Behold The Man Who Turned Toward Jerusalem
Sermon
Behold The Man
Sermons And Object Lessons For Lent And Easter
Some time ago I was reading Harold Kushner's book, Who Needs God. I was struck by a story he told in that book. He said he was talking with a nurse once who related a conversation she had with a young lady. This young lady's boyfriend was dying of cancer. The nurse asked her if she could do anything for her. The young lady answered, ''Yeah, remind me never to love anybody this much again.''1
Now we come to that part of Christ's story where Jesus begins to look toward the cross. There is a difference now in the atmosphere. There is an underlying tension as Jesus begins to move away from peaceful Galilee and toward tense, up-tight Jerusalem.
In his telling of this story Luke at this point relates, ''He steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem.''
I cannot help but wonder if the disciples had at this point realized what would happen when they got to Jerusalem, would they have finished the trip? Perhaps they would be saying to each other, ''Remind me never to love anybody this much again.''
I read again in a church bulletin something I had heard years ago, but had forgotten. It is said the Chinese have a word which has two meanings. It means ''crisis.'' That is the first meaning. But it also means ''opportunity.'' Going to Jerusalem was certainly a crisis. It was also an opportunity. Jesus knew he had to do it. It was out of that crisis situation that his Father would find such an opportunity. Behold the man who turned toward Jerusalem.
There finally came a day when Jesus was faced with a great decision. There were two roads lying before him, and he had to choose one of them. He knew that if he chose the road to Jerusalem he would be on a road headed to a destination from which there would be no return. In fact, it was a choice he had already been making all along. But finally there came a time for him to make it known and head that way.
Now here they were traveling along that road which would take them to Jerusalem. Mark tells us that Jesus was walking out ahead of the twelve disciples. They were lagging back a little, taking uncertain steps. Mark tells us, ''They were afraid.'' At that point Jesus gathered them closer to him and said to them, ''Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and to the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him to the Gentiles; and they will mock him, and scourge him, and spit on him, and kill him. And the third day he will rise again.''
Yes, Jesus turned toward Jerusalem. He set out on that road which would take him to the heart of that city, down its main street, into the upper room, out to the garden, into the palace, and out to a hill they called the place of the skull.
Jesus knew in his heart where he was headed. He also knew this was the thing for him to do. This is what he had been born to do. This was the hour for which he had been living. This was the purpose for which his father sent him into the world. And, this is what would make him who he is in our eyes today.
Garibaldi, the Italian patriot, once said, ''It is the big demand that makes the heroic spirit. It is the big demand that makes the big soul.''2
Jesus turned toward Jerusalem where he faced the big demand which awaited him there. As we think about this, perhaps if we look closer at it we will see better the choices which are always before us.
*aaa*aaa*
Jesus chose not the road of selfishness but the road of sacrifice. The road to Jerusalem was the road of sacrifice. The temple in Jerusalem was the place of sacrifice for the Jewish people. It had been that way for a long time. But this time there was something different. This time Jesus himself would be the sacrifice. And so he said to the twelve, ''Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and to the scribes.''
It would have been so easy for Jesus to travel the selfish road. He could have used his power and ability for selfish ends. He could have raised an army and gathered the masses around himself, marched right into Jerusalem and become the King of the Jews. After all, this is probably what many people wanted him to do anyway. But he turned away from all of that, and turned toward Jerusalem, the place of sacrifice.
He went there unarmed, backed not by an army of force, but an army of love, an army made up of simple folk, women and children. He went there not to wage war, but to surrender. He went there not to gain a momentous victory, but to suffer a momentary defeat. He chose not to gain the spoils of war, but to give himself away.
Through what Jesus did he instilled that same spirit of sacrifice in his disciples. They would choose later to live the same way. Their lives were transformed by him, and they also became self-giving people.
This spirit of sacrifice has always characterized Christian people at their best. Christian people at their best are also sacrificial people. They catch that same spirit, and they give themselves away.
That choice is a constant one before us. We face it always. We come to so many turns in the road where we have to decide if we will live for ourselves only, or if we will instead live for something greater than we are, something grand and beautiful.
