dreary for sinners and the peasantry. Some folks become very inclined today to see Christianity as a kind of perpetual Lent, whereby we are dismissing our own human needs. Not so with Jesus’ call to denial. The denial that Jesus is talking about is breaking with your old family and its intensive concern for family survival. It was a system that often denied basic human individual freedom. It was a very closed system, not very creative, and turned-in on itself. It was often judgmental, and very exclusive to wider human needs. It didn’t seem to go anywhere. To deny ones self was to deny living in that kind of way and family. Unless you died to the way and thinking of the world the beat of drudgery went on. To follow Jesus, of course, meant to die to the world’s way of thinking, and to rise again to a whole new way of life. You see, that in keeping with the old way of life, saving that kind of life you gained nothing, but to die to that old way of life, and to follow with Christ’s efforts to face the inevitable persecution that would come from the diehards, you were giving with Christ a rebirth to a creative world that showed love, that becomes inclusive, that reaches outward, that is hopeful, renewing, liberating, and genuinely refreshing. You become a part of the resurrected and renewed family of God.
For the 1st century this was truly radical stuff. It was surely radical for Peter, even though he had a great respect for Jesus, and could give him the messianic title of being the anointed one, the Christ. But Peter like other disciples found it difficult to break away from the way the world scripted everything.
You know the Saddam Hussein regime reveals the very worst of the Middle Eastern way of thinking. It is a dramatic example of how family can become so corrupt. Through what was considerable lying and deceit, Hussein attained enough honor to come to power. He surrounded himself with family to run the country, nepotism, in what became severely self-serving and corrupt. Human life outside of the family, and outside of the family’s good, and any threat to the family and its power is dealt with harshly. Even within the family, the death penalty is used without reservation to destroy any semblance of disagreement, revolt, or rebellion. It is not likely that in the time of Jesus, all families were like the Hussein Regime. But you can see the potential for brutal and violent corruption, especially when blind allegiance takes over.
In the family of God, in the realm of God, in The Kingdom of Heaven or the Kingdom of God, the gates are swung open. And the gates of hell are thrown open so that all the sinners and the cursed are set free to enter the Kingdom of God. And it is a new kind of family where forgiveness takes place, where love is the key word and way. Where people serve one another not just for self-serving purposes, but for the good of the whole community. This is the new family of freedom. It stands up to the criticism and persecution of the world. It dies to wanting and grasping at power, unique honor above others, and is born to seeing all folk as brothers and sisters, and as redeemable children of God. Here is the new way and the new Kingdom or Realm of God, where we die to the propaganda of the world, that we all have to take care of ourselves, and where the survival of the fittest is the law of the land, revenge and vengeance, pay back, destroying your enemies is the code of survival.
The realm of God we love your enemies, and those who differ from us. We bless and honor the poor and outcast, mourn with the grieving, and contend with the difficult. It is giving away to others and to human need in a sacrificial way. We rejoice in all those who work for justice and peace, and who attempt to bring an end to human prejudice without seeing them as a threat to the status quo. We endure the criticism of those who persecute us. We are a people who thank God for Jesus Christ, who has thrown open the gates of hell and heaven for all of our brothers and sisters of faithfulness and compassion to return to the Family of God.

“We walk in the presence of the Lord, in the land of the living.” Psalm 116:1-8.
HOLY COMMUNION
FROM THE RESERVED SACRAMENT

BY AN APPOINTED EUCHARISTIC LAY MINISTER
AT THE PERMISSION OF THE PRIEST-IN-CHARGE

Eucharistic Minister: Peace be to this house (place), and to all who dwell in it.

Let us pray.

Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thought of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

O God, the source of all health: So fill our hearts with faith in your love that with calm expectancy we may make room for your loving presence and your power to possess us, and to gracefully accept your healing; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A selection from The Holy Gospel is read, especially that of the previously appointed Sunday Gospel.

Eucharistic Minister: The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to . . . .

The Gospel Reading

Eucharistic Minister: The Gospel of the Lord. Eucharistic Minister: Hear the word of God to all who truly turn to him.

Come unto me, all ye that travail and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you.

