Grace and Peace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ!
I find myself thinking about the fact that this will be the 50th time in my ministry I have walked with my congregation through the season of Lent. It will also be my last walk through Lent as your pastor making it a bitter sweet experience.
As most of you already know I am approaching my mandatory retirement in June of this year. My successor has already been appointed effective July 1. He is Rev. Jason Swartzman currently the Senior Pastor of Grace UMC, in Lemoyne, Pa. You will be in good hands as he comes among you to continue the vital mission of Elm Park UMC! You will hear more about him and his family as the date approaches and the transition takes place. Bonnie and I will move into our home in Glenwood (Nicholson, Pa). Wesley will remain here in his IT and Media role and is in the process of purchasing his own home.
As I think about this First Sunday in Lent (March 8th), the Gospel writer of Luke tells the story of Jesus going into the wilderness immediately after his baptism by John. This is a transitional moment for Jesus as there in the wilderness he faces the temptation of the Devil. The real issue for Jesus is to decide what kind of Messiah he will be. Many in his day were expecting the Messiah promised in the Old Testament who would come as a warrior to take power and rule the world. The prophet Isaiah also prophesied that the true Messiah would come as a one who would lay down his life to save the world. Jesus turned down the three temptations to sell out to power and force and preach a Gospel of love and care for all God’s children. At that moment, Jesus transitioned from one who spoke about God to one who accepted God’s call to save the world rather than condemn the world!
Lent is the time of the church year when people often tell you about what they are giving up for the season. Christ’s call to repent is less about what we should give up and more about how we need to surrender to God’s will and purpose for our lives. In other more simpler words, refocus our lives upon living like Jesus.
Perhaps instead of giving up desserts for Lent, we might take on something that can help Christ transform the world as it was meant to be. Find ways to address injustice, human dignity and worth, racism, hunger and homelessness, purveying love for everyone and speaking out against violence and division. While skipping dessert might get our attention, the other possibilities remind us that our Christian Faith is less about giving up and more about faithful discipleship!
The theme for our Wednesday noontime Soup and Sermon Series this year is “Journey with Jesus.” Our guest preachers will help us consider what it means to go from the Wilderness call to the darkness of the Good Friday Cross. Please consider joining us if you can.
Also, keep your Holy Week open so that you can walk the final steps of Christ’s Journey as we worship on Palm/Passion Sunday, and then on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday evenings. And of course, Easter morning worship when we will proclaim the resurrection story!
Finally, please be in prayer for our nation which is in turmoil right now. We desperately need to be open to healing this world rather than cutting ourselves off from all God’s children. If I may share my prophetic voice, which I admit I have stolen from the prophet Joel, “unless the people return to God there will be no hope.” Our primary allegiance is to the Kingdom of God, not the king of wealth, power and nationalized isolation from the world. Perhaps, enough said…
Blessings for a Holy Journey this Lent!
Grace and Peace!
Rev. Mike Bealla