by Eron Henry | Feb 20, 2024 | Lent 2024
Love is one of the most powerful and beautiful gifts that God has given us. It is the essence of who God is and what God has done for us. God loved us so much that God sent the only Son to die for us, to take away our sins and to give us eternal life. God loves us with an unconditional, unfailing, and unchanging love that nothing can separate us from. God loves us as we are, but God also loves us too much to leave us that way. God wants us to become more like Him, to reflect God’s image and glory in the world.
But love is also one of the most costly and painful gifts that God has given us. It is not a cheap or easy thing to love as God loves. It requires sacrifice, commitment, and endurance. It means putting others before ourselves, forgiving those who hurt us, and seeking the best for them. It means being vulnerable, honest, and humble. It means being willing to suffer for the sake of love.
Jesus showed us what love looks like when He suffered on the cross. He endured the agony of betrayal, rejection, mockery, torture, and death. He bore the weight of our sins. He did not deserve any of it, but He chose to do it out of love for us. He said, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). He also said, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12).
If we want to follow Jesus and obey His commandment, we have to be ready to suffer for love. We have to be ready to face the challenges, trials, and persecutions that come with being His disciples. We have to be ready to love our enemies, to pray for those who mistreat us, and to bless those who curse us. We have to be ready to share in His sufferings, to carry our cross, and to die to ourselves. We have to be ready to lose our lives for His sake and for the sake of the gospel.
But we do not suffer alone or in vain. We have the Holy Spirit, who comforts us, strengthens us, and helps us to love. We have the hope of the resurrection, which assures us that our suffering is not the end, but the beginning of a new and glorious life. We have the promise of God, who works all things together for good for those who love God and are called according to God’s purpose. We have the example of the saints, who have gone before us and have shown us how to suffer well for love. And we have the reward of God, who will say to us, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your master” (Matthew 25:21).
Love will sometimes suffer, but love will always overcome. Love will always triumph, but love will sometimes cost. Love will always bless, but love will sometimes hurt. Love will always heal, but love will sometimes wound.
Love will always give, always live. Love will never fail.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we gather here today to acknowledge the profound gift of Your love, which is unconditional, unwavering, and everlasting. We confess that You have loved us so deeply that You sent Your only Son to atone for our sins and offer us eternal life. We recognize that this love is not just a gift, but a call to action, urging us to strive to be more like You, reflecting Your image in the world around us.
Yet, we also understand that this love comes with a high price. It demands sacrifices, commitments, and endurance. It means placing others above ourselves, forgiving those who have hurt us, and seeking the best for them. It means embracing vulnerability, honesty, and humility, and being willing to suffer for the sake of love, just as Jesus did on the cross.
Lord, we ask for Your guidance and strength to embody such love in our lives. Help us to be prepared to face the challenges and trials that come with following You. Grant us the courage to love our enemies, to pray for those who mistreat us, and to bless those who curse us. May we be willing to share in Your sufferings, to carry our cross, and to die to ourselves for Your sake and for the sake of the gospel.
Yet, we believe that our suffering is not in vain. We trust in the Holy Spirit, who comforts us and strengthens us in our love. We hold onto the hope of the resurrection, which assures us that our suffering is not the end, but the beginning of a new and glorious life. We rely on Your promise to work all things together for our good, and we draw inspiration from the saints who have shown us how to suffer well for love.
We affirm that love will sometimes suffer, but it will always overcome. It will always triumph, but it will sometimes cost. It will always bless, but it will sometimes hurt. It will always heal, but it will sometimes wound. Love will always give, always live, and never fail.
In Your name, we pray. Amen.
by Eron Henry | Feb 19, 2024 | Lent 2024
Jesus was fully aware of His identity and His mission as the Son of God. He knew that He came from the Father and that He was returning to the Father (John 16:28). He knew that He had all the authority and power of God, but He did not use it for His own advantage or glory (Philippians 2:6). He knew that He was the only one who could save us from our sins by His death and resurrection (John 14:6).
But Jesus did not cling to His divine privileges or rights. He willingly emptied Himself of them and took on the form of a servant, being born in human likeness and living a humble and obedient life (Philippians 2:7-8). He did not seek His own will, but the will of the Father who sent Him (John 6:38). He did not resist the suffering and shame that awaited Him, but embraced it with love and courage (Hebrews 12:2).
