A Season of Hope - 40 Days of Hope

Day 40 Reading & Reflection

2010-03-29T09:07:00.002-04:00

Read Luke 24:13-53

And so these disciples were walking in spiritual twilight. Jesus, they thought, was dead. Things looked different now. Things were not quite so clear and bright as they had been just a few days earlier. But the irony of this story is that Jesus was just a few steps away. The power of this story is that these disciples eventually recognized Jesus and all of a sudden the lights came on in their lives. And these two disciples were so moved that they rushed back to Jerusalem to tell the others that Jesus had risen from the dead—He was alive and well—doing just fine. And Jesus is near, just a step away. And today, just like then, Jesus wishes us Peace and Jesus reminds us that everything had to be fulfilled.

This is such a beautiful story because sadness meets joy as the travelers discover that this Jesus of Nazareth is alive—not dead. And this is a powerful and beautiful story because it is a metaphor for how we often go through life: confounded in the present but remembering certainties of the past. How often do we go through the motions of life seeking and searching, convinced that the things we once believed in are gone forever? How often we as a church remember the days when God was alive and well in the lives of the congregation, but not sure where he is today? How often do we as a society we go through life sad because we are unsure of the things that we once believed in (this story is a great metaphor for the times we live in—for our post-modern society today: as a culture we are traveling between places, not knowing what’s ahead, not sure of where we are going or what we will believe in or how it all matters in the end)?

If you are wondering why I think this is so beautiful, it is because there is a powerful truth at every level: historical account, the story of our lives, this metaphor for our culture today….Jesus is just a step away is right here if we just had the eyes to see him. (Doug Watson & Wade Arp)

Day 39 Reading & Reflection

2010-03-28T06:50:00.002-04:00

Read Luke 24:1-12

“He is not here, he is Risen!” You know, one of the best things about Easter are all of the plastic eggs. Now they are not a part of the resurrection story. And they remind us of the secular commercialization and hype of Easter. But the plastic eggs can be one of the most deeply spiritual aspects of Easter. Here’s how.

Do you know what is in my favorite plastic Easter Egg? Could it be Jelly Beans, Jelly Bellies, Peppermint Patties, Cadbury Chocolates, peeps, money??? My favorite plastic Easter egg contains…nothing. My favorite plastic Easter Egg is empty. No, no-one got to it first and ate the candy. To me, one of the most powerful symbols of Easter in our culture today is an empty Easter egg. Why?

It serves as a simple reminder that the egg is empty and the good stuff is already gone. The container is empty and the good stuff is already gone. The shell is empty and the contents are already gone. This reminds us that the tomb is empty…and the good stuff is already gone. Jesus is no longer there. He is alive and He has risen. That is what we celebrate today. And that is good news for us because it means that all the bad stuff—death, sin, separation, guilt, shame, gone with Jesus, tomb is empty! That is what Easter is all about! (Doug Watson & Wade Arp)

Day 38 Reading & Reflection

2010-03-27T08:10:00.003-04:00

Read Luke 23:26-56

“Remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Have you ever noticed in the Scriptures that when God remembers His people, good things Happen? For example:

· Genesis 30:22-23 “Then God remembered Rachel….She became pregnant and gave birth to a son” (Story of Jacob’s Wife, promised a child, Joseph, grow up and save people from starvation during a famine. When things looked bad, God came through)

· Exodus 2:24 “God heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob.” (Story of how God heard the cries of His people while they were slaves in Egypt, and he sent Moses and through Moses God rescued His people. When things looked bad, God came through.)

· Psalm 22:27 “All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him,”

· Psalm 105:5 Remember the world of wonders he has made, his miracles, and the verdicts he's rendered—

· Psalm 106:45 44-46 Still, when God saw the trouble they were in and heard their cries for help, He remembered his Covenant with them, and, immense with love, took them by the hand. He poured out his mercy on them while their captors looked on, amazed.

· Psalm 136:23 to the One who remembered us in our low estate. His love endures forever.

When God Remembers His people good things Happen. And when we remember Him, Good things happen.

· Luke 23: 42-43 Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.^[a]"

Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."

· Luke 22:19 “And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me."”

