The Season of Lent: "I AM the Resurrection"

"And Jesus Cried With a Loud Voice "Lazarus Come Forth" John:11:43

The ancient Season of Lent, which has come down through the ages and covers several weeks, teaches us powerful lessons. 

The Season of Lent began during the Post Apostolic period of the Early Church. In the early years the Christian Church generally held the Sacrament of Baptism once a year on Easter Sunday. All those who had come to believe in Jesus would be instructed to take a 40 day period of time and consider, through prayer , and the reading of the Scriptures were , how their lives were to changes in light of who Jesus Christ is and all that he had accomplished on their behalf. This 40 day period became what we now call the Season of Lent. 

Martha and Mary the sisters of the Lazarus had appealed to their friend, teacher and Lord, Jesus to come to their home in the village of Bethany near the holy city of Jerusalem, for their bother, and friend of Jesus had become deathly sick and they feared near death.

For God’s Glory

The two sisters send word to Jesus regarding their brother’s condition asking him to come and help, the sisters knew that Jesus could resolve the situation

St. John in his Gospel records.

“So the sisters sent word to Jesus, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom you love is sick” Jhn: 11:3.

But upon receiving the message from the two sisters, rather than responding as they had hoped instead Jesus seemingly does nothing and tells his Disciples that his friend Lazarus’ sickness has a divine purpose.

“But when Jesus heard this he said “This sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory of God, so that the Son of Man maybe glorified” (4) 

Jesus paradoxically stays and ministers where he was for two days longer even knowing that his friend Lazarus was sick. 

“So when Jesus heard that Lazarus was sick, Jesus then stayed two more days longer in the place where he was”(6)

Jesus then plans out their ministry schedule and travel plans, and surprising his Disciples by telling them that they would go into Judea in spite to the opposition of the religious establishment and the plots which they had against him, yet Jesus is focused on his mission of proclaiming the Word of God to the people of the towns and villages of the area.

Lazarus is Dead

As Jesus and his Disciples preach throughout the region of Judea he makes a cryptic announcement to his Disciples meaning of which is not at first clear to them.

“Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I must go and awaken him out of sleep” (11)

The Disciples misunderstanding Jesus' reply.

 “Lord if he has fallen asleep, he will recover” (12)

But Jesus seeing their misunderstanding his statement regarding Lazarus gently but plainly explains his meaning. 

 “Lazarus is dead” (14b)

Lazarus has already been entombed four days when Jesus arrives in the area of Bethany. Many friends had come and were trying to comfort the sisters, Martha and Mary, during their grief and mourning over the loss of their brother.

It is then, that word reaches the sisters that Jesus has come but has stopped just outside of Bethany, prompting Martha to go to their friend and teacher Jesus and speaks to him about her grief produced by the disappointment with him and that Jesus did come to their assistance when he was first called to do so, yet even then, Martha affirms her faith that even now, seemingly when it is too late that Jesus has the power to act on her and her brother’s behalf.

“Lord if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (21)

At first, there appears to be a hint of anger springing from Martha’s profound grief at her loss. Even in the midst of her loss, Martha expresses the assertion which speaks of her strained faith in her Lord’s ability to, even now, enter the situation and aid her and her sister Mary, even though from all human vantage points it appears to be too late and beyond hope.  

Even Now

“Even now, I know that whatsoever you ask God, God will give it” (22)

Martha may not grasp the full understanding of who Jesus is, but she seems to understand that Jesus can act and bring to bear God’s divine assistance, even when all hope seems lost and there appears to be no answer, her brother is dead, but Jesus is there.

Even as it looks as if all hope is lost, Jesus is there, even though he has tarried outside Bethany. Jesus understand the depth of his friend’s grief and sorrow and perceives the anguish in her soul and speaks words of assurance to her.

“Your brother will rise again” (23)

Martha responds, but for the moment, does not realizing the full meaning of his words. It is also evident that Martha does not see that Jesus’ answer can be in her present, she sees his aid only coming beyond this current life, and that some things cannot be answered in the present, she sees the problem as unanswerable.

