Antioch Church of Santa Cruz: The Journey of Lent #2

I hope the first week of Lent was fabulous. As we enter this season we explore the journey of Jesus leading to His betrayal, death, & resurrection. Again, lent is a time to follow Him to His death; yet it is not without expectation; Jesus is "the firstfruits" of God's plan: To redeem creation.
Last week we were a part of Jesus' 40 days of temptation in the desert. This week we look at Jesus' teaching on what a person must do to enter the Kingdom of God & what it looks like lived out in the "here & now."


Here are the texts for the 2nd week of Lent:

First we meditate upon Psalm 32.
This Psalm starts out by saying:
" 1 Blessed is the one
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
2 Blessed is the one
whose sin the LORD does not count against them
and in whose spirit is no deceit."
Yes, we are blessed when our sins are not counted against us; yet at the same time, in order for God to forgive us of our sins, we need to be aware of them. This can be challenging as recognizing sin in our life is rarely exciting. Yet at the same time, when we see & confess our sin, are "Born Again," we are free to life the Kingdom life God intends not only for us, but all creation.

Next we look at Luke 6:17-49. This is where Jesus explains to the crowds who is blessed, what Kingdom life looks like, & what type of fruit the Kingdom will express when lived through us. Some questions to ponder are: Who are blessed in the world & why? How can we demonstrate Kingdom values through our lives in Santa Cruz? What in Jesus' speech is very challenging? What values in this scripture does God desire to work into your life?

Lastly, we look at John 3:1-21. This is where Nicodemus asks a question that we, & so many others have asked or are still asking: What must I do to enter the Kingdom of God? When reading this text some questions you might ask are: Why does anyone have to be "born again?" How does someone become "born again?"

Take time each day, & yes you do have time, & sit before God in Silence. If you feel led you can do what many have done & light a candle to represent the presence of God as you sit with Him. Meditate upon His word & allow it room to work into your heart, imagination, & soul. Give God room to grow His Kingdom in & through your life as you make room for Him in solitude & silence.

As always, as we work through the season of Lent in Santa Cruz our goal is to allow God the freedom to be God in our lives. He desires to give us what He has always intended for His creation: Life. Let us not be Blinded by Pride, but free to recognize our shortcomings & need for Him, which leads to real life.

"Let your Kingdom come & will be done in Santa Cruz as it is in Heaven."