In this blog, we'll focus on the working being done at Sligo Presbyterian Church, Sligo, Pennsylvania. We'll also look at what's happening in Sligo, Rimersburg, Clarion, and all the other communities served by our congregation.
Sunday, April 10, we continued our sermon series for Lent entitled “His Last Week: The Last Seven Days in the Life of Jesus.” As we prepare ourselves to celebrate the resurrection, we're looking at the following six events in Jesus's last week here on earth and consider how each can shape what we believe and how we live right here and now.
March 6 – The Entry (Luke 19:28-40)
March 13 – The Cleansing (Luke 19:41-48)
March 20 – The Meal (Luke 22:7-23)
March 27 – The Prayer (Luke 22:39-46)
April 3 – The Trial (Luke 22:66 – 23:12)
April 10 – The Cross (Luke 23:26-49)
During this last message, we discussed the significance of the crucifixion and the cross.
During the season on Lent, the congregation of Sligo Presbyterian Church will move thought a sermon series entitled “His Last Week: The Last Seven Days in the Life of Jesus.” As we prepare ourselves to celebrate the resurrection, we're looking at the following six events in Jesus's last week here on earth and consider how each can shape what we believe and how we live right here and now.
March 6 – The Entry (Luke 19:28-40)
March 13 – The Cleansing (Luke 19:41-48)
March 20 – The Meal (Luke 22:7-23)
March 27 – The Prayer (Luke 22:39-46)
April 3 – The Trial (Luke 22:66 – 23:12)
April 10 – The Cross (Luke 23:26-49)
During this last message, we used Luke 23:26-49 to discuss the crucifixion and the cross.
As Jesus was being led away, some soldiers grabbed hold of a man named Simon who was from Cyrene. He was coming in from the fields, but they put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.
A large crowd was following Jesus, and in the crowd a lot of women were crying and weeping for him. Jesus turned to the women and said:
Women of Jerusalem, don’t cry for me! Cry for yourselves and for your children. Someday people will say, “Women who never had children are really fortunate!” At that time everyone will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” They will say to the hills, “Hide us!” If this can happen when the wood is green, what do you think will happen when it is dry?
Two criminals were led out to be put to death with Jesus. When the soldiers came to the place called “The Skull,” they nailed Jesus to a cross. They also nailed the two criminals to crosses, one on each side of Jesus.
Jesus said, “Father, forgive these people! They don’t know what they’re doing.”
While the crowd stood there watching Jesus, the soldiers gambled for his clothes. The leaders insulted him by saying, “He saved others. Now he should save himself, if he really is God’s chosen Messiah!”
The soldiers made fun of Jesus and brought him some wine. They said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself!”
Above him was a sign that said, “This is the King of the Jews.”
One of the criminals hanging there also insulted Jesus by saying, “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and save us!”
But the other criminal told the first one off, “Don’t you fear God? Aren’t you getting the same punishment as this man? We got what was coming to us, but he didn’t do anything wrong.” Then he said to Jesus, “Remember me when you come into power!”
Jesus replied, “I promise that today you will be with me in paradise.”
Around noon the sky turned dark and stayed that way until the middle of the afternoon. The sun stopped shining, and the curtain in the temple split down the middle. Jesus shouted, “Father, I put myself in your hands!” Then he died.
When the Roman officer saw what had happened, he praised God and said, “Jesus must really have been a good man!”
A crowd had gathered to see the terrible sight. Then after they had seen it, they felt brokenhearted and went home. All of Jesus’ close friends and the women who had come with him from Galilee stood at a distance and watched.
The Cross
Well, this morning we’ve come to the end of a series we started back in early March. You see, during the Sundays in Lent, we’ve used the Gospel of Luke to look at five things that happened to Jesus during his last week on earth. For example, in week one, we talked about how Jesus entered Jerusalem and in week two, we looked at the importance of him cleansing the Temple. In week three, we considered the last meal Jesus shared with his disciples and in week four, we discussed the prayer he prayed on the Mount of Olives. And then last week, we saw a re-enactment of his trial. Now that’s where we’ve been. And this morning, well, we’re going to look at what happened at the very end of his life here on earth, and right now I’m talking about the crucifixion, you know, the cross.
