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Year B After Pentecost Proper 21

Year B After Pentecost Proper 21
Year B After Pentecost Proper 21 (grayscale)

Scripture

Testament: New Testament

Book: Mark

Chapter: 9

Verse: 41

Lectionary

Year: B

Season: Season After Pentecost

Week: Proper 21

Church bulletins by Ronn Kerr

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Lectionary Meaning

Theological Focus

Today the liturgy addresses the perennial human struggle with ambition and the desire for status. In the middle of this season of growth, we are reminded that the metrics of the Kingdom are often the reverse of the world’s standards. True greatness is found in the posture of a servant.

Scriptural Connection

In Mark’s Gospel, the disciples argue about who is the greatest while Jesus speaks of his coming sacrifice. By placing a child in their midst, Jesus provides a living parable of vulnerability and dependence. This text invites us to welcome the 'least' among us as if we were welcoming Christ himself, challenging our hierarchies.

Sermon Ideas

Preach on 'The Theology of the Child.' What does it mean to lead by serving those who cannot offer us anything in return? The sermon could explore how the Church can become a sanctuary for the vulnerable, modeling a community where the last are truly first and the first are content to serve.