by Eron Henry | Mar 18, 2025 | Lent 2025
Radical transformation lies at the heart of Christian faith and practice. When Jesus employed the metaphors of wineskins and patched garments in Matthew 9:16-17, he was not merely offering practical advice about ancient containers and clothing. Rather, he was articulating a fundamental principle: authentic encounter with the divine necessarily produces profound change.
The wineskins metaphor speaks to this necessity with striking clarity. New wine—still fermenting, expanding, bubbling with life—cannot be contained in wineskins that have already been stretched to their limit. They lack the flexibility to accommodate the dynamic, transformative nature of what God is doing. Similarly, sewing new cloth onto an old garment only ensures that both will be ruined when the new cloth shrinks. These images vividly illustrate how the gospel’s transformative power cannot simply be grafted onto existing structures, whether personal or institutional, without fundamentally altering them.
This principle of necessary change finds its clearest expression in Jesus’ inaugural proclamation: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news” (Mark 1:15). The Greek term for repentance, metanoia, signifies far more than superficial remorse or cognitive adjustment. It denotes a comprehensive reorientation, a turning that encompasses one’s entire being and direction. Jesus calls not merely for modified thinking but for transformed living.
The early church embodied this transformation dramatically. Disciples left behind occupations, social standing, and security to follow Christ. The Jerusalem community reorganized economic relationships in radical ways. Paul, once a persecutor, became the persecuted for the sake of the gospel he once sought to destroy. In each case, encounter with Christ rendered the old wineskins insufficient for the new wine of God’s kingdom.
Throughout Christian history, this pattern repeats. St. Augustine’s conversion required abandoning not just his former beliefs but his former way of life. Martin Luther’s rediscovery of justification by faith necessitated institutional reformation beyond mere theological correction. John Wesley’s heart “strangely warmed” led to methodical discipleship that transformed individuals and communities. In each case, new wine demanded new wineskins.
This necessary change challenges contemporary Christianity on multiple levels. For individuals, it confronts comfortable spirituality that seeks divine blessing without personal transformation. If our encounter with Christ leaves our priorities, relationships, and daily practices essentially unchanged, we have likely received something less than the full gospel. The new wine of God’s kingdom cannot be contained in the old wineskins of self-centered living.
For communities and institutions, this principle challenges the tendency toward calcification and self-preservation. Churches that prioritize maintaining traditional forms over responding to the Spirit’s fresh movement risk becoming old wineskins that cannot contain new wine. Theological education that merely transmits existing knowledge without forming transformative leaders produces patched garments that cannot withstand the tension.
Yet this imperative for change must be distinguished from change for its own sake or mere accommodation to cultural trends. The change Jesus demands stems not from external pressure but from internal encounter with divine reality. The new wine comes from heaven, not human innovation. The transformation required is not progress toward human ideals but conformity to Christ’s character and priorities.
The Christian gospel proclaims change as good news. The call to transformation is simultaneously a call to liberation from patterns that no longer serve God’s purposes, from structures that constrain kingdom living, from habits that diminish rather than enhance human flourishing. The new wineskins, while demanding the death of the old, preserve rather than waste the precious new wine.
The transformative essence of Christianity thus stands as both challenge and promise. It challenges our natural resistance to change, our preference for the familiar, our tendency toward spiritual stasis. Yet it promises that the God who calls us to transformation also empowers it, that the one who demands new wineskins also provides them, that the Christ who says “repent” also says “follow me” and walks alongside us in the journey of becoming new.
Prayer
Divine Lord, who pours new life into willing vessels, give us courage to embrace Your call to change.
When we cling to comfortable patterns, when we resist Your transforming touch, when we attempt to contain Your fresh movement within the brittle wineskins of familiar ways, soften our hearts and make them supple again.
We confess our fear of the unknown, our attachment to what is rather than what could be, our tendency to patch old garments rather than be clothed anew in You.
Grant us the wisdom to discern between change that merely conforms us to the world and transformation that conforms us to You. May we welcome not every shifting wind, but the mighty rushing wind of Your Spirit.
As You called Your first disciples to leave their nets, as You invited the rich young ruler to surrender his wealth, as You transformed Paul from persecutor to apostle, call us now into deeper surrender and more radical obedience.
Help us hear afresh Your inaugural proclamation: “The kingdom of God has come near; repent and believe.” May our response be not merely changed minds but completely reoriented lives.