Today, remember a God who loves you so much that He makes a sacrifice for you. (In OT people made sacrifices for God to prove love to Him; now through Jesus God makes a sacrifice to prove His love for you and me—save us from sin, offer us grace, return us to our heavenly father)

· Romans 8:31-32 ... If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

Day 37 Reading & Reflection

2010-03-26T11:36:00.003-04:00

Read

It seems that back in the 17^th Century, a great Shogun warrior, named Tokugawa, was a genius at bringing peace to Japan feudal warlord system. And he did it by “Hostage” taking. Whenever Tokugawa made an alliance with another warlord, he wound insist that the other warlord give over a close family member (mother, son, daughter) as a sign of good will. Shogun Tokugawa explained that this exchange would ensure that there would be peace between them. (Practically, this was very clever because if another shogun tried anything sneaky or as a prelude to war, they risked their captive family member being killed as s result.) And over and over and over again, Shogun Tokugawa would meet with enemy shogun warlords and make peace; but as a sign and way of securing that peace Shogun Tokugawa would take a family member hostage from the other shogun’s family. Sounds kind of crazy; give over a precious family member to insure peace between warring, estranged, separated feudal kingdoms. But it worked. In fact it worked so well that it helped him to create an entire kingdom.

Can you imagine what it would have been like for that family member that was taken hostage? This volunteered family in-law hostage effectively became a living sacrifice. They had to give up their family, their home, their place, their position, their possessions. They sacrificed everything about their former life, to live as a hostage in a former enemy’s feudal kingdom. And this act of living sacrifice insured that the two warring families would stay at peace. This hostage…this living sacrifice…made atonement. Atonement—the idea that two parties who are at odds could be brought back together, the division healed, and the 2 sides could be made as one—atonement.

The Bible tells us that because of our sin we are separate from God. Because of our sin, we are at war with God and we are estranged and separated from the God who loves us! And that is bad news! But the good news for God decided to do something about that. He saw that there was one possible way to bring atonement between us and Him. So God sent His son Jesus to take our place…into the world, far from the perfection of Heaven and Jesus became that hostage to take our place. Jesus willingly gave up His home in Heaven; He gave up His place & position at the right hand of the Father in Heaven. He willingly became a hostage and came down to earth to live in the enemy’s kingdom. He became that atoning sacrifice that could once again bring God and us back together again, heal the division of sin between us and make us at peace, at one again. (Wade Arp)

Luke 23:1-25

Day 36 Reading & Reflection

2010-03-25T07:42:00.001-04:00

Read Luke 22:47-71

Betrayed / Handed Over. This drama of Jesus being betrayed, or handed over, radically divides the life of Jesus! A line was drawn. A bridge was crossed. In this moment Jesus goes from Action to Passion. The first part of Jesus’ life is filled with activity. Jesus takes all sorts of initiatives. He speaks; he preaches; he heals; he travels. But immediately after Jesus is betrayed / handed over, he becomes the one to whom things are being done. He’s being arrested; he’s being led to the high priest; he’s being taken before Pilate; he’s being crowned with thorns; he’s being nailed on a cross. Things are being done to Him. That is the meaning of passion—now He is the recipient of other people’s actions.

As hard as it may be to understand, Jesus Christ being betrayed / handed over was a part of the plan all along. It is important for us to realize that when Jesus says, "It is finished," he does not simply mean, "I have done all the things I wanted to do," He also means, "I have allowed things to be done to me that needed to be done to me in order for me to fulfill my mission." Jesus does not fulfill his mission in action only but also in passion. He doesn’t just fulfill his vocation by doing the things the Father sent him to do, but also by letting things be done to him that the Father allows to be done to him.

Passion is a kind of waiting & watching—waiting & watching for what other people are going to do. Jesus went to Jerusalem to announce the good news to the people of that city. And Jesus knew that he was going to put a choice before them: Will you be my disciple, or will you be my executioner? Will you Follow OR Fall Away? When I reach out to you, will you reach back or will you run away? Will you be my disciple, or will you be my executioner? There is no middle ground here. Jesus went to Jerusalem to put people in a situation where they had to say "Yes" or "No." That is the great drama of Jesus’ passion: he had to wait upon people’s response What would they do? What would you do? Would you be his disciple, or will you be his executioner?

