SLIDE 24 Lenten Reflection.
We are in the Lenten Season and at this morning Service we reflect on our journey of lent and faith.
We heard about Abraham, these 99 years old patriarch, who is the embodiment of faith and hope. The line from Romans: “Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed…” describes the hope that carried his faith and must carry ours too. When we think there is no hope, may we still in hope believe. This giant believer, the faithful patriarch Abraham is the foundation of 3 of the major world religions for a good reason. He is a beacon of hope and faith. He is a beacon of faith as a lifelong journey.
SLIDE 25 “Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed.”
We can only pray to have that kind of faith and hold that kind of hope.
Too often we walk through life like Peter. Not wanting to face reality, not daring to confront the dangers and the toils of life, - too often we do set our minds on human things and not on divine.
Jesus rebuked poor Peter and called on the crowd and all who wanted to follow him and said: “If you want to follow me, you have to take up your cross. If you want to follow me and walk with me, there will be a cross to bear. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel ,will save it……” Or as it is said in the translation of the Message:
SLIDE 26 The Message:
34-37 Calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat; I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to saving yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? What could you ever trade your soul for?
Let this be our Lenten Reflection on our Lenten Journey:
Do we listen and bow down like Abraham and hope against all hope, or do we contend and argue like Peter?
How do we follow and believe and let sacrifice and service be the leading sentiments of our faith?
Which cross do we need to pick up and carry?
Which sorry and pain do we need to embrace?
We know that there is a challenging road ahead of us, as the road ahead was challenging for Abraham, for Peter and for Jesus.
How can we continue hoping against hope?
Knowing that God’s covenant endures forever.
Knowing there is no gain to be found living a small, cowardly, self-centered life. Knowing and believing that God is always near to us.
SLIDE 27 Knowing that we need to serve, share, and sacrifice to save our lives.
To share, to sacrifice and the serve. Let this be our light on the journey of Lent. Today and tomorrow: reflect on how you can share, how you can sacrifice and how you can serve?
Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to saving yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? What could you ever trade your soul for?
Amen.