This week's sermon

Lent 2, 2023

          Listen to what John tells us in today’s gospel: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.”

          Let me take a quick, unofficial survey.

          Raise your hand if you gave up something for Lent.

          OK, good. I gave up three things:

1)   Eating raw pork;

2)   Taking cocaine;

3)   Moving to China.

I always give up things I know I can give up.

What if Lent isn’t about “giving up” something but “taking

on something”?

          Just as Abram (not yet “Abraham”) took on moving to a new land. Try to imagine that—leaving behind everything that is familiar and that you love to go to a strange land because God said to.

          Just as Nicodemus took on visiting Jesus at night—to avoid being criticized by the rest of the Pharisees. It was still brave of him to visit Jesus and put himself in danger with the Jewish authorities.

          What if Lent is about ‘taking on’ being born from above and being born from the Spirit?

          What if that’s what Lent is about?

          When God called Abram, he and Lot left their land and traveled to a new place, just because God told them to.

          We need to travel to a ‘new place’ during this season that will lead us to Easter. We need to take up our goods and move to where God sends us.

          And God will send us to a place we need to be—a place where, as the Collect today tells us—“where we will embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth” of God’s Word.

          Our help, the Psalm tells us, ‘comes from the Lord.”

          He will not let our foot be moved and he will not fall asleep.

          God will watch over your going out and your coming in, from this time forth and forever more.

          This is the shortest sermon I’ve ever preached.

          But I’m going up and sit down and together, you and I, will take a few minutes to ponder what we need to ‘take on’ as we wait for the Resurrection.

          Shut your eyes and ponder.

          (time of silence)

Remember “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him should not perish but may have eternal life.” Believe in him, beloved. Amen.