Journeying Into Covenant: Passion (Lent 5)

Jeremiah 31: 31-34 & John 2: 13-22

Roger Lynn

March 29, 2020

5th Sunday in Lent

(no audio this week)
(CLICK HERE for the video for this sermon)

A covenantal relationship is one which is defined by mutuality, intimacy, and deep commitment. It is the kind of relationship which is found in strong, healthy marriages. And it is the kind of relationship which God strives to establish, maintain, and nurture with all people everywhere. During this season of Lent, we have considered this theme of covenant as a journey upon which we are called to embark. It is a journey wherein we encounter the living presence of God among us. And it is a journey which involves risk and trust. But along the way, if we open ourselves to the risks and the possibilities, we can begin to experience the excitement and the passion of a deeply personal relationship with God. Such an experience is not without its own challenges, for it can be life-changing in very powerful and dramatic ways. We may find ourselves traveling down paths which surprise and even frighten us. 

It is not lost on me that we are experiencing this Lenten journey in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, where so much of what we have taken for granted in life has suddenly and dramatically changed. Lent is about letting go of our tight grip on our lives so we can make room to discover God’s presence in new ways. These days of upheaval and change in which we find ourselves are forcing us to let go. We no longer have the option to hold on. What we do get to choose is how we will respond to this opportunity and what we will discover in the process. If we choose to open ourselves to the possibility of being in deep, intimate, covenantal relationship with God, then we are allowing for the possibility of experiencing new life. It is down this life-transforming path that we will discover the kind of abundant and meaningful life which God created us to live, and we will discover that we are never alone on the journey.

A Journey Into Covenant: Trusting (Lent 4)

Genesis 17: 1-7, 15-16 & Mark 8: 31-33

(CLICK HERE to read the scripture texts)

Roger Lynn

March 22, 2020

4th Sunday in Lent

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(CLICK HERE for the video of this sermon)

God’s desire is to be in relationship with us. We find this truth revealed throughout all of scripture, from the opening verses of Genesis right on through to the closing verses of Revelation. Down through the centuries, people of faith have experienced God reaching out to embrace us and walk with us and be a part of our lives. It is foundational to our faith and at the heart of our understanding of Jesus’ mission and message. To put it in theological terms, God seeks to establish and maintain a covenant with all of humanity.

There are a variety of factors which affect the ways we respond to this covenantal desire of God’s, both as individuals and as a faith community. We must be open to an awareness of God in our lives and in our world. We must be sensitive to what God might be saying to us and to where God might be leading us. But we must also trust God in the process. Otherwise faith becomes little more than an intellectual exercise which has no real effect on the quality and character of our lives.

A Journey Into Covenant: Wandering (Lent 2)

Deuteronomy 26: 1-11 & Luke 4: 1-13
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Roger Lynn

March 8, 2020

2nd Sunday in Lent

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We have now begun the journey towards Easter which we call Lent. It is a season traditionally associated with prayer and reflection. It is a time of self-examination and preparation. It is appropriate that it occurs as we are moving from winter into spring, since it is a journey which moves us from darkness into light. But central to almost any understanding of this season is the idea of movement. It is a journey.

This is what Edward Hays has to say about Lent. “The author of the famous Fellowship of the Ring trilogy, J.R.R. Tolkien, who created the world of hobbits, once said, ‘All that is gold does not glitter. All those who wander are not lost.’ Each year as we enter into the season of Lent we are called to wander.

Lent: A Journey Into Covenant (Lent 1)

Genesis 9: 8-17 & Mark 1: 9-15
(CLICK HERE to read the scripture texts)

Roger Lynn

March 1, 2020

1st Sunday in Lent

(the audio for this sermon will be posted soon)

We have officially entered into the liturgical season of Lent, which leads us to the celebration of Easter, by way of the pain and sorrow of Good Friday. It is a time in the life of the Church when our attention is drawn to serious themes such as sacrifice and even death. Even the liturgical color of the season – deep purple – reflects the somber nature of this time. But it need not be a negative time. Through reflection, meditation, and introspection, Lent can be a time of profound spiritual growth. One of the ways in which this can happen is when we choose to focus on opening up rather than closing off, moving towards rather than moving away, seeking life rather than merely avoiding death. At its best, I believe we can experience the season of Lent as a journey in which we enter more fully into a covenantal relationship with God and with those around us.

Faith is always a journey. We learn and grow and change as we continue to experience life. The understanding we have of God and our relationship with God is constantly evolving. It is within this context that an examination of the Biblical stories proves most valuable. They reflect the expanding nature of our awareness of who God is in our midst. Through such stories we can discover valuable insights into our own faith stories.