“I know that he will arise in the resurrection on the last day” (24)

I Am the Resurrection

Jesus then gives Martha, and all of us the assurances of his ability to bring to bear God’s divine assistances regardless of how hopeless the situation seems from our human vantage point.

“I am the resurrection and the life” (25a)

Jesus makes this divine assertion to Marsha and to we all, that he is   the “the Resurrection” even before his own glorious resurrection from the dead. This tells us, that “the resurrection” is not an event, but rather is the person of Jesus Christ himself.

What Jesus is telling Martha, and again, we all, is that he is the answer to any and all our lives hardship and difficulties, even if things seems to beyond hope, that is dead and entomb behind a great stone.

Martha, in spite Jesus’ delayed response to their call for help, and as he proceeds into Judea with a ministry schedule, and when his friend Lazarus has died,  then and only then  only arrives when it appears that all hope is lost, and then, when Jesus does arrive, he stops again , and is outside of Bethany. Yet, regardless of Jesus’ apparent delay, Martha still affirms that she knows that Jesus is one sent by Almighty God.

“you are the Christ” (27a)

Martha is saying more than she might understand. Whether she understand it or not what Martha is saying is “you are the answer to any and all problems which I face, even when the situation seems to beyond hope.

Calling for Mary

Martha then departs and returns to her home and tells her sister Mary that Jesus is calling for her. Mary goes to meet Jesus who is still just outside of Bethany and there she finds him awaiting for her.

“she got up quickly” (31c)

Mary finds Jesus waiting for her in the same location as did her sister Martha. Mary Jesus falls at his feet and expresses her loss and disappointment with Jesus that he, rather answering their cry for help, he went and ministered to others and delayed coming until after it was too late, after Lazarus had died and was now entomb, and when Jesus finally arrived in the area he did not even come to the tomb of her brother but stopped just outside of the village of Bethany.

“When Mary cane to where Jesus was, she saw him and fell at his feet, saying to him “Lord if you had been here, my brother would not have died”. (32)

Jesus is Deeply Moved

Jesus is deeply moved to tears by Mary and those who mourned with her, he truly feels their individual and collective loss, asked Mary to show him the resting place of his friend.

“Jesus was deeply moved in spirit and was troubled and asked “Where have you laid him?” Jesus wept” (33b-35)

Mary and the other mourners see that even Jesus is moved by the loss of her brother she takes Jesus to the tomb. Some who were present with Mary wondered out loud, if Jesus who had displayed such power could not have done something and prevented Lazarus’ death? They believe that it is too late, there is nothing that can be done that Lazarus is dead.

Lazarus Come Forth

When Jesus, Mary and the mourners, arrive at the tomb of Lazarus and sees that a stone was placed over the entrance. At Jesus’ command the stone is removed, which causes Martha to momentarily to protest that her bother has now been dead four days and the stench will be considerable.

Jesus assures them that they, this day would witness the “glory of God”.  Jesus than offers a prayer to his Heavenly Father expressing his perfect faith that God would hear and answer, so that all gathered around would come to believe that Jesus was sent by God.

Jesus then demonstrates that it is never too late for him to enter into this, or any situation, and bring an answer which will cause his Heavenly Father to be glorified, as he calls out to his dead friend to come forth out of the grip of death and grave and hopelessness.

“Lazarus come forth” (41c)

 To the astonishment of all who were gathered to mourn Lazarus emerges from the tomb alive and whole still was dressed in grave clothes.

“Then Lazarus came forth, still bound up in his grave clothes, and Jesus said to them, “unbind him and let him go”. And many of the Jews who had come with Mary saw what Jesus had had done and believed in him” (44-45)

The Lesson for Us

What is the lesson for us Christians?  

Just as the two sisters sent word to Jesus calling upon him to come and bring to bear the power of God and aid them in their time of need and crisis. Jesus, rather than coming to help them seems not to respond , but instead went and ministered to others, and it is only after their brother Lazarus had died and the situation passed into hopelessness that Jesus came, and then he does not enter Bethany, but lingers on the outside of the village , and only after the grieving sisters each have a grief and disappointment filled  conversation with him that does Jesus come to the tomb itself , when it seems there is nothing that even Jesus can do and all is lost. It is then amidst their profound loss that Jesus calls his dead friend forth out of death giving Lazarus life and restores him to the sisters.

