Every Sunday in Lent is considered a mini Easter and is therefore not counted among the days of Lent. During this time we should pause to celebrate the goodness of God as he brings us closer to himself and into a deeper understanding of the work of Christ in our lives.
Today we’re going to celebrate the Grace of God.
There are many misunderstandings and misconceptions about what the grace of God is. And I will not try to dispel all of them in this post. What I would like to do is consider what the ministry of Christ means for us if we accept Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection as God’s plan for our redemption.
For those of us who claim the name of Christ and have become followers of him, the greatest realization we can accept and celebrate is that God has done something for us that we cannot do for ourselves.
God has entered into the human condition and walked among us experiencing the fullness of the human experience so that we might know he understands what it is like to be one of us. The miracle of the incarnation is not only that God became like us. That in and of itself is truly glorious. The miracle of the incarnation is that God truly understands what it means to live in a world that is broken and drifting away from him.
God’s grace, as it is seen in the life and presence of Jesus upon the earth, is the proof of God’s glorious love for us.
The weight of sin and the effects of spiritual brokenness upon men and women cannot always be fully understood. It is something we experience in unique ways because we are individual people. One of the challenges we face is recognizing that though we might experience similar events we do not always experience the same manifestation of emotions. What this means for us is we should not compare our experiences. We should just recognize how each experience shapes us into the people we are becoming.
Now, what does this have to do with God’s grace? That is a good question. And I would answer it in this way.
God’s grace, as it is seen in the life and presence of Jesus upon the earth, is the proof of God’s glorious love for us. That God would exit his perfect heaven and enter into our broken world so that we might have a relationship with him is worthy of celebration. The reality of God’s grace can sometimes escape us because we do not, or maybe we simply cannot fully appreciate the cost of Jesus entering into the world to God.
The Christian church has taught this idea, this doctrinal truth, from the very beginning. And so for those of us who have the benefit of centuries of theologians and divines speaking to it, Jesus’s entrance into the world feels as if this is something “normal”. But the truth of the matter is this is anything but normal. Anything God does is supernatural. And even though we accept as an axiom of faith the entrance of Jesus Christ into the world through the miracle of the incarnation, we should not lose sight of how truly glorious this reality is.
As we celebrate this first Sunday in Lent, I encourage you to take a moment, to pause and reflect on this wonderful reality that we have been gifted. In just a few short weeks we will remember the fullness of the sacrifice of Christ. But as we journey towards Resurrection Sunday, we should stop and rejoice at the goodness of God as it is seen in the grace of God.
It is to give you a chance to relive and rehearse what you’ve been through without necessarily having to live through it again.
One of the obstacles we have to overcome when engaging in a time of remembering is dealing with emotions that haven’t been addressed or have gone unresolved. These memories are important even when we do not necessarily have a clear path forward.
The goal of remembering should be to enter into a deeper analysis of the events and to discern, as best we can, the lessons we can take away from them.
We should not be surprised when we find ourselves stuck on a memory unable to move forward. This is actually quite common. It’s at times like these when we should seek the counsel of a trusted friend or mentor. Sometimes in conversation the combined wisdom of your lives can bring about some new insights that may have gone unnoticed before. This may not be the best approach for everyone.
The goal of remembering should be to enter into a deeper analysis of the events and to discern, as best we can, the lessons we can take away from them.
Sometimes writing down our memories and reflections can be helpful. Other times using our imagination to put ourselves into that situation may be the way to go. Regardless of the method we use, the goal should be to look at the event and the choices that we made, and possibly the mistakes that were made in order to gain a better understanding of how we can grow and move forward.
As we continue our journey towards Easter, it is good to take a moment to reflect and remember on those things that could keep us from embracing the fullness of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. This time of reflection is key in helping us to consider where we are on our journey of faith.
As we look back and even consider where we might go in the days, months, and years to come, remembering when we are not in the immediate emotional state of that event gives us an opportunity to think and look at what happened with a little more clarity.
This is not an easy task for many. But in spite of the challenges, it is well worth the effort. When we remember and reflect and consider where we have been and where we would like to go we grow as individuals and as members of the faith communities to which we belong.
We should not underestimate the power of our own spiritual maturity and development. It may be something other people do not consider to be of value. However, as followers of Christ, we are called to a continual journey of development. This journey can sometimes lead us to places and conclusions we did not anticipate or expect. But regardless of where we end up we can put our trust in Christ to lead us from there to the place he said he was preparing for us.
