It’s the Second Sunday in Lent (28 February 2021).
The 4 Lectionary readings for this week are: Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16; Psalm 22:23-31;
Romans 4:13-25; and Mark 8:31-38. The passage from Mark forms the basis for Rev. Geoff McKee’s sermon.
Jesus predicts his own death. From among Jesus’ disciples, Peter challenges Jesus’ prediction. In turn, Jesus delivers a rebuke to Peter that seems astonishingly harsh.
What are we to take from this significant “difference of opinion”?
The main scripture for this week
Mark 8:31-38 (New International Version)
Jesus Predicts His Death
31 He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. 32 He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
33 But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”
The Way of the Cross
34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? 37 Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”
Service with prayers, readings and sermon
Musical Selection
“Take the world, but give me Jesus” was written by Fanny J. Crosby.
She wrote over 8,000 hymns and is one of the most well-known hymn writers.
We know that whatever happens in our lives, Jesus will always be with us, guiding us and we will never be alone. The wonderful love of Christ is eternal and everything in this world is temporary.
This version of the hymn is sung by the Discovery Singers.
