SIX WEEKS

Please know, our Pastor and I have a very good relationship.  I love his sermons and his sense of humor.  He is still trying to understand me.  (Good luck with that Pastor Larry.)  I want to thank him for this week’s blog.  You see...

I rarely disagree with him, but occasionally......  He wrote, in our church newsletter:  Halfway through February 2021, Lent begins.  Lent, like Advent, really has no Biblical basis.  The Bible records the events leading up to the death, burial and Resurrection of Christ, but there is no special significance to the six weeks prior.

Au contraire Pastor Larry, although there is no Biblical basis for Lent, those six weeks do have special significance.  Google says Lent is a season for sacrifice, repentance, and prayer.  I believe Google should say Lent is a season for preparation.  Those six weeks are significant because they were Jesus’ preparation time.  He had so much to accomplish during those last six weeks.   It would have been like trying to get all your work done before 5 o’clock Friday.

Disclaimer:  This is not an actual timeline of Jesus’ last six weeks.  These are taken from Matthew 16 -27 and John 17

The disciples had to learn so much in those last six weeks.  “Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, “You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? Do you still not understand?”

How could they not understand by now?  Peter had answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” but then rebuked Jesus when Jesus explained that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.  I wonder if Jesus worried that six weeks might not be long enough to get them ready.

Peter, James, and John, the brother of James, were on the high mountain to witness the transfiguration.  The disciples listened as Jesus told them children are the greatest in the kingdom of heaven and that their Father in heaven is not willing that any of his sheep should parish.  They were confused when told that the last will be first and the first will be last.

So much to tell and explain and now even less time.  Jesus was instructing them using parables ... words and ideas they could relate to — The rich man ... Workers in the vineyard.  He healed.  And he arrived in Jerusalem.

Were the words “Hosanna to the Son of David!” and “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” bittersweet?  Jesus acted in ways the disciples had never seen.  He overturned the tables in the Temple and cursed a fig tree.  He used more parables, he warned about the end time, and explained the time was unknown.  Jesus was still preparing the world and 5 o’clock Friday was even closer.

Jesus was anointed and betrayed. Jesus prayed.

What would it have been like to have been heard Jesus pray?  How did his voice sound when he said, “Father, the hour has come.  Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.”

What if the disciples had not been sleeping and would have heard Jesus speaking to his Father, “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.”

And Jesus prayed for believers, “Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”

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Au contraire Pastor Larry, although there is no Biblical basis for Lent, those six weeks have special significance.  As does Advent.  They are both times of preparation.  During Advent, God prepared the world to receive His Son.  During Lent, Jesus prepared the world for Him to go home.  Never fear though, you redeemed yourself in the last sentences.

“Certainly, Christ died for the whole world.  But it is personal.  He died for me.  He was buried in a borrowed tomb because of my sin.  He rose from the dead to show me that He has power over death and to show me that death will not contain me.”

During those very significant six weeks, Jesus  taught, healed, prayed and died...so Pastor Larry could live ... so I could live ... so you could live.