"Following Jesus Today"

Call to Worship (Proverbs 1, Mark 8)

Wisdom cries out in the streets. We hear and struggle to understand. Come and listen to the words of life and love. We hear and proclaim our faith in the one who brings life. Let us worship the God of life and wisdom whose words guide our life on the right paths.

Opening Prayer (Proverbs 1, Psalm 19, James 3, Mark 8)

Loving and caring God, we come this morning seeking wisdom and guidance for our lives. Open us to your words of life and love and truth. May we proclaim with our tongues what we know in our hearts. In this time of worship, help us more fully understand what it means to truly be a disciple, a follower of the way of Jesus, a follower of the path of wisdom. May the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable to you, our rock and our redeemer. Amen.

Invitation to the Offering (Proverbs 1, Mark 8)

We are called to listen to the words of wisdom and to re-spond with our whole lives. Let us give thanks to God with all that we are and all that we have — in word, thought, and action.

Offering Prayer

God, we hear and we respond to your words of wisdom, your words of call and life. May these gifts, not only of our money, but of our very selves— our words, our thoughts, our actions— be acceptable to you, and help spread your words of life and love. Amen.

Prayer

Lord, we have come this day to hear your words of healing love and hope. Enter our hearts and our spirits and teach us to follow you. Give us courage and strength to be your faithful disciples. AMEN.

Mark 8:27-38New International Version 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. 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[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.”

Benediction (Proverbs 1, Mark 8)

Go forth with the words of wisdom crying in your ears. Go forth with songs of hope singing in your heart. Know that you are called to be faithful followers of the One who will always be near you, will always guide and encourage you to walk the path of life. Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.