Jesus Means We Have Another Chance
Lent 1
February 10, 2008
Today is the first Sunday in Lent – the six week season of the Church year before Easter when we spend time reflecting on the death of Christ for our sins – what that means for us – and how we can respond to it and live our lives differently because of what God has done for us through the life – death – and yes – resurrection of Christ.
Lent is observed in many ways by Christians.
Some use it as a time to give up things they are doing that they know is wrong or not good for them.
Others like to use it as a time of increased attention to the spiritual disciplines of study of scripture, prayer, worship, service, and even fasting.
The six weeks before Easter were traditionally used as a time for teaching those who would join the church on Easter Sunday.
All these things are good.
We can always give up things that are wrong or not good for us – and we should do this. God can even strengthen us to do this. And – you know what? We don’t have to wait until Lent to do it!
We can always pay more attention to our spiritual disciplines of study of scripture, prayer, worship, and service. God can even give us strength to do this. And again — we don’t have to wait until Lent to do it!
The Season of Lent is a good time for what we in the Presbyterian tradition call Confirmation Classes for young people who are ready to join the Church. We had 12 of our young people go through Confirmation Classes and join the Church last year – and next year it may be time to do that again.
But – for this year – I want us to take a look at some things that I believe Jesus means for us as Christians.
What are some things that Jesus means to you?
What are some things that Jesus can mean to you?
What are some things that Jesus can mean for how you live your life?
These are some of the questions we are going to be considering as we go through this season of Lent.
What are some things that Jesus means to you?
What are some things that Jesus can mean to you?
What are some things that Jesus can mean for how you live your life?
Today I want us to look at one of the most fundamental things that Jesus means to us – one of the most life changing things that Jesus can mean for us – one of the most fundamental ways that Jesus can change how live our lives.
We’re going to be looking today at 3 passages of scripture – Genesis 2: 15-17, 25-3:7, Romans 5:12-18, and Matthew 4:1-11. As we look at these passages, we will see that Jesus means we have another chance.
Read Scripture
At the convent of San Bernadino in Ivea, Italy there is a a startling fresco entitled “The Expulsion From The Garden” — a powerful portrayal of the event of Genesis 3 — what we have come to know as “The Fall.” It depicts Adam and Eve walking away from the gate to the garden that is being guarded by an angel with a sword. Behind the gate is a beautiful light and lush greenery – but Adam and Eve are now and walking towards an area of darkness – rocky soil – and sinister looking creatures. They can no longer go back through the gate to Eden – the angel will not let them pass back through the gate.
Adam is covering his face with his hands — unable to bear the pain of the expulsion from the Garden of Eden — while Eve openly expresses her anguish — all the while trying to cover her nakedness with her hands.
This fresco gives a powerful image of sin and it’s consequences.
Adam and Eve — created for relationships with God — each other — and all of God’s creation — have chosen to disobey God.
Instead of living in a loving relationship with God they have chosen to not live in relationship with God.
Instead of living in God’s ways they have chosen to live in their own ways.
Instead of living in relationship to God they have chosen to try to live independently from God.
Instead of choosing to live in loving relationships with each other and all creation they have chosen to try to live independently from each other — and even from creation itself.
And now — they must live with the consequences of their decision –
shame
anguish
covered nakedness
hiding
and all that goes along with what we call sin.
The story in Genesis 2 and 3 is not so much concerned with how sin — death — evil — and all that comes with it came into the world — but the story is more about how our relationships with God — with ourselves — with each other — and for that matter with all creation got away from how God willed for them to be.
Genesis 2 tells — in beautiful and even mythic language — of the creation – and of Adam and Eve who were created to live in relationship with God — each other — and with all creation. They are placed in the Garden and given all that they will ever need — and creation is in harmony with itself and with its creator. There is no reason to hide — no reason for shame — only open and loving relationships exist between Adam and Eve — Adam and Eve and God – and Adam and Eve and all creation.
Genesis 2:25 gives a powerful ending to this beautiful chapter:
The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.
But — do Adam and Eve stay in these loving — open relationships with God — each other — and all of creation?
No.
What happens next?
The Genesis 3 story is filled with doubt and rebellion. Adam and Eve — created for loving relationships with God — each other — and all creation — choose otherwise.
They choose to doubt instead of trust God –
They choose to rebel against God’s ways rather than live in God’s ways —
They choose to go independent ways instead of the way of relationships —
even though they were created to live in relationships.
And what happens?
Well — the phrase “all hell breaks loose” pretty much describes the situation.
Things get completely out of sync. Adam and Eve no longer live in open, honest, loving relationships — with God — with each other — and with all creation. They now cover themselves. They hide. They are ashamed.
The beautiful relationship between Adam — Eve — God – each other — and all creation is completely shattered — and as the fresco so graphically depicts — they leave the Garden — the place of full relationship with God and others — in shame and anguish.
You can imagine the anguish of Adam.
You can almost hear the pleadings of Eve as you look at the fesco:
“Please, Lord!
Give us another chance!
We are sorry.
It isn’t fair.
Give us another chance!
Give us another chance!”
You know — it’s not hard for us to identify with Adam and Eve.
We all can identify with them.
We all know what it’s like.
We all know what it’s like to live in broken relationships.
We all know what it’s like to live with shattered dreams.
We all know what it’s like to want to beg for another chance — and to beg for another chance.