To walk by faith can sometimes feel like an overwhelming challenge. But that challenge should not cause us to despair or lose hope. We should continue to turn our attention towards Christ, allowing him to continue his work in us as he conforms us into his image and cultivates in us those disciplines that will yield a harvest within our lives.
One of the many challenges we face in faith is learning to trust God.
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
James 1:17 KJV
God is light. The very notion of this strikes us as confusing. The reason is that as people with bodies the idea of our bodies giving off light makes no sense. And yet this is one of the key descriptors of God’s being given to us in Scripture. What are we to make of it?
Even if we were to accept that God is light in a literal sense we should not be surprised by this. For God is purity itself.
It is both terrifying and comforting to think of God as being light. It is terrifying because it means there is nothing that can remain hidden from him. It is comforting because there is nothing that can remain hidden from him.
The comfort we have in knowing that God knows all it is that God is not surprised by what we bring to him.
One of the many challenges we face in faith is learning to trust God. The description of God as light should increase our trust because it means there is nothing we should try to hide from him. We might feel shame in confessing it out loud because it means admitting the truth to ourselves, but that is far less difficult than living under the burden of the truth we’re trying to hide from the world.
The description of God as light should increase our trust because it means there is nothing we should try to hide from him.
The longer we wait the more difficult it becomes. The more accustomed we become to its presence in our lives. The more we fear its revelation to the world.
And so as we begin the season of Lent I think it’s appropriate for us to take time to consider what things in our lives we should allow God’s light to shine upon. This does not mean some form of public confession needs to be made. Although that is not necessarily excluded. But it does mean making a clear and unequivocal confession to God, seeking his forgiveness with a sincere heart.
God is not merely interested in hearing what we have to ask of him. God is interested in speaking to us.
1. The purpose of prayer is to position our minds and hearts according to God’s purposes
There are many misconceptions about what the purpose of prayer is. Enacted because we have not fully appreciated the lesson that Jesus gave to his own disciples when they asked about the subject. Often times when we think about prayer we see it as one-way communication. That means that we are the ones speaking and God is the one listening. But this misses an important aspect of the relationship we have a God.
The reality is that God is not merely interested in hearing what we have to ask of him. Even though he invites us to do it. We have to recognize that God is interested in speaking to us. That doesn’t mean we will always find it easy to hear what he has to say. But God has spoken. And God will continue to speak. The question is will we recognize his voice when he does?
This is what prayer seeks to find an answer for. Not only can we communicate with God and to God what is on our hearts and in our minds, but God can speak to us and share with us what he feels we must know.
2. The reality of prayer can be difficult when we merely desire for God to satisfy our whims
Related to the purpose of prayer is understanding that prayer can at times be difficult. God is not some divine Santa Claus who is sitting in heaven waiting for his children to offer him all the reasons he should fulfill their requests. That is not what prayer should be. And yet many of us have made it that or something similar.
There is a deeper reality that God is seeking to create within us. And that is to make us and conform us into the image of his son Jesus Christ. That we might live in accordance with his purposes and fulfill his will. So how has God determined to provide us this information? Through a listening for the prompting of his Spirit as our ears have been trained through the reading of his word.
The Bible serves us as teacher to train our ears to recognize the voice of God. When we merely read the Scripture to increase our knowledge we silence what God is trying to say through his revealed word. Yes, we can learn from the Scripture, but I think it is more important that we learn to listen by the Scriptures.
3. The power of prayer is found when we surrender our will to that of God’s.
There is a power to prayer that is oftentimes left unused and unseen. The power of prayer will be experienced when we are no longer trying to cajole God into doing what we want. When we stop and listen and learn what it is God desires we become more able to do what God has revealed to us.
Of the many challenges associated with praying, one of the greatest is understanding that when we surrender our limited understanding to God’s infinite wisdom we will come out better in the end. And so prayer functions in our lives to reveal those areas of our lives where we are not truly surrendered to God’s will.
The sacrifice of Christ on the cross is the fulfillment of promises and prophecies that God gave to his people from the moment they fell and were removed from the garden of Eden.
On this Ash Wednesday, as we prepare to enter into a season of reflection it is important to not lose sight of what we’re marching towards. Within the liturgical calendar, the season of Lent is a time of preparation. In this season we look back over the last few months to the journey that began during the season of Advent.
In Advent, we celebrate the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. But in Lent, we prepare ourselves to acknowledge and celebrate the reality of Christ’s ultimate sacrifice on the cross.
The sacrifice of Christ on the cross is the fulfillment of promises and prophecies that God gave to his people from the moment they fell and were removed from the garden of Eden. On virtually every page of Scripture, we see the hand of God and we hear the voice of God through his messengers declaring the fulfillment of his ultimate redemption. A redemption that would bring to an end the sorrow and suffering that was brought into the world by sin.