There are times in our lives when we all, like Mary and Martha, face challenges and situations which are very difficult and grievous,  which seem beyond hope, which have reached the point of being dead, and like Lazarus now stink .  In these times we call out to our Lord Jesus for his divine assistance, but from our earthy vantage point Jesus seems not to respond to our cry for help, but rather, he and ministers to others, and when he does draw near he stops just outside the Bethany of our lives and lingers for a time.  

In Jesus’ apparent nonresponse to our cry for help, the situation passes into death, that is, to the point where nothing seems to be able to be done, to give life to the situation, no matter what it maybe. All seems lost. It stinks and is bound in grave clothes and we find ourselves disappointed with Jesus not answering our cries for help.

When we face such moments in our lives we need to recall the words of Jesus as he tarried just outside of Bethany.

“I Am the Resurrection”, Jesus is telling us all that he is the answer to any and all of problems. Even when he apparently delays in responding to us  and allows our situation to pass into death and beyond hope and is now dead and in the tomb, even while he ministers to others, Jesus can when it is seems too late , come and bring life to any dead situation.

That there is nothing to which Jesus cannot enter into and call to life, that is, he can resurrect any situation regardless of how dead it might be. Jesus can call it forth out of death removing the grave clothes in which it has been wrapped and giving life to it.

Jesus is “the Resurrection”, that is, he is the answer to any and all of our lives challenges, even when they pass into to death and seems hopeless to us.

Jesus speaks to all of us telling us that he "the Resurrection".

 Jesus can call forth to life any situation which has been placed in the tomb of death and bring life ones again, Jesus is “the Resurrection”, this is a lesson of the Season of Lent.

Benediction: May we each and all trust in Jesus that he will restore life to all of our dead situations, all for his glory, today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen.

 Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor   

The Fountain of life Church a Congregation of Grace Communion 2101 Old National Pike.  Washington, Pennsylvania, 15301   

  www.gcfountainoflife.org

The Fountain of Life is heard on the RKP Radio Network 1710 and 1670 AM in Washington and North Franklin ,and 1790 AM in the Arden Fair Grounds area of Washington Pennsylvania, and on 1710 AM in Bentleyville and Monongahela, Pennsylvania. And online around the world at www.rkpradio.com

You can follow the Fountain of Life on Face Book - Click on our Face Book link : https://www.facebook.com/Fountain-of-Life-Church-349595355088375/

The Season of Lent: Your Thirst Assuaged

“Give us Water to Drink” Ex: 17:2

The ancient Season of Lent, which has come down through the ages and covers several weeks, teaches us powerful lessons. 

The Season of Lent began during the Post Apostolic period of the Early Church. In the early years, the Christian Church generally began to hold the Sacrament of Baptism once a year on Easter Sunday. All those who had come to believe in Jesus would be instructed to take a 40 day period of time and consider, through prayer and reading what Scriptures were available to them, how their lives were to changes in light of who Jesus Christ is and all that he had accomplished on their behalf.  This 40 day period became what we now call the Season of Lent.  

As the people of Israel sojourned in the Wilderness on their forty year pilgrimage to the Promised Land, they often found themselves in need of very basic necessities of life.

At one such point in their journey the need for water become such a sore issue that the people of Israel began to lose faith and even seditiously moved against Moses and confronted him and demanded that their thirst should be dealt with.

“The people argued with Moses saying “Give us water to drink” Ex: 17:2

All Thirst

The need of the people of Israel for water and the assuagement of their thirst is, in truth, not just their need, there centuries ago in the Wilderness of Sin, but it is the need of all humanity, in any and all ages.

All humanity is thirsty, whether they know it or not, and they look to assuage that thirst in many different ways. The demand of the stiff neck Israelites is the vocalization of the need of all humanity. They knew the thirst which filled them and sought to find it’s assuagement. 