If you think about it, all action ends in passion because the response to our action is out of our hands. That is the mystery of work, the mystery of love, the mystery of friendship, the mystery of community-they always involve waiting. And that is the mystery of Jesus’ love. God reveals himself in Jesus as the one waits for our response. (Wade Arp)

Day 35 Reading & Reflection

2010-03-24T10:10:00.003-04:00

Read Luke 21:1-46

Here in Luke 22, we see what kind of Messiah Jesus really is. Not a military-messiah but a servant-messiah. He serves His followers, even as one goes to betray Him. Humility and obedience are what we see in Jesus. What appeared to the world to be weakness was in fact spiritual strength as Jesus faithfully lived out and fulfilled His last hours before the cross.

Stories like this give us a great glimpse of who Jesus is. But they also raise questions for us, namely “What Kind of Follower Am I?” Do I choose to be served OR, do I choose to serve? Do you choose “Serve Us” (2 words) or Service (one word)? Jesus is communicating to His followers: The Mature believer stops asking, “Who is going to meet my needs?” and starts asking, “Whose needs can I meet?” Which question do you find yourself asking?

For Jesus, the way that He approached faith and modeled faith for us was to take up the towel. By saying “God I can honor you best—not by expecting others to serve me; but I can honor you best by serving them…in your name.” As a mature believer you come to a place in your life where you stop asking, “OK who is going to meet my needs?”, and you start asking, “Whose needs can I now meet?” (Wade Arp)

Day 34 Reading & Reflection

2010-03-23T08:09:00.002-04:00

Read Luke 21

Ever find yourself worrying…a lot? Jesus told His followers, “But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.” (Luke 21:14-15).

How can Jesus tell the crowds of people “Hey, don’t worry!” ….UNLESS Jesus is in control….unless God will provide; God will take care of you. How could Jesus tell the crowds, then and now,(you and me) not to worry about the things in life that we all worry about….UNLESS Jesus is in control….unless God will provide. The same Jesus who was in control then is still in control now. Maybe some of us need to hear that today. Maybe we are worried about storms in our lives right now. Maybe we are worried about problems at home, worried about problems at work/school; worried about problems within out families. Maybe some of us are worried about tomorrow and what will happen or won’t happen. Maybe some of us really need to hear Jesus say, “Don’t worry…God will take care of you

What makes you worry? What are you worried about today? What did you wake up worrying about? What are you going to go to sleep tonight worrying about? Is it because you are not in control? Is it because you are in control? Is it because you don’t know whose in control? The Bible is such a great guidebook for life. It is the owner’s manual for our lives on this earth. And the Bible actually says, Worry…yeah it is real….yeah it is out there…..yeah you do it….but you shouldn’t! The Bible says, don’t ! Don’t get carried away with worry because it really doesn’t help things. Worry only sees the problems; whereas faith in God sees the solution. (Wade Arp)

Day 33 Reading & Reflection

2010-03-21T22:49:00.002-04:00

Read Luke 20:21-47

In, Luke 20, Jesus said to the people “Look God is the God of the living—not the dead.” Those who are in God are alive in this life and the next. Another time, in John 10 Jesus told his listeners that, “he had come that they may have life and have it more abundantly”. God is a God of life and Jesus wants us to be fully alive in Him.

It’s kind of sad but sometimes Christians are some of the “deadest” people you meet. Cold, stodgy rigid, stiff. No fun. And that is a shame. It is especially a shame when we actually think that Christians are supposed to be boring and no fun, dull and uninteresting. Of all people on the face of the earth we ought to be the most alive, the most vibrant, and the first to celebrate and live life to the fullest…because we have the most to live for…we have Jesus in our lives and because of that we are connected to almighty God.

