Drew Downs

Make a New Normal

Proper 20B

  • In the turning point in the gospel of Mark, Jesus is confronted with Peter’s ignorance and empire’s promise of safe oppression.

  • The challenge of the Passion Predictions is that they force us to confront our failure to follow Jesus, to love in the way he teaches.

  • In the second passion prediction, Jesus again upends the disciples’ expectations (and ours) for a messiah, and for his followers.

  • Between the predictions of the Passion, Jesus confronts a moment of failure for the disciples, helping us see our lack of focus.

  • Jesus teaches about God’s dream for creation, even as those closest to him misunderstand. Even as we misunderstand.

  • Learning Love

    It seems that they don’t want the world that Jesus is offering: the upside down economy of GOD’s divine fellowship of faith. They want to rule. Following Jesus into a different understanding of love Proper 20B  |  Mark 9:30-37 Returning to the Passion We remember from last week that Jesus and the disciples had gone…