Proper 19 (4)

CALL TO WORSHIP

Come to worship, to be comforted and disturbed, challenged from our complacency, but also offered forgiveness and the hope of eternal life. Come to Jesus, prophet, priest and king.

HYMN

O WORSHIP THE LORD (457)

GATHERING PRAYER

Lord, you walked with your disciples from village to village. And on the way you talked to them about many things. Some things were not easy to hear or to understand. We meet you here today, Lord, to hear these things too. You don’t call us to sit doing nothing. You want us to be on the move: taking risks to change our world and save our lives. Help us, then, to draw close to you, to be ready to listen. Then to act. Amen.

PRAYER OF CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION

Who is Jesus?’ For the times I have been asked this question, and have struggled to give an answer: Forgive me, Lord, and give me your words to speak. For the times I have been ashamed to acknowledge you: Forgive me, Lord, and grant me courage. For the times I considered only human concerns, and not God’s: Forgive me, Lord, and widen my horizons. For the times I saw opportunities to take risks for God but looked the other way through fear or indecision: Forgive me, Lord, and build up my confidence in you. For the times I only take the chocolates I like out of your box: Forgive me, Lord, and make me whole, ready to do your good will. Amen.

We have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. The same Jesus who took up his cross and died for our sins. The same Jesus who looks on us now with love and intercedes on our behalf. Open our hearts to receive your forgiveness and blessing, Lord. Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

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 that trespass against us,

And lead us not into temptation,

But deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory,

Forever and ever Amen.

HYMN

ALL HEAVEN DECLARES (10)

READING 1

1 Kings 11: 1-13

11 King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women besides Pharaoh’s daughter—Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites. 2 They were from nations about which the Lord had told the Israelites, “You must not intermarry with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods.” Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love. 3 He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines, and his wives led him astray. 4 As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been. 5 He followed Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molek the detestable god of the Ammonites. 6 So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the Lord; he did not follow the Lord completely, as David his father had done.

7 On a hill east of Jerusalem, Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the detestable god of Moab, and for Molek the detestable god of the Ammonites. 8 He did the same for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and offered sacrifices to their gods.

9 The Lord became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice. 10 Although he had forbidden Solomon to follow other gods, Solomon did not keep the Lord’s command. 11 So the Lord said to Solomon, “Since this is your attitude and you have not kept my covenant and my decrees, which I commanded you, I will most certainly tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your subordinates. 12 Nevertheless, for the sake of David your father, I will not do it during your lifetime. I will tear it out of the hand of your son. 13 Yet I will not tear the whole kingdom from him but will give him one tribe for the sake of David my servant and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen.”

READING 2

MARK 8: 27-38

Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah

27 Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?” 28 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.”

29 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.”

30 Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.

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[a] 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.”

HYMN

MEEKNESS AND MAJESTY (390)

SERMON

Some years ago, I worked in textiles, I remember clearly a conversation I had with the managing director, he told me his aim was to provide work for the people in his employ, in a sense become part of a family.

I considered this a great aim, and although in many ways he was a hard man to work for, in other ways he was fair.

But sometime later, the company went through a buyout by a business that owned many diverse companies. At that time my MD received a seat on the board.

After a little while we had a conversation about the workforce, his attitude had changed. the workforce became irrelevant and became a cost rather than a family.

I did remind him of what he had said in the past, it fell on deaf ears.

I liken this to how Solomon changed as more power came his way, the more he moved away from his original promises he had made to God when he took the throne.

What happened to this man who asked for wisdom to rule his people well.

From our reading we learned how after a great start Solomon, succumbed to the wealth and influence, of his 700 wives and 300 concubines. I don’t know how he managed.

But his actions. Led to the construction of a shrine to Molek, a detestable idol to God, no wonder God became angry with him after providing him with every blessing. It only goes to show.

The old saying is right. “power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

The thing we face is the fact we too can be so easily led down this same path, comfort and benefits overcome us, to the point we loose sight of what we initially intended or promised to God.

There was only one person who resisted the temptations to use his power for himself and that was Jesus.

The Gospel reading this morning comes around halfway through Mark’s Gospel as Jesus is trying to show his disciples what lies ahead.

As we look back at this journey Jesus took, he and his disciples passed through Caesarea Philippi this was basically a group of villages straddling the hilltops.

Can you imagine the scene as Jesus led his disciples from Tyre to walk above the olive groves out to the fields of sheep, where they could look across the expanse of the valleys and mountains. He asked a question. ‘Who,’ he asked, almost meditatively, ‘do people say I am?’

The disciples looked at one another. It was a question they had heard many times on the edges of crowds. they repeated what they heard: ‘John the Baptist, reincarnated.’ ‘Elijah, returned from heaven.’ ‘Any one of the prophets!’

You can imagine there was a pause, as Jesus considered their answers. He cocked his head on one side, and maybe a smile played around his mouth. ‘You’ve been listening to gossip,’ he said. ‘Alright…when you hear those speculations, who do you say I am?

He looked right at them. There was a silence. Until Peter blurted out, ‘You are the Messiah.’ A smile may have reached Jesus’ eyes. As they walked on.

Later that evening, as they sat watching the fire burn low, Jesus returned to the subject. He tells them the Messiah doesn’t come in triumph.

God has another plan in mind. Had the disciples considered that the path ahead might not end in glory, but in suffering, rejection, torture, and death?

There would be glory, but not in the way they expected. It would come on the third day, when death would be conquered for ever.

Later Peter took Jesus aside. Who would want to follow Jesus if the stakes were so high?

