Lent: A Bold Choice

 

I stand before you today not as a Christian, but as a follower of Jesus the Christ.  I have made a hard choice. I have decided to drop a title identifying who I associate with and accept a description that identifies what I do.  For as a Christian, I accept a title that describes some level of association or attainment, but as a follower, I accept the consequences of my actions for the choice I have made as I seek to learn from that choice.

Why is this important?  Simple.  I do not believe that Jesus set out to start a new religion of Christianity where he would be worshiped. He set out to put the focus on the Righteousness of God and how we should live accordingly. Jesus gave us the example. The disciples did not follow Jesus as Christians, they followed him as Jewish men seeking to learn from him about God.  He was an influence in their lives.  They called him teacher and Rabbi, not God, and Jesus stated that the only good (Righteous) one was God the Father when the 12 called him (Jesus) Good Teacher. 

Throughout his ministry, Jesus exemplified what God was like. He (Jesus) was a human man consumed with the Spirit of God. As a man, he had no more  power than the average man.  But as a man, being consumed by the spirit, he had power.  And we have learned from the scriptures that the power is great enough to move mountains, unfortunately, we never allow that power to manifest in our lives.  And that the power sustained Jesus at his death.  

As we are here today, let's approach Lent as followers of Jesus the Christ and more importantly as students. As Students emboldened with the Spirit of God in our human bodies.  Let us be bold as we move towards yet another Good Friday and Easter Sunday. 

For Christians, the approach of Lent, beginning on Ash Wednesday, ushers in a time of preparation.  From having been marked with a cross on the forehead from the burnt palm leaves of the previous year to making a decision on what one of our vices we are going to give up during the Lent season as a sacrifice to remind us of the sacrifice of Jesus.  Lent typically can include fasting as a means to “get us centered” and focused for the impact of the resurrection that will soon come.

Unfortunately, for many Lent participants, the sacrifices of vices given up soon fade away and the vice is resumed either from a total failure to commit or the lack of discipline to see the commitment through.  And what about these sacrifices anyway. Are they that Life changing?  Over the years, I have watched as people give up such items as a food, a beverage, some level of technology or some other item that holds a visible tangibility to them only to see the person  give in to temptation to pick it backup because the vice holds that much power or only to count down the days until Easter passes and the “sacrificed” item or action can quickly be resumed.  

What we should keep in mind as we make the choice to sacrifice something for Lent is Jesus.  We should not look at the time line as Lent to Easter but as Easter to Lent, from the end to the beginning as God did.  The outcome for Jesus had already been considered before his life on earth had even begun.  The consideration and outcome God put into this plan of Love and Grace was a paramount to continue after the sacrifice was made.  The sacrifice was not the end but the beginning of change.  The impact of the life of Jesus did not end at the cross, it was the prerequisite of the outcome of the resurrection.  The life and the sacrifice had and has lasting effects 2000 years later.

This is an important consideration as we all approach Lent this season either as a Christian or a follower.  Lets not consider what we are going to Sacrifice or give up for Lent first.  But let us discern the outcome of our choice first. Let us consider what impact our choice will not only have on each of us individually, but also on those around us.  Let us not be trivial in the choice but intentional in the choice.

We live in a divisive world. If we do not consider the impact of our choice as to how it affects or impacts those around us, we are Selfish. If we do not consider a choice that is far reaching, we are not seeking change as God did through Jesus. If we consider a choice that is controversial, we are then to rely on the strength of the spirit to use us and the choice to make change.

If we focus on what outcome we want for us and the world, what would it be?

1. Perhaps less hate and more love

2. Perhaps more peace and less anger

3. Perhaps more acceptance and less exclusion.

4. Perhaps to see Jesus on this earth

 

Suppose, each of us, made the following choices for Lent.

1. Lets give up our unqualified judgments of people and situations.  We are told if we judge then we will be judged

2. If we give up our judgements then we can give up our hate. For we are told we can not serve 2 masters. For we will love one and hate the other. We can not serve both Jesus and Society's norms.

3. Let’s give up exclusion and stop unjustifiably determining a person's worth based on our bias.  For in Christ there is neither man nor woman of Jew or Gentile.

4. Let us give up misplaced Faith. “For if you have seen me you have seen the father.

5. Let us give up doubt. But when he saw him…Jesus said” …ye of little faith, why did you doubt?”

 

And finally, if this is our choice, imagine the impact if we stood by these decisions  after Easter and did not give them up. Imagine if each Lent did not require us to make new choices but just became a time of affirmation for the choices of sacrifice we have already made to bring the desired change we seek. Imagine if we lived our lives by the example of Jesus.

 

Amen