Pastor Mike’s Meditations

 March 2021

In the Lenten Devotional we provided, that is based off of the writings of Henri Nouwen, the entry for the Second Sunday of Lent was entitled, Our Mission and Message. Drawn from the book, With Burning Hearts, Nouwen writes, “Forming a community with family and friends, building a body of love, shaping a new people of the resurrection: all this is not just that we can live a life protected from the dark forces that dominate our world; it is, rather, to enable us to proclaim together to all people, young and old, white and black, poor and rich, that death does not have the last word, that hope is real and God is alive.”
The devotional goes on to note, “Forming a community of Christ’s people is not just so we can live a life protected from the dark and dangerous forces that dominate our world. We have a critical mission and a vital message to share. Our mission is to reach out with genuine kindness and care to all people, young and old, white and black, poor and rich-welcoming them warmly into our community of faith. Our message is that death does not have the last word. Hope is real, God is alive. For Christ has destroyed the powers of darkness & death, & brought us into a new world and immortal life with him. In our weekly worship, and daily devotions, our Lord fills us with the joy and peace and purpose which can be found nowhere else.”
As people of the resurrection, we recognize that each of us has been called out of the kingdom of darkness and into the kingdom of light. As “light bearers”, God seeks to shine his light in us and through us in order to illumine this world darkened by sin and death. Jesus is the light of the world (John 8:12), and he tells us that whoever follows him will never walk-in darkness, but will have the light of life. In addition, in the Sermon on the Mount, he says, “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”
Forming a community that reflects Christ’s light and plays its’ missionary role in the world by proclaiming the message that Christ is alive, happens in several ways. It happens when we gather for worship. During this season of Lent I want to encourage you to make a practice of gathering in person for corporate worship. For those who are waiting to receive the vaccine or who have health factors that could cause you to be compromised, I get it, and we encourage you to continue to participate in our live-stream on Sunday mornings. But for others, who may have simply gotten out of the rhythm of participating in weekly worship, the devotional was a great reminder of how “the Lord fills us anew with joy and peace and purpose which can be found nowhere else.” It happens when we participate in daily devotions or prayer time so that we are prepared to engage the world for Christ. “Jesus’ desire is that we would be in the world but not of this world, serving as instruments of God’s healing and help and hope among wounded and broken people.” In other words, it is as we allow Christ to heal our own wounds and brokenness in times of prayer that we then become instruments of God’s healing, and help and hope for others. Finally, we can better carry out our mission and share Christ’s message in partnership with others. It happens in community. Serving alongside others and sharing the message of Jesus is better done side-by-side or shoulder to shoulder. We are God’s missionary people sent into the world to proclaim the message that Christ is alive, and when that love is shared in our Growth Groups and other smaller groups, others get to see it and experience it in greater ways. You see Lent isn’t simply about what we may be giving up, but rather about what we get to then do as a result of being freed up from what might otherwise consume us.


With You on the Journey,
Pastor Mike