Of course, when you’re talking about the cross, I think we all recognize that these two perpendicular lines have become a symbol, in fact, the symbol of not just the crucifixion, but of Christianity in general. You see, whether it’s mounted behind the pulpit or stamped on a Bible, the cross stands for Jesus Christ and what he represents, doesn’t it? And because of that, we see crosses everywhere. But you know, because they’re all over the place, maybe that’s why the cross, at least as a symbol, has lost some of its meaning. I mean, let’s face it, some folks who’ll never darken the door of a church have no qualms about wearing a cross around their necks. Now, let me be clear, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with doing that nor am I questioning either their motives or their faith. Still, beyond having something to do with Jesus Christ and Christianity, for a lot of people, I’m not sure the cross itself has a deeper meaning. And to me, man, I think that’s a shame.
And I’ll tell you, for that reason, we’re going to focus on the cross this morning. You see, for the next ten minutes or so, we’re going to consider what the cross can represent for us. And to do that, we’re going to use Luke’s description of the crucifixion and focus on the three statements that Jesus made as he hung on the cross, each of which, I believe, can make it meaningful to us in a special way. And like I said, it’s right here in the passage we just read.
For example, first, I believe the cross represents forgiveness. In other words, it can remind us that, through Jesus Christ and his sacrifice, we’ve been forgiven; our past has been washed away; and we’ve been made clean.
I mean, just think about what happened. After going through a mock trial and appearing before Caiaphas and Herod and Pilate, Jesus was handed over to be crucified. And as Luke wrote, “Two criminals were led out to be put to death with Jesus. When the soldiers came to the place called ‘The Skull,’ they nailed Jesus to a cross. They also nailed the two criminals to crosses, one on each side of Jesus.” [Luke 23:32-33, CEV] Now that’s what happened; that’s exactly what he endured. And yet, as Jesus hung from that cross, suffering a punishment that he didn’t deserve, he said something remarkable. According to Luke, “Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive these people! They don’t know what they’re doing.’” [Luke 21:34, CEV] Now, that’s what he said: no bitterness or hatred, no desire for revenge or retribution, in fact, no anger; instead, only compassion. “Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive these people! They don’t know what they’re doing.’” [Luke 21:34, CEV] Now that’s forgiveness.
And whenever we look at a cross, I think that’s something we need to remember. As Jesus endured his crucifixion, and I’ll tell you, that was an intentionally horrible way to die, he forgave the ones who drove the nails. You see, this is the kind of forgiveness we have from God. Of course, we’ll never be able to appreciate its power, unless we choose to do two things ourselves. I mean, one, to feel it, we probably need to recognize that we need it. It’s like John wrote, “If we say we have not sinned, we are fooling ourselves, and the truth isn’t in our hearts. But if we confess our sins to God, he can always be trusted to forgive us and take our sins away.” [1 John 1:8-9, CEV] Now that’s one. And two, to really feel forgiven by God, we need to be willing to pass some of that forgiveness on to others. As “Jesus said:
Don’t judge others, and God won’t judge you. Don’t be hard on others, and God won’t be hard on you. Forgive others, and God will forgive you.” [Luke 6:37, CEV]
You see, I believe the cross represents forgiveness, something we can experience ourselves and also pass on to others. And that’s the first thing we can remember.
And second, I believe the cross also represents fellowship. And right here, I’m talking about a special kind of relationship with both God and with one another. And just like it was with forgiveness, I believe we can see this new fellowship in the passage we read from Luke.