This great need for people who sacrifice is built into the way things are. Nothing important is ever gained without it. The Kingdom of God still needs people who are willing to give themselves away.
It is true that we take a chance when we do that. These days we have become cynical to the point of not trusting many people.
Henry Ford was on a vacation trip to Ireland. While he was there he was asked to make a contribution to an orphanage. He wrote out a check for $5,000. The next day headlines in the paper read, ''Henry Ford Gives Orphanage $50,000.'' Later that day the director of the orphanage called and apologized. Henry Ford said, ''Never mind. I'm giving you a check for the other $45,000, but only under one condition. When the new building goes up I want this inscription over the door, 'I was a stranger and you took me in.' ''
Even though we know there are many people in our world today who are takers we are still called by God to be givers.
What would have happened if Jesus had not given himself? What if the disciples had not done that? What if you and I no longer did that? The Christian church would cease to exist and God would have no witness in his world. The world has enough selfish people already. What the world needs is Kingdom of God people who give themselves.
Some years ago in Russia a group of Christians were meeting secretly one night. Suddenly, two Russian army officers burst into their meeting. They said to the people, ''Leave immediately or we will kill you.'' A few of the Christians left, but the others remained. The two officers locked the door. Then they turned around and said, ''We are Christians, too. We just did not want to be with anyone not willing to pay the price.''
The question is always whether we are willing to pay the price, and travel the road of sacrifice.
*
*
Jesus chose not the road of safety but the road of suffering. The road to Jerusalem was the road of suffering. That is where it led. Jesus knew all along that is what it meant. That is why he also said to the disciples, ''And they will condemn him to death and deliver him to the Gentiles; and they will mock him, and scourge him, and spit on him, and kill him.''
The road of safety is such an easy road to travel. It is the road which winds and wanders endlessly with no direction to it. It is the road of least resistance. It is the road which does not offend, never protests, never objects. It is the road cowards travel.
This is not the road Jesus chose. He took the road which led to Golgotha, the place of the skull, the execution site for the city of Jerusalem. It was the way of the cross.
He told his disciples that if they were going to follow him they need not expect anything any different. There would be a cross out there for them on some future lonely road or some hill of one kind or another.
If we are true to our Lord we cannot choose the road of safety either. We cannot travel the road of easy living and unconcerned attitudes. We cannot take the road of token involvement. We cannot keep Christ and the church and the world and each other all at a safe distance. We cannot protect ourselves from doing too much, giving too much and becoming too involved in the church simply because we have other things to do, and we want to keep on living our private lives.
We will never understand, appreciate, or live the Christian life if our main concern is our own safety. We simply have to give ourselves to the cause of the Kingdom of God with complete abandon. It will not work any other way. To travel the road Jesus chose is not easy. But, the important things never are easy. There is always a burden to bear.
When John F. Kennedy was President he often became so discouraged he wanted to give the job to Lyndon Johnson. When Lyndon Johnson finally got the job he often wanted to give it to Hubert Humphrey. Hubert Humphrey said his greatest honor was being nominated for President by his party, and his greatest disappointment was losing the race.
The Christian life is not a life of ease and safety. It involves suffering, our own suffering, and taking upon ourselves the suffering of others. It means bearing the world's hurts and problems. Obviously that is more than we can do on our own. The good news is we are not on our own.
Carl Michalson, in his book Faith For Personal Crises, told the story of Felicitas of Carthage. She was a Christian who was persecuted and placed in prison. While there she had a baby. When she cried out in pain, she was asked how she would be able to endure her death by beasts. She replied, ''Now I suffer what I suffer; then another will be in me who will suffer for me, as I shall suffer for him.''3
In one of his sermons Phillips Brooks said, ''O, do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men! Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks! Then the doing of your work shall not be a miracle. But you shall be a miracle. Every day you shall wonder at yourself, at the richness of life which has come to you by the grace of God.''
