NEWS FROM SANCTUARY –

Attendance: 91  Kids: 6 Offering: $4,500+

This Friday 3/7: SCARED TO DEATH, starring Bella Lugosi in his only color film. Yes, a true B or perhaps B- horror film. 7-9pm at the GREEN BEAN COFFEE HOUSE – schlocky-rock concert lead in. It's FREE. Don't miss it!

Looking for a small group experience: Well, we can hook you up. Short Term group on WORSHIP meets next Sunday 3/9 immediately following morning worship. And, if you are looking for an ongoing men's, women's, couples or mixed small group contact Summer Mohrlang – smohrlang@sanctuarycrc.org.

NOW serving DELICIOUS soups, quiche and Panini Sandwiches @ THE GREEN BEAN … stop by for lunch….or coffee or some of our great baked goods.

REFLCTIONS – on Mark 8:27-9:1 (ESV) Who? and Why? And What?

²⁷ And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that I am?" ²⁸ And they told him, "John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets." ²⁹ And he asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered him, "You are the Christ." ³⁰ And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him. ³¹ And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. ³² And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. ³³ But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man." ³⁴ And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. ³⁵ For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. ³⁶ For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? ³⁷ For what can a man give in return for his soul? ³⁸ For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels." ¹ And he said to them, "Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power."

Jesus' First Question: Who do people say that I am? Because many Palestinian Jews believed that prophets in the Old Testament sense had ceased, ranking Jesus among the prophets would have been radical—but it was not radical enough to grasp his true identity.( IVP Background Commentary). One might also have expected one of the answers to be that Jesus was some kind of liberator since Israel had been occupied by foreign oppressors for centuries.

Jesus' Second question: BUT…who do you say I am? The Greek form of this sentence is an emphatic second person…literally translated, it would read something like "You. You, what do you say?" Peter Answers a lot like this kid who comes to Story Time at the Green Bean Coffee House each Tuesday. She is very precocious and no matter what you ask or say or who you direct a question toward this little girl is always first to speak. Peter's famous confession of course: You are the Christ. Peter speaks the truth and he does so for himself and the group. Peter is fast on his feet, vocal…and in this particular instance, correct – uh…for the moment.

Jesus counters in a way that seems problematic: And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him. ³¹ And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. ³² And he said this plainly. Why keep Jesus' identity about which he just inquired a secret? One commentary summarizes well what the majority of students of this text and other occurrences of what we call "the Messianic Secret". (International Greek Testament Commentary) The popular enthusiasm for Jesus, and the hope that he might be persuaded to take a more political role as the leader of a Jewish uprising would mean that messianic language could be seriously misunderstood on the part of both friends and enemies. In view of what Jesus is about to reveal concerning his real mission in v. 31 there could hardly be a more unfortunate misunderstanding, or one more calculated to derail his enterprise as it approaches its decisive phase in the journey towards Jerusalem. So language about Jesus as ὁ Χριστός is forbidden.

Why choose this time to predict his death on the cross that looms down the road in Jerusalem? There are couple of possible interpretations #1 – he wanted to link obedience to the will of God up to and including death as a mark of discipleship…of faithfulness. #2 – His "foretelling" at least announces his wisdom about the religious leaders of Jerusalem, but even more likely points to his ability as God Incarnate to know what lies ahead and accept that as the plan of God.

Peter, always one to assert himself, jumps in again: And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. It may be okay to confront God…and to express onesself, so long as onesself is prepared to be put in one's place…Now Jesus launches back: "Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man." Jesus probably uses hyperbole to make the point: Peter is just like Satan in preferring the worldly to the divine.   Calling Peter by the name of the ultimate tempter and accuser underlines the seriousness of his failure as a disciple at this point.(IVP Background). When Jesus begins to teach them that He is the Son of Man who must suffer many things, Peter switches from confessor to counselor. Acting as a condescending friend, he takes Jesus aside and begins to set Him straight on what it means to be the Christ. Like us, Peter can accept only the immediate and positive side of truth. The proper position of a disciple is "behind" his master, "following" him; "get behind me" may call Peter back to his rightful position of subservience. In Greek circles a person could be reproached for thinking in human rather than divine terms.

Jesus then spins the issue of his identity, his death, and what it means to follow God in radical obedience rather than follow human wisdom and survival instincts: "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. ³⁵ For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. ³⁶ For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? ³⁷ For what can a man give in return for his soul?

The SUPREMECY OF CHRIST…THE SECONDARY NATURE OF ALL ELSE. Easter is coming. The cross lies ahead. Jesus bids us to join him in absolute abandonment to the will of God.  Following and losing is a WIN: the reward is experiencing the eternal here and now……."Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power."

Seeing the Kingdom come with power in OUR LIFE TIME. RECOGNIZE THAT THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AMONG US EMERGING AND WAITING TO FULLER EMERGE FROM WITHIN AND AMONG US HERE AND IN OTHER COMMUNITIES OF FAITH IN SEATTLE AND ELSEWHERE. A holistic worship/glorification God through Jesus: Body, Soul, Mind, Will. Radical Followership of the KING in HIS KINGDOM. Time, talents, treasures. Who do YOU SAY JESUS IS? If you say, THE CHRIST…IF we say THE CHRIST….then we heed the call: If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.  ³⁵ For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it.

PRAYERS –

We pray Jesus, for healing for a young couple whose pregnancy may be threatened.

God, we lift up our dear Brother, Don Black, to you. Thank you for sparing him and bringing him through a serious heart attack. We pray for complete recovery.

Lord, we pray for the work of Classis Pacific Northwest of the CRC as they meet this week to pray and discern God's will for the church in this region on many matters.

Spirit, guide us all as citizens of our country and our cities. Help us to be informed and involved in elections and actions that work toward the common good.

Lord, we pray for all those struggling with the issues of aging and/or aging parents.

God bless one and all, and do make sure to go out there and make it a great week!

Much Love,

Dr. Randy L. Rowland

2854 NW 59th Street

Seattle, WA  98107

USA

206.953.0909

www.sanctuarycrc.org