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Covenant Presbyterian Church – Charlotte NC

Follow the Leader

·16 min·1 clip
Jesus asks his disciples, 'But who do you say that I am?' in a moment that redefines what it means to follow him.
The episode is a sermon titled 'Follow the Leader' delivered at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, NC. It begins with a reading from Mark 8, focusing on the moment Jesus asks his disciples, 'But who do you say that I am?' and Peter's response identifying him as the Messiah. The speaker highlights this as an inflection point in Jesus' ministry, where he reveals that the Messiah must suffer, die, and rise again, which Peter rebukes. The sermon then shifts to a modern context, noting how social media celebrates following in terms of followers and trends, but contrasts this with Jesus' call to deny oneself and take up one's cross. The speaker explains that following Jesus involves going where he goes and valuing what he values, which is deeply counterintuitive. The sermon critiques contemporary religious trends, including the conflation of evangelicalism and nationalism, big-box churches with celebrity preachers, and the mainline church's propensity for moralistic therapeutic deism, as described by Kenda Creasy-Dean. It references theologian James Cone's view of the cross as a paradoxical symbol that inverts world values and Quaker John Woolman's story of sacrificing prosperity to fight slavery. The speaker argues that authentic Christian faith increases problems rather than solving them, requiring sacrifice of privilege, reputation, or safety. The sermon concludes by connecting these themes to the congregation's vision of justice and welcome, suggesting the church be called a 'center for Christ following,' and urging action on Martin Luther King Jr. weekend through prayer and following Jesus' sacrificial pattern.

As heard by us

A thoughtful Mark 8 sermon on discipleship as the costly practice of following Jesus.

"Follow the Leader" reads Mark 8 as the moment where recognition and resistance meet. Peter can name Jesus as Messiah, but he flinches when Jesus says the Son of Man must suffer, be rejected, be killed, and rise again.

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Why you'd press play

Want a sermon that turns "follow" from a button into a costly commitment?

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