Scripture Mark 1:17-31

Mark: As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him,
Sunnie: “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: “You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honor your father and mother.’ ”
Mark: The man said, “Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.” Jesus, looking at him,
loved him
and said,

Sunnie: “You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”
Mark: When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions. Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples,
Sunnie: “How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!”
Mark: And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again,
Sunnie: “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
Mark: They were greatly astounded and said to one another, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said,
Sunnie: “For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.”
Mark: Peter began to say to him, “Look, we have left everything and followed you.” Jesus said,
Sunnie: “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”

Sermon: Noble Heart

To download: 180826_0849 

Prayer:

Lord, when you hold us and we feel loved, we feel safe like a town nestled in a valley. You calm our fears when the night winds blow and strengthen our resolve when bullies blow hard in the day. We look out at the world and see the beauty you  created. Our hearts fill with gratitude. 

We look in ward and marvel at our own workings. How the blood gathers nutrients and oxygen to move them and deliver them where they need to go. Our hearts taking what they need move the rest of life giving blood to all our parts. We are fearfully and wonderfully made; made by you. It’s why we call you God. 

Our imaginations fill our hearts with emotions: love, gratitude, wonder, anger, jealousy, and fear. Our hearts overflow – and break – and turn to stone. Our hearts we give to you, O God and Lord and Creator and Sustainer. Our hearts move life and hold our emotions – and we give our hearts to you. Again and again. We place them in your hands; to warm, to soften, to love and cherish, and to gently mold them into a Noble heart – willing and righteous and holy. Make in us a Noble heart that distributes life and love to all. 

Lord, hear our prayer. 

Amen.