I mean, when he was crucified at that place called “The Skull,” remember, he wasn’t alone; there were two criminals who were nailed to their own crosses. And even though, according to Luke, one of these criminals sort of mocked Jesus, the other was very different. You see, after telling his colleague to shut up, “then he said to Jesus, ‘Remember me when you come into power!’” [Luke 23:42, CEV] And to this, “Jesus replied, ‘I promise that today you will be with me in paradise.’” [Luke 21:43, CEV] In other words, because that criminal trusted that Jesus had the power and compassion necessary to help even those who didn’t deserve his help, from his own cross, Jesus offered the possibility of a new relationship.
And I’ll tell you, I think that’s something else we need to remember when we look at a cross. It’s like what the Apostle Paul wrote to the Romans:
Christ died for us at a time when we were helpless and sinful. But God showed how much he loved us by having Christ die for us, even though we were sinful.
But there is more! Now that God has accepted us because Christ sacrificed his life’s blood, we will also be kept safe from God’s anger. Even when we were God’s enemies, he made peace with us, because his Son died for us. Yet something even greater than friendship is ours. Now that we are at peace with God, we will be saved by the life of his Son. [Romans 5:6, 8-10, CEV]
I’ll tell you, it was through the one who was crucified that we have a new relationship with God. But it’s not just with God, it’s also with one another. You see, because of the cross, God has drawn us together into a new community, one that frankly has a focus and follows a set of values that are radically different from anything we can find in the world. For example, just listen to how Luke described the ideal church:
All the Lord’s followers often met together, and they shared everything they had. They would sell their property and possessions and give the money to whoever was in need. Day after day they met together in the temple. They broke bread together in different homes and shared their food happily and freely, while praising God. Everyone liked them, and each day the Lord added to their group others who were being saved. [Acts 2:44-47, CEV]
I’m telling you, along with forgiveness, I believe the cross can represent fellowship, that new relationship that we have with God and with one another. And that’s the second thing we can remember.
And third, in my opinion, the cross also represents faith, and right now, I’m talking about a deep and abiding trust that Jesus had as he looked toward God, one that was stronger than the suffering and pain that he was forced to endure. In other words, Jesus faced death itself confident that he was not alone. And even though that might not be the way his death was viewed by either Matthew or Mark, based on what he wrote, I think that’s exactly what Luke believed.
And I’ll tell you, that’s why he described Jesus’s last moments the way he did. I mean, just remember what happened. According to Luke, “around noon the sky turned dark and stayed that way until the middle of the afternoon. The sun stopped shining, and the curtain in the temple split down the middle.” [Luke 23:44-45, CEV] In other words, after Jesus had endured the pain and indignity of the cross, everybody could see that the end was near. The sky was dark. In the Temple, the curtain that separated the people from God had been torn apart. Why? Because Jesus was about to die. But instead of saying the words we find in Mark and Matthew, “‘Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?’ which means, ‘My God, my God, why have you deserted me?’” [Mark 15:34b, CEV], the Evangelist Luke simply wrote, “Jesus shouted, ‘Father, I put myself in your hands!’ Then he died.” [Luke 23:46, CEV] You see, for Luke, Jesus didn’t die feeling as though he’d been deserted by everyone and everything. Instead, he died with faith. He died trusting God.
And you know, we can claim that same kind of faith right here and right now. You see, regardless of problems we may have to confront, regardless of the pain we may have to endure, regardless of the death each and every one of us here this morning will face, we can still have faith. It’s like the writer of the letter to the Hebrews said, “Faith makes us sure of what we hope for and gives us proof of what we cannot see. It was their faith that made our ancestors pleasing to God.” [Hebrews 11:1-2, CEV] You see, this is the kind of faith we can claim. And I’ll tell you, when we do, when we decide to trust in God, man, that’s going to change the way we see everything, even suffering itself. I mean, that’s what I think the Apostle Paul was getting at when he wrote this:
By faith we have been made acceptable to God. And now, thanks to our Lord Jesus Christ, we have peace with God. Christ has also introduced us to God’s gift of undeserved grace on which we now take our stand. So we are happy, as we look forward to sharing in the glory of God. But that’s not all! We gladly suffer, because we know that suffering helps us to endure. And endurance builds character, which gives us a hope that will never disappoint us. [Romans 5:1-5, CEV]
You see, along with forgiveness and fellowship, I believe the cross represents faith, something that can actually enable us to face and to endure whatever life can throw at us. And that’s the third thing we can remember.
