40 days

 

As we head into the 40 days of lent many churches hear teachings about the life and ministry of Jesus.

We hear incredible stories of how he healed people and cast out demons. He made bold proclamations as to whom he was and the power of the Kingdom of God.

But in all of these incredible revelations regarding the life of Jesus we may still walk away from them not understanding the purpose.

Many times, we might simply feel the incredible events that take place in the Gospels were merely to “prove” Jesus was who he said he was, but it’s really so much more.

Jesus walked as a living example of how our heavenly Father designed us and our life to be before sin entered in.

“For this purpose, I have come into the world-to bear witness to the truth.”-John 18:37

In our recent Ash Wednesday service, we walked through the scripture of Satan trying to tempt Jesus. (Matthew 4:1-11)

When that happens, Jesus makes it clear that he will only serve God and we’re shown in that an incredible contrast to the beginning of Genesis.

Adam and Eve succumbed to the temptation, Jesus did not. His ministry was a powerful example of the faithfulness to God that we were created for.

The life of Christ is meant to show us that we have a choice. Jesus is often referred to as the second Adam. Through the story of Christ, history is being rewritten for us and the inkwell used is the blood of Christ.

The story started in a garden; the garden of Eden, and the questioning obedience to God. The first Adam failed. The Gospels bring us to another garden. The garden of Gethsemane. Jesus is faced with the same question of obedience. Will he follow through with Gods will? There’s a moment in Luke 22:42 when we hear Jesus say “Father if you are willing, take this cup from me..” and in this moment we hear the humanity in Jesus’ request. Before we can sit too long in Jesus’ anguish, we hear him finish the sentence. “Yet, not my will but yours be done.” The kingdom of God breaks through the sin of the world in this one sentence that culminates to an act of complete surrender and love.

“There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” -John” 15:13

Lent is a time to question our wants. Whose will do we truly live by? Are we living our lives in the quest that our will be done?

As we sit with these questions, we may find answers that we don’t like. That’s where the repentant part of lent comes in. Bring these misguided wants to God. Ask him for HIS will to be done in your life.

Jesus’ life shows us who we were created to be and how we were created to live. The narrative of Genesis 2:17 tells us that we can only follow the path of sin and death. Jesus has re-written that narrative through his sacrificial death on the cross. A death that gives us new life.

“For the Son of man came to seek and to save the lost.”-Luke 19:10

As we say during the imposition of ashes, “Repent and believe the Gospel”

-Pastor Patti