When Pastor Edwin was ordained, I offered these words: “My friend – to hope and to believe is to resist all that is wrong with the world. Resistance is the path of the Christian. Resistance to oppression, injustice, silence, apathy, loss, even to the power of death. Welcome, Edwin. Welcome to the resistance. What does the prophet Isaiah say to us: “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns!”
Welcome to the season of Lent. Truthfully, welcome to the resistance my friends. To participate in the season of Lent in worship on Sundays, soup suppers and worship on Wednesdays, a book study on Thursday mornings, worship on Thursday mornings, or any practice that turns your face towards our God and away from the world and our own selfish desires is an act of resistance. To be a follower of Jesus is to resist the things of this world that exploit, abuse, neglect, mistreat, disregard, ignore, or dismiss another human being made in God’s image. What does Jesus ask of us?
Love God
- Love God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength. (Matthew 22:34-38; Mark 12:28-30; Luke 10:25-27)
- Do things because you want to serve God; not because you want to impress other people. (Matthew 6:1-18)
- Humble yourselves. (Matthew 18:4; Matthew 23:12; Luke 14:11; Luke 18:14)
- Follow Jesus. Don’t wonder about other people. (John 21:20-22)
- Pray – and keep praying. (Matthew 6:5-14; Luke 11:1-13; Luke 18:1-8)
- Don’t worry. God knows what you need. (Matthew 6:25-34; Matthew 11:28-30; Luke 12:22-32)
- Trust God – not earthly treasures. (Matthew 6:19-21; Matthew 6:24; Luke 12:33-34)
Love Others
- Love your neighbor the same way you love yourself. (Matthew 22:39; Mark 12:28-34; Luke 10:25-37)
- Love each other the same way Jesus loved his disciples. (John 13:34; John 15:12)
- Love each other – it is by your love for each other that the world will know that you are Jesus’ disciples. (John 13:35)
- Love your enemies. (Matthew 5: 44; Luke 6:27)
- Treat others the same way you like to be treated yourself. (Matthew 7:12; Luke 6:31)
- Be humble. (Matthew 23:11-12; Luke 14:11; Luke 18:14)
- Pray for those who persecute you. (Matthew 5:44)
- Do good to those who hate you. (Luke 6:27)
- Bless those that curse you. (Luke 6:28)
- Serve each other. (Matthew 20:25-28; Mark 10:43-45)
- Don’t judge others. (Matthew 7:1-2; Luke 6:37)
- Don’t condemn others. (Luke 6:37)
- Do more for others than they ask of you. (Matthew 5:39:42)
- Forgive others. (Matthew 6:14-15; Luke 6:37; Luke 17:3-4)
- Be merciful. (Luke 6:36)
- If someone has done something that upsets or offends you, go and talk to them about it. If they won’t listen to you, take someone else with you and try again. (Matthew 18:16. See also Luke 17:3)
- If you know that you have done something to upset or offend someone – go and talk to them and sort it out. (Matthew 5:23-24)
- Let your ‘yes’ be ‘yes’ and your ‘no’ be ‘no’. (Matthew 5:34-37)
- Give to anyone who begs from you. (Luke 6:30)
- Teach new disciples to obey everything that Jesus commanded his disciples. (Matthew 28:20)
To follow Jesus is to follow love itself. To follow Jesus is to resist the very power of sin and death that so often pretends to be a voice of care and concern in the world today.
May our prayers become protests. (Against everything that tells us that love is not the answer.)
Our worship become witness. (That we might tell the story of God’s love through our words and our actions.)
Our faith become fuel for change. (So that more and more people may come to know or be reminded of Jesus.)
Welcome to the resistance. Welcome to the season of Lent. See you in church.
Pastor Chris