Often we cry to God in distress and either glance His way or neglect Him altogether when life is good. In Psalm 107 we are summoned to always consider the steadfast love of the Lord and to give Him thanks both privately and in the congregation of the people. On this 4th Sunday of Lent we unite to recall our God’s love and to give Him thanks.
Sermons by Dean Wertz (Page 21)
We were made to live with God. Yet, like David, we wander, breaking the Divine’s laws and heart. Fortunately, God pursues His people in many ways. On this 3rd Sunday of Lent we see in Psalm 19 that God reveals Himself to His wayward king through His creation and His written Word. This was a gift to David and, for those of us who live after the first coming of Jesus, we have the clearest demonstration of God’s love and grace. In Christ, we can be restored and reconciled to our God-given purpose – the blessed life with God.
We were designed to experience God while living in His presence daily. Yet suffering can cause us to turn from God. On this 2nd day of Lent we meditate on David’s response to suffering. He felt forsaken by God and he questioned God, yet he continued to cry out and come to God. A thousand years later the Gospels report that one of David’s descendants fulfilled the suffering and joy originally penned by David. As He hung on a Roman cross atoning for the sins of the world, Jesus expressed words from Psalm 22 to the Father identifying with David and all of us when we are afflicted with suffering.
This first week of Lent, David’s prayer in Psalm 25 reveals that shame, hurt, confusion, loneliness, guilt, concerns for others and many other afflictions are a part of our humanity. Rather than figuring these things out before we come to God, these are the very things our Heavenly Father, whose love is steadfast, is calling us to bring to Him just as we are.
Today we finish our 4-week series entitled, Be Still My Soul in which we are looking to Jesus who lived in communion with the Father, faithfully fulfilled His divine assignments, evaded people’s expectations, loved the right people and sustained a soul at rest. Throughout these first weeks of 2018 we are reminded that God envisions followers of Jesus doing the same. Today’s message emerges from the final 2 verses in Mark 1:35-39 in which we see Jesus faithfully fulfilling God’s priorities. Here He shows us how to do the same.
God made you to commune with Him while fulfilling His call to love the right people. Once you discern what this unique kind of life looks like for you, get ready because distractions are coming. Jesus’ friends requested that He serve more people in Capernaum, yet He was so clear on His Father’s priorities that He evaded their seemingly good suggestion in order to stay the course with His Father’s will. Good news – all followers of Jesus must, and can, learn to do the same.
People matter to God and so, as followers of Jesus, people matter to us. Yet, sometimes the needs of people can be overwhelming. Jesus came to love people and at times people’s expectations were different than the Father’s plans for Jesus. As we begin this new year we look to Christ who perfectly discerned the Father’s relational priorities and seek wisdom from God to help us do the same.
We all have pressures and priorities. With a New Year beginning tomorrow, it is a great time to remember that God designed us to deepen our lives with Him by living according to His priorities not people’s pressures. Early in the morning after a busy Saturday, Jesus was deepening His life with His Father when some potential distractions arose. In Jesus’ response, we discover how He evaded the pressures in order to maintain union with and obedience to His Father.
Though God made us to live abundantly, everyone in every generation wanders from His best. About 700 BC, God’s people drifted far away and even the kings and priests weren’t able to bring them back. Yet, a prophet named Micah announced that from Bethlehem a leader would come who would shepherd God’s people back in the strength and majesty of the Lord. On this 3rd Sunday of Advent we celebrate Jesus’ coming and are invited to return to Him, the Good Shepherd who alone can restore our abundant life! (To view the video included early in this message see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUngLgGRJpo )
In today’s ancient story we find Jacob succeeding and happy after taking advantage of his naïve brother and tricking his failing father. Isn’t this the way it goes? Dishonesty pays. A subtle manipulation gets the handshake, the promotion and the good life. Yet, what if the good life could be better? On this second Sunday of Advent we discover that satisfaction, happiness and power are for those who strive, but joy, peace and love are afforded to those defeated by and surrendered to an All-Prevailing God.