Liturgy for the 21st Sunday after Pentecost, Year B (Mark)
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Passages for the Day
• Job 23:1-9, 16-17 In this passage, Job expresses his deep anguish and desire to find God, but feels that God is unreachable despite his efforts. He longs to present his case before God, confident in his righteousness, yet is overwhelmed by fear and dread at God’s overwhelming power.
• Psalm 22:1-15 The psalmist cries out in despair, feeling abandoned by God. Despite their intense suffering and scorn from others, they continue to trust in God, recalling the Lord’s past faithfulness. What a mixture - feeling forsaken, yet clinging to hope in God’s deliverance.
• Hebrews 4:12-16 This passage highlights the power of God’s word, which can penetrate the deepest parts of the soul and reveal all truths. It also emphasizes Jesus as the great high priest who empathizes with human weaknesses, encouraging believers to confidently approach God’s throne of grace for mercy and help in times of need.
• Mark 10:17-31 Jesus encounters a rich man who seeks eternal life, but is challenged by Jesus to give up his wealth and follow him. When the man leaves sorrowfully, Jesus teaches about the difficulty for the wealthy to enter God’s kingdom, emphasizing that salvation is possible only through God’s power. He assures His disciples that those who sacrifice for the sake of the gospel will be greatly rewarded.
Overlapping Themes
• Human struggle and despair: Both Job and the psalmist express feelings of abandonment, suffering, and a deep longing to connect with God, yet they struggle to find God or feel the Lord’s presence. This theme reflects the emotional and spiritual difficulty of navigating faith in times of hardship.
• Trust and perseverance in faith: Despite their suffering, both Job and the psalmist continue to express a desire for God’s justice and faithfulness. Hebrews 4 also encourages believers to trust in God’s mercy and approach God with confidence, knowing that Jesus understands human weakness.
• The challenge of discipleship and sacrifice: In Mark 10, Jesus calls for complete surrender and self-sacrifice, particularly in the form of giving up wealth. This connects to the idea of persevering in faith amidst struggle and the high cost of following God, as seen in the personal anguish of Job and the rich man’s reluctance to give up his possessions.
Preaching Ideas
1. “When God Feels Distant: Persevering in Faith” (Job 23:1-9, 16-17; Psalm 22:1-15)
Focus on the theme of spiritual desolation and the feeling of abandonment by God. Highlight how both Job and the psalmist wrestled with the absence of God’s presence but still maintained their faith. I am mindful of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, praying the prayer of relinquishment and his willingness to do the will of God, though powerfully painful.
2. “The Cost of Following Christ” (Mark 10:17-31)
Preach on the rich man’s encounter with Jesus and the challenge of letting go of worldly wealth. The tone of the passage must be announced - Jesus looked at the young man and loved him. He’s not out to overburden him. The sermon can focus on how true discipleship often requires significant sacrifices and the reward that awaits those who commit wholeheartedly to following Jesus.
3. “The Rich Young Ruler Asks, ‘What Must I Do to Inherit Eternal Life’” (Mark 10:17-31)
The sermon is here. In this sermon, I try to blend empathy and conviction, as I try to get the congregation to see themselves in this story of the rich young ruler. There is a tension we all feel between ambition, success, and spiritual fulfillment. We all need to heed Jesus’ call to confront the attachments that impede our fuller faithfulness.
Call to Worship
One: Come, all who feel the weight of silence, who seek God but wonder if the Lord hears.
All: We come, longing for God's presence, listening for that loving voice.
One: When God feels distant, we are not abandoned. He is near to the brokenhearted and listens to our cries.
All: We come with hope, trusting in God’s faithfulness, even when we cannot see.
One: Let us draw near to the One who holds us in our waiting, the God who promises to never leave nor forsake us.
All: We come to worship the God of mercy and grace, who meets us in the silence and is with us in the storm.
Prayer of Confession
Gracious and loving God, we confess that in moments of doubt and despair, we have questioned your presence. When life feels overwhelming, it's hard to do what we know is best for us. We have sought comfort in things that are bad for us in the long term. Forgive our impatience, fear, and failure to lean into you in times of need. Restore our hearts, renew our faith, and increase our readiness to trust in you, so that we may walk in your light and trust in your love.
One: Lord may your name be glorified in us and through us. We ask this through Christ Jesus, your only begotten son. It is he who is our Lord and our Savior, our brother and our friend. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon
“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”(Hebrews 4:16)
Friends, this is the good news!
All: Thanks be to God!
Prayer of Illumination
Gracious God, we pray for our minister as he preaches. He has prepared in hope; let him preach with conviction. As you have guided him in study, grace him in delivery that your Word may go out and your good news be heard. Be with us as we hear. Give us ready hearts to hear and obey. Amen.
Prayer of Dedication
God, you are our Creator and Lord. All we are and have belongs to you. You have abundantly given to us, so we give of what we have so that others may be helped. May your name alone be glorified in the fruit of our labors together. Amen.