Now when Jesus endured his crucifixion, I doubt that he realized that the cross would become a symbol, in fact, the definitive symbol for the message that he shared. But regardless of what he thought, that’s exactly what has happened. It’s become the universal symbol for Christianity. But you know, as its recognition has risen, I think some of its meaning has sort of gotten lost in the shuffle. And so, as we move past the crucifixion toward Easter, let’s remember what the cross represents. I mean, because “Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive these people! They don’t know what they’re doing’” [Luke 23:34, CEV], the cross represents forgiveness. And because “Jesus replied, ‘I promise that today you will be with me in paradise’” [Luke 21:43, CEV], it represents fellowship. And because “Jesus shouted, ‘Father, I put myself in your hands!’ Then he died,” [Luke 21:46, CEV], it represents faith. You see, these things we can remember, whenever we see the cross.
Sunday, April 3, we continued our sermon series for Lent entitled “His Last Week: The Last Seven Days in the Life of Jesus.” As we prepare ourselves to celebrate the resurrection, we're looking at the following six events in Jesus's last week here on earth and consider how each can shape what we believe and how we live right here and now.
March 6 – The Entry (Luke 19:28-40)
March 13 – The Cleansing (Luke 19:41-48)
March 20 – The Meal (Luke 22:7-23)
March 27 – The Prayer (Luke 22:39-46)
April 3 – The Trial (Luke 22:66 – 23:12)
April 10 – The Cross (Luke 23:26-49)
During this fifth message, our youth presented a skit dealing with the trial of Jesus Christ.
Below is the bulletin for our service, on Sunday, April3, 2022. During our worship service this morning, we’re continuing our sermon series entitled “His Last Week: The Last Seven Days in the Life of Jesus.” This Sunday, we'll talk about Jesus's trial. Remember, you can stream the service live by going to the Sligo Presbyterian Church YouTube page beginning at 10:00 a.m.
Sunday, March 27, we continued our sermon series for Lent entitled “His Last Week: The Last Seven Days in the Life of Jesus.” As we prepare ourselves to celebrate the resurrection, we're looking at the following six events in Jesus's last week here on earth and consider how each can shape what we believe and how we live right here and now.
March 6 – The Entry (Luke 19:28-40)
March 13 – The Cleansing (Luke 19:41-48)
March 20 – The Meal (Luke 22:7-23)
March 27 – The Prayer (Luke 22:39-46)
April 3 – The Trial (Luke 22:66 – 23:12)
April 10 – The Cross (Luke 23:26-49)
During this fourth message, we used Luke 22:39-46 to discuss Jesus's prayer on the Mount of Olives.
During the season on Lent, the congregation of Sligo Presbyterian Church will move thought a sermon series entitled “His Last Week: The Last Seven Days in the Life of Jesus.” As we prepare ourselves to celebrate the resurrection, we're looking at the following six events in Jesus's last week here on earth and consider how each can shape what we believe and how we live right here and now.
March 6 – The Entry (Luke 19:28-40)
March 13 – The Cleansing (Luke 19:41-48)
March 20 – The Meal (Luke 22:7-23)
March 27 – The Prayer (Luke 22:39-46)
April 3 – The Trial (Luke 22:66 – 23:12)
April 10 – The Cross (Luke 23:26-49)
During this fourth message, we used Luke 22:39-46 to discuss the prayer Jesus prayed on the Mount of Olives.
Jesus went out to the Mount of Olives, as he often did, and his disciples went with him. When they got there, he told them, “Pray that you won’t be tested.”
