Lent 2 B (February 25): Discipleship/What's in a Name?!

Bible readings: Genesis 17:1-7,15-16, Psalm 22:23-31, Romans 4:13-25, Mark 8:31-38

About the images:

Upper Left: A smoky sunset Lake Tyers Beach (http://www.caravanparkphotos.com.au/lake_tyers_camp/index.htm). Looking out across an empty ocean is a good reminder that discipleship does not always have a perceived outcome. We must faithfully step out not always knowing what is to come or where we will end up. It is my photo so please feel free to use it for worship and related activities.

Upper Right: I just love this verse. The image is from Microsoft free clipart.

Middle Left: Another beach scene from the same area as the one above it but on a misty morning (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninety_Mile_Beach,_Victoria). The quote is from the Edge of the World song below. This is my photo so please feel free to use it for worship and related activities.

Middle Right: Another line from the song below - this time the photo has been taken from behind a small waterfall in Morton National Park near Kangaroo Valley in New South Wales (http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/Morton-National-Park). This is my photo so please feel free to use it for worship and related activities.

Lower Left: Another edge of the world image.  This one is taken from the West Coast Wilderness rack and pinion railway in Tasmania of the King River Gorge (http://www.wcwr.com.au). This is my photo so please feel free to use it for worship and related activities.

Lower Right: This is another free image from the excellent Heartlight site - see my link column at left.

Bottom Left: Another fantastic free image from Cerezo Barredo. 

Listening Song: Let Every Breath 
by Jars of Clay.  This goes very well with the Psalm. 

Listening Song: Edge of the World

On Beyond These Shores by Iona, 1993 (pictured at left) The cover insert has some good info on St Brendon, who sailed away across the sea trusting that God would lead him into new places. This song is about discipleship.

Story: The Chicken and the Pig

Found in Hot Illustrations for Youth Talks by Wayne Rice (ed.) Youth Specialities, 1994, ISBN 0310402611, page 63 (pictured at right). This story illustrates the cost of true discipleship.

Story: Life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Go to http://www.dbonhoeffer.org/node/3 to find an amazing story of discipleship.

Story: Life of St Brendan
See http://www.heritage.nf.ca/exploration/brendan.html and http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintb21.htm for more info on St Brendan.

Discussion Questions:
What scares you most about being a disciple?
What are the characteristics of a disciple?

Useful Quote: 
"Christians in the west have largely neglected what it means to be a disciple of Christ. The vast majority of Western Christians are church members, pew fillers, hymn singers, sermon tasters, Bible readers, even born again believers or spirit filled charismatics - but not true disciples of Jesus". Found in Discipleship by David Watson, Hodder and Stoughton, 1981, ISBN 0340265728, page 16 (pictured at left).

Another Useful Quote:

"For countless Christians in the West 'Discipleship' means little more than going to church regularly, giving a proportion of one's income -usually at best one tenth and often below that figure - and getting involved in a limited number of church activities". Also found in Discipleship by David Watson.

N.B. A BIG thank you to Karen from California for replacing my lost copy of this book :)

Poem/Prayer: When I Became a Christian

Found in Cleaning Away the Rubbish by Adrian Plass, Minstral, 1988, ISBN 1854240250, page 173 (pictured at right). A great modern poem about discipleship. 

Poem/Prayer: St Brendan's Prayer 
Found at http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/stb21001.htm

Opening and Closing Responses for Lent

By Ruth Burgess and Chris Polhill in Eggs and Ashes, Wild Goose Publications, 2004, page 77-79 (pictured at left) - two to choose from - the second one is a great blessing.

Also:

Response Activity: The Good Fight

From Bringing the Word to Life Together Year B by Andrew Collis and Dorothy McRae-McMahon, Mediacom, 2011, ISBN 9781921945038, page 51ff (pictured at left). This activity is based on the gospel reading.

Poem and prayer: get back.

Found in Dad and Daughter by Ron Gordon and Jennie Gordon, 2012, ISBN 9780646586601, page 83 (pictured at right). These are based on the gospel reading.

Lots of Useful Stuff

Found in The Abingdon Creative Preaching Annual 2015 by Jenee Woodard (Ed.), Abingdon Press, Nashville, 2014, page 38ff (pictured at left). These ideas are based on all of the readings. 

Meditation: Bearing the Cross II

Found in Meditations from the Iona Community by Ian Reid, Wild Goose Publications, Trowbridge, 1998, ISBN 1901557022, page 92 (pictured at right). This goes well with the gospel reading.

Taize Service: Losing  Your Life

Found in Worship Feast by Taize, Abingdon Press, 2004 (pictured at left). This is based on the Mark reading.

Worship Activity: The Presence of God

By Jim Burns and Robin Dugall in Worship Experiences, Gospel Light, 1999, ISBN, 0830724044, page 83 (pictured at right).  This is based on the Psalm.

Drama: All or Nothing

Found in Mega Drama 3 by Verona Johnson (ed) Openbook, 2002, ISBN 0859109178 (v.3), page 23 (pictured at right). This drama is based on the Gospel reading. 

Sermon ideas: The Cross is the Only Way

Found in Life on the Road by Athol Gill, Herald Press, 1992, page 27.  This is based on the Gospel reading. 

Psalm 22

Found in The Psalms: An Artist's Impression by Anneke Kaai and Eugene Peterson, Piquant, 1999, ISBN 0 9535757 0 5, page 10.