Author: carlock

On Sunday, I watched a documentary on the plight of Syrian refugees. Millions of Syrians have fled the surging violence in their homelands only to be turned away at borders or to be made to live in tents without adequate medical care. While we may see these stories play out on the news, few of us see these problems as having any direct impact on our lives. It is easy for us to become caught up in our own struggles and lose sight of the desperate circumstances faced by our brothers and sisters around the globe. In Galatians 3:27 we read, “As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.” As we seek to serve God, we must recognize that there are no distinctions between “us” and “them.” Rather, as followers of Christ we must seek to accompany others in their struggles, not simply showing sympathy or concern but walking with them and thus growing together in our knowledge of God. This Sunday we will be continuing our Lenten series, “Letting Go.” This week we will be examining the need to let go of self-preoccupation as we seek to not simply sympathize with the struggles of others, but walk with them as Christ has exemplified.

Our sermon series during Lent is entitled “Letting Go.” We will be examining different aspects of our lives which can hinder our spiritual journey and ways to release these as we seek to become more like Christ. This Sunday is focused on letting go of anger. In the book of James we read, “You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; for your anger does not produce God’s righteousness.” As we seek to be a people of reconciliation in our community and the world, we will explore how to reflect the grace we have experienced from God in our interactions with others. I hope you will join us for our Ash Wednesday service this Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. as we begin this season of Lent and begin to let go of these burdens to embrace the fullness of life available in Christ.

We are consistently reminded of the power of death in our world. Many of us know someone or are currently ourselves experiencing circumstances which try our faith in the face of this power. In the book of Isaiah we read “but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” These words of encouragement came to the people of God at a time when they questioned God’s continued presence with them. Like Isaiah’s audience, we can recognize that God has not and will not abandon us. In Christ we have the ability to overcome the power of death and experience the power of resurrection here and now. This Sunday we will be looking at a story of the power of death and the ability to overcome it in Christ when we wait upon him.