In this season of Lent, we go with Jesus on his journey toward the cross. In Mark’s account of these days, Jesus asks a lot of questions and we continue to sit with some of these questions allowing the Spirit to stir us through them.
Call to Worship – 1 Chronicles 29:10-13
If you are meeting with others, take turn reading lines from this prayer from Scripture. If you’re a household with kids, maybe have the kids read the plain print while an adult reads the bold.
Praise be to you, O LORD, God of our ancestor Israel, from everlasting to everlasting.
Yours, O LORD, are the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty; for everything in heaven and on earth is yours.
Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.
Wealth and honor come from you, and you rule over all.
In your hand are power and might to make great, and give strength to all.
Now, our God we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name.
Amen.
Songs of Praise – “10,000 Reasons” and “Who You Say I Am”
10,000 Reasons
Bless the Lord, oh my soul
Oh my soul
Worship His Holy name
Sing like never before
Oh my soul
I’ll worship Your Holy name
The sun comes up, it’s a new day dawning
It’s time to sing Your song again
Whatever may pass, and whatever lies before me
Let me be singing when the evening comes
Bless the Lord, oh my soul
Oh my soul
Worship His Holy name
Sing like never before
Oh my soul
I’ll worship Your Holy name
You’re rich in love and You’re slow to anger
Your name is great and Your heart is kind
For all Your goodness I will keep on singing
Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find
Bless the Lord, oh my soul
Oh my soul
Worship His Holy name
Sing like never before
Oh my soul
I’ll worship Your Holy name
And on that day when my strength is failing
The end draws near and my time has come
Still my soul will sing Your praise unending
Ten thousand years, and then forevermore
Bless the Lord, oh my soul
Oh my soul
Worship His Holy name
Sing like never before
Oh my soul
I’ll worship Your Holy name
Who You Say I Am
Who am I that the highest King
Would welcome me?
I was lost but He brought me in
Oh His love for me
Oh His love for me
Who the Son sets free
Oh is free indeed
I’m a child of God
Yes I am
Free at last, He has ransomed me
His grace runs deep
While I was a slave to sin
Jesus died for me
Yes He died for me
Who the Son sets free
Oh is free indeed
I’m a child of God
Yes I am
In my Father’s house
There’s a place for me
I’m a child of God
Yes I am
I am chosen
Not forsaken
I am who You say I am
You are for me
Not against me
I am who You say
Who the Son sets free
Oh is free indeed
I’m a child of God
Yes I am
In my Father’s house
There’s a place for me
I’m a child of God
Yes I am
Scripture Reading – Mark 12:13-17
Before you watch the sermon video, read the text from Mark 12.
Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words. They came to him and said, “Teacher, we know that you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not? Should we pay or shouldn’t we?”
But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. “Why are you trying to trap me?” he asked. “Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” They brought the coin, and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”
“Caesar’s,” they replied.
Then Jesus said to them, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.”
And they were amazed at him.
Now, after this reading, allow your imagination to do some work recreating the scene. Jesus in in Jerusalem here – near the hubbub of the temple. Pay special attention to any details in the text. If you were there, what would you see, hear, smell…? What are the expressions on the faces of those in the story? What is the tone of their voices? After doing some imagining, read the text one more time.
Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words. They came to him and said, “Teacher, we know that you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not? Should we pay or shouldn’t we?”
But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. “Why are you trying to trap me?” he asked. “Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” They brought the coin, and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”
“Caesar’s,” they replied.
Then Jesus said to them, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.”
And they were amazed at him.
Sermon – Mark 12:13-17
Responding in Prayer
Take a few minutes to quietly sit with the question “What does it mean to give all that YOU have and all that YOU are to God?” Pray. Ask God for some insight on how He is inviting you to respond to Him now, and listen for His answer.
Song of Worship – “I Surrender All”
All to Jesus I surrender
All to him I freely give
I will ever love and trust him
In his presence daily live
I surrender all
I surrender all
All to thee my blessed Savior
I surrender all
All to Jesus I surrender
Humbly at his feet I bow
Worldly pleasures all forsaken
Take me Jesus
Take me now
I surrender all
I surrender all
All to thee my blessed Savior
I surrender all
All to Jesus I surrender
Make me Savior wholly thine
May the Holy Spirit fill me
May I know thy power divine
I surrender all
I surrender all
All to thee my blessed Savior
I surrender all
All to Jesus I surrender
Lord I give myself to thee
Fill me with thy love and power
Let thy blessings fall on me
I surrender all
I surrender all
All to thee my blessed Savior
I surrender all
Offering
Lord Jesus Christ, we kneel before You – our Lord and our King; help us to see and know Your unending love for us, so that we may place at your feet all that we have and are. Amen.
Winnipeg Covenant 