The greatest miracle of the New Testament is not that Jesus gave sight to the blind and made the lame to walk. It is that he gives sight to us who can already see and walks with us on the road to the crosses he gives us to bear for him.
*aaa*
*
Finally, Jesus chose not the road of security but the road of service. The road to Jerusalem was the road of service. That is what it meant. Jesus knew all along this is what he was doing. He was serving his Father and through what would happen he would be serving all the world. That is why he could
say about all he would endure, ''And the third day he will rise again.'' He knew that was the hope of the world. That was why he had said, ''I came not to be served, but to serve, and to give my life as a ransom for many.'' He was not afraid to take the risk. He was not looking for security. He wanted only to serve.
Not only was this true for him, but also it was true for all who would follow him. He reminded his disciples when two of them asked for a place of glory that ''whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave.'' This way of service was the only way which led to the things Jesus was trying to accomplish. He wanted his followers to know they must travel in this same way.
Here is one of the great secrets of the Christian life. The real joy of living comes to us when we have given ourselves in service to the Kingdom of God. It comes to us when we give ourselves with the same devotion Jesus had as he gave himself. So, you see, the cross is not only that place where we see God's love expressed and find new life, it is also where we hear the call to service.
Two little girls were at the movies one afternoon. It was a film on the life of Jesus. They watched it until that scene where Jesus was being crucified. Then one punched the other and said, ''Let's go. This is the place where we came in.''
At one point Jesus said only those willing to take up the cross would be fit to follow him.
The cross becomes real for us when we begin not only to see that Jesus died for us there, but also when we hear in that the call to serve him. He calls us to choose the way of the cross.
One year we put up three crosses for our sunrise service. They were still up for a few days the next week. One afternoon I saw three boys come through our yard. They stopped and looked at those crosses. They seemed to be talking about them. Then one of the boys stepped over to the one in the middle, stood in front of it, stretched out his arms and showed the other two how it was done.
That is what Jesus did. He shows us how to take up the cross. And he calls us to meet him on the way to the cross -- the way that leads to life. Will you meet him there and become a follower of the way of the cross?
1. Harold Kushner, Who Needs God, Summit Books, New York, 1989, p. 28.
2. Charles L. Wallis, Editor, A Treasury Of Sermon Illustrations, Abingdon- Cokesbury Press, New York-Nashville, 1950, p. 165.
3. Carl Michalson, Faith For Personal Crises, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1959, p. 151.
Lent 5
Pastoral Prayer
Our Father, as we gather to worship thee may our songs and prayers bring glory to thee, for we have gathered to worship and serve thee and to give ourselves to thee.
We are thankful, O God, for all thy blessings upon us, for we have seen thy hands at work in our lives. We know we have been blessed abundantly by thee, and we are thankful for all good gifts we have received out of thy goodness.
We are thankful for the great decisions made by thy Son Jesus Christ. We think of him today turning his face toward Jerusalem, and being willing to go there and face the cross for us and because of us.
We pray today that we would be able to have the same steadfast devotion to thy Kingdom. Help us to be people of courage and dedication. Enable us to be tough-minded and centered in thee and thy will.
Because we have answered the call to thy people, put within each of us the faith, hope and courage we need to serve thee and to be the church of Christ.
Lead us to give ourselves to thee more completely, to see thee more clearly, to love thee more dearly, and to follow thee more nearly day by day.
Make us more loving, more understanding, and more compassionate, and enable us to be gentle, kind, courageous, brave and bold.
Bless those of our church and community who are sick and in sorrow. Bless people the world over who suffer. Help us help them, in Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Lent 5
Children's Message
''Marching Off The Map''
Object: a map of the Holy Land
Good morning, boys and girls. I hope all of you are doing well today. Thanks for being here this morning. I am glad to see you. This is the Fifth Sunday in the season of Lent. We are thinking together about Jesus going to Jerusalem.
Today I want to show you a map. This is a map of the Holy Land, where Jesus lived along with all the people we read about in the Bible. In a minute I want to show you some things on this map.
