Return to the Homepage Home
 Worship Schedules, Education, Fellowship, Outreach Worship & Service
 Sermon Archive Sermons
 A copy of the Sunday Prayers of Intercession Prayers
 Pastor Lynne's monthly newsletter Pastor's Page
 Articles and tidbits from the monthly newsletter Newsletter
 This month's events as well as the monthly calendar Current Events
 Read the Sunday School News Letter! Sunday School News
 Events for grades 7 to 12 Youth
 Other websites of interest Links
  
 Login to Administer this site Admin Login

St. Luke's Zion Lutheran Church
2903 McPhillips Street
Winnipeg, Manitoba
CANADA R2P 0H3
http://www.stlukeszion.ca

Phone: (204) 339-0412
Fax: (204) 339-0412
E-mail: stlukeszionchurch@gmail.com
site design by clayton rumley

 

Second Sunday in Lent
Sunday, March 8th, 2009

click here for past entries

Loving God, you have created, redeemed and sanctified each one of us, telling us through the Scriptures how valuable we are to you. Help us to recognize the value of each person as we gather together today, and to glorify you by recognizing Jesus as the Lord of our lives; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

When we are born, we all start out as extremely self-centered people. When we are hungry, we cry. When we need some hugging and holding, we cry. When we need our diapers changed, we cry. When we are hurt or scared, we cry. We cry in order to let people know that we need something, and if those needs don’t get met, then we cry some more. As babies, we do not ask questions such as, “Is this a good time for my mother to feed me?” or “Will I be interrupting my parents’ sleep?”. Our only concern is that we need something – right now!

Then, as we get a little bit older, we start to be able to speak rather than cry. “I want” becomes a very common refrain, as well as “No!” whenever we are told what somebody else wants. Some even resort to temper tantrums if things don’t go their own way.

Now, the hope is that as we mature, we learn how to take into account the needs and the feelings of other people. Some people do better at this than others. Some never seem to get past the stage of, “I want it and I want it right now!”. Some go to the opposite extreme, and learn to only be concerned about what others need, never giving a second thought to looking after their own health and well-being. Others end up somewhere in between.

And then Jesus comes along and says, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me” (Mk. 8:34). Now, some might immediately jump to conclusions and say that this is exactly the behaviour that I just mentioned – being concerned only about what others need, and never about yourself. Is this really what God wants for us?

Even Jesus, who certainly gave himself for others, still took the time to take care of himself. When he needed to be strengthened and to re-focus, he took the time away from others for prayer, even though the people were still there, clamoring for his attention. When his disciples needed a break from the crowds, he sent them away by themselves. When Jesus was at his lowest points, he accepted the ministry of angels to strengthen him. He allowed others to provide food for him, while providing those same people with love and caring and teaching them about God’s way. Jesus not only gave himself for others. He also allowed others to give to him.

Jesus knew the truth about his own value, as well as the value of other people. I do not believe that Jesus would support the attitude that many people seem to have that they are worthless and unworthy of receiving anything from anybody. I do not believe that this is what the Scriptures mean when we hear about denying ourselves, and taking up our cross, and dying to self. The Bible does not talk simply about loving your neighbour, but “Love your neighbour as yourself.” Is it really possible to have love for your neighbour, and yet despise yourself? On the other hand, is it really possible to love your neighbour if you believe that you are the only person who really matters?

The truth that the Scriptures reveal about each one of us is this: We are created by God in the image of God. Although we were created good, we became selfish and wanted to be God. As our own self-centeredness took over, we started hurting others in order to get what we want. Our relationships became broken ones – with God, with others, and with ourselves. However, God was not willing to allow us to do this to ourselves. God’s desire for us to live in relationships of love never wavered. So God sent Jesus to live the life that we couldn’t and to die the death that we would never want to. God said to each one of us, “You are worth the death of my Son.” Because of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, the power of sin and death has been broken. All who put their faith in Jesus are set free to live a new life by the power of the Spirit.

When I put my faith in Jesus Christ, I am set free from the illusion that everything is all about me. As much as I might like it to, the whole world does not revolve around me. In fact, if I think that it does, I will be very disappointed because things will quite often not go my way. Really, having faith in Jesus Christ gives us a new perspective on things, or, as Paul says, transforms us by the renewing of our minds! (Rom. 12:2)

For example, in the midst of a crisis, somebody who is self-centered will say things like, “Why me? Poor me. I don’t deserve this. Why does everything always happen to me?” In the same situation, somebody who is Christ-centered will say, “Lord God, you have the power to heal me and to strengthen me. Lead me out of this darkness and heal me according to your will.” Somebody who is Christ-centered will recognize that they are not the only person on earth who has ever had to deal with pain and sorrow.

