Monday, January 16, 2012

Lent 2 B (March 4): Discipleship














THERE IS AN UPDATED 2024 VERSION OF THIS BLOG ENTRY  - SEE MY ARCHIVE LIST AT LEFT.

Bible readings:Genesis 17:1-7,15-16, Psalm 22:23-31, Romans 4:13-25, Mark 8:31-18

About the images:
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.
Right: I just love this verse. The image is from Microsoft free clipart.

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:
"Chris
tians 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

1 comment:

Pastor K said...

Wow! Last minute looking at your page to remember your great questions and there you were, giving me a shout out! Happy, joyful, peaceful, filling Sabbath day to you (although yours is probably over now and mine is just beginning!)