First, I want to tell you a story. When Columbus and other explorers set out to find new trade routes to the far east they had no maps. It was because of that fact that Columbus, on the way to India, discovered America. In a sense he sailed off the maps they had. As a result they drew new maps.
Now, look at this map of the Holy Land. Jesus lived up here in Nazareth until he was 30 years old. When he began his ministry he moved over here to a city on the Sea of Galilee called Capernaum. He lived here for three years. Then he traveled down the Jordan valley and came up a long road to Jerusalem. There we know he was crucified, dead and buried.
Today in our Bible reading we are hearing about Jesus making the decision to do that. In some ways he was deciding to march right off the map. He was doing something no one else had done. But he knew God would be with him and lead him through all he would face as he went to the cross and the tomb. He knew God would raise him up from the dead. In that, he has found the way for us to new life in the resurrection. He has drawn with his life a new map for us.
May we pray. O God, help us to be brave like Jesus and follow where you lead us. In his name we pray. Amen.
Lent 5
Order Of Worship
Prelude
Chiming Of The Hour
Introit
The Hymn Of Praise ''In The Cross Of Christ I Glory''
Affirmation Of FaithaaaaaaThe Apostles' Creed
Invocation
Moments Of Fellowship
Pastoral Prayer And The Lord's Prayer
The Children's Message ''Marching Off The Map''
The Anthem ''The People Of God''
The Prayer Of Dedication
The Offertory
The Doxology
The Hymn Of Preparation ''Soldiers Of Christ, Arise''
Scripture Lesson Mark 10:32-34
Sermon ''Behold The Man Who Turned Toward Jerusalem''
Invitation To Christian Discipleship
Hymn Of Invitation ''Ah, Holy Jesus''
Benediction
The Choral Response
Postlude
Lent 5
Discussion Questions
1. Have someone read the scripture lesson: Mark 10:32-34. Let several describe what this turning meant.
2. Why did Jesus have to do this?
3. Why was this difficult for the disciples to accept and understand?
4. Have you faced such times of decision in your own life?
5. What enabled you to face these times and overcome them?
6. What do we learn in times of difficulty and suffering?
7. Where do we find the inner resources for living through times of difficulty?
Have someone prepared in advance to lead the group in Saint Augustine's serenity prayer, and then close with a prayer of benediction.
Now we come to that part of Christ's story where Jesus begins to look toward the cross. There is a difference now in the atmosphere. There is an underlying tension as Jesus begins to move away from peaceful Galilee and toward tense, up-tight Jerusalem.
In his telling of this story Luke at this point relates, ''He steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem.''
I cannot help but wonder if the disciples had at this point realized what would happen when they got to Jerusalem, would they have finished the trip? Perhaps they would be saying to each other, ''Remind me never to love anybody this much again.''
I read again in a church bulletin something I had heard years ago, but had forgotten. It is said the Chinese have a word which has two meanings. It means ''crisis.'' That is the first meaning. But it also means ''opportunity.'' Going to Jerusalem was certainly a crisis. It was also an opportunity. Jesus knew he had to do it. It was out of that crisis situation that his Father would find such an opportunity. Behold the man who turned toward Jerusalem.
There finally came a day when Jesus was faced with a great decision. There were two roads lying before him, and he had to choose one of them. He knew that if he chose the road to Jerusalem he would be on a road headed to a destination from which there would be no return. In fact, it was a choice he had already been making all along. But finally there came a time for him to make it known and head that way.
Now here they were traveling along that road which would take them to Jerusalem. Mark tells us that Jesus was walking out ahead of the twelve disciples. They were lagging back a little, taking uncertain steps. Mark tells us, ''They were afraid.'' At that point Jesus gathered them closer to him and said to them, ''Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and to the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him to the Gentiles; and they will mock him, and scourge him, and spit on him, and kill him. And the third day he will rise again.''
Yes, Jesus turned toward Jerusalem. He set out on that road which would take him to the heart of that city, down its main street, into the upper room, out to the garden, into the palace, and out to a hill they called the place of the skull.