Jesus walked on a little way before he knelt down and prayed, “Father, if you will, please don’t make me suffer by having me drink from this cup. But do what you want, and not what I want.”
Then an angel from heaven came to help him. Jesus was in great pain and prayed so sincerely that his sweat fell to the ground like drops of blood.
Jesus got up from praying and went over to his disciples. They were asleep and worn out from being so sad. He said to them, “Why are you asleep? Wake up and pray that you won’t be tested.”
The Prayer
Well, here we are, the last Sunday in the month of March. Next week, we enter April. And back in Norfolk, where I was raised, yesterday, they held the annual Spring Bulbs & Blooms Walk & Talk, over at the Norfolk Botanical Garden. And I’ll tell you, it’s spectacular, with all the daffodils and the tulips and the crocuses in bloom. It’s truly a sight to behold. Well, that’s what they were doing in Norfolk, Virginia yesterday. And in Sligo, Pennsylvania...not so much.
But be-that-as-it-may, next week, we’ll soon be moving out of March and into April, which means that Easter is almost here. Of course, that also means we’re looking at another event in Jesus’s last seven days as written by the Evangelist Luke. Now, to this point, we’ve already talked about his entry into the Jerusalem and his cleansing of the Temple. And last week, we looked at the last meal he shared with his disciples and at how his words offered them and can offer us hope as we move into the future and forgiveness as we look at the past and peace as we live in the present. Now, that’s what we’ve covered so far.
And today, we’re going to use the Gospel of Luke to consider the prayer that Jesus prayed on the Mount of Olives. And as we’ve seen with the other events, what Luke wrote, well, it’s a little different from what we see in the other gospels; therefore, so is the point he’s making. For example, when you compare it to what happens in John, Luke’s account is really brief, not unlike his description of the Temple cleansing. And when we hold what Luke wrote up to the same story in Mark and Matthew, we don’t have any mention of the disciples falling asleep three times. Now those are some definite differences. And like I said, they can affect both the story’s meaning and application. For instance, with Luke, it’s pretty hard to use this story to indict the disciples for their lack of faith, especially when, again in Luke, Jesus never tells them to stay awake and they don’t fall asleep three times. As a matter of fact, Luke even gives us the reason for the disciples not staying awake. Remember, “they were asleep and worn out from being so sad.” [Luke 22:45b, CEV] No, for Luke, the disciples weren’t the point, not in this passage. Instead, it was about the prayer itself, something that I believe was emphasized when Jesus gave the exact same command before and after he prayed: “Pray that you won’t be tested.” [Luke 22:39b & 46b, CEV]
And I’ll tell you, that’s going to be our focus this morning. And since Jesus talked about praying that you not be tested, we’re going to look at one specific kind of prayer, and I’m talking about the kind of prayers we offer when things aren’t going very well for us, you know what I mean, when it seems as though our faith is being tested and when we feel tempted to seek help and hope from someone or something other than God. In other words, we’re not going to talk about those times when we’re offering God praise or thanks nor when we’re rattling off our sins and asking him to forgive us. No, this morning, we going to talk about the kind of prayers we make when we see refugees fleeing an invasion or folks trying to rebuild after a natural disaster. It’s the kind of prayers we make when someone we care about gets laid off or becomes really sick. In other words, it’s the kind of prayers we pray when we feel that some aspect of our world or our lives has gotten out of control. You see, we’re going to listen to what Jesus commanded and we’re going to look at the prayer he prayed. And I’ll tell you, when we do, I think we’ll see that Jesus did three things on the Mount of Olives that we can also do whether we’re sitting in a pew or waiting in a hospital room or leaning on a kitchen table. You see, we going to talk about three things we might want to do when we’re praying in situations that tempt and test us. And like I said, I believe all three are in the twenty-five words Jesus lifted up to God.