The first day of the season of Lent is a time of reflecting upon the impact of sin in our lives. In particular, in those churches that have a service on Ash Wednesday, a particular practice has been used to mark both day and the believer. The use of ashes (which are made by burning the palm branches of the previous year) to signify that this life we lead on earth is transient and will eventually come to an end are imposed upon the foreheads of every believer.
The ashes are applied in the shape of a cross and the words “remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” With these words, we are reminded we are mortal and that this life will eventually come to an end. However, the ending is merely a transition from life on this earth to life before God.
We rehearse and remember the reality of the Lenten season because we as a people have a propensity to forget. And it is in this forgetting that we should force ourselves to remember.
The season of Lent, which leads to the celebration of Easter morning, begins with a solemn service where we are called to remember that the weightiness of the season requires a seriousness of thought and reflection upon our lives. The celebration of Easter 40 days after Ash Wednesday should be a time of great rejoicing. After 40 days of reflection and meditation, we should be properly prepared to receive the glorious news that salvation has been purchased for us.
We might wonder why we believers who have already received the message of the gospel and the promises to which it signals should rehearse and repeat the season from year-to-year. I find that the reason is much simpler than we would care to admit. We rehearse and remember the reality of the Lenten season because we as a people have a propensity to forget. And it is in this forgetting that we should force ourselves to remember.
As we begin this season of the line I would encourage you to take some time to consider those areas of your lives where we all must surrender again our trust in our own abilities for a genuine confidence in Christ’s.
In this season we are looking to bring into clearer focus the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ as it was incarnated in Jesus as he died on the cross and was raised from the dead on the third day.
Tomorrow we begin the season in the Christian calendar called Lent. The season of Lent is a time of contemplation and preparation. It is a time when we refrain from indulging in certain things for the sake of our souls.
It is not that continuing with the normal rhythm of life is bad or wrong. It’s just that in this season we are looking to bring into clearer focus the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ as it was incarnated in Jesus as he died on the cross and was raised from the dead on the third day.
In the season of Lent, we contemplate the reality of sin and the impact it has on our lives in our journey of faith. We take the time to look back at where we have been and to look forward to where we are going. This time of reflection and contemplation serves to prepare us for what we will be celebrating on Resurrection Sunday morning.
Lent is also a time of preparation. This means we are looking forward to the fulfilled hope of Christ’s resurrection. The regular rhythm of the liturgical calendar provides us with a framework that helps us to remember how the promises of God have been fulfilled throughout the passage of time. This continual call to preparation will persist until Christ returns. We need to be reminded that until we see the fulfillment of our redemption when we have finally entered into God’s eternal rest, we must not lose sight or lose heart along the way.
The journey of the Christian faith should be a steady and persistent walk with God. What this means for us on a daily basis is that in spite of the challenges we might encounter we can trust in God’s goodness toward us.
And so we enter the season of Lent. Readying ourselves to celebrate the great gift of salvation and the resurrection of Christ. But also recognizing that in order to properly appreciate this gift of grace we must put our hearts in a proper posture to receive.
I invite you to read the reflections and devotions over the next several weeks. Meditate on the ideas discussed. Pause when led to do it. Pray a little more than you may feel comfortable. Read Scripture seeking to hear rather than to be informed. In these small and simple practices, we cultivate the kind of faith that endures difficult times.
For many of us taking the time to consider where God has brought us can be challenging. But it is worth the effort and I invite you to join this journey towards Easter morning as we contemplate various ideas over the next few weeks.
LYRICS: When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul.
My sin—oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!— My sin, not in part but the whole, Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more, Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
It is well with my soul, It is well, it is well with my soul. It is well with my soul, It is well, it is well with my soul.
Though chaos is rampant, I’ll carry your peace All lies will be silenced as You speak I see it even now Oh, the enemy will bow At the feet of Jesus my King
Praise the Lord, oh my soul Praise the Lord, oh my soul Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord, oh my soul!
Yesterday, one of our contributors released his second book. Here at Jeremiah’s Vow we are excited for this great accomplishment for our friend Drew Anderson.
Drew’s new book “Reform A More Perfect Union” can be purchased on Amazon! Go grab your copy today (link).
As one of our contributors, we celebrate with Drew, and offer his new book as a resource for navigating the current landscape of American Christianity. This book is the second in a two-part series. Make sure to grab the first book as well, if you haven’t yet: “No Longer Self Evident.” You can find it on Amazon as well. And they go together in order to reflect on the question: “Do we look more American than Christian?”
