February 28, 2010
Second Sunday in Lent
Luke 13: 31 – 35

Grace, mercy and peace to you this day in the name of our Lord and Savoir Jesus Christ. Amen

My nephew Doug has the talent to build. He received this talent from his father, Douglas who received this talent from his father Paul. Over the years I have marveled at the many things these men have taken the time and effort to construct; anything from Lego castles to garages which look like houses. I think the reason they have done such an incredible job of building things is because they always work from a plan, a goal which propels them into their mission. Their goals, their passion for taking a construction goal to its completion comes from focused minds. They set their minds on a prize and nothing can distract them - much to the dismay of my sister-in-law and mother-in –law.
When these men began their building projects they carried with them certain tools which where critical in the completion of the project. One, they held on to a degree of confidence that they would complete the project no matter what happened, no matter how long it took to finally reach the goal. Two, they worked in joy reveling in the tasks at hand despite the difficulties. Three, they were faithful to the project they has started and could not, would not be persuaded to give up the goal. Four, Doug, Douglas, and Paul exhibited phenomenal patience while undertaking the projects, paying attention to every detail. This patience allowed them to wait in the building process until the goal was achieved. In modern day lingo you could say that my nephew, my brother-in-law and late father –in-law where “outcome oriented”. So was, Abraham, many of the faithful of scripture and Jesus

We greet our Bible lessons this morning through the lens of the family story I have just shared. The Old Testament and New Testament language does not necessarily lend itself to immediate clarity and understanding for the reader and listener. Through the lens of human experience and personal identification, however, our readings from the second Sunday in Lent begin to make sense. Abraham was a goal oriented, outcome driven man of God. In Genesis 15 we hear of God assuring Abraham of an heir and a great nation which would spring from his loins. Seemed impossible to Abraham but God strengthened Abraham’s reserve to join him in this goal by “cutting a deal” or cutting a covenant “with Abraham (that is what all those dead animals were about!). Abraham joins God in God’s plan for salvation and pushes forward with confidence in God’s promises, with joy and patience. The assurance of salvation was the outcome God gave Abraham and with God’s help Abraham was heading straight into the goals directed by God. Abraham believed that God was greater then his (Abraham’s) limitations and thus completed his part in the story of human kind’s salvation.

The psalmist offers another perspective of being goal driven and outcome oriented with God. Psalm 27 reminds us that God dwells with us in the waiting time while his goal of salvation is being worked out for all creation. God remains very goal driven and outcome oriented for his children. We like Abraham need only to trust in confidence and joy in His strength.

In Philippians we hear of a group of new Christians who are trying to build a life embracing this new faith of the Gospel wondering if in Christ this salvation outcome was possible. Paul called them to joy and confidence in that Christ who had overcome all obstacles to salvation. These new, world weary Christians were to face every challenge to their goals with confidence and in strength in Christ. God had claimed them for himself; the outcome had been sealed in Christ.

In Luke we meet Jesus on the way to Jerusalem; the place where God’s goal of salvation was to be achieved. Jesus’ desire was to complete that goal for which he was born. He is to complete his task in Jerusalem, the very place which did not welcome prophets but from which the Gospel message of salvation would begin its journey with the Acts of the Apostles. Jerusalem was a necessity for Jesus and it brought him to his cross, the culmination of his goal. Jesus came from God to this time goal directed, outcome driven. Through him and only through him we find our salvation, our eternal outcome. Jesus loves us, stood in the presence of Herod the “fox”, and took ridicule, pain and the cross for us. Confidence, joy, direction and patience sustained him; love drove him to the outcome of long awaited salvation. This act of love my friends, is our assurance. This love will never fail us.

Lent is a time of remembering the God in Christ who brought to completion God’s goal of salvation for us and thus return to him in joy, confidence and patience as we await his final coming in glory. Our outcomes for living a life which reflects God’s love in Christ is a family trait as children of the King. May God grace you with the desire and passion to pass this trait on!

--
Posted By Pastor Bettye to Community at the Crossroads at 3/01/2010 04:36:00 PM