Sunday Sermon

“Broken Hallelujah” - September 27Scripture: Mark 14:3-9 (NRSV)While he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment of nard, and she broke open the jar and poured the ointment on his head. But some were there who said to one another in anger, “Why was the ointment wasted in this way? For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor.” And they scolded her. But Jesus said, “Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has performed a good service for me. For you always have the poor with you, and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish; but you will not always have me. She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for its burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.”

My Notes:

Growing Deeply Week of September 28 – October 3

a daily scripture guide

MONDAY: Mark 14:1-9 Broken and beautiful REFLECTION: Have you ever seen an item repurposed or recreated? Just imagine and celebrate it. God does the same with us. SONG: “Broken and Beautiful” by Mark Schultz (video) *BONUS SONGS: “Broken Hallelujah” by The Afters and “Hallelujah” performed by The Canadian Tenors (videos)

TUESDAY: Mark 14:1-9 Unnamed woman REFLECTION: Her actions go down in history, but we don’t know her name. May our actions speak louder and last longer than name recognition. SONG: “Alabaster Box” by Cece Winans (video)

WEDNESDAY: Mark 14:1-9 Jesus knows REFLECTION: This anointing takes place at the forefront of all that is to come: betrayal, arrest, crucifixion, burial, and resurrection. Jesus knows what it means to be wounded but also a healer. SONG: “Come Lift Up Your Sorrows” performed by Michael Card (video)

THURSDAY: Luke 8:40-50 Margins REFLECTION: This woman journeyed from isolation into a crowd because she had been pushed to the margins of society. PRAYER: Push me to go to the margins, hear stories, learn names, eat together and be healed together. For a modern day example of this scripture visit: http://www.worldvisionyouth.org/article/sofia

FRIDAY: Luke 8:40-50 Desperate times, desperate measures REFLECTION: Courage is not always planned. Sometimes it shows up out of necessity. Jairus and this woman had great need. They acted. They risked. When it can get no worse, sometimes courage is all you have left. PRAYER: Create and cultivate courage in me, Lord.

SATURDAY: Luke 8:40-50 Jesus heals REFLECTION: Doctors give us medicine, and we get well. Therapists listen to us and help us have clarity of thought. What then, is Jesus’s healing like? Is it necessary? Why? Why not? Where do you need healing? PRAYER: May my faith make me whole.

Read or subscribe to the full weekly Growing Deeply Guide at moumc.org/grow Printed copies are available at the Connector Desk.

Read or subscribe to the full weekly Growing Deeply Guide at moumc.org/grow Printed copies are available at the Connector Desk.