KINGDOM ECONOMICS

March 27, 2011, 3rd Sunday in Lent

The scripture reading is from Mark 10:17-31

Mark 10:17   As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”  18 Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.  19 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honor your father and mother.’”  20 He said to him, “Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.”  21 Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, “You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”  22 When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions. 

Mark 10:23   Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!”  24 And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!  25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”  26 They were greatly astounded and said to one another, “Then who can be saved?”  27 Jesus looked at them and said, “For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.” 

Mark 10:28   Peter began to say to him, “Look, we have left everything and followed you.”  29 Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news,  30 who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life.  31 But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.” 

Questions for Personal Reflection from Steve Sweet

How do you define "being rich"?


How has your definition changed over the years?


Have you found that money can complicate life, if so, how?


If a friend asked you what they must do to inherit eternal life, what would you say to them?


Should a Christian desire to be rich?  Why or why not?

What is the most difficult thing for you to surrender to God?


What has Jesus been calling for you to surrender to God lately?

Why do we have such a difficult time understanding that everything that we own belongs to God?

Have you found for yourself that your expenses always have a way of filling your income?  Why does life work that way?

How does giving guard our faith from being choked out by worldly things?

If you could take a gigantic risk for Christ, and you were assured of its accomplishment, what would it be?

Prayer:

Loving Father,
so many times I turn away from you
and always you welcome me back.
It is your mercy, your example of humility,
your faithful love, your promise 
that you will never leave or forsake me
that gives me confidence to give, 
and to give, and to give some more.
Thank you for the invitation to share 
what you have given me stewardship over,
to fast during this season of Lent
from things that distract me from your love, 
and to pray so that you can form a new heart within me.
Your powerful compassion for my weaknesses
leads me to ask for mercy
and await with great hope 

the Easter joy you share with us.

Laguna Presbyterian Church, Sunday March 20, 2011
Photo by John Cullings

HELP MY UNBELIEF!

March 20, 2011, 2nd Sunday in Lent

The scripture reading is from Mark 9:14-32:

When they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and some scribes arguing with them. When the whole crowd saw him, they were immediately overcome with awe, and they ran forward to greet him.  He asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?”  Someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought you my son; he has a spirit that makes him unable to speak; and whenever it seizes him, it dashes him down; and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid; and I asked your disciples to cast it out, but they could not do so.”  He answered them, “You faithless generation, how much longer must I be among you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him to me.”  And they brought the boy to him. When the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth.  Jesus asked the father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood.  It has often cast him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if you are able to do anything, have pity on us and help us.”  Jesus said to him, “If you are able!—All things can be done for the one who believes.”  Immediately the father of the child cried out, “I believe; help my unbelief!”  When Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You spirit that keeps this boy from speaking and hearing, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again!” After crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.”  But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he was able to stand.  When he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?”  He said to them, “This kind can come out only through prayer.” 

They went on from there and passed through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know it;  for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again.” But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him. 

Questions for Personal Reflection from Jerry Tankersley

Can you remember a serious illness you had as a child? Or maybe a serious illness a sibling experienced? What happened?

Do you remember visiting the doctor’s office when you were a child and how you felt about it?

Did your parents teach you to pray any particular prayer?

Did you ever have a question about God that you could not answer?  What was the question?

Have you ever doubted the existence of God?  What caused you to doubt?

Have you asked God to answer a prayer and then experienced God’s answer?  Explain.

Is there a prayer you have made to God that still has not been answered in the way you asked? How has the lack of an answer impacted your faith worldview?

Prayer:

Good Shepherd of all, 

help me to hear your voice of assurance when I am lost and hopeless.

Let me find rest and safety in your presence.

Though I may be tempted to be full of fear and self-pity, 

though I may wish to run away from you, 
please never give up on me.
I believe, help my unbelief!  Amen.

- Prayer by Henri J. M. Nouwen, from the book, Lent and Easter, compiled by Judy Bauer.

LISTEN TO HIM!

March 13, 2011, 1st Sunday in Lent
The scripture reading is from Mark's Gospel, chapter 9, beginning at verse 2:

Mark 9:2  Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them.  And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus.  Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”  He did not know what to say, for they were terrified.  Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!”  Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus.

As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead could mean.

Questions for Personal Reflection from Jerry Tankersley

How many Facebook friends do you have?

Has one of your Facebook friends ever posted a personal message for you?

From whom would you like to receive a telephone call or a text message?

If you could hear one message at this moment In your life, what would it be?

Is there a message you do not desire to receive?

Out of all the people you have known who was the best listener?

If God were seeking to deliver a message to you, what would you hope that message might be?

Are you a  good listener?  What are the qualities of a good listener?

The heavenly Voice said to the three disciples, “Listen To Him!”  What did they need to hear?

Prayer:

Eternal God,

we confess that we do not expect and long for

the transforming power of your love

to work miracles in these hard hearts of ours.

Yet we secretly long for a rescue, an escape, a miracle,

to relieve us of the responsibilities and the challenges you set before us.  Healing Spirit, renew our confidence in your power

and in the power of love to change our lives,

and give us courage to be the fully responsible persons

Christ calls us to be. Amen.

Ash Wednesday, Day 1: "Cheers, Facebook and a Loaf of Bread"

Ash Wednesday Worship and Communion, 7pm

Begin your Lenten journey tonight!

The scripture reading is from Mark's Gospel, chapter 8 beginning at verse 14:

Mark 8:14   Now the disciples had forgotten to bring any bread; and they had only one loaf with them in the boat.  15 And he cautioned them, saying, “Watch out—beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.”  16 They said to one another, “It is because we have no bread.”  17 And becoming aware of it, Jesus said to them, “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened?  18 Do you have eyes, and fail to see? Do you have ears, and fail to hear? And do you not remember?  19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you collect?” They said to him, “Twelve.”  20 “And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you collect?” And they said to him, “Seven.”  21 Then he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?” 

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Questions for Personal Reflection from Steve Sweet

1) For what do you hunger and thirst?

2) How do you fill your need for for God and for community?

Prayer:  God of all seasons, in your pattern of things 

there is a time for keeping and a time for losing,
a time for building up and a time for pulling down.
In this season of Lent as I journey with you to the cross, 
help me to discern in my life
what I must lay down and what I must take up,
what I must end and what I must begin.
Give me grace to lead a disciplined life,
in glad faithfulness and with the joy that comes 
from walking face to face with you, Lord and Christ. Amen.