<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" http-equiv=Content-Type>
<META name=GENERATOR content="MSHTML 8.00.6001.18812">
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=#ffffff>
<DIV>
<P><FONT size=4>The doctor spared few words. "Your baby is afflicted with Down’s
Syndrome, mongoloidism. I had expected this, but things were too far along
before I could say for sure."</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4>"Is the baby healthy?" she asked.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4>"That’s what I wanted to discuss with you," the doctor said.
"The baby is healthy -- except for the problem. However, it does have a slight,
rather common respiratory ailment. My advice is that you let me take it off the
respirator -- that might solve things. At least, it’s a possibility."</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4>"It’s not a possibility for us," they said together.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4>"I know how you feel," responded the doctor. "But you need to
think about what you’re doing. You already have two beautiful kids. Statistics
show that people who keep these babies risk a higher incidence of marital stress
and family problems. Is it fair to do this to the children you already have? Is
it right to bring this suffering into your family?"</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4>At the mention of "suffering" I saw her face brighten, as if the
doctor were finally making sense.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4>"Suffering?" she said quietly. "We appreciate your concern, but
we’re Christians. God suffered for us, and we will try to suffer for the baby,
if we must."</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4>"Pastor, I hope you can do something with them," the doctor
whispered to me outside their door as he continued his rounds.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4>Two days later, the doctor and I watched the couple leave the
hospital. They walked slowly, carrying a small bundle; but it seemed a heavy
burden to us, a weight on their shoulders. We felt as if we could hear them
dragging, clanking it down the front steps of the hospital, moving slowly but
deliberately into a cold, gray March morning.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4>"It will be too much for them," the doctor said.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4>"You ought to have talked them out of it. You should have helped
them to understand."</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4>But as they left, I noticed a curious look on their faces; they
looked as if the burden were not too heavy at all, as if it were a privilege and
a sign. </FONT></P>
<P><A href="http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=1692"><FONT
size=4>http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=1692</FONT></A></P></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>William Willimon</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>- - - - -</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>...this reading asserts the absolute requirement of the
crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ for the salvation of the world. There are
many theological interpretations of the atonement, but Christian sources
consistently affirm the centrality of the death of Jesus on the cross. His
suffering will redeem all of humanity.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><A href="http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=666"><FONT
size=4>http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=666</FONT></A></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Stanley S. Harakas, 1997</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>- - - - -</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Peter does not tell us what he means by "Christos." After his
"confession" of who Jesus is, Jesus "rebukes" him (it is the same word in 8:30,
32, 33, and is used for interactions with daemonic spirits in 1:25; 3:12; 9:25).
In 8:30, the "rebuke" is not hostile, yet commanding nevertheless. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><A
href="http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?lect_date=3/8/2009&tab=4"><FONT
size=4>http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?lect_date=3/8/2009&tab=4</FONT></A></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Sarah Henrich</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>- - - - -</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=4>Many Christians make a recipe for life that
completely leaves out bearing a cross. As ingredients, they mix a series of
assorted statements about God: God has great power, Jesus healed many during His
ministry, God has an abundance of riches, God is loving, etc. Mixing those
ingredients together, they come out with a “best life now” scenario that sounds
more like a Ben Franklin proverb (healthy, wealthy, and wise) than the gospel of
Jesus Christ.<BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><A
href="http://www.nph.com/nphweb/html/pmol/pastissues/Lent%202006/magmar12.htm"><FONT
size=4>http://www.nph.com/nphweb/html/pmol/pastissues/Lent%202006/magmar12.htm</FONT></A></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><EM></EM></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><EM>Preacher's Magazine, 2006</EM></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><EM><FONT size=4>- - - - -</FONT></EM></DIV>
<DIV><EM><FONT size=4></FONT></EM> </DIV></BODY></HTML>