What's up incredible Antioch Church of Santa Cruz. I hope you are enjoying the Journey of Lent. I have found myself being very thankful for the season we are in. It's a season of: Reflection, Joy, Sadness, & Expectation. When we answer the question: Why was Jesus crucified? It leads us directly to the Gospel, the Cross, & ultimately to the Resurrection; both Jesus' & ours. I've just finished: "Surprised by Hope," a book by N.T. Wright which dispels the myth of "I go to Heaven when I die" & reveals the hope we have in our Resurrection & The New Earth. The Resurrection is the what Lent is pointing to & what we, as we follow Jesus from death to life, can all look forward to.
The theme for this weeks Journey of Lent is: Possessed by Possessions. We are called to love God & nothing else. There can be no other gods, no idols, no rival allegiances. But in our consumer culture we are easily lured by money & what we believe it can buy or bring. We can be possessed by our possessions. This is nothing new & the New Testament helps us get a Kingdom perspective on our lives here & now.
Here are the scriptures for this week:
Luke 12:22-34 "Then Jesus said to his disciples:
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear."
Luke 18:18-30 "A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
James 3:13-4:12 "What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?"
Take time this week to read, re-read, & meditate upon these scriptures. What challenges you? How does the Kingdom perspective challenge your perspective? What things does God want you to lay down or take up? As always, allow God room each day to speak to you & show you His love. From this place we then learn how to trust & live in Him as we journey together as a church in Santa Cruz.
Blessings,
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