Where our communities have calcified, where our institutions preserve form at the expense of spirit, where we have chosen self-preservation over kingdom advancement, break open new wineskins to receive Your new wine.
Thank You that Your demand for change is simultaneously Your invitation to freedom from patterns that diminish, from structures that constrain, from habits that destroy.
Transform us, O Lord, from glory to glory, until we fully reflect Your image.
Amen.
by Eron Henry | Mar 17, 2025 | Lent 2025
Divine love, revealed most fully in Christ, manifests not as passive sentiment or conditional acceptance, but as active, persistent pursuit—a love that refuses to abandon its beloved even when rejected.
The parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) stands as perhaps the most vivid portrayal of this divine pursuit. The father in Jesus’ narrative does not merely wait stoically for his son’s return. Rather, while the son “was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion” (Luke 15:20). This detail reveals a father who had been watching the horizon, scanning the distance daily, maintaining an active vigil of expectation. His subsequent running—culturally undignified for an elderly man of status—further demonstrates love as pursuit rather than mere passive reception.
This pursuing love reflects God’s consistent pattern throughout scripture. The prophet Hosea receives the jarring command to pursue and reclaim his unfaithful wife as a living metaphor of God’s relationship with Israel: “Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another man and is an adulteress. Love her as the LORD loves the Israelites” (Hosea 3:1). This divine love persists precisely where human love typically fails—in the face of rejection, unfaithfulness, and betrayal.
Ezekiel presents this pursuing love through the metaphor of a shepherd: “I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep” (Ezekiel 34:11-12). God does not merely open the sheepfold and hope for return; God actively searches, traversing difficult terrain to recover what is lost. Jesus amplifies this image in His parable of the lost sheep, where the shepherd leaves ninety-nine to pursue one that has strayed (Matthew 18:12-14).
The incarnation itself represents the ultimate expression of divine pursuit. In Christ, God does not merely extend an invitation from heaven’s balcony, but descends into human experience, embracing its limitations and sufferings. As Paul writes, “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Divine love initiates reconciliation before any human movement toward repentance.
This love as persistent pursuit challenges contemporary notions of love as primarily emotional affirmation or acceptance of another’s autonomous choices. Divine love certainly affirms human worth, but it does not remain neutral toward human self-destruction. It pursues precisely because it desires the beloved’s flourishing, even when the beloved has chosen paths of self-harm.
Yet crucially, this pursuing love never becomes coercive. The father in Jesus’ parable does not send servants to drag his son home; Hosea does not force his wife’s return; the shepherd calls the sheep but does not drag it by the neck. Divine love maintains the tension between persistent pursuit and respect for freedom—creating space for authentic response while never abandoning hope for restoration.
The implications of this divine love extend into Christian ethics and practice. If divine love pursues the wandering, then human love, particularly within the church, must develop similar tenacity. The community that embodies divine love cannot practice casual dismissal of those who stray, cannot build walls of separation, cannot declare any person beyond hope of return.
For the individual believer, this divine pursuit offers assurance—that no distance is too great, no failure too significant, no rejection too final to place us beyond love’s reach. God’s love maintains eternal vigilance, scanning the horizon for our return, ready not merely to accept but to celebrate our homecoming with extravagant joy.
In a world where relationships often fracture beyond repair, where grudges harden into permanent boundaries, where people are casually discarded when they become difficult, the God who pursues offers a radically different vision of love—one that refuses to give up, that maintains hope beyond reason, that celebrates rather than begrudges return. This love, more than any doctrine or ritual, constitutes the heart of Christian faith and the truest reflection of divine character.
Prayer
God of relentless love, who scans the horizon for our return, who runs undignified toward our homecoming, who celebrates our arrival before we can speak our rehearsed apologies, fill us with wonder at the tenacity of Your pursuit.
When we wander far from You, when we squander our inheritance on empty promises, then we find ourselves feeding on husks meant for swine, thank You that Your love maintains eternal vigilance, watching, waiting, hoping for our return.
We confess how often we have practiced a small and cautious love toward others—quick to write off those who disappoint us, ready to build walls where bridges are needed, prone to declare some beyond the reach of grace.
Transform us into channels of Your pursuing love: give us eyes to scan the horizon for the wandering, feet quick to run toward the broken and ashamed, arms ready to embrace without condition or hesitation, hearts that celebrate rather than begrudge another’s restoration.
