Rev. Zach

Psalm 27      Philippians 3:17-4:1      Luke 13:31-35 Last week we talked about the invitation of Lent, and how it can help us. We talked about the way in which – whether we give things up or take things on as spiritual practices – we are called to embody a faithful response to Christ. We talked about the way in which Jesus resisted temptation not just as an example, but as a means of resting power from the forces of sin and evil in the world. Finally, we recognized the opportunity of our own vulnerability and the way it empowers us to respond to the needs of others. All of that led to this question: How and what do you need to cultivate in your life in order to respond more faithfully to the gospel of Jesus Christ? Today we’re going to talk about letting go. In fact, each of you has a piece of origami paper in your bulletin, and I’d like you to write something on it before you leave today. If you have been thinking about what yo...

Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18        Philippians 3:17-4:1        Luke 13:31-35 So, what are you getting for Lent? That’s kind of a weird question, isn’t it? Normally we think of giving something up for Lent. You might even think of that as a Roman Catholic thing to do. Certainly it comes from their tradition and history, which is also our tradition and history. Some protestants may think that it is somewhat of a “works righteousness” kind of thing to do. Or maybe it is, like in the movie Chocolat , an unreasonable measure of control that isn’t really connected with kindness or compassion. All of these things may be true, but they aren’t the whole story. First off, giving up something for Lent is a way that we can participate in something as the church catholic – meaning all who follow Jesus. And while some may think of giving things up as earning bonus points or sky miles, it can also be understood as a type of Spring Cleaning for your soul. The word L...