Dear Friends,
Over the past year, I have found myself wondering about our country’s current expression of Christianity. I have often felt overwhelmed with Christian mud slinging in the name of Jesus, words of judgment and hate paraded across the Internet, and sometimes-downright heresy. I confess that at times I found myself feeling ashamed to call myself Christian. How could there be such vast differences between the Jesus I have come to know and love through scripture and the political, pop culture Jesus that seems to dominate social media? It grieves me. It concerns me. It humbles me.
As I began to pray about our Church’s Lenten Season, I sensed an invitation to journey more deeply toward Jesus. I began to share my thoughts and feelings with some of my colleagues and they recommended several books. So, I picked four books and invited several persons in the congregation to prayerfully read them with me. As a pastor, this was more than a personal journey; it was a subject of prayer and searching on behalf of our congregation. The books we read together are: Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time: the Historical Jesus and Contemporary Faith – Marcus Borg, Myth of a Christian Nation: How the Quest for political Power Is Ruining the Church – Greg Boyd, The Jesus I Never Knew – Phillip Yancey, A Farewell to Mars: An Evangelical Pastor’s Journey Toward the Gospel of Peace – Brian Zahnd
The brothers and sisters that I asked graciously agreed to read with me and ponder following questions: What is the most important thing you learned about Jesus and the Church from your book? How has that impacted you? If you could share one thing you have learned with the congregation, what would it be? What passage of scripture best demonstrates this new understanding?
After reading the books, we met together and discussed what we had learned. We shared new and fresh perspectives that we had gained about Jesus and Scripture. After a rich conversation, we identified the following topics that we will cover each Sunday in Lent. These are the things that the Holy Spirit seemed to highlight for us.
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Lent 1 – Sunday February 14th
“It’s. All. About. Love.”
Luke 15:1-32
Children’s thought: Did you get a Valentine for Valentine’s Day? Did you know that God sent you one too? God sent us Jesus to show us how much he loves us! No matter what we look like, or what we have done, or what kind of grades we make, God is in love with us! He thinks we are great! God wants us to share that valentine with others.
Lent 2 – Sunday February 21st
“The slow way: modeling power under as opposed to power over.”
Scripture: Luke 4:1-13
Children’s thought – Jesus was a servant. He served others instead of serving himself even when he didn’t have to.
Lent 3 – Sunday February 28th
“Live Christ-like now.”
Luke 6:1-32
Children’s thought – Has anyone ever done something nice for you that made you feel really good? How about when you didn’t deserve it, has that ever happened to you? It’s a really special thing when we think we are going to get in trouble for something we did but instead someone reminds us of how much they love us and does something kind for us! That’s how Jesus is! Jesus wants us to live that way too.
Lent 4 – Sunday March 6th
“It’s not about what we shouldn’t do… it’s about what we should do.”
Luke 10:25-37
Children’s thought – We hear a lot of “should not’s” in life don’t we? But Jesus spent a lot of time teaching us about “should’s”. He wanted us to know how important it is to love people. We should love. We should be kind. We should help people when they need it.
Lent 5 – Sunday March 13th
“The kingdom of God is happening right now, here, today.”
Luke 7:18-35
Children’s thought – Have you ever wondered what heaven is like? I know we all do! Jesus wants us to live today as happy as we would be when we are in heaven. In fact, he wants people to see what his kingdom is like on earth right now! Do you know how that’s supposed to happen? You and I are to help people see heaven by loving one another, helping one another and caring about one another.
Lent 6 – Sunday March 20th (Palm Sunday)
“It’s easy to fall into group thinking – take time to discern kingdom living.”
Luke 19:28-38
Children’s thought – We hear a lot these days about the presidential election don’t we? Did you know that when Jesus rode into town on the donkey that people were waving their palms because they thought he was going to be the president… or the King? Everyone was convinced! The whole group thought that Jesus was going to set the world strait by making Israel a powerful nation. What would you do if you were going to be president? Jesus did something completely unexpected. He decided he would be a servant instead. Can you imagine that? He washed people’s feet! He served them dinner… and he even went to jail and was punished in the place of other criminals. That’s a very different kind of kingdom isn’t it?
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As we begin this season of Lent, I invite you to consider what Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth and the light.” Jesus is the way. Jesus is the Truth. Jesus is the light that illumines our perplexing times. How much do we actually know and understand about His way? How much time do we spend reading His story in the Bible under the tutelage of the Holy Spirit? I want to encourage you to make a journey toward Jesus this Lenten Season. What can you strip away in your own life that will free you to relate to Jesus more deeply?
Journeying with you in Christ,
Pastor Beth