For those we love who seem far from You, grant us courage to keep hoping beyond reason, to maintain prayer’s vigil when change seems impossible, to persist in love when our human strength would falter, to believe that no one is beyond the reach of Your grace.
When we ourselves feel unworthy of pursuit— too broken, too rebellious, too far gone— remind us of the Shepherd who leaves ninety-nine to search relentlessly for one, of the God who became flesh to bring us home.
May Your church become a living parable of this divine pursuit that defines Your heart, a community where no one is easily discarded, where love refuses to surrender hope, where every return is celebrated with feasting and joy.
Through Christ, who pursued us even unto death, that we might know the relentless nature of Your love.
Amen.
by Eron Henry | Mar 16, 2025 | Lent 2025
In the economy of God’s kingdom, the cross stands not merely as a historical event but as the definitive pattern for the church’s journey through history. What appears as defeat in worldly terms becomes, in God’s upside-down kingdom, the very path to victory. This paradox fundamentally reshapes how we understand success, power, and triumph in the life of the church.
The cross represents the supreme divine paradox—the moment of apparent ultimate defeat that becomes the foundation of cosmic victory. As Paul boldly proclaims, Christ “disarmed the powers and authorities, making a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross” (Colossians 2:15). What appeared to be Christ’s humiliation became the very means through which evil was defeated and death itself was conquered.
This pattern was not meant to remain unique to Christ. Rather, it establishes the fundamental rhythm for all who would follow Him. Jesus made this explicit: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me” (Mark 8:34). The church’s victory comes not through domination, force, or triumphalism, but through the same self-giving love that led Christ to Calvary.
Throughout history, the church has been repeatedly tempted to abandon this cruciform path. When aligned with imperial power, wielding political influence, or imposing faith through coercion, it has sought victory through worldly means. Yet these apparent successes have invariably led to spiritual defeat—compromising the gospel’s integrity and betraying its essential character.
Conversely, in moments when the church has embraced the way of the cross—standing with the marginalized, speaking truth to power, offering forgiveness to enemies, and being willing to suffer rather than inflict suffering—it has paradoxically revealed its greatest strength. The blood of martyrs has indeed been the seed of the church, not because suffering is intrinsically valuable, but because suffering love reveals the true nature of God’s kingdom.
This cruciform pattern challenges contemporary ecclesiology, particularly in contexts where Christianity has historical privilege. The cross reminds us that the church advances not by protecting its rights or status but by following its Lord in self-giving love. Its authenticity is measured not by worldly influence but by conformity to Christ’s crucified and risen life.
The cross stands as a perpetual rebuke to any theology of glory that bypasses suffering. It reminds the church that its path to victory lies not in avoiding pain but in transforming it through love. Like its Lord, the church finds its truest triumph not in being served but in serving, not in self-preservation but in self-giving for the life of the world.
Prayer
Lord of paradox and power, who turned an instrument of shame into the means of our salvation, Guide Your church along the narrow path of the cross.
When we are tempted by worldly definitions of success, remind us that Your victory came through surrender, Your power through weakness, Your glory through humiliation.
Forgive us, merciful God, for seeking triumph through domination rather than service, for protecting our status rather than embracing vulnerability, for avoiding suffering rather than transforming it through love.
Give us courage to follow where our Crucified Lord has led— standing with those on society’s margins, speaking truth though our voices may tremble, offering forgiveness to those who wound us, Choosing to suffer rather than to inflict suffering.
Shape Your church, O God, into the image of Christ crucified, that we might reveal the upside-down values of Your kingdom: Where the last become first, where the weak confound the strong, where dying becomes the path to true living.
When the way seems too difficult or costly, remind us that the cross is not just our burden but our pathway to authentic victory.
May Your church find its truest triumph not in being served but in serving, not in self-preservation but in self-giving for the life of the world.
Transform us through this cruciform journey until we become living testimonies to Your paradoxical power— where love conquers hate, mercy overcomes judgment, and sacrifice leads to resurrection.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
by Eron Henry | Mar 15, 2025 | Lent 2025
At the heart of Christian soteriology lies an inescapable truth: the redemption of humanity entails a cross. This is not merely a historical contingency but a theological necessity that reveals the very nature of divine love and the depth of human brokenness.
