2 nd Sunday in Lent Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16 Mark 8:31-38
Slide 2
2 nd Sunday in Lent 1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old,
Yahweh appeared to Abram, and said to him, "I am God Almighty; walk
before me, and be blameless. 2 And I will make my covenant between
me and you, and will make you exceedingly numerous. 3 Then Abram
fell on his face; and God said to him, 4 "As for me, this is my
covenant with you: You shall be the ancestor of a multitude of
nations. 5 No longer shall your name be Abram, but your name shall
be Abraham; for I have made you the ancestor of a multitude of
nations. 6 I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make
nations of you, and kings shall come from you. 7 I will establish
my covenant between me and you, and your offspring after you
throughout their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be
God to you and to your offspring after you.
Slide 3
2 nd Sunday in Lent 15 God said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your
wife, you shall not call her Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. 16
I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. I will
bless her, and she shall give rise to nations; kings of peoples
shall come from her."
Slide 4
Genesis 17:1-7, [gap] 15-16 Walk before me; be blameless. V. 1
I will make a covenant between me and you; and make you exceedingly
numerous (Gods good news for Abrahams bad situation) v. 2 You will
be the ancestor of a multitude of nations v. 4 Mywg Nwmh b)l Mhrb)
Abram becomes Abraham to mark his new status v. 5 Exceedingly
fruitful, nations from you, and kings v. 6
Slide 5
Filling the gap: The God Promise Everlasting covenant with you
and your offspring v. 7 I will be God to you and to your offspring
v. 7 The land as a perpetual holding v. 8 The Exodus from Egypt
Exod 6:6-7 Gods dwelling in the tabernacle Exod 29:43-44 The gospel
is Gods good news for our bad situations Every male to be
circumciseda sign of the covenant vv. 9-11 Includes the slave born
in your house And the slave bought from a foreigner vv. 12-13 Sarai
becomes Sarah to mark her new status v. 15 A child Nations Kings
and queens of peoples shall come from her v. 16
Slide 6
Life after the covenant promise Can a 100 year old man and a 90
year old woman have a child? V. 17 Yes! I will establish an
everlasting covenant with Isaac and his offspring v. 19, 21 Oh,
that Ishmael might live in your sight v. 18 I will bless Ishmael
and make him fruitful and exceedingly numerous v. 20 Father of
twelve princes Great nation
Slide 7
Mark 8:27-30 Caesarea Philippi Who am I? What do people say?
John the Baptist Elijah One of the prophets You are the
Messiah/Christ! A rebuke ( )Dont tell anyone! Inappropriate time
They dont understand the mission
Slide 8
Mark 8:31-38 It is necessary () for the Son of Humanity to
suffer, be rejected by the religious leaders, be killed, and rise.
V. 31 Redefining Christ. See also 9:30-50; 10:32-45. Peter began to
rebuke him ( )v. 32 So Jesus rebuked Peter ( ): Get behind me,
Satan You are setting your mind not on divine things but on human
things . V. 33 human things = assertion of power, salvation without
the cross
Slide 9
A double message Jesus is the messiah, but His destiny is to
die.
Slide 10
Not setting ones mind on divine things Can a man at 100 and a
women at 90 have a child? Oh that Ishmael might live in your sight!
A child via Hagar ch 16 Passing ones wife off as ones sister ch 12
and 20 Going the way of the cross How does this translate into our
own lives and into the lives of those who hear us?
Slide 11
Gethsemane 35 And going a little farther, he threw himself on
the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might
pass from him. 36 He said, "Abba, Father, for you all things are
possible; remove this cup from me; yet, not what I want, but what
you want." (Mark 14:35-36 ) Prayer is an opening up of ourselves to
what God wills, not an exercise in forcing God to do our will.
Slide 12
Discipleshipnot for apostles only 1. Deny oneself 2. Take up
the crosshow do we understand or preach this? Mark wrote to
followers who faced persecution. 3. Follow v. 34 Those who want to
save their lives lose them Those who lose their life for my sake or
the sake of the gospel will save it v. 35 Might gain the whole
world but forfeit their life v. 36 Those who are ashamed of me and
my words, of them the Son of Humanity will also be ashamed v.
38
Slide 13
Consequences for readers of the Passion predictions If anyone
wants to be most important, that person will be least of all and
servant of all. 9:35 Whoever wants to be great among you will be
your servant, and whoever wants to be most important will be
everyones slave. 10:43-45
Slide 14
Life in the wake of the everlasting covenant The arrival of the
power of the kingdom in the person of Jesus awakens faith and makes
faith possible. When all the characters in the story have failed to
proclaim the good news about Jesus, the readers of the Gospel of
Mark themselves will complete the Gospel by proclaiming with
courage. In Jesus absence, they will live as Jesus lived, with
faith and courage, until Jesus returns.
Slide 15
Living and Dying for others Jesus courage to live for others in
the face of his coming execution liberates others from the grip of
self-preservation in order that they too might live for others,
even in the face of loss or persecution. Story from a Nazi
concentration camp (Rhoads, The Challenge of Diversity, 73-74)
Slide 16
People are self-oriented and self- serving Save their lives
(8:35), acquire the world (8:36); be great (9:35); lord it over
others (10:42-44) In their fearful quest to acquire power and
status, the disciples harm others and generate dissension. The
disciples have bought into the values of the culture.