 The  thirst that all humanity has , as we pass through this life, is  in truth quenched in only way,  through the life giving waters of the Holy Spirt given so freely to any who will but drink of that eternal deep well.

All humanity seeks to quench this thirst, which we are all created with, and are driven to seek out what they so desire, yet for some, they find it ever elusive, drinking from many different wells but never finding assuagement to this thirst.  

Jacob’s Well

This thirst,  the thirst of humanity  , however, is assuaged through the divine waters drawn from only one well , these waters which flows from only one pure  eternal spring , and that living spring is the Lord Jesus Christ through whom the Holy Spirit is given to us and our thirst finds it’s assuagement.

Jesus himself speaks to this very truth there at Jacob’s well in the Samaritan village of Sycar. This named for the Patriarch Jacob was fed by a deep spring known as the Fountain of Life. This water flow was known for the quality and purity of it’s the water which could be found there.

As Jesus sits near the Jacob’s well a woman of the village approaches and is about to draw some water. Jesus, breaking cultural protocols, for Jews and Samaritans normally did not interact for the Jews viewed them as unclean, initiates a conversation with her.

“There came a woman of Samira to the well to draw water. Jesus said to her “Give me a drink” Jhn: 4:7

Jesus’ request surprises the woman, she being aware of the cultural boundaries between Jews and her people. Jesus ignores the cultural protocols expressed in her reply and moves to the true purpose of his coming to this place and at this particular time.

“Jesus said to her, “if you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, “Give me a drink”; you would have asked of him, and he would have given you living water” (10)

 

The woman looks upon only what she can see with her eyes.

“Sire, you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep; where then do you get this living water?”(11)

She then, not knowing who Jesus is, sees him as just another Jew and then she eludes to a mingled and adopted heritage with the Jewish people. 

“You are not greater than our father Jacob who gave us the well” (12a)

Jesus ignores that she, for the moment, does not understand who he is and then proceeds to address the true need and thirst of all humanity who attempts to find the solution to the thirst which resides in us all as we pilgrimage in the dry wilderness of this life as Israel did centuries ago.

Still Thirsty

“Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again ;”( 13)

What Jesus, in truth, is addressing is not the need common to all humanity for of water but rather the deep thirst which is found within “everyone” for something greater than this life itself, to know the Great God.

We all are like Israel whether we know it or not crying out for water in our deepest need to assuage our deepest thirst.  

Jesus unites the knowledge of who he is to the giving of the living water “if you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you “Give me a drink” you would have asked of him and he would have given you living water”.

What Jesus is telling her, and we all, that he is the source of this water which assuages our deepest thirst to know our God, and that he would, and is, so willing to give it freely to us all through grace, if we will but ask of him. Jesus will give this living water to us, he desires to give it to each and to all we need not draw it ourselves, that it no human effort can draw dig this well or bring forth, it our through grace alone; as a Jesus said to the woman and all humanity “If you knew the gift of God”.  

The Greek word “dorea” here in the narrative and is  translated as “gift”,  is unique to St. John’s Gospel and is found only in this narrative.  This word “dorea” is a word meaning something which is given fully by grace alone, it cannot be errand nor can it be merited.  This speaks to us about our Lord’s deep desire for us to know him and have our thirst completely assuaged.

  

Living Water

This living water, that is water which is moving and flowing, is also transformational. Living water is water which flows and washes away impurities. The Jewish baptismal custom of baptizing gentile converts to Judaism was preferred to be carried out in living waters which flowed for they believed that flowing water in baptism literally washed away their being gentiles transforming these converts into Jews, making them “born again”, this was thought to be accomplished through the acceptance of the Torah, the Law, but Jesus not tells us the true source of life changing living waters flow only from him, by grace alone.

The Torah, the Law, cannot truly assuage our thirst or changes us, it can only conform us, and still leave our thirst, that deep need for something deeper left unsatisfied.

