Listen to Readings and Sermon Let us… approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Audio readings and sermon (http://sunshinecathedral.org/sermons/audio/20091018_6.mp3)
Listen to Readings and Sermon
Let us… approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Audio readings and sermon (http://sunshinecathedral.org/sermons/audio/20091018_6.mp3)
YAHOO.util.Event.onDOMReady(function() { YAHOO.sunshine.setBtn(“20091018_2″); }); Listen to Readings and Sermon The Good News Written The Light of the Tao te Ching “The Master never reaches for the great; thus she achieves greatness. When she runs into a difficulty, she stops and gives herself to it. She doesn’t cling to her own comfort; thus problems are no [...]
Listen to Readings and Sermon
The Good News Written
The Light of the Tao te Ching
“The Master never reaches for the great; thus she achieves greatness. When she runs into a difficulty, she stops and gives herself to it. She doesn’t cling to her own comfort; thus problems are no problem for her.”
Mark 10.42-45 (The Inclusive Bible, PFE)
“Jesus [called his disciples] together and said, ‘You know how among the Gentiles those who exercise authority are domineering and arrogant; those great ones know how to make their own importance felt. But it can’t be like that with you. Anyone among you who aspires to greatness must serve the rest; whoever wants to rank first among you must serve the needs of all. The Promised One has come not to be served, but to serve…’ ”
The Good News Proclaimed
Preached by the Reverend Michael A. Diaz in the second service at the Sunshine Cathedral on Sunday, October 18, 2009.
In Mark 10.35-37, James and John discreetly approach Jesus and pull him aside for a private, pastoral conversation (Private because they don’t want the other disciples to know about their hidden agenda and pastoral because they themselves need to be assured that they’re not part of Jesus’ movement for nothing — they want their share of the coming kingdom). “We want you to do us a favor,” they ask Jesus. “In your glorious kingdom, we want to sit in places of honor next to you Jesus, one at your right and the other at your left.” Now, to many of us this may not seem like an unreasonable request. After all, James and John have putting in the work, canvassing and organizing all over Galilee trying to help Jesus expand his movement of justice and good news. Doesn’t all this hard work deserve a great reward? They have been putting their lives at risk by encouraging non-violent resistance of Rome and the powerful social structure that was keeping all its subjects in fear. They’ve sown some good seeds and simply want to reap a good harvest, right? James and John were doing all that Jesus had asked them to do and all their hard work was beginning to pay off. Common people were beginning to experience healing and wholeness in their lives. James and John were doing a good job. We would call them ambitious, go-getters, and upper-management material. Everything they put their hands to, it prospered. The consciousness of people they touched was expanding to the point where their stagnant faith began to move from a dreadful state of pessimism to a hopeful outlook of optimism. James and John knew this and saw that this movement of theirs was sparking revival and was soon to overtake society like never before. It had the potential to topple the oppressive Roman Empire and when it did, they wanted their share. They wanted Jesus to do them a favor. They didn’t want to be King or President of this new Kingdom and possibly infringe on Jesus’ role. No, they just wanted to be Vice-Presidents.
Well, like many supposed confidential conversations today, their private discussion with Jesus is soon leaked to the press. And when the other disciples hear about the alleged power-grab, they are immediately infuriated, indignant that James and John would shamelessly jockey for future leadership positions. Jesus then diffuses the problematic situation by turning it into an opportunity to explain how true leaders serve the needs of all, not just one’s own need for importance. Continue reading »
YAHOO.util.Event.onDOMReady(function() { YAHOO.sunshine.setBtn(“20091018_1″); }); Listen to Readings and Sermon The Good News Written The Light of the Tao te Ching “The Master never reaches for the great; thus she achieves greatness. When she runs into a difficulty, she stops and gives herself to it. She doesn’t cling to her own comfort; thus problems are no [...]
Listen to Readings and Sermon
The Good News Written
The Light of the Tao te Ching
“The Master never reaches for the great; thus she achieves greatness. When she runs into a difficulty, she stops and gives herself to it. She doesn’t cling to her own comfort; thus problems are no problem for her.”
Mark 10.42-45 (The Inclusive Bible, PFE)
“Jesus [called his disciples] together and said, ‘You know how among the Gentiles those who exercise authority are domineering and arrogant; those great ones know how to make their own importance felt. But it can’t be like that with you. Anyone among you who aspires to greatness must serve the rest; whoever wants to rank first among you must serve the needs of all. The Promised One has come not to be served, but to serve…’ ”
The Good News Proclaimed
Preached by the Reverend Robert L. Griffin at the Sunshine Cathedral in the first service on Sunday, October 18, 2009.
Our gospel reading today places us at the end of a conversation that Jesus was having with his disciples.
Jesus and his disciples are on the road on their way to Jerusalem. The road is crowded with folks all making their way up to the city for Passover; en-route, Jesus tells his disciples what he expects will happen to him once they arrive in Jerusalem.
Mark tells us in chapter 10:33 that Jesus is quoted as having said; “We are going up to Jerusalem, and there I will be will be handed over and condemned to death.” Despite knowing what Jesus had told them, Jesus’ disciples and others followed along anyway. Three times Jesus explained that he was going to suffer many things, and be killed and on each telling they failed to understand what he was saying to them. Continue reading »
