Preparation

​This coming season of Lent which begins this coming Wednesday, is a season of preparation. For what are we preparing? Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection.
 
What does the preparation look like? The first step of preparation is confession and the recognition of what sin is doing in our lives. It is because of sin that Jesus died in the first place. It is because of sin that Jesus rose. By Jesus’ death, He has destroyed and by His resurrection He raised us to a new life that lives with God.
 
The second step is to live out that life through reflection, repentance, and renewal. We reflect upon two things; the effects of our sins on our relationship with God and the effects of Jesus’ sacrifice so that our sins are taken away. We repent of the sins. We do not have to repent of every sin, as Martin Luther states in “The Small Catechism.” We do repent of the sins and confess them as we compare our lives to the Ten Commandments. And, just as a reminder, repentance is turning away from sin and turning toward God in the process.
 
The third step is renewal. Renewal happens when forgiveness of sins is given. Jesus gave to you His forgiveness through His death. Jesus’ sacrifice is our “new lease on life.” Through the sacrifice our wounds are healed. Our lives are renewed. We are washed clean by the blood of the lamb. Renewal is a work of God that we live out every day. Renewal is the source of the strength that reflects.
 
And when we are renewed, we circle back to reflection.
 
This is preparation; God preparing us for the work He did and we are preparing ourselves to receive His work. This preparation is life changing. This preparation is life building.
 
See you in worship on Wednesday nights starting at 6:30pm on Wednesday, March 2nd. See you in worship on Sunday mornings starting at 10:30am.