But Jesus was angry. “Get behind me Satan.” he sent him off with a flea in his ear. How soon Peter had been brought down to earth.

The next morning, Jesus settled down with the people who crowded around him, so that he could unpick the story of Messiah and reweave the story of salvation in his own way.

‘If anyone wants to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 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.’ Jesus carried on talking for a long time – riddles that they didn’t understand until much later. What was clear was, that those that live life as they please, their lives will soon be over and that’s it; but if we live to please God, we gain everlasting life.

When we think of the cross, what comes to mind? We may have in our mind’s eye a particular image, or perhaps something we can see around us now in our church building. Or we might be wearing a cross as an item of jewellery, we may think of a film we have seen about the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, or of some music we have heard or sung about the cross.

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus is beginning to take control of the story that others want to write for him, the Messiah who would be a mighty ruler.

In hindsight, we know that Jesus chose to go to Jerusalem, where he was arrested, tortured and put to death. We know too that on the third day, Jesus rose from the dead, offering us the gift of eternal life through forgiveness of our sins. But when Jesus speaks to the disciples about his death, it comes as a shock. Surely death on a cross can’t be the fate of someone who is clearly the Messiah, God’s chosen and promised deliverer? Peter knew that story. So, when Jesus asked him ‘Who do you think I am?’, Peter had answered like a shot that he was the Messiah, and he was going to liberate his people. But Jesus rebukes him because he is living a very different story.

Jesus responds by talking about his followers taking up their cross – not his but theirs, and ours.

And when he asks us to take up our cross, he is not speaking metaphorically. We are called to be willing to suffer, actually and really suffer, for the sake of the Gospel.

For many of us, most of us probably, this cost of discipleship will not be too hard. But there are Christians all over the world who suffer horribly for their faith.

Two evangelists in Bangladesh were beaten and detained by police as believers in a country where Christians continue to face risk amid the country’s ongoing political and social crisis.

On 5 September, the two evangelists were visiting a house church when a group of Muslims stormed the meeting. Both were beaten, before the mob turned their attention to one of them, Mizanur*, asking if he was formerly a Muslim (Mizanur is a Muslim name). He was unable to answer, given the state he’d been left in, so they called his wife, who confirmed that he was a convert. They were then taken to the police station, where they were detained overnight without any treatment for their wounds.

Thankfully we do not face this sort of treatment, but there are places that trusting in Christ really means taking up their cross.

There is a choice: follow the way of the world and you will lose your life; follow the way of the cross and you will gain the only life worth having.

What does it mean for you, for me to take up our cross, deny ourselves and follow Jesus? The cost of discipleship means letting go of worldly ambitions that often control our lives, and instead offering our service to growing the kingdom of God. The costs – as well as the benefits – are central to Christian faith.

So, Jesus asks us today “Who do you say I am”.

HYMN

THERE IS A REDEEMER (544)

PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION

So many people in our world today are taking huge risks with their lives for causes they believe in. We think particularly of those who have taken to the streets to protest about the corrupt and inhuman treatment of others. It’s difficult to comprehend how frightening and disorientating it must be for people to be living with this rapidly changing reality and so we pray for safety.

For those showing huge courage, we ask that their voices are heard, and that we in the west keep listening, thinking and praying for them. We pray that leaders with influence use the power they have, to guide those who desperately need it to safety.

Caring is very much on our minds this week and we are reminded of the news that there could be many pensioners facing an unsure future with the loss of winter allowance, this will put more pressure both the cost of care in pounds and pence and the personal costs for those who do the caring for those in most need.

Thank you Lord God for everyone who cares. Whether for elderly relatives, for people with disabilities, or for the frail and infirm in care home settings. May we never devalue the care givers. And as we as a society wrestle with the cost of care, help us not to lose sight of the human lives that are deeply affected by care needs and caring. Thank you that you are a God who deeply cares for us all. Help us to understand the full meaning of being cared for and cared about by our Creator.

Loving God draw close to all who give care, may we see and be inspired by those who care so diligently for others.

We are aware of many different people and groups fighting hard for climate justice; trying to bring to our attention the peril the world is in and effect change. Thank you for people who care deeply about the environment and are not afraid to use their voice to speak about. We particularly pray for the young people who are mobilising their friends and classmates. Thank you for their thoughtful concern and the energy they devote to thinking about such huge global issues. May they be determined rather than daunted by the scale of the challenge and be encouraged in their pursuit of change.

Loving God, draw close to the people around us who fight continually for climate justice, may we see and be inspired by those who speak up and make us listen.

Many of us will have examples of Christian around this world facing persecution and danger. Brothers and sisters who live in countries hostile to their beliefs and for whom expressing their faith is a highly provocative act. Please draw near to everyone who is in danger today because they follow Christ. Help persecuted Christians around this world find safe spaces to express their faith and, for those for whom there is no safe space, may they know your deep love for them. May they powerfully feel the presence of your Holy Spirit and hold onto the promise of the Gospel.

Loving God draw close to all for whom discipleship is costly, may we see and be inspired by those who choose to worship you whatever the circumstances.

Finally, we pray for ourselves. Whatever circumstances face us in the week to come may we face them in the knowledge that you are always with us. May we learn how to let go of the things of this world that weigh us down or distract us from serving you.

Loving God draw close to all of us this week as we work out what discipleship means, may we see and be inspired by those who model lives of faith and service.

HYMN

BE, THOU MY VISION (42)

BLESSING

The Lord, bless you And keep you Make His face shine upon you And be gracious to you The Lord turn His face toward you And give you peace