The cross stands as the ultimate expression of what redemption requires—a willing embrace of suffering love that absorbs the consequences of sin without perpetuating its cycle of violence and retribution. In Christ’s crucifixion, we witness not just an arbitrary divine decision but the logical culmination of God’s redemptive commitment to a fallen world.
Why must redemption entail a cross? First, because the depth of human alienation from God could not be addressed through superficial solutions. Our condition required more than moral guidance or inspirational teaching. The cross reveals that sin has created a chasm that could only be bridged through divine self-giving. As Bonhoeffer noted, “Only the suffering God can help.” The cross is where God in Christ enters fully into human suffering, identifying with our condition to transform it from within.
Second, the cross demonstrates that true redemption cannot come through coercive power. God could have imposed obedience through overwhelming force, but such “redemption” would contradict the divine commitment to human freedom. Instead, the cross reveals a love that invites rather than compels, that suffers rather than inflicts suffering. On Calvary, God overturns our notions of redemptive violence, showing that healing comes not through domination but through vulnerable, self-giving love.
Third, the cross exposes the full consequence of sin while simultaneously providing its remedy. In Christ’s crucifixion, we see both the horrific endpoint of human rebellion—that we would kill the author of life—and God’s refusal to let this rebellion have the final word. The cross becomes the place where judgment and mercy meet, where divine justice and love are perfectly expressed.
The necessity of the cross challenges sanitized versions of Christianity that would remove suffering from the redemptive equation. It reminds us that there are no shortcuts to healing, no easy paths to reconciliation. The way forward passes inevitably through Calvary.
This truth extends beyond Christ’s historical sacrifice to shape the ongoing pattern of redemptive living. As Paul writes, we are “always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies” (2 Corinthians 4:10). The cross becomes not just the means of our salvation but the template for our participation in God’s redemptive work.
In a world seeking painless solutions and quick fixes, the cross stands as a sobering reminder that genuine redemption—whether personal, relational, or societal—inevitably entails sacrifice, suffering, and death to self. Yet in this cruciform pattern, we discover not just the cost of redemption but its transformative power.
Prayer
Holy God, who ordained that our salvation should come through a cross, open our hearts to embrace this necessary truth.
In a world seeking easy answers and painless solutions, remind us that genuine redemption required Your Son’s sacrifice, that healing comes through wounds, that reconciliation demands a costly love.
We thank our Lord Christ for willingly bearing our cross, for entering the depths of human suffering, for absorbing the consequences of our sin without perpetuating its cycle of violence.
When we are tempted to seek power over vulnerability, draw our eyes back to Calvary, where You revealed that true strength comes through self-giving, and victory through apparent defeat.
Give us courage to carry in our bodies the death of Jesus, to embrace our own crosses not with resentment but with hope, knowing that Your redemptive pattern transforms even our deepest suffering into channels of Your grace.
In our relationships that need healing, in our communities divided by hatred, in our hearts still captive to sin, may we follow the cruciform path of Your redemptive love.
Teach us, Patient God, that there are no shortcuts to wholeness, no easy paths to reconciliation, no resurrection that bypasses Good Friday.
Yet in this necessary cross, may we discover not just the cost of our redemption but its transformative power— where suffering love becomes the seed of new creation.
Through Christ, our crucified and risen Lord.
Amen.
by Eron Henry | Mar 14, 2025 | Lent 2025
Christian discipleship requires a fundamental alignment: we cannot separate how we follow Jesus from what Jesus taught. The content of our faith and the methods we use to express it must work together.
Jesus consistently demonstrated this principle. When tempted in the wilderness to achieve good ends through questionable means, He refused. When His disciples wanted to call down fire on unreceptive people or use violence to protect Him, Jesus rebuked them. He understood that how we pursue our goals matters as much as the goals themselves.
The apostle Paul captured this idea when he wrote that “the weapons of our warfare are not carnal” (2 Corinthians 10:4). He recognized that using worldly methods—coercion, manipulation, force—to advance spiritual purposes ultimately undermines those very purposes.
Throughout history, significant spiritual renewals have occurred when believers recovered not just Jesus’ teaching but His approach. Francis of Assisi transformed medieval Christianity through humble service. The Anabaptists formed communities embodying Jesus’ ethic of love rather than pursuing political power.
Today, Christians face particular temptation to divorce ends from means. We may adopt aggressive political tactics while pursuing “Christian” objectives, use manipulative evangelistic methods, or apply corporate marketing strategies to church growth. In each case, legitimate aims become compromised by un-Christlike methods.
