To God be the glory on this third Sunday of Lent! Great things God has done! Our Bishop of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church is preparing to retire soon, so it is good that we get another chance to hear the inspiring message that God has given to edify our congregation.
The Word of God comes from the Psalms, number 42 verses 1-5.
1 As a deer longs for flowing streams,
so my soul longs
for you, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God,
for the
living God.
When shall I come and behold
the face of
God?
3 My tears have been my food
day and
night,
while people say to me continually,
‘Where is
your God?’
as I pour
out my soul:
and led
them in procession to the house of God,
with glad shouts and songs of thanksgiving,
a multitude
keeping festival.
and why are
you disquieted within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my help.
This is the word of God for the people of God.
Thanks be to God. Our message title is “Observing a Long Lent.”
But here we are in the Season of Lent
2021. It includes the 40 days, excluding
Sundays, between Ash Wednesday and Easter.
During this time, we mediate about the life of Jesus and consider how
our life can be more in line with his character and holiness. It is a time of penitence and improvement:
what we need to stop doing and start doing for the better.
The season of Lent is not explicitly
mentioned in the Bible. It is a part of church tradition in which these 40 days
were set aside to prepare new converts for baptism and church membership. There are many times in Scriputure when great
preparation has been done for 40 days such as Moses on the mountain, Elijah in
the cave, Jesus in the wilderness,
The word Lent comes from a German
word, “lango” which means “long.” It references the “lengthening of the days
that are characteristic of the season of spring. The days continue to get
longer. Sunset is no longer at dinnertime, and sunrise happens before I get to
the office nowadays.
In that spirit of “long,” let’s
observe a “Long Lent” this year. What are some of the ways we might do that?
Long-suffering
– This word comes from two Greek words that literally denote having a
“long-temper.” That means self-restraint
when one is stirred to anger, and not giving into the temptation to
retaliate. More than that, longsuffering
calls us to be long in mercy (II Peter 3:9) and love. No matter the circumstances, it means having
patience with those who are difficult or suffering long ordeals for the sake of
the Kin- dom. Lent is a good time to
examine how we respond to challenges.
Long
view
– Lent is also a time to have a long view of the future of God’s kin-dom. I love the hymn “For all the Saints.” (BOH
711) The fifth verse speaks to this:
“And when the strife is fierce, the warfare long, steals on the ear the distant
triumph song, and hearts are brave again and arms are strong. Alleluia.” We need to step back sometimes and remember
that God has a plan for the future with hope. Good will triumph over evil, love
will cast out hate, and life will conquer death. During the season of Lent, look for the long
view of the good that is to come by noticing what is good before you now.
Isaiah 41 reminds us, “O Zion, that brings good tidings, get up on the high mountains.” I say the same to you: get on the high
mountain and see God’s view of eternal things and be encouraged.
Long
for God - Psalm 42:1 declares, “As a deer longs for flowing
streams, so longs my soul for thee, O God.”
This kind of “long” has to do with deep, almost desperate desire.
Another translation of the word is “pant” or “thirst.” Longing for God is an important aspect of our
Lenten journey. Taking time for prayer,
study, meditation in an attitude of “thirsting” for God’s Spirit is the key.
Jeremiah 29:13 reminds us “when you seek God, you will find God, when you seek
God with all your heart.” Spiritual
resources give you the life-giving water of strength for longsuffering and
long-view thinking.
May you observe a long and holy Lent.
Amen.
God of hope, justice, and mercy, by your
grace we take this journey through Lent. With joy we have drunk deep from the
waters of salvation. We give you the honor and glory, for great things you have
done. You have not forsaken us nor forgotten us. Our lives overflow with many
blessings. Show us with whom to share the delights of your goodness. Deliver us
in our desperation. Strengthen us in our resolve to especially invite to your
table, the least, the last, the lost. May we be pleasing in your sight.
On this day, many celebrate communion around the world. So we too behold, the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world. As you commanded us, we remember that on the night Jesus was betrayed he took bread. He broke it, gave thanks to God, shared it with the disciples saying this is my body broken for you. Likewise, he took the cup, and after he had given thanks he gave it to the disciples, saying drink all of this, for this is my blood shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. We remember…and we pray as you taught the disciples.
Our father who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy
kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day,
our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass
against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for
thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
May the God who can, make us new!
Next week
we go to the books of Esther chapter 4 as well as the gospel of Mark chapter 1
for a message from our South District Superintendent Rev. Evelyn Kent Clark
with the message entitled “Called for Such a Time as This.”
If you would like to make your contribution to the great ministry and mission of Bethel, the website is
Or you can send it to 952 Bethel Church Road, Spring City, Pa. 19475.
God bless you!
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