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<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left" align="left"><span>Mark 1<font size="4"><font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif">,</font></font> the sermon title "Would You Take the Crown Without the Cross" </span><span>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>Mark 1: 9-15 - <strong>"Would You Take The Crown Without The Cross" </strong></span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>Mark 1: 9-15 - <strong>"Are You Doing Time On The Bench?"</strong> by Leonard Sweet</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>The local sheriff
was looking for a deputy, and one of the applicants - who was not known
to be the brightest academically, was called in for an interview.
"Okay," began the sheriff, "What is 1 and 1?" "Eleven," came the reply.
The sheriff thought to himself, "That's not what I meant, but he's
right."</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>Then the sheriff
asked, "What two days of the week start with the letter 'T'?" "Today
& tomorrow." Replied the applicant. The sheriff was again surprised
over the answer, one that he had never thought of himself. </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>"Now, listen
carefully, who killed Abraham Lincoln?", asked the sheriff. The job
seeker seemed a little surprised, then thought really hard for a minute
and finally admitted, "I don't know." The sheriff replied, "Well, why
don't you go home and work on that one for a while?" The applicant left
and wandered over to his pals who were waiting to hear the results of
the interview. He greeted them with a cheery smile, "The job is mine!
The interview went great! First day on the job and I'm already working
on a murder case!"</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>In our Gospel
reading this morning in Mark 1 it is Jesus' first day on the job.
Immediately he is confronted with three major temptations. And he is
confronted with this basic question: Would he take the crown without the
cross?</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>These are basic
temptations in life. These three temptations form the foundation for all
other temptations. And I would propose that when temptations come our
way; if we will pause and classify the temptations, identify them with
one of the three temptations Jesus faced; we will be equipped to answer
Satan with the words and obedience of Christ.</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>Let's look at the three temptations:</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>1. Stone into Bread: The temptation to use power for the wrong purposes.</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>2. Jump on the Rocks: The Temptation to gain popularity by performance.</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>3. Serve The Wrong Master: The temptation to idolatry.</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>The rest of this sermon can be obtained by joining <a __removedlink__1670520345__href="http://www.sermons.com/signup" target="_blank">http://www.sermons.com/signup</a></span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>_______________________</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>Mark 1<font size="4"><font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif">,</font></font> the sermon titled "Are You Doing Time On The Bench?" by Leonard Swe<font size="4"><font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif">et </font></font> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>"Startle us, O God." </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>For 26 years, John
Buchanan has pastored one of the most prestigious Presbyterian churches
on the North American continent: Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago,
Illinois. Almost every service at which Dr. Buchanan presided, he began
and closed each worship service with these words of beginning and
benediction:</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>Startle us, O God, with your truth,</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>and open our hearts and our minds to your word,</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>that hearing, we may believe, and believing trust our lives,</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>this day and all the days that lie ahead,</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>to your love in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>Go into the world in peace and courage.</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>Hold to the good.</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>Honor all of God's children.</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>Love and serve the Lord,</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>rejoicing in the power of the Spirit. </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>Based on 1 Thessalonians 5:13-22</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>Have we been startled these past few weeks, or what? Here is the name of one startlement: Jeremy Lin. </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>This first Sunday
of the Lenten season is ushered in by the twin stories of Jesus' baptism
and his immediate testing in the wilderness. Jesus goes from an all
time high</span><span> - </span><span>his baptism, a moment where he is
joyously proclaimed "my Son, the Beloved," and praised that with him God
the Father is "well pleased"</span><span> - </span><span>to being run out into the wilderness with the wild animals. </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>Jesus' baptism is a
watershed moment of divine delight and blessing. It is an anointing of
power and prestige as never before, an acknowledgment of Jesus'
messianic status.</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>And then Jesus is
flushed. Jesus goes from being heralded from the heavens to being
banished to the boondocks. The "wilderness" is biblical shorthand for
the outskirts of acceptance. The edge of acceptability. The place where
those who have no place are banished. </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>You know the place. We've all spent time wandering in that wilderness... </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>Click here: <a __removedlink__1670520345__href="http://www.sermons.com/signup" target="_blank">http://www.sermons.com/signup</a> <br>
</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>____________________________</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>The Road to Holiness</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>Recently I was looking at some of my many files under the "quotes" folder. One such quote is called, "The Road to Holiness."</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>A seeker after truth came to a saint for guidance.<br>
"Tell me, wise one, how did you become holy?"<br>
"Two words."<br>
"And what are they, please?"<br>
"Right choices."<br>
The seeker was fascinated. "How does one learn to choose rightly?"<br>
"One word."<br>
"One word! May I have it, please?" the seeker asked.<br>
"Growth."<br>
The seeker was thrilled. "How does one grow?"<br>
"Two words."<br>
"What are they, pray tell?"<br>
"Wrong choices."</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>I believe that this
is God's purpose in times of testing, to help us grow and to show us
that we have the faith and ability to stand up to the testing so that we
will trust God in difficult times -- to strengthen our faith and
Christian character. At the same time, Satan has his own purpose -- to
turn those being tested away from God -- to "tempt" them to sin.</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>Brian Stoffregen, Exegetical Notes</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>____________________________</span><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>It Might Have Been</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>In the 1800s, poet
John Greenleaf Whittier wrote one of his most quoted poems in the
English language. The poem was titled, "Maud Muller." You've never
heard of it? Actually, not many people remember this sorrowful poem,
but generations of people have quoted two famous lines from its final
stanza. </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>"Maud Muller" is
about a young maiden who, while working the fields one day, sees a
handsome young Judge riding by on horseback. She offers him a drink of
cool water. Their encounter lasts only a few moments, but it makes a
deep impression on both of them. Maud is greatly attracted to the
Judge, and she dreams of marrying someone of his gentleness and
integrity. She could leave the fields behind and live as the wife of a
wealthy and powerful man. </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>At the same time,
the Judge is attracted to Maud. He is tired of his career, and he
dreams of marrying a warm, compassionate woman like Maud and settling
into a simpler life in the country. But neither Maud nor the Judge
acknowledges their attraction to one another. They are from different
social classes---they cannot risk breaking the bonds of social
conformity.</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>Maud later marries a
man who brings her much pain and hardship. The Judge also enters into a
loveless marriage. In the final stanza of the poem, Whittier offers us
this warning: "For of all sad words of tongue or pen, The saddest are
these: 'It might have been!'" <br>
<br>
King Duncan, Collected Sermons, <a shape="rect">www.Sermons.com</a></span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>_________________________________________________</span></div>
</span></div>
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