The Jesus way embraces several distinctive qualities:
- Vulnerability rather than self-protection
- Inclusion of the marginalized rather than alignment with the powerful
- Truth-telling over expedient deception
- Persuasion through witness rather than coercion
- Self-giving love even when costly
This inseparability stems from Christianity’s incarnational nature. In Christ, the message and messenger became one. Authentic discipleship demands not just correct beliefs or admirable goals but methods that reflect Christ’s character.
If we truly want to live the Jesus life, we must do it the Jesus way. Any attempt to achieve Christian ends through un-Christlike means will inevitably distort those very ends, producing something that uses Christian language but lacks Christian essence.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, who embodied perfect unity between message and method, ends and means, forgive us for attempting to separate What You have joined together.
We confess our pragmatic compromises, our eagerness to achieve worthy goals through unworthy methods, our willingness to employ the world’s weapons while fighting for Your kingdom.
When we are tempted in the wilderness of expediency to turn stones to bread, to grasp at power, to choose spectacle over faithful presence, remind us of Your steadfast refusal to divorce Your mission from Your character.
Transform our understanding of discipleship, that we might recognize the inseparability of the Jesus life from the Jesus way. May we embrace Your methodology: vulnerability instead of self-protection, inclusion rather than alignment with the powerful, truth-telling over expedient deception, persuasion through witness rather than coercion, self-giving love even when the cost is great.
Purify our political engagement, our evangelistic efforts, our community formation, our business practices, our family relationships, our digital presence, that in every sphere, we might reflect not just what You taught but how You lived.
Keep us from the temptation of Peter’s sword, from the disciples’ call for consuming fire, from methods that betray the very gospel we proclaim. Help us recognize that when we adopt manipulation, dehumanization, or force, we undermine the kingdom we seek to advance.
May Your Church recover the power of incarnational witness, where medium and message achieve perfect integration, where our lives become living testaments to the inseparable truth that the Jesus life can only authentically exist when lived in the Jesus way.
Through Christ, our perfect example and enabler.
Amen.
by Eron Henry | Mar 13, 2025 | Lent 2025
At the heart of the Christian narrative lies a profound pattern—Jesus consistently paired predictions of His death with promises of His resurrection. This deliberate coupling reveals a theological truth that transforms our understanding of suffering, hope, and divine purpose.
Throughout the Gospels, we encounter Jesus speaking with remarkable clarity about His impending death. In Mark 8:31, “He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again.” Similar pronouncements appear in Matthew 16:21, Luke 9:22, and various other passages. What stands out in each instance is Christ’s unwavering commitment to linking these two realities—death would come, but resurrection would follow.
This pairing wasn’t merely informational but theological. Jesus was establishing a pattern that would become the central rhythm of Christian faith—death is never the final word. By consistently joining these predictions, Christ wove together suffering and hope into a single divine purpose. The cross, though necessary, was never the conclusion of God’s redemptive story.
For early disciples hearing these predictions, the message was bewildering. They could grasp the concept of death but struggled to comprehend resurrection. Peter’s rebuke of Jesus after His first prediction (Mark 8:32) reflects this limited understanding. Yet Jesus insisted on holding these realities together, refusing to separate what God had joined—divine suffering and divine victory.
This pattern extends beyond Christ’s personal journey to become the fundamental shape of Christian discipleship. As Paul would later write, we are “always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies” (2 Corinthians 4:10). The Christian life embraces both crucifixion and resurrection, suffering and renewal, ending and beginning.
In a culture that often seeks to avoid suffering or finds itself trapped in hopelessness, Jesus’ consistent pairing offers timely wisdom. We need not deny death’s reality, but neither should we view it as ultimate. Every ending in Christ contains within it the promise of new beginning. Every Good Friday anticipates Resurrection Sunday.
The inseparability of these truths reminds us that Christian hope is not naive optimism but conviction rooted in the character and promises of God. As we face our own deaths—whether literal or the countless “little deaths” of disappointment, failure, and loss—we can do so with the assurance that resurrection follows for those united with Christ.
In Jesus’ predictions, we discover not just information about historical events but an invitation into a new way of understanding reality itself—where endings become beginnings, and death becomes the doorway to more abundant life.
Prayer
Living God, whose Son joined death and resurrection in perfect harmony,
Open our hearts to embrace Your divine pattern.