Jesus sacrificed Himself for us, not because He had to, but because He wanted to. He loved us so much that He gave up His life for us, so that we could have eternal life with Him (John 3:16). He showed us the greatest example of selflessness and service, of humility and honor, of obedience and faithfulness. He invites us to follow Him and to share in His death and resurrection, to die to ourselves and to live for Him (Romans 6:4-5).
Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank You for being the Son of God who came to save us from our sins. Thank You for knowing who You are and what You came to do, and for not using Your power for Your own benefit, but for ours. Thank You for emptying Yourself of Your glory and becoming a servant, a human like us, who lived a humble and obedient life. Thank You for doing the Father’s will, not Your own, and for facing the cross with love and courage. Thank You for dying for us, so that we could live with You forever. Lord Jesus, help us to follow Your example of selflessness and service, of humility and honor, of obedience and faithfulness. Help us to die to ourselves and to live for You. Help us to share in Your death and resurrection, and to experience Your power and grace in our lives. Help us to love You and others as You have loved us. Amen.
by Eron Henry | Feb 18, 2024 | Lent 2024
Jesus knew what was going to happen to Him. He knew that He would face betrayal, rejection, torture, and death. He knew that He would be handed over to His enemies, both religious and political, who would conspire to kill Him. He knew that He would suffer the most agonizing and humiliating form of execution, the cross. He knew all this, and yet He did not shrink back from His mission. He did not try to avoid His fate. He did not compromise His message. He did not deny His identity. He did not run away from His calling. He did not fear the consequences. He did not lose hope.
Why did Jesus endure all this? Because He loved us. Because He wanted to save us. Because He obeyed the Father. Because He fulfilled the Scriptures. Because He was the Messiah. Because He was the Son of God. Because He was the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Because He was the King of kings and Lord of lords. Because He was the Savior of the world.
What does this mean for us? It means that we have a Savior who understands our pain, our sorrow, our grief, our temptation, our weakness, our struggle, our sin. We have a Savior who sympathizes with us, who comforts us, who strengthens us, who intercedes for us, who forgives us, who heals us, who restores us, who transforms us, who empowers us, who guides us, who leads us, who protects us, who provides for us, who blesses us, who loves us.
It also means that we have a Savior who calls us to follow Him. To follow Him in His suffering, in His obedience, in His faithfulness, in His humility, in His service, in His love. To follow Him in His death, and in His resurrection. To follow Him in His mission, and in His glory. To follow Him in His grace, and in His truth. To follow Him in His joy, and in His peace.
Prayer
Heavenly Father,
We thank You for Your Son, Jesus Christ, who endured it all for us. He knew the cost of His sacrifice, and He willingly paid it. He knew the pain of His suffering, and He bravely faced it. He knew the glory of His victory, and He generously shared it.
We praise You for Your love, that sent Your Son to die for us. We praise You for Your grace, that raised Your Son to life for us. We praise You for Your power, that seated Your Son at Your right hand for us.
We ask You to help us follow Your Son, in His footsteps, in His example, in His spirit. Help us to endure hardship, to overcome temptation, to resist sin, to bear witness, to serve others, to love You and our neighbors, to glorify You and honor Your name.
We ask You to fill us with Your Spirit, who comforts us, who strengthens us, who intercedes for us, who guides us, who leads us, who protects us, who provides for us, who blesses us, who loves us.
We ask You to prepare us for Your kingdom, where we will see Your face, where we will worship Your majesty, where we will enjoy Your presence, where we will share Your joy, where we will experience Your peace.
We ask all this in the name of Jesus, our Savior, our Lord, our King. Amen.
by Eron Henry | Feb 17, 2024 | Lent 2024
Jesus is our great high priest, who offered Himself as a perfect sacrifice to God, once and for all, to take away our sins and reconcile us to God. He did this not by the power of any earthly means, but by the power of the eternal Holy Spirit. His sacrifice was of infinite value because he was both fully human and fully divine. He fulfilled the law and the prophets and established a new covenant of grace and truth.
Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we can now approach God with confidence and boldness, knowing that we are forgiven and accepted by God. We can receive God’s Holy Spirit, who helps us to live a holy and obedient life. We can serve the living God with joy and gratitude and share God’s love and mercy with others.