For example, based on what Luke wrote, first, Jesus prayed with focus. In other words, he knew exactly who was on the other end of the prayer; it was the one he called “Father.” Of course, that really shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone who’s read this book, because prayer is really a big deal to the Evangelist Luke, and each time Jesus prayed in this gospel, he addressed his prayer to the Father. I mean, right near the beginning of his ministry, he prayed: My Father, Lord of heaven and earth, I am grateful that you hid all this from wise and educated people and showed it to ordinary people. Yes, Father, that is what pleased you. [Luke 10:21b, CEV] And at the end of his life, as he was hanging on the cross, he prayed, “Father, forgive these people! They don’t know what they’re doing” [Luke 23:34b, CEV] and a little later, “Father, I put myself in your hands!” [Luke 23:46b, CEV] Now, that’s what Jesus said. But addressing God as Father wasn’t just for him. Remember,
When Jesus had finished praying, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his followers to pray.”
So Jesus told them, “Pray in this way:
‘Father, help us
to honor your name.
Come and set up
your kingdom.
Give us each day
the food we need.” [Luke 11:1-3, CEV]
That’s the prayer he taught us to pray. And so, according to Jesus, we can all approach God as Father.
And I’ll tell you, I think that’s something we need to remember, particularly when we’re lifting up those things that seem to test and to tempt us, and I say that for two reasons. You see, on one hand, when we feel ridden hard and put away wet, we can trust that the one to whom we’re praying is the Lord God, the one whom Jeremiah described like this:
With your wisdom and power
you created the earth
and spread out the heavens.
The waters in the heavens roar
at your command.
You make clouds appear—
you send the winds
from your storehouse
and make lightning flash
in the rain. [Jeremiah 10:12-13, CEV]
You see, on one hand, the one who hears us pray is the Lord God. On the other hand, though, he’s also our loving Father, the one whom John had in mind when he wrote, “Think how much the Father loves us. He loves us so much that he lets us be called his children, as we truly are.” [1 John 3:1a, CEV] You see, we can trust that we’re praying to the one who has the power to act and the compassion to care. And I believe this was something Jesus knew, because he prayed with focus and so can we. And that’s one.
And second, when we think about what he said on the Mount of Olives, I think it’s also pretty clear that Jesus prayed with honesty. In other words, he didn’t hold any punches about what he wanted, and he sure didn’t wrap his request with a bunch of spiritual-sounding words to soften the blow. No, instead he said, “Father, if you will, please don’t make me suffer by having me drink from this cup.” [Luke 22:42a, CEV] Man, Jesus didn’t want to suffer and die. And I don’t know about y’all, but to me, that’s about as honest as you can get. But if you’re talking about honesty in prayer, man, that didn’t start with Jesus. Just listen to this little prayer from the Psalms:
Do you rulers ever give a just decision?
Do you judge everyone fairly?
No! You think only of the evil you can do,
and commit crimes of violence in the land.
Break the teeth of these fierce lions, O God.
May they disappear like water draining away;
may they be crushed like weeds on a path.
May they be like snails that dissolve into slime;
may they be like a baby born dead that never sees the light.
Before they know it, they are cut down like weeds;
in his fierce anger God will blow them away
while they are still living.
The righteous will be glad when they see sinners punished;
they will wade through the blood of the wicked. [Psalm 58:1-2, 6-10, CEV]
Now, regardless of what you think about his request or assume about his motives, right here, the Psalmist was being honest about what he wanted, right?