When we stand at crossroads of suffering,
Remind us that the cross never stands without the empty tomb.
When we dwell too long in Good Friday shadows,
Whisper the promise of Resurrection morning
Lord Jesus, who spoke plainly of Your death
Yet always pointed toward Your rising,
Teach us to hold these truths together
In our own journeys of faith.
In our moments of ending and loss,
Plant within us seeds of new beginning.
In our experiences of grief and pain,
Nurture the tender shoots of hope.
Grant us courage to face our own dying—
The surrender of cherished plans,
The releasing of controlling grip,
The crossing of thresholds into unknown lands
And in these passages, help us trust
That resurrection always follows for those united with You.
That Your promises of new life remain unbroken,
That Your pattern of renewal cannot be thwarted.
Transform our understanding, Risen One,
That we might see in every ending
The sacred potential for beginning,
In every death the promise of resurrection.
May we walk in this faith with steadfast hearts,
Neither denying suffering nor surrendering to despair,
But trusting in Your unfailing rhythm of redemption,
Where death gives way to life abundant.
Through Christ, who died and rose again,
Amen.
by Eron Henry | Mar 12, 2025 | Lent 2025
At the heart of Christianity lies a profound paradox—salvation through suffering. The cross of Christ stands not merely as a historical event but as the central paradigm for authentic Christian living. What makes this paradigm so challenging is that there are no emergency escape clauses from the way of the cross.
When Jesus declared, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23), he was not offering a suggestion but establishing the fundamental pattern of discipleship. This path demands complete surrender, even when that surrender leads through suffering, rejection, and loss.
Our modern sensibilities often rebel against this notion. We seek comfort, convenience, and immediate resolutions to our struggles. The marketplace of contemporary spirituality offers countless alternatives that promise transformation without sacrifice, enlightenment without suffering. These are the emergency escape clauses we desperately wish existed—spiritual bypasses around the uncomfortable terrain of self-denial.
Yet the testimony of Scripture and the witness of saints throughout history affirm that there is no authentic Christianity that circumvents the cross. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer so powerfully articulated, “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.” This death—to self, to worldly security, to the illusion of control—is not optional for those who would follow Christ.
The way of the cross demands that we embrace, rather than evade, the suffering inherent in love. It calls us to stand in solidarity with the wounded and marginalized, to speak truth when silence would be safer, to forgive when resentment seems justified. In a world that worships efficiency and effectiveness, the cross represents a different economy—one where apparent defeat becomes the seedbed of ultimate victory.
There are no emergency escape clauses from this way because it is, paradoxically, the only true path to freedom. In embracing the cross, we discover what it means to be fully human as Christ was fully human—vulnerable, courageous, and ultimately transformed through love’s sacrificial power.
Prayer
Beloved Lord, who walked the path of suffering before us,
Give us courage to embrace the way of the cross.
When we seek escape routes from difficult truths,
Remind us that it is in surrender that we find Your strength.
When the weight of self-denial feels too heavy,
Grant us the grace to take one more faithful step.
In a world that promises comfort without cost,
Open our hearts to the paradox of Your kingdom—
That in losing our lives, we find them;
That in dying to self, we are born to eternal purpose.
Lord Christ, who surrendered everything for love,
Help us to stand in solidarity with the wounded,
To speak truth when silence would be safer,
To forgive when resentment seems justified.
Transform our fear of suffering into trust,
Our desire for control into holy surrender,
Our search for escape clauses into faithful presence.
May we discover, in the shadow of Your cross
The freedom that comes only through love’s sacrifice,
The joy that emerges from willing surrender,
The life that springs forth from apparent defeat.
We pray this in the name of the One who embraced the cross,
Not as defeat but as the very pathway to resurrection.
Amen.
by Eron Henry | Mar 11, 2025 | Lent 2025
During Jesus’ time, people had diverse expectations of the Messiah. Some anticipated a political leader who would overthrow Roman rule, while others awaited a prophet like Moses or a royal descendant of David. Even those in positions of religious authority struggled to understand who Jesus was.
Jesus performed miracles and taught with authority, yet He often instructed people not to disclose His identity to avoid being misunderstood as a political leader. Even His family thought He was out of His mind, and many could not reconcile the idea of a suffering Messiah with their expectations of a powerful leader.
