Good Morning,
Welcome to your online worship from St. Mark’s for Sunday, September 22, 2024 as we continue through the Season of Creation.
In my sermon for this Sunday, we explore Jesus’ teaching from Mark 9:30-37, where Jesus challenges our ideas of power and greatness. Using the example of a child, Jesus calls us to embrace humility, serve others, and live by the values of God’s Kingdom.
Prayer for the Beauty of Creation
Loving God, Creator of all, we thank you for the beauty of Creation; show us, we pray, how to respect the fragile balance of life. Guide by your wisdom those who have power to care for or to destroy the environment, that by the decisions we make, life may be cherished and a good and fruitful earth be preserved for future generations; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Today’s Opening Sentence
God has called us through the gospel, so that we may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. – Thessalonians 2.14
Today’s Reading – Mark 9:30-37
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.
Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the way?” But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest. He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.”1
Your Online Message and Prayers
Click on the above image to view our online worship on YouTube.
Reflection questions for the week:
- What does true greatness look like in the Kingdom of God, and how does it differ from the way society often defines greatness?
- How does welcoming the vulnerable, like the child in Jesus’ teaching, challenge our usual ways of thinking about power and importance?
- In what ways does humility play a crucial role in our relationship with God and others, and how can we embrace it more in our daily lives?
- Where might you need to let go of pride and rely more fully on God’s grace and love, trusting in God’s care for your life?
A continued reminder that if you are at all uncomfortable being in-person for worship, or if you are not feeling well, please join us here online.
Thank you again for joining with your parish family in our online worship today.
Find out how you can support our ministry and good work in the community here.
God Bless you and have a blessed week. Be well!
Peace,
The Rev’d Canon Rob Park
- Scripture quotation is from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.