Jesus knew in his heart where he was headed. He also knew this was the thing for him to do. This is what he had been born to do. This was the hour for which he had been living. This was the purpose for which his father sent him into the world. And, this is what would make him who he is in our eyes today.
Garibaldi, the Italian patriot, once said, ''It is the big demand that makes the heroic spirit. It is the big demand that makes the big soul.''2
Jesus turned toward Jerusalem where he faced the big demand which awaited him there. As we think about this, perhaps if we look closer at it we will see better the choices which are always before us.
*aaa*aaa*
Jesus chose not the road of selfishness but the road of sacrifice. The road to Jerusalem was the road of sacrifice. The temple in Jerusalem was the place of sacrifice for the Jewish people. It had been that way for a long time. But this time there was something different. This time Jesus himself would be the sacrifice. And so he said to the twelve, ''Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and to the scribes.''
It would have been so easy for Jesus to travel the selfish road. He could have used his power and ability for selfish ends. He could have raised an army and gathered the masses around himself, marched right into Jerusalem and become the King of the Jews. After all, this is probably what many people wanted him to do anyway. But he turned away from all of that, and turned toward Jerusalem, the place of sacrifice.
He went there unarmed, backed not by an army of force, but an army of love, an army made up of simple folk, women and children. He went there not to wage war, but to surrender. He went there not to gain a momentous victory, but to suffer a momentary defeat. He chose not to gain the spoils of war, but to give himself away.
Through what Jesus did he instilled that same spirit of sacrifice in his disciples. They would choose later to live the same way. Their lives were transformed by him, and they also became self-giving people.
This spirit of sacrifice has always characterized Christian people at their best. Christian people at their best are also sacrificial people. They catch that same spirit, and they give themselves away.
That choice is a constant one before us. We face it always. We come to so many turns in the road where we have to decide if we will live for ourselves only, or if we will instead live for something greater than we are, something grand and beautiful.
This great need for people who sacrifice is built into the way things are. Nothing important is ever gained without it. The Kingdom of God still needs people who are willing to give themselves away.
It is true that we take a chance when we do that. These days we have become cynical to the point of not trusting many people.
Henry Ford was on a vacation trip to Ireland. While he was there he was asked to make a contribution to an orphanage. He wrote out a check for $5,000. The next day headlines in the paper read, ''Henry Ford Gives Orphanage $50,000.'' Later that day the director of the orphanage called and apologized. Henry Ford said, ''Never mind. I'm giving you a check for the other $45,000, but only under one condition. When the new building goes up I want this inscription over the door, 'I was a stranger and you took me in.' ''
Even though we know there are many people in our world today who are takers we are still called by God to be givers.
What would have happened if Jesus had not given himself? What if the disciples had not done that? What if you and I no longer did that? The Christian church would cease to exist and God would have no witness in his world. The world has enough selfish people already. What the world needs is Kingdom of God people who give themselves.
Some years ago in Russia a group of Christians were meeting secretly one night. Suddenly, two Russian army officers burst into their meeting. They said to the people, ''Leave immediately or we will kill you.'' A few of the Christians left, but the others remained. The two officers locked the door. Then they turned around and said, ''We are Christians, too. We just did not want to be with anyone not willing to pay the price.''
The question is always whether we are willing to pay the price, and travel the road of sacrifice.
*
*
Jesus chose not the road of safety but the road of suffering. The road to Jerusalem was the road of suffering. That is where it led. Jesus knew all along that is what it meant. That is why he also said to the disciples, ''And they will condemn him to death and deliver him to the Gentiles; and they will mock him, and scourge him, and spit on him, and kill him.''
The road of safety is such an easy road to travel. It is the road which winds and wanders endlessly with no direction to it. It is the road of least resistance. It is the road which does not offend, never protests, never objects. It is the road cowards travel.
This is not the road Jesus chose. He took the road which led to Golgotha, the place of the skull, the execution site for the city of Jerusalem. It was the way of the cross.
He told his disciples that if they were going to follow him they need not expect anything any different. There would be a cross out there for them on some future lonely road or some hill of one kind or another.
