Today’s gospel starts with disciples obsessing over who will be closest to Jesus, leading to Jesus teaching his followers about God’s take on importance and power. Here Jesus makes it explicit that the reversal of values in God’s community is a direct challenge to the values of the dominant culture, where wielding power over others is what makes you great. When we pray “your kingdom come” we are praying for an end to tyranny and oppression. We pray this gathered around the cross, a sign of great shame transformed to be the sign of great honor and service. Our service will be live streamed from Atonement Lutheran Church starting at 10:45 AM. Click on the image above to watch the live stream. The bulletin for this service can be found here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EFzyNJ3JD9lqXXPR8FShSlJuNmfMY8Fm/view?usp=drive_link

Today’s gospel starts with disciples obsessing over who will be closest to Jesus, leading to Jesus teaching his followers about God’s take on importance and power. Here Jesus makes it explicit that the reversal of values in God’s community is a direct challenge to the values of the dominant culture, where wielding power over others is what makes you great. When we pray “your kingdom come” we are praying for an end to tyranny and oppression. We pray this gathered around the cross, a sign of great shame transformed to be the sign of great honor and service. Our service will be live streamed from Atonement Lutheran Church starting at 10:45 AM. Click on the image above to watch the live stream. The bulletin for this service can be found here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EFzyNJ3JD9lqXXPR8FShSlJuNmfMY8Fm/view?usp=drive_link

El evangelio de hoy comienza con la obsesión de los discípulos por saber quién estará más cerca de Jesús, lo que lleva a Jesús a enseñarles a sus seguidores la importancia y el poder que Dios tiene para ellos. Aquí Jesús deja claro que la inversión de los valores en la comunidad de Dios es un desafío directo a los valores de la cultura dominante, donde ejercer poder sobre los demás es lo que te hace grande. Cuando oramos “venga tu reino” estamos orando por el fin de la tiranía y la opresión. Oramos esto reunidos alrededor de la cruz, un signo de gran vergüenza transformado en un signo de gran honor y servicio. Únase a nosotros para nuestro culto que comienza a las 12:00 p. m. en la Iglesia Luterana Atonement (1980 Silver Lake Road New Brighton, MN 55112). ¡Todos son bienvenidos!

Can we pray the way Bartimaeus prays? People try to hush him up because by addressing Jesus as “Son of David” he is making a politically dangerous claim that Jesus is the rightful king. Could our prayers ever be heard as a threat to unjust powers that be? Bartimaeus won’t give up or go away quietly, but repeats his call for help more loudly. Do we ask so boldly? And are our prayers an honest answer to Jesus’ question, “What do you want me to do for you?” Our service will be live streamed from Cross of Glory Lutheran Church starting at 8:30 AM. Click on the image above to watch the live stream. The bulletin for this service can be found here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/18LcogThbCbI9MD4jkW9dOnU3kuEXP-VV/view?usp=drive_link

Can we pray the way Bartimaeus prays? People try to hush him up because by addressing Jesus as “Son of David” he is making a politically dangerous claim that Jesus is the rightful king. Could our prayers ever be heard as a threat to unjust powers that be? Bartimaeus won’t give up or go away quietly, but repeats his call for help more loudly. Do we ask so boldly? And are our prayers an honest answer to Jesus’ question, “What do you want me to do for you?” Our service will be live streamed from Cross of Glory Lutheran Church starting at 8:30 AM. Click on the image above to watch the live stream. The bulletin for this service can be found here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/18LcogThbCbI9MD4jkW9dOnU3kuEXP-VV/view?usp=drive_link

¿Podemos orar como lo hace Bartimeo? La gente intenta silenciarlo porque al dirigirse a Jesús como “hijo de David” está haciendo una afirmación políticamente peligrosa de que Jesús es el rey legítimo. ¿Podrían nuestras oraciones ser escuchadas como una amenaza para los poderes injustos que existen? Bartimeo no se da por vencido ni se marcha en silencio, sino que repite su pedido de ayuda con más fuerza. ¿Pedimos con tanta valentía? ¿Y son nuestras oraciones una respuesta honesta a la pregunta de Jesús: “¿Qué quieres que haga por ti?” Únase a nosotros para nuestro culto que comienza a las 12:00 p. m. en la Iglesia Luterana Atonement (1980 Silver Lake Road New Brighton, MN 55112). ¡Todos son bienvenidos!