When faced with the prospect of war and terrorism and all kinds of fearful things over which most of us have no control whatsoever, those with a self-centered perspective will tend to give in to fear and worry and will start buying plastic sheeting and duct tape. In the same situation, those whose perspective is centered around Christ will pray about those things that are out of their control, and will do whatever is within their power to work towards the peace and well-being of all people.

When things are going really well, somebody who is self-centered will say things like, “Look at what I can do! How can I make this into more for me and my family? How can I preserve as much of this as possible for the future?” In the same situation, somebody who is Christ-centered would give thanks to God for the blessings that have been given to them and would ask themselves what is the most God-pleasing way to use their resources.

In each of these cases, having faith in Jesus Christ allows us to look at the past, the present and the future with a different perspective, knowing that all things belong to God and are ultimately in God’s hands. This is not a fatalistic view of the world, where we just don’t do anything because it’s all in God’s hands anyway, for all those who follow Jesus are called to continue his ministry here on this earth. Rather, this is a life that is lived with an awareness of God’s presence and power and of the value that God places on each and every person who lives on this earth.

Seeing things in this light is essential in order to understand what on earth Jesus was getting at when he told people to deny themselves and take up their cross and follow him. In this statement, there are three things that we are being asked to do. First, deny ourselves, which literally means to disown ourselves. We are to recognize that we belong to God and not to ourselves. God is the one in charge. Second, we are being asked to take up our cross. I really don’t think that crucifying ourselves is what Jesus has in mind. Perhaps it would be more accurate to look at our willingness to put our old self - our sinful self - our self-centered self - to death in order that we might be raised to a new life with Christ (cf. Rom. 6:1-7). Finally, we are being called to follow Jesus – to learn from him, to imitate his love and service for God and for others, and to recognize him as the one who gives us direction for our lives.

Now, to some people this might sound like imprisoning yourself, but it is exactly the opposite. God, who created us, knows where true joy is to be found. It is to be found in a life lived in love – love for God and for others and for ourselves. In a self-centered life, this is pretty much impossible. However, in a Christ-centered life, love and joy are possible, no matter what circumstances we might find ourselves in at the time, for they come from the Holy Spirit.

May we be transformed by the renewing of our minds, and find our hearts filled to overflowing with the love of Christ! Amen.

Lent 2(B)      Mark 8:31-38
March 8, 2009
St. Luke’s Zion Lutheran Church
Pastor Lynne Hutchison

© 2009 Lynne Hutchison  All Rights Reserved


Previous Sermons
March 2024
February 2024
January 2024
December 2023
November 2023
October 2023
September 2023
August 2023
July 2023
June 2023
May 2023
April 2023
March 2023
February 2023
January 2023
December 2022
November 2022
October 2022
September 2022
August 2022
July 2022
June 2022
May 2022
April 2022
March 2022
February 2022
January 2022
December 2021
November 2021
October 2021
September 2021
August 2021
July 2021
June 2021
May 2021
April 2021
March 2021
February 2021
January 2021
December 2020
November 2020
October 2020
September 2020
August 2020
July 2020
June 2020
May 2020
April 2020
March 2020
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
September 2018
August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
November 2017
October 2017
September 2017
August 2017
July 2017
June 2017
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
December 2016
November 2016
October 2016
September 2016
August 2016
July 2016
June 2016
May 2016
April 2016
March 2016
February 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
August 2015
July 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015
December 2014
November 2014
October 2014
September 2014
August 2014
July 2014
June 2014
May 2014
April 2014
March 2014
February 2014
January 2014
December 2013
November 2013
October 2013
September 2013
August 2013
July 2013
June 2013
May 2013
April 2013
March 2013
February 2013
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
October 2012
September 2012
April 2012
March 2012
February 2012
January 2012
December 2011
November 2011
October 2011
September 2011
August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
May 2011
April 2011
March 2011
February 2011
January 2011
December 2010
November 2010
October 2010
September 2010
August 2010
July 2010
June 2010
May 2010
April 2010
March 2010
February 2010
January 2010
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
July 2009
June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
March 2009
February 2009
January 2009
December 2008
November 2008
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
December 2005
November 2005
October 2005
September 2005
August 2005
July 2005
June 2005
May 2005
March 2005
February 2005
January 2005
December 2004
November 2004
October 2004
September 2004
August 2004
July 2004
June 2004
May 2004
March 2004
February 2004
January 2004
December 2003
January 2003
March 0201