If we are true to our Lord we cannot choose the road of safety either. We cannot travel the road of easy living and unconcerned attitudes. We cannot take the road of token involvement. We cannot keep Christ and the church and the world and each other all at a safe distance. We cannot protect ourselves from doing too much, giving too much and becoming too involved in the church simply because we have other things to do, and we want to keep on living our private lives.
We will never understand, appreciate, or live the Christian life if our main concern is our own safety. We simply have to give ourselves to the cause of the Kingdom of God with complete abandon. It will not work any other way. To travel the road Jesus chose is not easy. But, the important things never are easy. There is always a burden to bear.
When John F. Kennedy was President he often became so discouraged he wanted to give the job to Lyndon Johnson. When Lyndon Johnson finally got the job he often wanted to give it to Hubert Humphrey. Hubert Humphrey said his greatest honor was being nominated for President by his party, and his greatest disappointment was losing the race.
The Christian life is not a life of ease and safety. It involves suffering, our own suffering, and taking upon ourselves the suffering of others. It means bearing the world's hurts and problems. Obviously that is more than we can do on our own. The good news is we are not on our own.
Carl Michalson, in his book Faith For Personal Crises, told the story of Felicitas of Carthage. She was a Christian who was persecuted and placed in prison. While there she had a baby. When she cried out in pain, she was asked how she would be able to endure her death by beasts. She replied, ''Now I suffer what I suffer; then another will be in me who will suffer for me, as I shall suffer for him.''3
In one of his sermons Phillips Brooks said, ''O, do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men! Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks! Then the doing of your work shall not be a miracle. But you shall be a miracle. Every day you shall wonder at yourself, at the richness of life which has come to you by the grace of God.''
The greatest miracle of the New Testament is not that Jesus gave sight to the blind and made the lame to walk. It is that he gives sight to us who can already see and walks with us on the road to the crosses he gives us to bear for him.
*aaa*
*
Finally, Jesus chose not the road of security but the road of service. The road to Jerusalem was the road of service. That is what it meant. Jesus knew all along this is what he was doing. He was serving his Father and through what would happen he would be serving all the world. That is why he could
say about all he would endure, ''And the third day he will rise again.'' He knew that was the hope of the world. That was why he had said, ''I came not to be served, but to serve, and to give my life as a ransom for many.'' He was not afraid to take the risk. He was not looking for security. He wanted only to serve.
Not only was this true for him, but also it was true for all who would follow him. He reminded his disciples when two of them asked for a place of glory that ''whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave.'' This way of service was the only way which led to the things Jesus was trying to accomplish. He wanted his followers to know they must travel in this same way.
Here is one of the great secrets of the Christian life. The real joy of living comes to us when we have given ourselves in service to the Kingdom of God. It comes to us when we give ourselves with the same devotion Jesus had as he gave himself. So, you see, the cross is not only that place where we see God's love expressed and find new life, it is also where we hear the call to service.
Two little girls were at the movies one afternoon. It was a film on the life of Jesus. They watched it until that scene where Jesus was being crucified. Then one punched the other and said, ''Let's go. This is the place where we came in.''
At one point Jesus said only those willing to take up the cross would be fit to follow him.
The cross becomes real for us when we begin not only to see that Jesus died for us there, but also when we hear in that the call to serve him. He calls us to choose the way of the cross.
One year we put up three crosses for our sunrise service. They were still up for a few days the next week. One afternoon I saw three boys come through our yard. They stopped and looked at those crosses. They seemed to be talking about them. Then one of the boys stepped over to the one in the middle, stood in front of it, stretched out his arms and showed the other two how it was done.
That is what Jesus did. He shows us how to take up the cross. And he calls us to meet him on the way to the cross -- the way that leads to life. Will you meet him there and become a follower of the way of the cross?
1. Harold Kushner, Who Needs God, Summit Books, New York, 1989, p. 28.
2. Charles L. Wallis, Editor, A Treasury Of Sermon Illustrations, Abingdon- Cokesbury Press, New York-Nashville, 1950, p. 165.
