Who do you say that I Am?

A Way to Pray: Mark 8

Who do you say that I Am? – Malcolm Gordon and Michelle Lang
Mark 8:27-30

Jesus’ question to his disciples, ‘Who do you say that I am?’ is the hinge that the whole gospel turns on. Throughout Mark’s Gospel Jesus’ identity is gradually unfolding as he takes hold of titles that people are familiar with, like rabbi and prophet, before filling them with fresh meaning until they overflow, and a new title is added to accommodate the excess of meaning.

At this moment, the title ‘Messiah’ is added into the mix. But again it will not stay the same. Jesus will not be the triumphant military hero that was usually attached to that title. He will save, but not the way people are expecting. He will accomplish salvation through suffering, not conquest.

In this way of prayer we are going to invite people to bring their hopes to Jesus. Pass around the post it notes and encourage people to reflect and respond to these questions:

Who do you say Jesus is?
Who do you need Jesus to be?
Who does our world needs Jesus to be?

You might like to give people some help to get started by putting up on the screen different aspects of the gospel hope that Jesus brings (justice, reconciliation, hope, renewal, restoration, forgiveness, healing). Then invite people to come forward and stick their post it note up the front.

Option 1: Have a simple shape (such as a cross) outlined and use two different colours of post it notes to make this picture of who Jesus is.

Option 2: Have lots more colours of post it notes, and have a ‘paint by numbers’ image of Jesus which can be made with the different coloured notes. Have someone on hand to help people stick their notes in the right part of the image.