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A journey through Lent - 2016

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Day Thirty Three - The Call.

Carrying your cross Image

In our passage today, Peter makes the firm announcement that Jesus is the Messiah, the promised one of God.

Jesus' question, which leads to this affirmation, shows how the people of the time were reacting to Jesus. They thought that he might be a prophet - just another messenger from God.

However, Jesus is not simply a messenger, he is the message itself.

In the second half of our passage Jesus spends time explaining to the disciples and thus to us what it takes to follow him.

He is clear that there is a need to deny ourselves, even to the point of carrying our cross, daily.

These were difficult words for the disciples and still are for us today.

We live in a time where individuality, ego, self-promotion and any number of other self centric states are to be desired and pursued.

Jesus calls us instead to pursue the things of God. To give over control to him so that we might become like him.

It may be that we will suffer as a result, certainly the setting aside of our wants and desires can be painful.

I once had a friend who used to say "If I am happy, everyone around me should be happy" it doesn't work.

Finally a bold statement. It is probably true, that all of the problems of the world can be traced back to this human trait of refusing to deny oneself. Be that from Nations, leaders, politicians or individuals including ourselves.

The challenge comes today, are we ready to change the world by denying ourselves and taking up our crosses?

Bible Passage: - Luke 9:18-27 (NIV)

One day when Jesus was praying alone, the disciples came to him. "Who do the crowds say I am?" he asked them.

"Some say that you are John the Baptist," they answered. "Others say that you are Elijah, while others say that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life."

"What about you?" he asked them. "Who do you say I am?"

Peter answered, "You are God's Messiah."

Then Jesus gave them strict orders not to tell this to anyone. He also told them, "The Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the teachers of the Law. He will be put to death, but three days later he will be raised to life."

And he said to them all, "If you want to come with me, you must forget yourself, take up your cross every day, and follow me. For if you want to save your own life, you will lose it, but if you lose your life for my sake, you will save it. Will you gain anything if you win the whole world but are yourself lost or defeated? Of course not! If you are ashamed of me and of my teaching, then the Son of Man will be ashamed of you when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. I assure you that there are some here who will not die until they have seen the Kingdom of God."

Contemplation Saying.

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Contemplative Prayer.

Think of the saying in order to understand context and meaning,

Feel the meaning of the saying with and in your heart,

Pray, using the saying, for yourself or others. With only a name and without explaining the reasons or pre-defining any answers.

Listen for God's voice in the quiet of your prayers.

Pray using your own prayers or one of those which have been prepared below.

Hymn: Singing the Faith - "Trust and Obey"

Let us pray together.

Twitter Prayer

I believe that Jesus is the Son of the living God and that he died on the cross for me.

Facebook Prayer

Lord, it is a hard thing that you ask of us. To take up our crosses and follow you.

To face the possibility of pain and suffering.

Help me to see that in my discipleship, I draw near to you.

Help me know that, whatever comes, you are standing by my side. Ever present and loving Lord I rely on you.

For you are indeed the Messiah.

Amen.

Full Prayer

Ash Cross

Loving God, we thank you for Jesus, our Messiah.

We pray for the grace we need to boldly announce that he is the Messiah and that we long to follow him.

We place our lives into his hands, we pray he will shape us so that we are able to give of our very best in your service.

We confess we are weak and easily tempted away from your path. Help us to keep our eyes firmly fixed on you.

In Jesus' mame we pray, Amen.

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May we speak your name in the quiet of our hearts.
May we cry your name from the centre of our very being.
May we shout your name from the rooftops of our lives.
May our knowledge of you be so very deep.
May there be no doubt in our minds.
May we declare in utter confidence that you are the Messiah.
The chosen one come to lead us your people to our heavenly home.

Amen.

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Lord, it is a hard thing that you ask of us.

To take up our crosses and follow you.

To face the possibility of pain and suffering.

Help me to see that in my service I draw near to you.

Help me know that whatever comes you are standing by my side.

Ever present and loving Lord I rely on you.

For you are indeed the Messiah.

Amen.

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God our Father, I rely on your mercy. I believe that Jesus is the Son of the living God and that he died on the cross for me.

I know that without you in my heart my life is empty.

I believe in my heart that he rose from the dead.

I pray for your forgiveness for the things I have done wrong.

I come to you for you are my Lord and Saviour.

I give you my life and ask you to take full control of it.

In the name of Jesus I offer this prayer. Amen.