Flowing From Us

As our thirst is assuaged and our lives are transformed, those water issue forth from us flowing to those around us, and in the divine process of God the lives of others are forever changed and inviting them to come to the true sources of living waters which washes away and healing our thirst.

“If anyone is thirsty is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. He who believes in me, as the Scriptures said, “From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water” Jhn: 7:37c-38

It was thirst , that brought the woman of Sycar to the well where she encountered our Lord Jesus who invites her to drink of the living waters which he so freely gives to assuage her thirst for all time and eternity.

In Jesus’ divine invitation to “everyone who is thirsty” to come to him Jesus is now revealing the nature of those rivers of living waters from which we might drink and then flow forth from our very being to those around us, as St. John reveals to us in the next verses.

  “But Jesus was speaking of the Spirit, whom those who believe in him were to receive, for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified” (39)

The Waters Flow

The Holy Spirit flows out to us, assuaging our thirst and healing the dry wilderness of our lives, by the living water of the Holy Spirit given to us by grace, through Jesus, is in view in the vision of the Prophet Ezekiel sees a glorious vision of the Temple of God, in Ezekiel’s visions which is found in the later chapters of his book. Ezekiel: 40-48

The Prophet first sees the Temple of God empty, dark, and with our life, then, as Ezekiel beholds the glory of the Lord enters in, and fills the Temple with glory of Lord once again, then in a later chapter we are shown that due to the restored glory waters burst forth and flow and course out to the dry and thirsty land healing it, and causing all manner of tress to bear good fruit and then flowing to the Dead Seas and even heling those salty waters. Ezekiel: 47

We are told by the Prophet that all who came to those waters lived.

What we are witnessing through the Prophet Ezekiel is the resurrection of our Lord Jesus and the rivers of the waters of the Holy Spirit flowing forth heling and assuaging the thirsty dry wilderness of our lives at the resurrection from the dead of our Lord Jesus as he lay lifeless in darkness of death in tomb just as the Temple in the vision was lifeless and shrouded in darkness

St. John tells us that Jesus calls his very self the Temple which would be raised up after being torn down by the crucifixion, then he would be raised up in there days through the resurrection, that is glorified. John: 2:18-20

Recall, that St. John, in his Gospel, said that the Spirit “was not yet given” because “Jesus was not yet glorified”, that is resurrected to glory.

This is what the Prophet was showing us in his vision, the Glorious resurrection of our Lord and flow of the living waters of the Holy Spirit out to all humanity assuaging the thirsts and healing the dry land of our lives.   

This glorious image of the living waters flowing out from the Temple of God in Ezekiel’s visions, bringing healing and life, and have their ultimate fulfillment in the St. John's glorious vision of the heavenly New Jerusalem as it descends from God himself, wherein, the waters are described as flowing for eternity clear as crystal and all people for all nation have their thirst forever assuaged through Jesus. Revelation: 21

From Glory to Glory 

The Holy Spirit would now be offered to humanity so that we could have our need to know our God in a way which was previously unknown to us.

The Holy Spirit flows to us and assuages our deepest thirst transforming us and ever speaking to us regarding our Lord Jesus and as we are transformed the Holy Spirit flows from us to all around us effecting their lives as well.  

“But we all , with unveiled faces, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord are being transformed into the same image, from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.” 2Cor:3:18

This transformation into the “same image” where in we see the “glory to glory” is what we are truly thirsty for , coming to know Jesus and being forever changed by him, this process is what occurs as we pilgrimage through the wilderness of this life on our way to the Promised land of the Heavenly Kingdom of God.

Worship Digs the Well Deeper

When we accept his offer to come to Jesus and we see who Jesus is, that Jesus is God’s son, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, our response is to worship him,  and as we gather to worship Jesus  the living waters of the Holy Spirit flow out to us, healing us and restoring us, it is as if when we worship our Lord Jesus, we are digging the well deeper,  and the deeper the well the deeper the waters of the Spirit seemed to flow to us in powerful and deeply meaningful way. We are like the people of Israel who dug the well at Beer.

