This is Lent, So what?
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What is Lent all about?
What is Lent all about?
If I sat with each of you and ask you what Lent was all about I would get... let’s see about 65 different answers.
Does that mean that there is no standard when viewing Lent? - No I don’t think so.
I think that we would see some common themes among all of the people.
I think that all our thoughts about the 40 day season leading to Easter can come together with some very basic needs, wants and desires...
I grew up a Roman Catholic kid and there is nothing more than what WANTED, NEEDED is what I “gave up” for Lent. 4 days prior on Ash Wednesday.
I ate more tuna noodle hot dish with potato chips on top than the Pope.
A treat was to go to McDonalds and eat $1.00 Filet of Fishes.
As you can see I lived a pretty simple life in Northeast South Dakota in the 1960’s and 70’s.
I believe that Lent calls us to
Security, Freedom and Love
BIG IDEA: How can we find Security, Freedom and Love during this Lenten season?
Most of us find that initial security, freedom and love in family. For some us, maybe you, our family of origin provided none of these three.
Family goes WAY beyond sharing genes and chromosomes.
Wherever we find ourselves… that’s family!!!
[Josh Pagel, UT-Martin stories]
The family that we have born into, the family that this church is, and the community in which we live, work and play can also be called “family.”
We are going to look at today those three themes,
Security, Freedom and Love.
I hope adding these three ideas to your foundation will strengthen it and that you will want to live out your lives on that foundation.
Our main passage this week is from the Book of Isaiah. Chapter 55.
This is found on page _____ of the bible that is found in the pew.
Let’s stand as we read God’s Word.
1 “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
2 Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.
3 Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David.
4 Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples.
5 Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know, and a nation that did not know you shall run to you, because of the Lord your God, and of the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you.
6 “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near;
7 let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
Even in the Jewish world this is the most read passage in the book. It describes a relationship with God that is not master and slave, nor is it king and subject
It is...
Inclusive for men, women, Jew, gentile and pagan.
It is Comprehensive and points the reader even an Old Testament reader to a relationship with God, with Yahweh.
There is also a hint, an illusion of a time coming when a Savior and Redeemer is coming.
Let’s get started...
1 “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
I do want to draw your attention to some key ideas here
“Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters”
There is no distinction here even in this Old Testament Book written some 600 years before Christ, between Jews and as the verse says “everyone.”
“Thirst and water” is frequently used to describe to describe what God has given us.
Here in the valley we have in most years, lots of water. Water has not be “scarce” recently.
This was not the case in the this part of the world. It was very precious, VERY scarce.
Is 55.1 “he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.”
PONT#1 - THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS FOR EVERYONE!
Yes, where God is, His Kingdom is, Where his Kingdom is, is where WE want to found.
So let’s build a foundation
Verses 1 & 2
1 “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
2 Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.
God knows that it is VERY difficult to hear about him when you are thirsty, hungry, or when your family has no shelter.
In these two verses God has provided our first need...
SECURITY
Listen to Ps 91.1-2
1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
We are secure in the loving arms of God.
This is part of the lenten discussion.
This is a time of renewal, its a time to unfurl your flag and be ready to plant it firmly.
Your position with God is secure if you are in a relationship with Jesus Christ.
If you are here and you do not… This is your time.
It’s time, right here right now to turn all of those security issues over to God.
And he will meet all of our needs.
POINT #2 - FREEDOM IS BEST REALIZED IN THE ARMS OF A LOVING GOD!
“Freedom” that’s a difficult term that we, American’s throw around. Just a couple to gut checks for you
The “national” religion of America is NOT Christianity!
We, all of us, when we talk about the United States and our freedoms we somehow think that you aren’t really free unless your an American.
The logic and the statement are simply incorrect.
Yes, America is a “free” country, although I think that has taken a hit in the last few years.
We stand-up for individual rights and freedoms, at least that’s what we are called on to do.
True Freedom is not in flag, true freedom is not found in an ideology, or certain set of values or social norms.
True freedom is is a function of security and our God wants that for us.
True freedom comes when we understand the scriptures and our place in them
Listen to this passage
2 Corinthians 3:17–18 (ESV)
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is FREEDOM.
18 And we all, with UNVEILED FACE, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being TRANSFORMED into the same image from one degree of glory to another. FOR THIS COMES FROM THE LORD WHO IS SPIRIT.
Are you looking for real FREEDOM? I think that we all are in some form or another.
There are some who are addicted to porn, drugs, alcohol — LORD GOD MAKE THEM FREE!
There are some people in relationships that are smothering to both husband and wife. — LORD GOD MAKE THEM FREE!.
There are those in our church who literally have $.98 in their bank account, who are having great difficulty rearing their children, who are tetering on divorce. — LORD GOD, FILL THERE REFRIGERATOR, FILL THERE GAS TANK, FILL THEIR HEARTS WITH YOUR SPIRIT!!!
Does your life need a “tune-up” or does it need a Holy Spirit driven redo?
18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
Note in this verse, we are unveiled, the Glory of Lord that Moses had to hid from his people is bright and shining as we bask in the the unveiled Gospel.
Our final stop today is this… God’s Love goes hand-in-hand with Freedom and Security.
Of course the greatest love story EVER written to conceived cannot match up to this
John 3:16 (ESV)
16 “For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
This “Love” is something that cannot be understood and there is nothing to compare it to.
We cannot begin to fathom the depth and the riches of the LOVE that the father shared with us in sending a part of himself, to earth with an expiration date of 33 years.
POINT #3 - THIS “LOVE” IS A PIECE OF THE PUZZLE. IT RESIDES WITH FREEDOM AND SECURITY.
What is it that God really desires from us in this area of “Love.”
We know that He does have some “requirements” for us with His love
Micah 6:8 (ESV)
8 He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to LOVE kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
God wants us to love kindness. But there must be more than kindness.
Daniel 9:4 (ESV)
4 I prayed to the Lord my God and made confession, saying, “O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and STEADFAST LOVE [it bears alongside you] with those who love him and keep his commandments,
God’s love is steadfast. It is stable in the raging storm of our lives.
God’s love is dependent on us returning to him the love that he is due.
Here are some words that helped me understand God’s love...
Loyalty
Faithfulness
Obligation
Goodness and Kindness
All can remind us of the love that has been shared with us by God.
This is especially through the blood of Jesus! Whose sacrifice set all of these things in motion for us.
Let’s go back and see if we answered our BIG Question
BIG IDEA: How can we find Security, Freedom and Love during this Lenten season?
Each of these elements:
Security
Freedom
Love
Peace
All of this and much much more can be understood in a framework that involves the shed blood of Christ.
Without the blood of Jesus there is no Security, there is no Freedom and there is no Love.
This Lenten Season is a time to step back, take a survey of the Lord at what He has done for you, to give props to the one to makes it all fit together.
AND to grow into that completely different, unique person that God wants from us.
COMMUNION
We are going to take an extended time this morning in personal prayer, confession, repentance and clearing our hearts of all that clutters it up in our lives and focus on the sacrifice, the DEEP DEEP Love that Jesus has for us.