The Lenten Journey

As we continue to follow Jesus on the journey to Jerusalem and the cross; we are also journeying through this season of Lent toward Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and the hope that Easter Sunday brings. In the same way that Jesus turned to the crowds following him and asked them to count the cost of what it means to be his disciples, it would be good for us to examine ourselves and ask if there is anything in our lives that is keeping us from growing in our discipleship. Lent is a good time to ask what needs to be done away with and it’s also a time to ask what practices, thoughts, and attitudes we need to add to our lives in order to grow in our faith.

Thank you to those who have reached out to answer the questions: “why do you participate in the life of this congregation?” and “what can be found by participating in the life of the Church that can’t be found anywhere else?” I would love to hear from more you. I think these are important questions to give some thought to as we consider how to move forward as a congregation. If you want to answer, you can email me at brian.johnson67@gmail.com, set up a time to talk to me face-to-face, or give me a call or text at 309-531-2520.

In two weeks we’ll be talking about prayer again with the parables and teaching of Jesus from Luke 18. We just looked at prayer last week, but I believe it is more important than ever for us to not only believe in the power of prayer, but also to use the power of prayer in our daily lives. God bless, Brian

Scripture readings for next Sunday

Luke 15—How do parables like these teach us about God and his Kingdom?

Jeremiah 33:10-17—What are similarities between this passage and Luke 15?

1 Timothy 2:1-7—What is the message for the Church in this passage?

Ezekiel 34:11-16—How does this passage echo Jesus’ parables in Luke 15?