Who is Jesus?
How do we care for the powerless?
Are we called to serve others?
Can we be redeemed from sin?
"Food, Foretelling, Followers, and Fulfillment: Jesus on His Way to Jerusalem" revisits these daring ideas spoken by a man on his way to the cross. Jesus always challenged the presuppositions of those around him. He had come to transform the world in a way that no one had expected, and Jesus' bold truths laid the foundations of the early church.
McCracken-Bennett sets out to answer those questions as he leads churches through the events of the middle of the season after Pentecost. The author exposes his conviction that a culture of discipleship can only be created through a careful understanding of Jesus' character and mission. Through insightful dialogue, McCracken-Bennett considers the weight of Jesus' words for anyone who claims to be a follower and challenges pastors and congregations to examine well-known scriptural truths in new and thought-provoking ways.
Whether one is looking for a sermon resource or simply pursuing a thoughtful reflection on scripture, "Food, Foretelling, Followers, and Fulfillment: Jesus on His Way to Jerusalem" expands our vision of Jesus by weaving a deep historical knowledge of scripture with present-day narratives and exposing the sustaining relevance of Jesus' words in today's culture.
The sermon titles included in this book are:
Am I Eating Manna or Bread from Heaven? (John 6:35, 41-51)
Who Do You Think He Is? (John 6:51-58)
Just Who Does This Guy Think He Is? (John 6:56-69)
Garbage in... Garbage Out or You Are What You Eat (Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23)
Who Does Jesus Belong to Anyway? (Mark 7:24-37)
Six Days to Make a Decision for Christ (Mark 8:27-38)
Speaking Truth to Power and Hope to the Powerless (Mark 9:30-37)
Gouge-Your-Eye-Out Sunday (Mark 9:38-50)
And They Lived Happily Ever After... or Did They? (Mark 10:2-16)
Rick McCracken-Bennett is the founding pastor of All Saints Episcopal Church in New Albany, Ohio. He is a writer, musician, songwriter, storyteller, and church planter. McCracken-Bennett is a former member of the writing team for the online service "StoryShare" (www.sermonsuite.com), and his doctoral thesis, "Future Story," has been used by congregations in their long-range planning. Rick also wrote a section in "Sermons on the Gospel Readings, Series III, Cycle C," for CSS Publishing. He is a graduate of the University of Findlay (B.A.), St. Meinrad School of Theology (M.Div.), and Seabury-Western Theological Seminary (D.Min.).