Earlier in Mark’s Gospel, Jesus told a crowd that if any would
follow him, they should “take up their cross.” This was a bold
call Jesus placed upon his disciples, and I imagine many
struggled to accept it. We will be looking at three consecutive
passages in Mark to get a better insight into what Jesus was
talking about. Interactions with a rich man, disciples James
and John, and a blind beggar each reveal part of the challenge
of taking up our cross.
October 10th – “Pick It Up” Mark 10:17-31
October 17th – “Refocus” Mark 10:35-45
October 24th – “Ask for Help” Mark 10:46-52
As we focus each Sunday on some critical teachings of Jesus that make up the core of discipleship,
each Wednesday in October for our Prayer and Study time we will be taking a look at Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s book, “The Cost of Discipleship”. Bonhoeffer, a German theologian and Lutheran pastor,
stood up for his faith against the Nazi government and was eventually martyred at the age of 39. We
will be looking at the difference between “cheap grace” and “costly grace” as it pertains to discipleship and Jesus’ teachings on the Sermon on the Mount.
