For the week of October 20 – 22nd Sunday after Pentecost
Morning Prayer: Most High, Your Anointed One offered Himself freely as witness against our violence, our acts of oppression, and our sin. As You delighted to call Him Your Son, give us the courage to bring You equal delight by our willingness to drink the cup of sacrifice on behalf of our sisters and brothers, and, with them, offer You praise unceasing and lives transformed as true heirs of Your grace-filled realm. Amen. (Lectionary prayers)
Opening Hymn: #103 Immortal, Invisible, God, Only Wise
- Immortal, invisible, God only wise, in light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
almighty, victorious, Thy great name we praise. - Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,
nor wanting, nor wasting, thou rulest in might;
Thy justice like mountains high soaring above
Thy clouds which are fountains of goodness and love.
- To all, life Thou givest, to both great and small;
in all life Thou livest, the true life of all;
we blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree,
and wither and perish, but naught changeth Thee.
- Thou reignest in glory; Thou dwellest in light;
Thine angels adore Thee, all veiling their sight;
all laud we would render:
O help us to see 'tis only the splendor of light hideth Thee.
Psalm 104:1-4, 24, 35c (CEB)
Let my whole being bless the Lord! Lord my God, how fantastic You are! You are clothed in glory and grandeur! You wear light like a robe; You open the skies like a curtain. You build Your lofty house on the waters, You make the clouds Your chariot, going around on the wings of the wind. You make the winds Your messengers; You make fire and flame Your ministers. Lord, You have done so many things! You made them all so wisely! The earth is full of Your creations! Praise the Lord!
Prayers of Intercession: Thank You, Lord, for hearing our prayers for those dear to our hearts. We now pray as You have 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 sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us, not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
Offering spotlight: Trunk ‘n’ Treat is one of the events that we offer to neighborhood families, thanks to your faithful offering. In this case, the offering of your time and your imagination. Consider it a joy of faithfulness to enjoy the evening next Sunday by opening this building to families.
Offering prayer: Loving God, You teach us humility and service. We bring our offerings today with grateful hearts. As we reflect on Your holy scripture today, may we give as a testament to our commitment to serve others, not seeking the highest places but embracing the path of sacrificial love. Bless these gifts and use them to advance Your kingdom. Remind us that true greatness always comes through serving. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen. (Discipleship Ministries)
Hymn of preparation: #369 Blessed Assurance
- Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God, born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.
Refrain:
This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long;
this is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long.
- Perfect submission, perfect delight, visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
angels descending bring from above echoes of mercy, whispers of love.
(Refrain) - Perfect submission, all is at rest; I in my Savior am happy and blest,
watching and waiting, looking above, filled with His goodness, lost in His love.
(Refrain)
Scripture: Mark 10:32-45 (CEB)
32 Jesus and His disciples were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, with Jesus in the lead. The disciples were amazed while the others following behind were afraid. Taking the Twelve aside again, He told them what was about to happen to Him. 33 “Look!” He said. “We’re going up to Jerusalem. The Human One[a] will be handed over to the chief priests and the legal experts. They will condemn Him to death and hand Him over to the Gentiles. 34 They will ridicule Him, spit on Him, torture Him, and kill Him. After three days, He will rise up.”
35 James and John, Zebedee’s sons, came to Jesus and said, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.”
36 “What do you want Me to do for you?” He asked.
37 They said, “Allow one of us to sit on Your right and the other on Your left when You enter Your glory.”
38 Jesus replied, “You don’t know what you’re asking! Can you drink the cup I drink or receive the baptism I receive?”
39 “We can,” they answered.
Jesus said, “You will drink the cup I drink and receive the baptism I receive, 40 but to sit at My right or left hand isn’t Mine to give. It belongs to those for whom it has been prepared.”
41 Now when the other ten disciples heard about this, they became angry with James and John. 42 Jesus called them over and said, “You know that the ones who are considered the rulers by the Gentiles show off their authority over them and their high-ranking officials order them around. 43 But that’s not the way it will be with you. Whoever wants to be great among you will be your servant. 44 Whoever wants to be first among you will be the slave of all, 45 for the Human One[a] didn’t come to be served but rather to serve and to give His life to liberate many people.”
Message: Pastor Becky
There are times that we ask one of the following questions. Can I ask you a favor? Will you do me a favor? We want to get the yes, before we make the request. Usually the favor is something doable, so getting the yes without knowing the request is harmless. Depending on our relationships, we know who to ask and what to ask. So we don’t usually hesitate asking or being asked.
Jesus asks the clarifying question that we should always ask before answering or requesting: what do you want me to do for you?
James and John want seats of honor. They want to be ranked next to Jesus, one of them to the right and the other to the left. Jesus, when You come into Your glory, allow us to sit on Your sit and Your left. Now, Jesus has told them, all of them, all twelve disciples, three times, that He is headed to Jerusalem to be killed. Because Jesus’ glory is the cross. James and John aren’t thinking of Jesus’s death, but His reign.
They don’t know what they are asking for.
Bishop Will Willimon, professor emeritus at Duke Seminary uses this illustration, hopefully it helps clear up what following Jesus will look like.
Willimon quips that churches use their front signs to grab attention and lure people toward the gospel. You will see signs that say: Celebrate recovery! Come, celebrate recovery, redemption, joy with us! But he asks, have you ever seen a sign out front that read: Come! Be crucified! We’ve got a cross that fits your back, too!
Yet, Jesus is that bold, that clear, that frank. Following Jesus isn’t going to get you a favored seat. Jesus talks of a cup to drink and a baptism to be had. They think they can, but again have no idea. Instead of telling the James and John they can’t or trying to talk them out of it, Jesus affirms they will. It is a sign of confidence, a fore telling of the future, and a warning.
What they are all about to face with Jesus ignites the movement of the Way. He is revealing to them the cost of discipleship. All the teachings, all the conversations around the fire, all the talking and walking have lead up to this moment of defining discipleship. Following Jesus isn’t going to bring them honor or esteem. Things aren’t about to comfy for them. They will be facing and will continue to face the discomfort of being aligned with Jesus. To follow Jesus will put them at odds with everyone and everything that is at odds with God’s redemptive work.
Jesus is sent as the reconciler, He is the one to make things right. He is rearranging positions of who holds power and authority. In the Kingdom of God, it is the one who serves that has the place of honor. Service, servanthood puts us in direct relationship with those oppressed by unjust systems, the marginalized, and the dehumanized.
Servanthood gives us the perspective to look up toward God, instead of down on others. In servanthood there is no room for haughtiness or greed. No enacting our will on others, only leading others into God’s divine will.
It is being ever mindful that Jesus is not our wish granter or our go between to God in order for us to get what we want from God. Bishop WIllimon sums it up like this: “ Jesus is not a technique for getting what we want out of God; Jesus is God’s way of getting what God wants out of us. God wants a world, a world redeemed, restored to God. And the way God gets that is with ordinary people like us who are willing to walk like Jesus, talk like Jesus, yes, and even if need be to suffer like Jesus.”
Closing Hymn: #389 Freely, Freely
- God forgave my sin in Jesus’ name, I’ve been born again in Jesus’ name,
and in Jesus’ name I come to you, to share His love as He told me to.
Refrain: He said, “Freely, freely you have received, freely, freely give.
Go in My name and because you believe, others will know that I live.
- All power is given in Jesus’ name, in earth and heaven in Jesus’ name,
and in Jesus’ name I come to you, to share His power as He told me to.
The blessing: May the Lord bless you and keep you and make His face shine upon you this week.