“Israel continued to Beer, the well where the Lord God said to Moses “Gather the people together and I will give them water. And Israel sang this song: Spring up O well! Sing about it, about the well that the princess dug, that the nobles of the people sank-the nobles with scepters and staffs” Num: 21:1-18

 As we gather worship our Lord we are digging the well, through praise and worship of Jesus’ Holy divine person, as we do the Holy Spirit ministers to us and assuaging our thirsts.

The Season of Lent reminds us that when as find ourselves dry and thirsty on our pilgrimage toward the Promised Land of the Kingdom, and we cry out, as did Israel did, “give us water to drink”, all we need do is come is to accept the call of our Lord Jesus and worship him and the deep well of the Holy Spirit will flow forth to each and all of us and assuage our deepest thirst.

This a lesson of the Season of Lent.

Benediction: May we each and all ever find our thirst assuaged and be  transformed  by the living waters of the Holy Spirit as we come answer the divine  invitation, issued to us that we might come and worship to Jesus alone,  and there have our thirst assuaged, today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen.

Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor 

The Fountain of life Church a Congregation of Grace Communion
2101 Old National Pike,  Washington, Pennsylvania, 15301   www.gcfountainoflife.org 

The Fountain of Life is heard on the RKP Radio Network 1710 and 1670 AM in Washington and North Franklin ,and 1790 AM in the Arden Fair Grounds area of Washington Pennsylvania, and on 1710 AM in Bentleyville and Monongahela, Pennsylvania. And online around the world at www.rkpradio.com 

You can follow the Fountain of Life on Face Book - Click on our Face Book link : https://www.facebook.com/Fountain-of-Life-Church-349595355088375/

The Season of Lent: Following Jesus

“So Abram went as the Lord had told him” Gen: 12:4a

The Season of Lent speaks to, and teaches, each and all of us, so many lessons regarding the Christian life. This ancient observance, which dates back to the very early years of the Christian movement, emerged out of the forty day period of the time which was given to those who were going to be baptized into the body of the Church on Easter Sunday.

The Calling to Follow

During this forty days the new converts were encouraged to consider the transformation which was coming to their lives, and the calling which was now upon, them in light of who Jesus is and what he has done for each and all of us.

These new converts were encouraged to prayerfully consider the life they were now called to live in following their Lord Jesus Christ.

These early converts to the Christian movement, and Christians through the history of the Church, are in many respects are very much like the Patriarch Abraham.

Abraham, named Abram at the time of his calling by the Lord God, left everything that he had known for seventy five years to follow the calling of God upon his life.

When the Lord called the Patriarch went forth not knowing fully where his new found life would lead him.

“By Faith Abraham, when he was called went forth by faith to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going” Heb:11:8

In spite of not knowing where the Lord God was leading him to, and in spite, of the unknown which lay before him, Abraham, the Patriarch went forth leaving all behind him. Abraham did so, and could do so, because he trusted in the Lord who was and always would be with him.

Abraham did not did not focus on the journey upon which he embarked, nor the potential hardships or adversities, rather, Abraham kept his heart and mind upon the Lord knowing that his God would bring him safely to his destination and fulfill all the promises which the Lord had made to him and to us all.

 Following into the Unknown

We Christians today and throughout the ages, are the spiritual heirs of Abraham, and are very much like the Patriarch when we are called. When we hear the Gospel message of Jesus, we hear in the Gospel a calling to receive great and glorious promises as an inheritance eternal.

“He called you through our Gospel that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ” 2Thess:2:14

When we hear that glorious message about Jesus and we chose to accept it and follow him we are setting forth often into the unknown, and on a journey that we cannot always know what lies immediately ahead.  

Yet we can be confident, that as we pilgrimage through this life toward the Promised Land of the Kingdom of God we can trust, in faith, that our Lord Jesus is there with us every step of the way through whatever we might face.

Am With You Always

The season of Lent is a yearly reminder of the faithfulness of God that he is with us, in spite of us, every step of the way on our Earthly pilgrimage.  Whatever we face on the road to the Kingdom of God, Jesus is there with you.