Jesus’ own followers sometimes struggled with His teachings. The disciples did not always understand the parables He told, and there was confusion and uncertainty even among those who followed Him closely. Some Jewish leaders accused Jesus of blasphemy and sought to execute Him, viewing His teachings as a threat to their authority and traditions. Public debate raged about whether Jesus was a prophet, and His claim to be the Messiah challenged the established religious order.
Jesus faced rejection in His own hometown, where some people even wanted to throw Him off a cliff. The public nature of His crucifixion served as a warning against challenging Roman authority. Many saw Jesus as a false prophet, and the perception of him during His life was far from unanimous.
We are reminded of the importance of recognizing Jesus for who He truly is. Are we open to understanding His mission of love, sacrifice, and redemption, even when it challenges our preconceived notions?
Let us pray for the grace to see Jesus with clear eyes and open hearts, embracing the true nature of His mission and the profound love He offers to each of us.
Prayer
Dear Lord Jesus, whose wisdom surpasses our understanding, we come before You with hearts seeking clarity and eyes yearning to truly see.
We reflect on Your time on earth when expectations and preconceptions clouded the vision of so many. They looked for a king, a warrior, a political savior, and struggled to recognize the humble servant, the suffering Messiah, the embodiment of love.
We acknowledge our own tendencies to shape You in our image, to fit You into our preconceived notions of power and glory. Forgive us when we cling to our own understanding, when we resist the truth that challenges our comfort and disrupts our expectations.
Just as the disciples struggled to grasp the depth of Your parables and the purpose of Your sacrifice, we too find ourselves lost in confusion and doubt. Grant us, O Lord, the grace to see beyond the surface, to penetrate the veil of our own biases and fears.
Open our hearts to receive the message of Your love, a love that transcends earthly power and embraces the broken and the lost. Help us to understand that true strength lies in humility, and that true victory is found in sacrifice.
We pray for the courage to follow You, even when it means facing rejection and misunderstanding. Grant us the discernment to distinguish between the fleeting promises of the world and the eternal truth of Your kingdom.
May we not repeat the mistakes of those who saw You as a threat, but rather embrace You as the ultimate expression of love and redemption. Let us recognize You not as a political figure, but as the Savior who offers us forgiveness, healing, and eternal life.
Lord, help us to see You with clear eyes and open hearts, to understand Your mission of love, sacrifice, and redemption. May we embrace the true nature of Your mission and the profound love You offer to each of us.
It is in Your name, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, we pray.
Amen.
by Eron Henry | Mar 10, 2025 | Lent 2025
The tension between the demands of earthly rulers and the call to follow Jesus is a recurring theme throughout scripture. Followers of Jesus are called to be subject to rulers and authorities, and to be obedient and ready for every good work. However, this submission is not absolute. When earthly laws or commands contradict God’s will, believers are compelled to prioritize their obedience to God. The apostles themselves demonstrated this when they declared in Acts 5:29, “We must obey God rather than people”. This principle of conditional obedience highlights that allegiance to God stands above all earthly powers.
The call to follow Jesus also involves a commitment to a different kind of kingdom, one not of this world. This kingdom is characterized by righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. Followers of Jesus are called to conduct themselves with wisdom toward outsiders. They are called to live as free people, not using their freedom as a pretext for evil, but as slaves of God, and not to be partakers with those who are disobedient. They are called to be the light of the world. This means that their values and priorities may often clash with those of the world, including those in positions of power. They are called to love their neighbors as themselves, and to act in deed and truth. This can result in tension with those who prioritize worldly power and self-interest over these higher values.
Following Jesus can involve suffering and persecution. Jesus himself was rejected by those in power and ultimately crucified. His followers are warned that they may face similar opposition. They are to expect that the world may hate them, but they are called to endure and to resist evil. This is because the world system is in opposition to the ways of God. Even in the face of such persecution, the emphasis is to maintain good conduct among non-Christians, and not to repay evil for evil. The example of Jesus’s life, including His death, becomes the example for believers to follow.
We are to examine the ways that we may be tempted to prioritize worldly power or approval over our allegiance to God; to live out our faith in a way that challenges injustice and promotes the values of God’s kingdom; to reflect on how we might respond if our faith puts us at odds with worldly authorities; to be alert and sober; and to resist evil.
By committing ourselves to living with a primary allegiance to God, we can become a true threat to the powers that seek to dominate the world and live into the freedom that Christ offers to all and contribute to the transformation of our world into one that reflects the love and justice of God.