Another chance to set our lives straight.
Another chance to make relationships better.
Another chance to experience the loving — caring relationships we yearn for with God — each other — and all creation — and share that experience of God’s love with others.
How wonderful it would be if we truly had another chance.
A chance to truly live as God originally intended for us to live — in loving relationships with God — each other — and all creation.
A chance to make things right.
Please — Lord – give us another chance!
Give us another chance!
Please, Lord!
Give us another chance!
The Apostle Paul understood this need to be given another chance just as much as any person.
Like us — and all people — he understood this pleading.
But — Paul also understood the glorious truth.
Paul understood the glorious truth that God is gracious.
Paul understood the glorious truth that God still yearns for relationships between Him and all creation — the relationships God created us for.
Paul understood the glorious truth that God gives us another chance.
The glorious truth that we are given another chance — through Christ.
As Paul points out in our passage from Romans 5 — we all live in broken relationships with God — with each other — with all creation. We all live in broken relationships and a distorted world of sin.
We all know that.
But — Paul also points out the glorious truth that God gives us another chance.
We are given another chance — through Christ.
Christ is the only one who can bring us out of our state of sin — rebellion — and broken relationships — and bring us back into a state of God’s will — a state of relationships with God — with others — with ourselves — and with all creation.
Jesus gives us another chance.
Jesus means we have another chance.
Jesus means we have another chance.
Jesus — who in our Gospel passage for today resisted temptation but chose to live in relationship with God — can give us the forgiveness we need to live our lives differently — and the spiritual strength we need to make the choices He made.
Through the death of Jesus and His resurrection — we are all given another chance.
Jesus means we have another chance.
Jesus means we have another chance.
Another chance to make our relationships with God and others — our relationships with all creation — better.
Another chance to live in loving — caring — relationships —
Another chance to truly live as God intended for us to live.
Another chance to make things right.
That’s what the season of Lent is all about.
Lent is a time for us all to realize that we need another chance. Another chance to make our lives — our relationships — better and more the way God created us for them to be.
Lent is also a time to realize that — in Jesus Christ — we have that “other chance” we so desperately need — and the only “other chance” we can ever have.
Friends – we all need another chance for our lives. But — by the blood of Jesus on the cross we have that other chance we so desperately need. By the blood of Christ every sin can be forgiven — and every relationship — whether it be our relationship with God – or our relationships with others – or our relationship with creation — can be repaired.
It’s all about being given another chance.
Jesus means we have another chance.
Jesus means we have another chance.
This “other chance” that God gives us through Christ can be illustrated in an experience I had at a Spirituality conference I attended several years ago.
The speaker at the conference made the point that we can live every day of our lives under the forgiving grace of God. It’s not that we can live every day perfectly — but it is that we can live every day forgiven. We can live every day with another chance to be the people God created us to be and live in the ways God created us to live.
How can we do this?
The secret is to realize our sins – and — as soon as we can after we commit them — give them to God and ask for forgiveness — then accept the forgiveness God gives us.
God knows that we are going to “blow it” — the speaker continued.
I do it — you do it — everyone does.
Every day.
Numerous times every day.
We all “blow it”.
We all need to be given another chance.
The thing is –God continues to give us another chance by His forgiving love.
The speaker at the conference I was attending asked each of us to write on a piece of paper every sin we can remember that we had not confessed to God.
I thought this would be easy — but the more I got into it — the longer the list got. Finally I had a page — front and back — and could have added more.
The speaker then invited us to write over our list I John 1:9:
If we confess our sins,
he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins
and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
The speaker then instructed us to tear up the list — and praise God for forgiving us.
What a graphic illustration that — through Christ — we are given another chance.
What a graphic illustration of the fact that:
Jesus means we have another chance.
Jesus means we have another chance.
I am going to invite you to do this today – and give you a chance to do it right now.
Maybe you wondered what the blank piece of paper in your bulletin is for.
Well – it’s for you.
It’s for you to use it – and to use it now — to write down your sins that you have not confessed to God — whatever they may be. Write down what may be blocking your relationship with God and others.
I’ll give you a few minutes for this.
Now — write I John 1:9
If we confess our sins,
he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins
and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
over your list — confess it to God — then tear it up and throw it away — knowing that in Jesus you are given another chance.
Jesus means we have another chance.
Jesus means we have another chance.
Make it a daily practice of yours to realize you sins –
confess your sins –
then celebrate the forgiveness –
the “other chance” we are always given — through Jesus Christ.
God is indeed a God of grace.
God is indeed a God of “another chance” — regardless of how many “other chances” we may need.
Through Jesus – we are always given another chance. Amen.
[...] have posted today’s sermon on my sermon blog. It’s based on Genesis 2:5-17, Genesis 2:25-3:7, Romans 5:12-18, and Matthew 4:1-11 and [...]
Pingback by Rev Bill » Blog Archive » Sermon: Genesis 2:5-17,25-3:7, Romans 5:12-18, Matthew 4:1-11 — February 11, 2008 @ 1:07 am
[...] Here are some of the answers I have preached about: 1. Genesis 2: 15-17, 25-3:7, Romans 5:12-18, Matthew 4:1-11. Jesus Means We Can Have Another Chance. [...]
Pingback by Rev Bill » Blog Archive » Lent sermons 2008 — March 16, 2008 @ 7:36 pm