Follow the way of the cross – A sermon for a Wizard of Oz Lent on Mark 8:27-38

Part of the Wizard of Oz in Lent series. A worship video of this sermon appears at the bottom of the post.

Mark 8:27-38

Peter is not on board with this new revelation from Jesus. For the first time in his ministry Jesus is telling his disciples what he knows is the inevitable end he will meet. The miracles he has performed, the people he has touched, and even more importantly the good news he has proclaimed and the authority with which he has proclaimed it, is disturbing the usual order of things and that is only going to intensify.  Those who are comfortable with their position in the community are finding their comfort and power challenged.  Those who are used to setting the rules are finding their rules critiqued. Those who are used to interpreting the law of God are hearing new interpretations. And they don’t really like it.

Photo by Akshay Nanavati on Unsplash

Jesus is preaching a good news about a new kingdom and those who are doing just fine in the current kingdom aren’t too enamored with this idea. Jesus knows it, and he knows how far they will go to get him to stop – all the way to death on a cross. 

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A Cross-shaped Life: a sermon on Matthew 16:21-28

Sometimes when I’m leading a new Bible study I’ll start with some variation on a game I like to call “Shakespeare or Scripture?” Let’s play a little bit of it now.

shakespeare-bible

You can find an on-line quiz with these examples and more at Oxford Dictionaries

  • “Tell truth, and shame the devil” – King Henry IV
  • “Every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge” – Jeremiah 31:30
  • “Condemn the fault, and not the actor of it?” – Measure for Measure
  • “Put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite.” – Proverbs 23:2
  • “Let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we shall die” – Isaiah 22:13

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