The Journey

Mark 1:9-15

This is the first Sunday I Lent.

A journey into the unknown only has value if you learn something. A journey into the unknown has value if we know what we are looking for...or better yet, when we are open to finding something all together new.

A season to reflect on the last days of Jesus ministry. We listen again to his words. We look deeply at His arrest, his trial, his execution and at the end of these 40 days we will celebrate his resurrection. It is also a time to look inward, to take our own spiritual temperature. It is a season of reflection. It is a season of entering into the unknown. Entering into a deeper relationship with God hoping that God will reveal something new, something True.

Days of winter become longer and we transition into spring we see signs of renewed life, energy and growth. The promise of green leaves, gentle breezes and a richer blue sky stir us a little more. But it is still February and we have to wait just a bit longer.

Sometimes we need a little extra stirring don’t we?

Sometimes we need a little extra motivation don’t we?

Of my 6 kids, 5 of them need to get up and go to school. Every day I have to wake my children and make sure they get off to school on time. Some days this task is easier than others. ON the cold winter mornings it is very difficult. My kids generally like school but anything can become burdensome if you are required to do it 180 days a year.

If you have grown up and went to school here in Ludington, I assume that you were taught about Father Jacques Marquette, since his name is attached to just about everything. Pere Marquette, school, highway, river... what else am I missing?

I am intrigued about Pere Marquette. He was a man of God who was very much interested in going into the unknown. He was an explorer.

He started the mission in St. Ignas and explored the Mississippi in the 1600s. Talk about a wilderness experience. But his journey was not a an escape from society or a retreat or a vacation. He was looking for a passage to the pacific ocean. He was on his way back to the mission in St. Ignas when he died very near here. He didn't find what he wanted to find but he certainly gained new information.

This monument marks the site where, as close
as any one can guess, Pere Marquette died.

His exploration into the unknown was not wasted.

School can be difficult; the winter is still harsh. But on days when the kids know that they will have a party at school it is very easy to get them out of bed.

We make sure they have enough sleep.

So that isn’t the issue. It is an issue of motivation. They like having fun. They like warm weather. They don’t wanna work hard at school. They don’t wanna get out from under the blankets when it’s cold.

What motivates you on your faith journey? In the spiritual life our motivation is important if we are to serve Jesus with energy, intelligence, imagination and love.

Lent which began on Ash Wednesday, is a season of hope. Lent is a time to grow in God’s graciously given faith. You may choose to take on some spiritual discipline this Lenten season. You may choose to fast from something that is destructive in you life, you may even choose to take on an additional service to help someone bear the weight of their burden.

No matter how you choose to prepare for Resurrection Sunday this Lent, the important thing to remember that it is not what you do, it is who you seek. And the one we seek is the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ.

As we seek to be in communion with our Lord lets look at what motivated him. In our scripture lesson, Jesus is being baptized by John in the Jordan. And as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”

We don’t know if Jesus knew his true identity before this moment or not. If he did not previously know that he was the son of God, this moment probably made his whole life start to make a whole lot of sense.

Have you ever had a realization that made every thing fall into place? Like you suddenly understand why someone has been so grouchy with you, or you find that you are genetically predisposed to so some condition. It is good to know yourself, whether the news is good or bad in you opinion.

Now if Jesus knew that he was the son of God before this point, he is now being reaffirmed.

Why is Jesus being affirmed? Does Jesus need encouraging? Yes, he certainly does. He is about to spend 40 days (a good long time) in the wilderness, being tempted by the adversary, he will be with the wild animals. The Father did not invite him to go in to the wilderness on a camping trip; Jesus didn’t decide to go on a wilderness retreat. Jesus saw the Spirit descending on him like a dove, then that same spirit DROVE him in to the wilderness. Jesus had no choice in the matter.

How often do we willingly make our life more difficult?

How often do we intentionally make ourselves uncomfortable? It may happen from time to time but as a rule this is not a way of life for most of us. And it wasn’t for Jesus either.

Jesus was driven into the wilderness to face temptation. Jesus needed to face some things about himself and make sure that they were right. But he wasn’t alone. Scripture says that the angels waited on him. The very presence of the Father in the form of angels was right there with him.

We are tested on a daily basis. But that does not mean that God puts difficulties in our path.

It means that there will always be difficulties in our path and God promises to be right there with us over, under, around and through them all. The test comes in how much we trust God in the process.

Jesus succeeded in his time in the wilderness. He didn’t succeed by shortening it, or avoiding it. Jesus succeeded because he rested in who he was. The father told him “You are MY son, the beloved.”

After this time of testing, scripture tells us that John the Baptist was arrested and Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God had come near, repent, and believe in the good news.”

You would think that if Jesus said that the kingdom of god has come near that things would dramatically improve for human existence from that point on. Well that was 2000 years ago. And life has gradually gotten better but I don’t believe that the nature of humanity has gotten any better; it just seems that we have figured out how to make newer and better tools to get through this life.

According to John Wesley, the kingdom of God is a condition of the soul, not a political reality. He said that outward forms of worship have limited value as occasional helps to human weakness. We cannot substitute rituals for Christ centered faith. NO matter how much discipline we muster, no matter how many worship services we hold we cannot bring about the Kingdom of God.

True religion is characterized by Spirit inspired Joy, holiness, and peace. 

 How is it with you today?

Remember as you journey through this Lenten Season, that it is not what you do, but who you seek that matters. Would you pray with me?