Dear Fellow Children of God,
This Wednesday, February 13 is Ash Wednesday, the
beginning of Lent. Lent is the church
season where Christians especially remember our sin and Jesus’ suffering and
sacrificial death. St. John celebrates
Lent with special mid-week Lenten services at 6:30 p.m. each week during this season. This year our worship focuses on “The Prayers
of Jesus” and the services are held on February 13, 20, 27, and March 6, 13,
and 20. Please join us.
The season of Lent may be ‘famous’ in our world for two
reasons. First, many Christians have
taken on the discipline of self-denial or fasting during Lent. This Lenten discipline helps us to grow in
our fight against our sinful desires and passions. Every human has rebelled against our Creator
and our Savior with acts of rebellion, selfishness, and disobedience. We deserve God’s punishment now and eternally
for our sins. But, God has worked to
forgive us through His Son. Jesus had to
die so that our sins could be paid for.
This discipline of self-denial helps Christians take our sin seriously
and helps us to live for God rather than ourselves.
The other reason Lent is famous in today’s world is the
event of Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras, which takes place in New Orleans and other
cities around the world on the day before Ash Wednesday. This event began with the following rationale; ‘If I
am going to give something up during the season of Lent, let’s participate in
one last event of self-indulgence before the self-denial begins.’ You know as well as I do that Mardi Gras for
many has just become an excuse for a big wild party, even if the participants
are not giving up something for Lent.
Actually, the best way to celebrate Lent is an attitude
of humble repentance. No matter how much
we deny ourselves we are still sinners.
We still need God’s merciful and sacrificial love in Jesus. We all desperately need a Savior. Repentance trusts God’s forgiveness rather
than our work and effort. Repentance
trusts God’s love rather than our righteousness. Repentance admits our own failings and leads
us to live in humility.
In 1 John 1:8-9 God caused John to write, “8 If we
claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If
we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and
purify us from all unrighteousness.”
In a world where people want to be known for their good
deeds rather than their sins, repentance goes contrary to the way people think
and feel. But, the truth is we have all
failed God and are sinners. In a world
that often encourages ‘in your face’ trash talking and pride, repentant
humility is not common. Sometimes
because we struggle inwardly with repentance, outward acts and signs help our
heart in its search to serve the God who loves us and saved us.
So, consider what might help you in your bringing repentance
to your heart. Perhaps the imposition of
ashes in the Ash Wednesday service will help your humble repentance. Perhaps the disciplines of self-denial and
worship will help your heart. Or, best
yet, maybe knowing the love of God that He forgives our sins will change our
heart so we live for Him.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just
and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
A
Child of God, Seeking humble repentance in the presence of God and others,
Pastor
Jonathan
P.S. Here are some
pictures of ice fishing at the Marriage retreat on Saturday, February 9, and from
ice fishing on Monday, February 11, with Granddaughter, Emma. https://picasaweb.google.com/114993745799525883148/IceFishingFebruary9And112013?authuser=0&feat=directlink
****
ABOUT ‘THOUGHTS
FROM THE PASTOR’ - I am sending these e-mail messages, hopefully
weekly, to all St. John members and friends whose e-mails I have. (I am
always adding new names of friends and members – in case you are just receiving
this e-mail for the first time.) However, if you don’t want to receive
this e-mail, please let me know, and I’ll gladly leave your name off my list
for this message. . . Or, if you know someone who would like to receive one
of these e-mails, please send me their
e-mail address.
No comments:
Post a Comment