You can hear an audio recording of the second scripture reading and my sermon entitled,
“ The Ending or the Rest of the Story ”
being preached, by CLICKING HERE.
Dear Jesus-Followers on the road to Jerusalem, that eventually includes
a trip to the cross,
Some years ago, a friend of mine from my youth group days (who’s also
now a minister colleague) invited the congregation she was serving at the time
to adopt a program where members were invited to “walk” from Nazareth to
Bethlehem during Advent. The idea wasn’t
to travel to modern day Israel, but rather, to cover the same number of miles in
their own lives as a kind of spiritual journey preparing them for Christmas. Individuals and families were invited to sign
up and keep track of their progress—they even divided it into the number of
steps, so people could count their Wal-Mart trips and parking lot steps! Another church I heard about, celebrated
Advent one year by inviting families to contribute baby supplies for a special
mission project that year. Lent can be this
same kind of journey, marking time and having a special emphasis, but it’s a
lot less fun. At least during Advent,
you get to look forward to holding a baby when you get to Bethlehem. For Lent …there’s a cross waiting for us! This may be why many of us struggle with
Lenten disciplines!
In Jerusalem, there’s a journey through the city known as the Via Dolorosa—they
way of sorrows or suffering—believed to be the path Jesus made from the trial
before Pilate to the place where he was crucified. The old city of Jerusalem is actually quite
small; the passageways are narrow, and the route of the Via Dolorosa is only
about 2,000 feet, passing 14 “stations” or places along the way, attributed to
some of the recorded events. It’s
important to note that the stations and events are subjective and based on
tradition, not historical facts—so it’s a journey that’s more spiritual than
physical, or literal, especially for modern day pilgrims like us.
I like to remind us during Lent that we’re following Jesus to the
cross. But I also get that this is a bit
of an unusual itinerary (except that we do this every year!). So, it’s not lost on me that while the other
symbols for springtime and Easter involve fluffy animals and special candy,
we’re actually trying to walk or journey toward a crucifixion! Which seems oxymoronic!
Several years ago, a speaker at a conference I was attending reminded
the audience of the irony that one of the most brutal forms of public execution
was the symbol of our faith. We take the
cross, one of the worst forms of human suffering, and somehow transform it
…wearing it as jewelry, placing it as decoration, symbolizing our faith and
even “love” with a object that represents violence and death. “We are traveling to the cross,” as if it
were a destination that wasn’t harmful, or at least, harmful to us. We remember Jesus’ suffering, perhaps as if suffering
were simply swallowed up, like death, in Jesus’ suffering and death, when he is
raised.
So, I’ve been thinking about what one carries to a cross party …or, a
crucifixion? …If that’s where we’re
going, spiritually if not physically.
When I traveled to the Holy Land, one of my colleagues decided he no
longer needed the things he brought with him …so, he left them behind, either
donating them or helping others repurpose them.
Part of the Lenten journey is remembering that we’re invited to leave
our sins behind, dying to our old life and being raised in a new life. Mortification and vivification; dying to sin
and rising without sin. …So if you could
leave a spiritual suitcase behind at the cross …what would you leave in
it? What do you no longer need to carry
with you? Or, another way is thinking
about what you might tell someone else, they get to leave behind, because
you’ve forgiven them?
Some journeys are harder than others. The journey to the cross isn’t an easy one, physically or spiritually. But life lies beyond it. The way of the cross …dying and rising.
You can hear an audio recording of the second scripture reading and my sermon entitled,
“ When You See Ole Foxy Pants ...Tell 'em, I'm Busy ”
being preached, by CLICKING HERE.
You can hear an audio recording of the second scripture reading and my sermon entitled,
“ It Was the Worst of Times ...Or, the Best of Times ”
being preached, by CLICKING HERE.
You can hear an audio recording of the second scripture reading and my sermon entitled,
“ Don't Take Off Your Clothes, Jus Come Home ”
being preached, by CLICKING HERE.
You can hear an audio recording of the second scripture reading and my sermon entitled,
“ Let Your Light Shine Before Others ”
being preached, by CLICKING HERE.
Dear Followers of a brightly shining Jesus—in our midst,
By the time you’re reading this, it will nearly be Lent! And to be perfectly honest, it snuck up on me
this year! Lent, of course, is the
liturgical season in which precedes Easter, 40 days in which early Christians
prepared for baptism and a life of faith in the Church, a time when we as
believers and followers of Jesus traditionally undertake spiritual disciplines
such as prayer, fasting, studying of scripture, feeding strangers, assisting
those who have been victimized, standing up for justice and righteousness. Lent is an important season which serves to recall
us to practice what we believe.
Another Lenten word is praxis. Praxis
comes from a Greek word meaning, “to do.”
Lenten praxis means “doing Lent.”
So, rather than think about Lent as a season, a time that comes and
goes—instead, it’s a call to be doing and practicing our faith. It’s why we often talk about participating in
practices of “giving up things,” which is an ancient way of understanding how
to make MORE ROOM in our lives for the works of faith.
…So the question becomes, “What are you doing for Lent?” As in, choose your praxis!
Again, traditional Christians are encouraged to pray, to fast, to
study God’s word, to participate in feeding, in sharing, in helping, in
standing with, in lifting up …goodness and kindness and mercy and many other virtues. Again, traditioned believers will be
clamoring to be visible witnesses to what they believe, by practicing faith, and
being the embodiment of the work and witness of God’s Kingdom as witnessed in
Jesus.
…Have I talked you into “participating”
yet? Because you can’t “do Lent” while
sitting down! Or being quiet, or sticking
to yourself. You can’t be a part of the
movement, shake up the countryside, learn how to walk on the Way, seek
forgiveness or be forgiven—by keeping it to yourself. …It’s not like Advent!
Advent was about waiting and watching, hoping and ringing in the
season of God’s love. Lent? It’s about challenging and changing what
we’ve always done. It’s about picking up
where we’ve left off. It’s trying again
to bring the Kingdom of God to bear on our lives, remembering what it means to
embody a resurrection!
What will you praxis this Lent?
How will you show the world what you believe about Jesus Christ? Where will you show up and be the Kingdom’s
work, and with whom?
Don’t be afraid. Even if Lent
snuck up on you, too—it’s not too late! It
will come to you. The Spirit will help
make it known for you. Just don’t sit
still.
We will celebrate the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday, March 5th.
Palm Sunday is April 13th.
We will celebrate Maundy Thursday on April 17th.
And Easter is April 20th.
Lent, is all the time between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday. Make it count.
Jesus shone God’s light on those who were in need, not to make it public, but to reflect the rays of God’s action. Jesus is still the light of the world. We are the reflections of his light. Let your light shine before others.
You can hear an audio recording of the second scripture reading and my sermon entitled,
“ A Good Measure ”
being preached, by CLICKING HERE.
You can hear an audio recording of the second scripture reading and my sermon entitled,
“ A Great Crowd of His Disciples ”
being preached, by CLICKING HERE.
You can hear an audio recording of my sermon entitled,
“ When E. F. Hutton Talks ... ”
being preached, by CLICKING HERE.
