Lent 2 | Mark 8:31-38 (with Nick Locke)

Opening Song:
How Great Is Your Love by Brett Younker, Kristian Stanfill, and Phil Wickham

Lyrics:
From the darkness I called Your name
Into darkness Your mercy came
You called me out lifted me up
How great is Your love

You bore my weakness You took my shame
Buried my burdens in fields of grace
You called me out lifted me up
How great is Your love

From the heights of heaven You stepped down to earth
Innocent perfection gave Your life for us
And we are amazed yes we stand in awe
For we have been changed by the pow'r of the cross

(Yeah) How great how great how great is Your love
How great how great how great is Your love
How great how great how great is Your love for us

In Your kindness You lead me home
In Your presence where I belong
Oh You called me out lifted me up
How great is Your love

There has never been and there will never be
A God like You a love so true
There has never been and there will never be
A God like You a love so true (yeah)

Passage:
31 Then he began to teach them that it was necessary for the Son of Man to suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, be killed, and rise after three days. 32 He spoke openly about this. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning around and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said,“Get behind me, Satan! You are not thinking about God’s concerns but human concerns.”

34 Calling the crowd along with his disciples, he said to them,“If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me and the gospel will save it. 36 For what does it benefit someone to gain the whole world and yet lose his life? 37 What can anyone give in exchange for his life? 38 For whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” -- Mark 8:31-38 (CSB)

Musical Reflection:
Children of the Heavenly Father (TRYGGARE KAN INGEN VARA), trad. Swedish folk song

Reflection Notes:
Lina Sandell-Berg purportedly wrote the lyrics for this hymn after witnessing her father’s untimely death in a boating accident. Her text focuses on our heavenly Father, who will never leave us or forsake us, in life or in death. The tune originates from a 19th-century Swedish folk song, its sweet fluidity well-suited for the words of comfort.

Prayer:
Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities that may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts that may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.