Just as our Lord was about to ascend into the heavens after commissioning his followers to go forth proclaiming the message of his Gospel, Jesus affirmed that he would walk with us, be with us and give us, each and all his gracious divine assistance as we go forth into the unknowns of life whatever they may be, the good, the glorious and the tragedies setbacks and sorrows.

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Teaching them to observe all that I commanded you: and lo I am with you always even to the end of the world” Matt: 28:19-20

Lent reminds us that Jesus makes the pilgrimages with us, leading us ever forward, again, as our Lord has promised “I am with you”.   

Jesus is, in truth, the reason for the journey. This means that he gives us this life here upon the Earth so that through all that we face we come to know our Lord. It is the adversities of, and uncertainties of life, that we grow to known him ever deeper.

It is in truth in the worst of times that we might face, in which we come to know Jesus’ faithfulness and love mercy and grace. When all hope seems lost and life appears to be at its end and we feel abandoned by all else, it is in these moments of grief and uncertainty that his unconditional and undying love is realized and experienced in its most profound way. Jesus speaks to us through the word of God and the indwelling Holy Spirit “I am with you always” this should give us strength and reliance upon him to journey forward knowing that we are not alone even among the unknowns of life.

Experiencing the Incarnation

Jesus is there to give us strength and comfort as no other can. He is there with us.  St. Paul, and other early Christians, knew the comfort of the abiding presence of God when he wrote to the Church in the Greek city of Corinth. St. Paul writes of the challenges that he, and all of us face in life, and how he coped with these challenges.

“in everything commending ourselves as servants of God, in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses, in beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in dangers, in hunger,” 2Cor:6:4-5

 St. Paul experienced these trails and tests, yet he continued to follow Jesus, it was in these test and hardships that he came to know his Lord all the more. In truth what St. Paul was experiencing, was, the Incarnate Christ in his life. The Apostle knew and understood Jesus had shared this life with him and knows and understand the journey of life.

Speaking of the coming of the Holy Spirit, Jesus told his disciples “I will not leave you Fatherless, I will come to you” Jon: 14:18

We are called to follow Jesus in this life because he walks with us and indwells us through the very Spirit of God, in this way, Jesus’ incarnation becomes our incarnation, meaning with have the Lord within us, in our flesh making us his children.

As St. John wrote “he has come in the flesh”, meaning that,  the Eternal Son of God , the Second person of the Holy Trinity , has joined with us through his own  personal  incarnation, but also that,  through the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Holy Trinity, Jesus  has come in our  own flesh.

When the great Patriarch Abraham set out from his home country and his father’s household upon receiving the call of the Lord God, not even he could have the experience that we Christians are blessed to have, for in the time of Abraham the incarnation had not yet become a reality.  

This life is intended that we experience the Incarnation of Jesus first hand and in so doing we come to know him.

The Season of Lent teach us that as we go forth into the Christian life and our own personal and collective pilgrimage toward the Kingdom of God , our Lord is with us, Jesus is there to reveal his love , mercy and grace and to be our help and strength and comfort every step  of the way to glory.

As Jesus said to those ancient disciples’ centuries ago and down through the ages, as he departed unto the Heavens, “I am with you even unto the end of the world”.   

We are called to follow Jesus this is  a Lesson of the Season of Lent.

Benediction: May we each and all ever look to our Lord Jesus, who is there with us on  our pilgrimage of life,  through every step of our lives, walking with us and leading us forward through all that we face and who will reveal his love for us all, today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen.

Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor 

The Fountain of life Church a Congregation of Grace Communion
2101 Old National Pike,  Washington, Pennsylvania, 15301   www.gcfountainoflife.org 

The Fountain of Life is heard on the RKP Radio Network 1710 and 1670 AM in Washington and North Franklin ,and 1790 AM in the Arden Fair Grounds area of Washington Pennsylvania, and on 1710 AM in Bentleyville and Monongahela, Pennsylvania. And online around the world at www.rkpradio.com 

You can follow the Fountain of Life on Face Book - Click on our Face Book link : https://www.facebook.com/Fountain-of-Life-Church-349595355088375/