Sunday 25th February 2024
You are welcome to worship in person this Sunday at 10.15am. Hand sanitizer and masks are available if you would like to use them.
We are also live streaming of our services. The service can be seen each Sunday morning commencing at 10.15am. Here is the link to our YouTube channel to access the live streaming: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHEm1fJeADpcP6gO1BsBKcg
Mark 8:31-38 / Simon Peter: It Feels Like Dad Strength
In today’s reading from the Bible, Jesus was straightforward about what lay ahead for him in Jerusalem. He explained that suffering, rejection, death, and resurrection were all part of his future. He wanted his followers to understand this message clearly, so he repeated it multiple times in Mark 9:30-32 and Mark 10:32-34. Even though he explained it, his disciples only fully grasped the significance after these events actually happened.
The reason his disciples struggled to understand was that the idea of a suffering Messiah contradicted their experiences with Jesus so far. They had seen large crowds drawn to Jesus because he not only spoke truth and hope but also performed miracles like feeding the hungry and healing the sick – things they associated with the Messiah.
In the final verses of our reading (vs 34-38), Jesus outlines the prerequisites for true discipleship. The first is self-denial, and the second is willingly facing challenges (taking up one’s cross). These requirements go beyond simply avoiding wrongdoing; they involve surrendering one’s life in submission to the strength of one’s Heavenly Father.
Willingly taking up the cross signifies a deep trust in the Father’s strength to bring new life after death. It’s not just about enduring life’s irritations; it’s about embracing a metaphorical death. Taking up the cross daily means letting go of a self-centred life lived in one’s own strength in exchange for a new life lived in the power of the Heavenly Father. This kind of life leads to glory, and it’s a strength and power that followers of Jesus will remember and celebrate for eternity. IL-WOONG.
Our Mission is to
Connect with people in Jesus;
Build each other up in faith; and to
Become Like Jesus.