God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, to the end that all that believe in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

This is a true saying, and worthy of all to be received, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.

If anyone sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the perfect offering for our sins, and not for ours only, but for the sins of the whole world.

And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say,

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, and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.

The following anthem is said by all.

O Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world.
Have mercy upon us.
O Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world.
Have mercy upon us.
O Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world.
Grant us thy peace.

Eucharistic Minister: The Gifts of God for the People of God. Take them in remembrance that Christ died for you, and feed on him in your hearts by faith, with thanksgiving.

The Body of Christ, the bread of heaven. (Amen.)

The Blood of Christ, the cup of salvation. (Amen.)

After Communion.

Eucharistic Minister: Let us pray.

Gracious Father, we give you praise and thanks for this Holy Communion of the Body and Blood of your beloved Son Jesus Christ, the pledge of our redemption; and we pray that it may bring us forgiveness of our sins, strength in our weakness, and everlasting salvation; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Eucharistic Minister: Let us bless the Lord.
Communicant: Thanks be to God.

The Peace is gently exchanged.

Eucharistic Minister: The Peace of the Lord
be always with you.
Communicant: And also with you.












Thanksgiving Prayer after the Communion
(Selected person or persons offer the following prayers of thanksgiving.)
O God, you have bound us together for a time as priest and people to work for the advancement of your kingdom in this place: We give you humble and hearty thanks for the ministry which we have shared in these years now past.
We thank you for your patience with us despite our blindness and slowness of heart. We thank you for your forgiveness and mercy in the face of things in which we may have been slow or failed to accomplish.
Especially we thank you for your never-failing presence with us through these years, and for the deeper knowledge of you and of each other, which we have attained.
We thank you for those who have been joined to this part of Christ’s family through Holy Baptism, Holy Confirmation, and from other places. We thank you for opening our hearts and minds again and again to your Word, and for feeding us abundantly with the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of your Son.
Now, we pray, be with David who leaves and with us who stay; and grant that all of us, by drawing ever nearer to you may always be close to each other in the communion of your saints. All this we ask for the sake of Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord. Amen.
(The Congregation joins in saying the following prayer.)
Almighty God, we thank you for feeding us with the holy food of the Body and Blood of your Son, and for uniting us through him in the fellowship of your Holy Spirit. We thank you for raising up among us faithful servants of your Word and Sacraments. We thank you especially for the work of David among us, and the presence of his family. Grant that both he and we may serve you in the days ahead, and always rejoice in your glory, and come at length in to your heavenly kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
(The priest offers the following blessing.)
May God, who has led us in the paths of justice and truth, lead us still, and keep us in his ways. Amen.
May God, whose Son has loved us and given himself for us, love us still, and establish us in peace. Amen.
May God whose Spirit unites us and fill our hearts with joy, illumine us still, and strengthen us for the years to come. Amen.
And the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be upon you and remain with you forever. Amen.
(The Recessional Hymn follows.)

THE CELEBRATION AND
BLESSING OF A MARRIAGE

The Prelude
The Processional
The Exhortation p. 423
The Declaration of Consent p. 424

The Congregational response to the priest:
Priest: Will all of you witnessing these promises do all in your power to uphold these two persons in their marriage?
People: We will. p. 425

The Ministry of the Word
The Wedding Collect p. 425
Hebrew Scripture: Song of Solomon 2:10-13; 8:6-7
(A selection of music may take place here.)
The Epistle: 1 Corinthians 13
(A selection of music may take place here.)
The Holy Gospel: Mark 10:6-9, 13-16
The Homily by The Rev. David S. Remington, Rector
(A selection of music may take place here.)
The Marriage
The exchange of vows and blessing of rings. p. 427
The pronouncement of husband and wife. p. 428
The Prayers
The Lord’s Prayer p. 428
The Wedding Prayers p. 429
A prayer in loving memory of Tom’s mother, Norma Ellena.
(A selection of music may take place here.)
The Blessing of the Marriage
The Blessings p. 430
The Kiss of Peace p .431

The Recessional

The page numbers in the Wedding Service outline refer to The Book of Common Prayer. (The Red Prayer Book in the pew racks.)