Maybe these resources can be a part of your journey of becoming more like Christ. Check them out today!
1 Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord.” 2 And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. 3 In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. 6 The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.”
8 Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. 9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?” 10 And the Lord said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground.
Genesis 4:1-10
Introduction
The story of Cain and Abel is a powerful reminder of how fragile human relationships can be. Even when those relationships are within a family. The Story is also a sad one because it captures the first instance of one person taking the life of another.
Life is a precious gift. It is one that we do not always appreciate. But we become aware of its value when we lose a loved one or when we fear losing our own life. In many ways, this is what makes the story of Cain and able so tragic. Not only is a family broken, not only our brothers at out with each other but in the reversible act sets in motion severe consequences.
Personal accountability is something we learn to do as we mature. But it is something we must learn to do.
One of the challenges we all must encounter in life is understanding that every choice we make will have consequences. Some consequences are easier to see. But most consequences to the choices we make may go unnoticed. This is why we should do all we can to be wise and how we conduct ourselves.
The story of Cain and Abel and how God confronts Cain about his actions is a powerful reminder. Not only must we all give an account for our lives but we will give an account for how we treated others. We cannot control what other people do. What we can do is do all we can to live a life that is consistent with God’s character.
With this in mind let’s see what we can glean from the events that took place in the Scripture above.
I. Why did God ask Cain the question, “Where is your Brother?”
I’ve always found God’s question became to be interesting. But when we consider the question in light of who God is and what he knows we can see that the purpose of the question was for the benefit of the reader.
When God asked Cain where his brother was, was it because the God didn’t know? No.
Did God want to see if Cain knew where Able was? No, God already knew where Able was.
When God asked the question he is not seeking information. Usually when God asks a question it’s to test if we will acknowledge that he already knows. To see if we will lie or tell the truth.
Was it because God wasn’t sure? No, God was not surprised by what Cain had done.
Often times we read the Bible we do so based on incorrect assumptions.
If when we read the Bible we assume that God is seeking information we will arrive at incorrect conclusions. As I said above when God asked the question he is clarifying something for the person he is questioning.
God asks the question to reveal Cain’s, and ultimately our own inclination to lie about what we’ve done.
When we are confronted by what we have done we are not all that quick to admit it.
II. There is no place where we can go to hid from God.
If there is one thing we should learn to accept as followers of Christ and believers of God is that there is no place where we can go that God is not already there.
And while this my cause anxiety for some and concern for others, it should really be reason to be thankful.
We should be thankful there is no reason to lie to God. Even when we end up doing it anyway.
We shouldn’t even try to do it. But we do and this is where most of us make a critical mistake in our relationship with God.
The mistake we make is thinking that if we confess to God that God’s opinion of us will change. But if he already knows and he still desires to have a relationship with us, that our confidence in God’s grace and mercy should increase. Not decrease.
David understood this. What he rights in Psalm 139 can be very scary because of what it implies for us.
Read Psalm 139:1-12
O Lord, You have searched me and known me.2 You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. 3 You comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways. 4 For there is not a word on my tongue, But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether. 5 You have hedged me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain it.
7 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? 8 If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.9 If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, 10 Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me. 11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,” Even the night shall be light about me; 12 Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, But the night shines as the day; The darkness and the light are both alike to You.
NKJV
David’s recognition that there is no place where we can go to hide from God’s presence should encourage us to accept that there is no place we need to go to hide from his presence.
To be in God’s presence is to be where we should long to be at all times.
III. Personal Accountability is about accepting that nothing is hidden and that truth and honesty are always the best way to respond to God.
This is not always easy. As a matter of fact it is pretty hard to do. But that is the challenge.
We may be accountable to many different people for different reasons (work, school, parents, boy/girlfriend).
In the end we are accountable to God and what it is He wants from and for us in our lives.
Cain’s response to God betrayed him because Cain knew that he was his brother’s keeper.
There was no hiding it. Anything other than acceptance of this fact was a lie, not so much to the world, but to himself.
I think that Cain knew the moment he asked the question that he was wrong. Cain’s concerns that when others heard what he had done he would be in danger where real.
Conclusion
Personal accountability is something we learn to do as we mature. But it is something we must learn to do. When we don’t we will find ourselves responding to God the way that Cain did. We will know that we have done wrong but because of our guilt and shame, we will try to keep her from God.
Originally Delivered on Sunday, January 21, 2007. It has been edited and expanded.
