Pause; Ask; Listen (Week 2: Vision)

 

Introduction

This Lent, we are joining forces with our friends at First United Methodist Church, Wadesboro, Calvary Episcopal Church, and First Baptist Church, Wadesboro to offer each congregation's unique perspective on the same overarching theme.  That theme is: Pause; Ask; Listen.  As part of this theme, we here at First Presbyterian are offering up a weekly opportunity to pause what we are doing to read a piece of scripture, ask a questions or two relating to our daily lives, and listen for the voice of the Holy Spirit as a piece of music plays.

This week's reading comes from Mark 8, in which Jesus tells us to ignore the temptation to focus on human things and instead focus on the divine vision he shows us.

There are two question/music options listed after the scripture below.  We invite you to try one or both of them.

Scripture

Mark 8:31-38

Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes and be killed and after three days rise again. ³² He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. ³³ But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”

³⁴ He called the crowd with his disciples and said to them, “If any wish to come after me, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. ³⁵ For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. ³⁶ For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? ³⁷ Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? ³⁸ Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”  (NRSVUE)

 

Option 1

Where are my eyes fixed more on human things than divine things?

Option 2

What divine vision does Christ have for me?