Jesus’ sacrifice also guarantees our future hope. He is now seated at the right hand of God, where He intercedes for us constantly. He is preparing a place for us in His Father’s house, where we will see Him face to face and enjoy His presence forever. He will come again to judge the living and the dead, and to make all things new.
Let us therefore praise and worship Jesus, our Savior and Lord, who sacrificed Himself for us, and accomplished the work of His office as the Christ. He is worthy of all glory, honor, and power, now and forever. Amen.
Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, our Great High Priest, we come before You today with humble hearts, acknowledging Your sacrifice for our sins. Your perfect offering, made through the power of the Holy Spirit, has reconciled us to God, freeing us from the bondage of sin and death. We recognize the infinite value of Your sacrifice, knowing that You are both fully human and fully divine, fulfilling the law and the prophets, and establishing a new covenant of grace and truth.
We stand in gratitude for Your sacrifice, which gives us the confidence and boldness to approach God. We thank You for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, who guides us in living a holy and obedient life. We dedicate ourselves to serving You with joy and gratitude, and to sharing Your love and mercy with others, as You taught us.
Lord, we entrust our lives and our eternal destiny to Your care, knowing that You are seated at the right hand of God, interceding for us and preparing a place for us in Your Father’s house. We believe in Your promise to return and to make all things new. We await Your coming with anticipation and hope, confident in Your promise to judge the living and the dead.
We pray for the strength to emulate Your love and forgiveness, to extend mercy to others as You have extended it to us. Grant us the wisdom to forgive as You have forgiven us, to clothe ourselves with love, and to let the peace that comes from Christ rule in our hearts. May we walk in the light of Your teachings, demonstrating unconditional love and the compassion that comes with true forgiveness.
We ask for Your guidance as we navigate the challenges of life, and for Your protection as we face the temptations that may test our faith. May we continue to grow in grace and knowledge, and may our lives reflect the glory of Your love and the fruit of the Spirit.
In Your precious name, we pray. Amen.
by Eron Henry | Feb 16, 2024 | Lent 2024
Lent is a time of preparation for the greatest feast of the Christian year: Easter. It is a season of repentance, fasting, prayer, and charity. It is also a season of hope, as we look forward to the joy of the resurrection.
As we begin the season of Lent, we are invited to join Jesus on His journey to Jerusalem, where He will face His passion, death, and resurrection. We are called to follow Him with faith, love, and obedience, even when the road is hard and the cross is heavy.
Lent is a period of grief, but not a hopeless one. We grieve for our sins and the sins of the world, which have caused so much suffering and injustice. We grieve for the wounds and divisions that separate us from God and from one another. We grieve for the pain and loss that we experience in our lives.
But we do not grieve as those who have no hope. We grieve with the hope of Easter, the hope of the risen Christ, who has conquered sin and death, and who promises us new life and peace. We grieve with the hope of the Holy Spirit, who comforts us and guides us in our journey. We grieve with the hope of the Father, who loves us and welcomes us as His children.
Lent is a period of grief that necessarily ends with a great celebration of Easter. It is a journey from darkness to light, from death to life, from sorrow to joy. It is a journey that transforms us and renews us in the image of Christ.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, as we begin this season of Lent, we ask You to accompany us on our journey of faith. Help us to follow You with love and obedience, even when the road is hard and the cross is heavy. Help us to repent of our sins and to seek Your forgiveness and mercy. Help us to fast from what distracts us from You and to feast on Your word and Your presence. Help us to pray with sincerity and devotion, and to listen to Your voice in our hearts. Help us to share Your love and Your gifts with those in need, and to be peacemakers and reconcilers in our world.
Lord Jesus, as we mourn for our sins and the sins of the world, we thank You for the hope of Easter. We thank You for Your passion, death, and resurrection, which have conquered sin and death, and which have opened the way to eternal life. We thank You for Your Holy Spirit, who comforts us and guides us in our journey. We thank You for Your Father, who loves us and welcomes us as His children.
Lord Jesus, as we journey from darkness to light, from death to life, from sorrow to joy, we ask You to transform us and renew us in Your image. Help us to grow in holiness and grace, and to bear witness to Your love and Your power. Help us to celebrate Your resurrection with joy and gratitude, and to share Your good news with all people.
Lord Jesus, we praise You and we adore You, for You are the way, the truth, and the life. Amen.
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