3. Carl Michalson, Faith For Personal Crises, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1959, p. 151.
Lent 5
Pastoral Prayer
Our Father, as we gather to worship thee may our songs and prayers bring glory to thee, for we have gathered to worship and serve thee and to give ourselves to thee.
We are thankful, O God, for all thy blessings upon us, for we have seen thy hands at work in our lives. We know we have been blessed abundantly by thee, and we are thankful for all good gifts we have received out of thy goodness.
We are thankful for the great decisions made by thy Son Jesus Christ. We think of him today turning his face toward Jerusalem, and being willing to go there and face the cross for us and because of us.
We pray today that we would be able to have the same steadfast devotion to thy Kingdom. Help us to be people of courage and dedication. Enable us to be tough-minded and centered in thee and thy will.
Because we have answered the call to thy people, put within each of us the faith, hope and courage we need to serve thee and to be the church of Christ.
Lead us to give ourselves to thee more completely, to see thee more clearly, to love thee more dearly, and to follow thee more nearly day by day.
Make us more loving, more understanding, and more compassionate, and enable us to be gentle, kind, courageous, brave and bold.
Bless those of our church and community who are sick and in sorrow. Bless people the world over who suffer. Help us help them, in Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Lent 5
Children's Message
''Marching Off The Map''
Object: a map of the Holy Land
Good morning, boys and girls. I hope all of you are doing well today. Thanks for being here this morning. I am glad to see you. This is the Fifth Sunday in the season of Lent. We are thinking together about Jesus going to Jerusalem.
Today I want to show you a map. This is a map of the Holy Land, where Jesus lived along with all the people we read about in the Bible. In a minute I want to show you some things on this map.
First, I want to tell you a story. When Columbus and other explorers set out to find new trade routes to the far east they had no maps. It was because of that fact that Columbus, on the way to India, discovered America. In a sense he sailed off the maps they had. As a result they drew new maps.
Now, look at this map of the Holy Land. Jesus lived up here in Nazareth until he was 30 years old. When he began his ministry he moved over here to a city on the Sea of Galilee called Capernaum. He lived here for three years. Then he traveled down the Jordan valley and came up a long road to Jerusalem. There we know he was crucified, dead and buried.
Today in our Bible reading we are hearing about Jesus making the decision to do that. In some ways he was deciding to march right off the map. He was doing something no one else had done. But he knew God would be with him and lead him through all he would face as he went to the cross and the tomb. He knew God would raise him up from the dead. In that, he has found the way for us to new life in the resurrection. He has drawn with his life a new map for us.
May we pray. O God, help us to be brave like Jesus and follow where you lead us. In his name we pray. Amen.
Lent 5
Order Of Worship
Prelude
Chiming Of The Hour
Introit
The Hymn Of Praise ''In The Cross Of Christ I Glory''
Affirmation Of FaithaaaaaaThe Apostles' Creed
Invocation
Moments Of Fellowship
Pastoral Prayer And The Lord's Prayer
The Children's Message ''Marching Off The Map''
The Anthem ''The People Of God''
The Prayer Of Dedication
The Offertory
The Doxology
The Hymn Of Preparation ''Soldiers Of Christ, Arise''
Scripture Lesson Mark 10:32-34
Sermon ''Behold The Man Who Turned Toward Jerusalem''
Invitation To Christian Discipleship
Hymn Of Invitation ''Ah, Holy Jesus''
Benediction
The Choral Response
Postlude
Lent 5
Discussion Questions
1. Have someone read the scripture lesson: Mark 10:32-34. Let several describe what this turning meant.
2. Why did Jesus have to do this?
3. Why was this difficult for the disciples to accept and understand?
4. Have you faced such times of decision in your own life?
5. What enabled you to face these times and overcome them?
6. What do we learn in times of difficulty and suffering?
7. Where do we find the inner resources for living through times of difficulty?
Have someone prepared in advance to lead the group in Saint Augustine's serenity prayer, and then close with a prayer of benediction.
