Jesus said, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." Together, let us explore in our service today what he meant by those words.
Invitation to Confession:
Jesus, often we think only of ourselves.
Lord, have mercy.Jesus, we tend to cling on to everything we have.
Christ, have mercy.Jesus, help us to learn to let go and let you rule our lives.
Lord, have mercy.
Reading:
Mark 8:27-38
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."
Story:
In modern life we are increasingly encouraged to do exactly as we wish, with no regard for other people's feelings. But as Jesus pointed out, that way is the way of death to our souls. The way of life is to do the right thing, no matter what the cost to ourselves. In this story, Dan has to make a decision. Should he do what he wants to do, or should he do what he really ought to do?
Benjy's Birthday Party
Dan had been invited to Benjy's birthday party, but he didn't want to go. Normally Dan enjoyed parties, but he didn't much like Benjy. He knew he'd only been invited because his parents were friendly with Benjy's parents, which meant that the two boys were expected to get on well and play together. But it didn't work like that. Dan thought Benjy was a silly cry-baby, who hated football and skateboarding and all the things Dan loved. Instead, Benjy always wanted to play with his sister's dolls and to dress up. Dan despised him.
On the day of Benjy's birthday party, there was to be a big match at the local football ground. Dan was desperate to go, and all his friends were going.
"What about the party?" asked Dan's mum.
Dan screwed up his face. "Oh Mum! Do I have to go? You know I can't stand Benjy, and it'll be so boring. Please let me go to the match."
Dan's mum hesitated. Then she said, "Well Dan, I guess I'm going to leave it up to you to make your own decision. But before you do, just imagine what you would feel like if people didn't come to your party because they'd got something better to do. And just count up in your own mind, how many friends Benjy has."
Dan began to count, but to his surprise, he couldn't think of anyone. For the first time, he wondered whether perhaps Benjy might be lonely because nobody liked him. Then he wondered whether Benjy liked to play with girls' toys because he hadn't any friends who were boys. Then he began to wonder what was wrong with playing with girls' toys, and he couldn't think of a reason.
Dan sighed. Somehow or other he knew he'd made up his mind. He'd go to the party and do his best to give Benjy a good birthday, just this once. Maybe there'd be another football match before too long.
At the party, Dan made a real effort to be friendly with Benjy. There weren't many children at the party, but Benjy's eyes shone when he spotted Dan. Dan joined in all the games and persuaded all the other children to join in as well, and before long, the party was going with a great swing. After a bit, even Benjy seemed to be enjoying himself, and began to get as noisy and as boisterous as the other boys.
Dan saw a new side to Benjy, and discovered that he quite liked him after all.
When he got home, Dan said to his mother, "I'm glad I went. Benjy and I are going to be best friends, 'cos he's not so bad after all."
It was the start of a friendship which lasted all their lives. Dan often looked back to that party and thought to himself, 'If I hadn't gone, I'd never have had this life-long friendship. Thank you, God, for helping me to make the right decision.'
Activity:
This could be a good occasion to talk about the needs of poor people in poor countries, and if it happens to be Harvest Festival weekend, you could relate this to a Harvest theme.
You need:
A big bag of sweets
Hold up the bag of sweets and ask for six volunteers. When the children come out, explain that the sweets must be divided between them. Pour all the sweets into a pile on a table so that everyone can see them. Put four of the children into one group and two into another group. Tell them you're going to divide the sweets for them. Give half the sweets to one of the children in the group of two, and half to the other child in the group of two, and just one sweet each to the other four.
Ask whether the children are happy. (Two of them might be!) Ask how the two with all the sweets could make it fairer. Hopefully they will give some of their sweets to the others. When the children go back to their places, make sure they continue the principle by dividing the sweets equally amongst all the children present.
Then explain that almost all the food and money and material benefits in life go to one third of the population of the world (us in the West) while the other two thirds are left with almost nothing. Ask how things could be made fairer. Point out that for other people to have enough, we might have to make do with less. We might have to deny ourselves in order to give other people life, but in so doing, we would find our own lives much richer and more worthwhile.
Diary Time:
Talk about the difference between selfishness and selflessness and ask the children whether they can think of any times in their own lives when they have been selfless. Ask them what it felt like. Then ask them whether they have ever been selfish and again, get them to give concrete examples. Ask them what it felt like, and how long their pleasure lasted. Point out that in the end, doing what God wants us to do brings pleasure which lasts much longer than simply doing what we want to do, especially if that is at someone else's expense. The children should draw or write about their own examples in their diaries.
Intercession:
Living Lord, sometimes your Church thinks about what seems to be best for the Church, rather than seeking for the truth. Sometimes people who don't fit in are discarded by the Church because to include them would upset too many people. Help us in your Church to do always what is right rather than what is most expedient for us.
Living Lord, within our world the selfish way of human beings and countries usually leads to death and destruction. help our country and our society to look towards the long-term good for all peoples, not just for ourselves. May we remember that our planet needs loving care, and may we refuse to allow those who only want to make money, to destroy the beauty of our fragile earth.
Living Lord, in our own lives too, selfishness leads to death of the soul. May we be prepared to seek the narrow way and the difficult path in order to follow you. Help each of us to deny ourselves and take up our own particular crosses in order to be known as your followers.
Living Lord, we hold within your presence those who are sick and who need our love, our prayers and our support. We ask your blessings and your healing touch upon them as we name them before you ...
Blessing:
May you be so steeped in the Spirit of Christ
that you become eager to take up your cross
so that you may truly follow him.
And the blessing of God almighty,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
be with you now,
be in your homes and in your families
and with all those whom you love
and for whom you pray,
now and always.
Amen.
