Sermon Video: Ashamed of Jesus? - Mark 8:38

 Can you demonstrate that you're not ashamed of Jesus by sharing a meme on social media or putting a bumper sticker on your car?  No, the hard truth of the matter is that allegiance to Jesus Christ needs to go much, much deeper.  If we are unashamed of Jesus and his teachings we not only repeat them (without changing them) but LIVE them.  We begin to think, feel, talk, and act like Jesus, to imitate him.  Unfortunately, for millions of self-professed Christians, the only difference between their lives and those of their unbelieving neighbors or friends are surface issues.  Wearing the 'team colors' so to speak, but not denying materialism, embracing sexual purity, or living a life of self-sacrificial service to others.  Ashamed of Jesus?  It isn't your Facebook feed that answers that question, but the life you're living.

Sermon Video: What is your soul worth? - Mark 8:36-37

 The human soul is unique, there's only one of mine, and one of yours. The rarity of each is not its only reason for value, that is validated by the price which God was willing to pay to redeem them: the vicarious death of Jesus Christ. Both of the following are true: trading one's soul for anything in creation (including wealth, fame, and power) is a fool's bargain, and there is nothing that we can (ourselves) do in exchange for our souls. Thankfully, because God is gracious and loving, a solution already exists. What mankind cannot do, God has done. What rebellion wrecked, the Son of God's obedience has remedied.

Sermon Video: Take up your Cross and follow Jesus - Mark 8:34-35

 What does it take to be a follower of Jesus? The blessings are well known, but what about the cost? Salvation is free, 100%, but discipleship is costly. To be a follower of Jesus is to embark on a path of self-denial (not asceticism, but submission to the lordship of God, to his will), to take up your own cross of self-sacrificial service to others, and to follow after Jesus. Jesus went wherever he could help people, wherever he could make a difference, and he gave them what he had: truth, compassion, and love. We must do likewise.

Sermon Video: Mark 8:22-33 - Can you see Jesus clearly?

 After healing a blind man, enabling him to see clearly, Jesus asks his disciples who others believe him to be? That easy question answered, he asked the tought one, "Who do you say I am?" Peter answers correctly, "You are the Messiah." Peter's answer demonstrates that the Light of Jesus can be seen even though humanity is living in darkness. With God's help, Jesus can be seen clearly. Unfortunately, the text continues and reminds us of the difficulty of the task by showing that Peter's next answer was dismal. After Jesus tells his disciples that he must soon suffer and die (before being raised to life), Peter rebukes him and tells Jesus that he doesn't see his own future clearly. Jesus strongly rebukes Peter, showing that an impartial view of Jesus isn't good enough. We can't just have Jesus at Christmas, we need Good Friday and Easter too. Jesus didn't just come to heal and to teach, although both of those were very important, but to save humanity from sin and death. In order to fulfill this role given to him by the Father, Jesus had to die on the Cross as the Lamb of God. When we see this fulness of Jesus and his mission, we see him clearly.

Sermon Video: When we exasperate God - Mark 8:1-21

 God gets frustrated with human beings. That shouldn't be surprising given what people say and do. After a second miraculous feeding of a large crowd, Jesus becomes frustrated with the self-righteous pride of the Pharisees who demanded a new 'sign', and of the hard-hearted blindness of his own disciples who didn't see the spiritual lesson he was attempting to impart to them. What is the solution? Letting go of self-righteousness would be a smart place to start, secondarily, we must do what Jesus did for his disciples when they erred: refocus on the kindnesses and power of God.