And you know that’s something else we can do when pray to our heavenly Father, and I’m talking about when we pray to the one who loves us. You see, I believe God wants us to be honest; what a radical thought! I mean, I think he wants us to tell him the truth about what’s going on. And for that reason, I assume he wants us to be clear and specific when there’s something we’d like him to do. In other words, when someone we love is sick, it’s fine to ask for healing. If we’ve been laid off, it’s right to ask for a job. And if we’re frustrated because it sure seems as though certain people get all the breaks while others seem to get away with breaking all the rules, I mean, if that’s what we think, ...well, even if we don’t feel comfortable asking that they be like snails that dissolve into slime, I don’t think there’s anything thing wrong with asking God to balance the scales. I mean, just because we want something, that doesn’t mean it’ll happen. Still we can ask. And you know, maybe that’s one of the reasons Jesus said, “But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” [Matthew 6:6, CEV] And remember, according to Paul, “In certain ways we are weak, but the Spirit is here to help us. For example, when we don’t know what to pray for, the Spirit prays for us in ways that cannot be put into words. All of our thoughts are known to God. He can understand what is in the mind of the Spirit, as the Spirit prays for God’s people.” [Romans 8:26-27, CEV] You see, I think God wants us to tell him what’s on our minds. And I believe this was something else Jesus knew, because he prayed with honesty and so can we. And that’s two.
And third, using his prayer as an example, I think I’m safe in saying that Jesus prayed with faith. You see, even though he prayed, “Father, if you will, please don’t make me suffer by having me drink from this cup,” [Luke 22:42a, CEV] he also said, “But do what you want, and not what I want.” [Luke 22:43b, CEV] Now, that’s faith. In fact, it’s the same kind of trust I think we can hear when we read the twenty-second Psalm. I mean, just listen to how honestly it starts:
My God, my God, why have you
deserted me?
Why are you so far away?
Won’t you listen to my groans
and come to my rescue?
I cry out day and night,
but you don’t answer,
and I can never rest. [Psalm 22:1-2, CEV]
Now, that’s pretty honest. Probably more honest than I’d be with God. But then, just like Jesus did when he prayed, there’s a shift to trust in the Psalm.
Yet you are the holy God,
ruling from your throne
and praised by Israel.
Our ancestors trusted you,
and you rescued them.
When they cried out for help,
you saved them,
and you did not let them down
when they depended on you. [Psalm 22:3-5, CEV]
This, my friends, is faith.
And I’ll tell you, it’s something we can show as we pray. You see, regardless of what we share with God, we can trust that his eternal will is going to be done. And even if our prayers aren’t answered the way we want, we can trust that God is always present with us. And even though life may always seem unfair and bad things continue to happen to good people, we can trust that God is still guiding us into a glorious future. You see, trust is what faith is all about. And I think the Apostle Paul also understood this. I mean, just listen to what he wrote to the Corinthians:
If our hope in Christ is good only for this life, we are worse off than anyone else.
But Christ has been raised to life! And he makes us certain that others will also be raised to life. Just as we will die because of Adam, we will be raised to life because of Christ. Adam brought death to all of us, and Christ will bring life to all of us. [1 Corinthians 15:19-22, CEV]
You see, when we go before God with our wants and our needs, we can trust that the Father has already set aside the very best for his children. And I believe this was something else Jesus knew, because he prayed with faith and so can we. And that’s three.
Yesterday, rather than looking at daffodils coming up as folks were doing in the Norfolk Botanical Garden, we were watching the snow and sleet coming down. But even though that made for a cold and wet day, I doubt that many people actually prayed that God would intervene. My goodness, I think we’ve all come to accept this kind of thing, knowing that whatever the weather is today, it’ll probably be different tomorrow. That’s just the way it is. Of course, not everything is as easy to accept. As a matter of fact, I believe in every life things happen that can really test our faith and tempt our dedication. In other words, there are times when we really need to lift our problems and our pain to God. And as we do that, as we pray, let’s claim the example offered by Jesus as he prayed on the Mount of Olives and let’s remember that he prayed with focus and he prayed with honesty and he prayed with faith. And brothers and sisters, so can we. And I’ll tell you, this is something we can do, whether the tulips are blooming or not.
Below is the bulletin for our service, on Sunday, March 27, 2022. During our worship service this morning, we’re continuing our sermon series entitled “His Last Week: The Last Seven Days in the Life of Jesus.” This Sunday, we'll talk about Jesus's prayer in Gethsemane. Remember, you can stream the service live by going to the Sligo Presbyterian Church YouTube page beginning at 10:00 a.m.
