Quenching Our Thirst in the Wilderness

Exodus 17: 1-7 & John 4: 5-30 & 39-42

Roger Lynn

February 28, 2016

3rd Sunday in Lent

(click here for the audio for this sermon)

As we journey deeper into this season of Lent, wilderness emerges as a prominent theme. It is a powerful metaphor for faithful living - a place where danger and challenge seem to wait around every corner, and yet also a place where the presence of the Spirit can surprise us, precisely because it is outside of our normal, predictable routines. It is not necessarily a place we would choose to travel, but it can be a life-changing experience for those who do.

Wilderness can take a variety of forms. It can be any experience which moves us beyond the boundaries of our comfort zone. Wherever we find ourselves overwhelmed by forces which seem beyond our control can be a wilderness experience for us. It will be different for each of us. For some it takes the form of a relationship that always seems to keep us off balance and in the grip of turmoil. For others it comes as a painful illness or debilitating physical condition. The death of a loved one can thrust us suddenly into a wilderness experience. Sometimes wilderness can be an unsatisfying job, while for others it is the struggle of unemployment. Often our wilderness experiences directly impact our faith experience - a “dark night of the soul” time when God seems nowhere to be found.  

Seeking the Path of God’s Abundance

Isaiah 55: 1-13

Roger Lynn

February 21, 2016

2nd Sunday in Lent

(click here for the audio for this sermon)

The season of Lent provides us with an opportunity to take a step back from the normal hectic pace of our living. We have a chance to spend some time in the wilderness - where the routines from which we often draw comfort fall away and the assumptions of life are reexamined. It can be an unsettling time, but it can also be a time of powerful growth, as previously hidden strengths and resources are discovered and explored. Wilderness is often perceive as an experience of scarcity (lack of resources, lack of support, lack of God), when actually it can be an experience of abundance - a time which is ripe with potential and new possibilities.

One of the benefits which can emerge from such wilderness reflection is a new sense of perspective. We begin to see our lives in a new and different light, and our priorities shift. Our sense of what is important is reoriented. Jesus emerged from his wilderness experience with a sense of purpose which propelled him into a ministry which would ultimately transform the world. When we are intentional about paying attention to God’s presence and leading in our lives, there really is no telling what might happen.

Glimpses of Heaven – Living on Earth

Exodus 24: 12-18 & Matthew 17: 1-9
Roger Lynn
February 7, 2016
Transfiguration Sunday
(click here for the audio for this sermon)

God is all around us in every moment of every day. Many of us have come to believe this. And most of the time our conscious awareness of this reality is fairly low. We go about our living, doing the things we do. Maybe we offer up the occasional prayer of thanks, or make a request for some guidance. Mostly, though, we just put one foot in front of the other, dealing with each moment as it comes along. And all of that is really OK. But once in a while there are experiences which transform the very shape of our living. There are those moments when we become profoundly aware of the sacred quality of life – when the presence of God takes center stage, not to be ignored. Who can say exactly why it happens when it does? Who can say why one person has such an experience and not another? Certainly learning to pay attention increases the chance that we will notice. And yet there is strong evidence that such experiences remain unexpected and unpredictable. Moses goes up on the mountain and encounters the mysterious presence of the divine. Jesus takes three of his followers up onto the mountain to prayer, and they have a profoundly moving experience of the sacred. The scriptures are filled with stories of such experiences. And yet it is also clear that such experiences are not ordinary or commonplace. Such ‘mountaintop’ encounters with God play an important role in living faithfully, but they do not define or contain such living. The temptation is certainly there – to stay in that moment forever. Peter, in the face of such an encounter, wants to erect some tents – to set up camp and just stay in that moment. But that’s not how it works. Soon enough they are headed back down the mountain again – back into the thick of their living. The difference is that now they have something to sustain them – a glimpse of heaven to remember when they need strength for their living here on earth. We need such reminders – that we are not alone and there is more to this world than we usually see. We need such reminders to keep us going. They don’t happen all the time. Some people go their whole life watching for such an experience. Some spend the rest of their days cherishing the one glimpse they were fortunate enough to catch. But either way, I think maybe the result is the same – our awareness is raised and our living is transformed in the process. We are changed.