The Children's Sermon: Mark 8:31-38 - Setting Your Mind on God

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(Note: This week the Revised Common Lectionary presents two Gospel options.
For access the Transfiguration sermon on Mark 9: 2-10, posted here two weeks ago, click here.)

Lent 2B
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Gospel: Mark 8: 31-38

Setting Your Mind on God

Highlighted Verses: Mark 8: 31-38

Jesus Cleanses a Leper

³¹Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. ³²He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. ³³But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”

He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. ³⁵For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. ³⁶For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? ³⁷Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? ³⁸Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

You might remember that last week we began the 40 days of Lent - and heard the story of Jesus going into the wilderness. While he was there he was tempted by Satan. Do you remember what it means to be tempted? (A temptation is something that we want - but that we know isn't right or good for us.)

Temptation can be such a hard thing to avoid in life - but this week Jesus teaches us an important lesson about how to do it.

When Peter tries to make him do something that's not in his plan, Jesus reminds Peter that he's not thinking about what God wants - but instead about what he wants. (He tells Peter that he's thinking too much about "human things.")

That's a good test, isn't it?

When you find yourself tempted by a choice - or unsure about what to do - you can always ask yourself "what would God want me to do?"

When I ask myself that question, it often clears the choice right up!

There may be things that we'd really like for ourselves, but Jesus doesn't ever tell us to do whatever we feel like - or what we want the most. Instead he wants us to be making choices about what's right.

So this week when you find yourself faced with a tough choice, try following Jesus' advice - and set your mind on what God would want. I think you'll find it makes all the difference.

Will you pray with me?

Dear God,

Sometimes we are faced with such difficult choices. Help us to make decisions that may be pleasing to you.

Amen