Prayer
Heavenly Father,
We come before You with hearts full of gratitude and reverence. We acknowledge Your sovereignty over all creation and recognize that our ultimate allegiance belongs to You alone.
Lord, we live in a world where the demands of earthly rulers and authorities often conflict with Your divine will. Grant us the wisdom and discernment to navigate these tensions with grace and integrity. Help us to be obedient to those in authority, as Your Word instructs, but never at the expense of our commitment to You.
Just as the apostles declared, “We must obey God rather than people,” we too affirm our unwavering loyalty to You. Strengthen our resolve to prioritize Your commands above all else, even when it means standing against the tide of popular opinion or facing opposition.
We are called to be citizens of a different kingdom, one characterized by righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. Empower us to live out these values in our daily lives, conducting ourselves with wisdom and love toward all people. May we be the light of the world, reflecting Your truth and grace in every interaction.
Lord, we know that following Jesus may bring suffering and persecution, just as it did for Him. Prepare our hearts to endure such trials with steadfast faith, never repaying evil for evil but always responding with love and good conduct. Let the example of Jesus’ life and sacrifice be our guide and inspiration.
Help us to examine our hearts and recognize any ways we may be tempted to seek worldly power or approval over our allegiance to You. Give us the courage to challenge injustice and promote the values of Your kingdom, even when it puts us at odds with worldly authorities.
Keep us alert and sober, resisting the evil that seeks to undermine our faith. By Your Spirit, empower us to live in the freedom that Christ offers, contributing to the transformation of our world into one that reflects Your love and justice.
In Jesus’ name, we pray.
Amen.
by Eron Henry | Mar 9, 2025 | Lent 2025
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Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can, and hate cannot drive out hate, only love can. Darkness and hate, being inherently destructive forces, cannot overcome similar forces. The futility of using darkness to fight darkness is clear, as it only results in more darkness, and similarly hate only begets more hate, creating a cycle of negativity and destruction.
The concept of light, in contrast to darkness, is associated with truth, understanding, and goodness. Light is a powerful symbol of hope and guidance, and it is only through the light that darkness is dispelled. The “true light” is already shining, and it illuminates the way for us to see and understand, showing us the path we should follow. We are called to live in this light and to reject the darkness. We are also called to be the “light of the world” to others.
Love is the only force capable of overcoming hate, as love is patient and forgiving towards the offenses of others. Love is a powerful force for good and is not merely a feeling but a commitment to act, expressed in deed and truth, not just with words or with the tongue. This love is not limited to those who are easy to love, but it extends to all people.
Jesus commands us to love, a fervent love that cover a multitude of sins. The love we are called to embody reflects Christ’s own love, which was demonstrated through His sacrificial death on the cross. We are called to follow His example by loving one another in the same way that He loved us, including being willing to lay down our lives for our friends.
This is a time to recognize the darkness in the world and in ourselves, and to seek the light that comes from Christ. It is a time to confront the hate in the world and in our hearts, and to choose love instead. It is a call to actively participate in the work of love and light, by being compassionate, forgiving, and generous, just as Christ was. We are also called to examine our own lives to make sure that we are not contributing to the darkness or the hatred.
Prayer
Heavenly Father,
We come before You, acknowledging the darkness and hate that exist in the world and within our own hearts. We recognize that darkness cannot drive out darkness, and hate cannot drive out hate. Only Your light and love can overcome these destructive forces.
Lord, we thank You for the true light that is already shining, illuminating our path and guiding us towards truth, understanding, and goodness. Help us to live in this light, rejecting the darkness and embracing the hope and guidance that come from You. May we be the light of the world, reflecting Your love and truth to others.
Teach us to love as Christ loved us, with a love that is patient, forgiving, and self-sacrificial. Let our love be expressed in deeds and truth, not just in words. Empower us to actively care for others, meeting their needs and pursuing their well-being. Help us to extend this love to all people, even those who are difficult to love.
As we confront the hate in the world and in our hearts, give us the strength to choose love instead. May we be compassionate, forgiving, and generous, just as Christ was. Help us to examine our own lives and ensure that we are not contributing to the darkness or hatred.
We seek Your light to dispel the darkness within us and around us. Transform us through Your love, so that we may grow in our faith and become more like Christ. Let our lives reflect Your love and grace, and may we bring glory to Your name in all that we do.
In Jesus’ name, we pray.
Amen.
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