Our God is a God who gives us life and gives us abundance. We just have to recognize it and then celebrate it. Theologian Henri Nouwen writes, “God is a god of life & abundance, not a God of scarcity. Jesus reveals to us God’s abundance when he offers so much bread to the people that there are twelve large baskets with leftover scarps (see John 6:5-15), and when he makes his disciples catch so many fish that the boat nearly sinks (see Luke 5:1-7). God doesn’t give us just enough. He gives us more than enough: more bread and fish than we can eat, more love than we dared to ask for…God is a generous giver, but we can only see and enjoy God’s generosity when we love God with all of our hearts, minds, and strength. As long as we say, ‘I will love you God but first show me your generosity,’ we will remain distant from God and unable to experience what God truly wants to give us, which is life and life in abundance.” (Wade Arp)

Day 32 Reading & Reflection

2010-03-21T06:48:00.002-04:00

Read Luke 20:1-20

Jesus tells the parable of the man who planted a vineyard and leased it to vinedressers and then went away for a long time. At harvest time he sent a servant to ask for some of the fruit. The vinedressers beat the servant and sent him away, as they did the next two servants who were sent. The man then sent his beloved son, who was killed by the vinedressers so that the son would not receive his inheritance. Jesus went on to say that the owner of the vineyard would come to destroy the vinedressers and give the vineyard to others. God sent His beloved son who was killed, and we are reminded that if we reject Him we have no hope. (Mike Chaney)

Day 31 Reading & Reflection

2010-03-20T08:09:00.002-04:00

Read Luke 19:28-48

Luke tells us of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, and of how the people had hope in Him, spreading their clothes on the road and rejoicing and praising God with a loud voice. Some of the Pharisees did not like the people giving adulation to Jesus, and asked Him to rebuke those who were praising Him. Jesus refused, saying “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.” Our hope is grounded in knowing that our faith is realized by the Lord. (Mike Chaney)

Day 30 Reading & Reflection

2010-03-19T08:26:00.002-04:00

Read Luke 19:1-27

In these verses, Jesus tells the parable of the minas (a mina was an ancient unit of weight and money, equal to one sixtieth of a talent). A certain nobleman preparing to go to a far country had entrusted several of his servants with a mina, instructing them to do business with the money while he was away. Upon his return he called together the servants to him, to get a report on their business dealings with his money. The first two servants had put the money to work and had made a profit for their master; the third servant had hid the money away and had earned nothing except the wrath of his master. The master told the other servants to take the mina away and give it to the first servant who earned the most return on the money; those who stood by thought it unfair that the servant who had invested wisely would reap the extra mina. The master told them all that to everyone who has will be given, and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. Our hope is that we will take what God has given us (our natural talent, our time, our faith, our resources) and invest it for God and not for worldly gain, and in return we will be rewarded. (Mike Chaney)

Day 29 Reading & Reflection

2010-03-18T10:11:00.003-04:00

Read Luke18

Jesus told many parables in the Book of Luke. In verses 9-14, he tells of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. Both men had gone up to the temple to pray. The Pharisee, holding himself in high esteem, prayed and gave thanks that he was better than the tax collector and better than other men. The tax collector was a much more humble man, and asked God to be merciful towards him because he was a sinner. Jesus completed his parable by telling the Apostles that the tax collector went back to his house justified, because he had humbled himself before God. If we are to be justified by God, we must humble ourselves first. Our hope is that Jesus has told us that we will be exalted by first humbling ourselves before the Lord. In verses 24-30, Jesus tells us that the rich will have a very hard time entering God’s kingdom. When questioned by the Apostles as to who can be saved, He told them that the things which are impossible with men are possible with God. He tells us that those who follow Him will receive many times more in this present life, and eternal life in the age to come. How wonderful to have that hope in our hearts!! (Mike Chaney)

Day 28 Reading & Reflection

2010-03-17T09:30:00.001-04:00

Read Luke 17

Attitude of Gratitude. There were 10 men on the road that day. Very alike in a way because they were united by circumstance—they were all lepers. And yet one was different. Certainly this one man was different because he was a Samaritan. But the real difference came from his attitude. Specifically, his heart was full of giving thanks! And that made all of the difference. That set him apart as ONE in a world of MANY.

When you have a heart that is full of thankfulness, it gives you an attitude adjustment. When you have a heart full of thanksgiving, it changes your attitude from negative to positive. And this is huge because a positive attitude makes you like a magnet—people are attracted to you! You know what I am talking about, right? Your attitude causes other people to either like you or dislike you. (Been around people with + attitudes and you like to be around them they pick you up and energize you…on the other hand people with – attitudes get on our nerves and drain us, we don’t want to be around them.) Our attitudes towards life are so important because your attitude tells other people what you are really like. Thankfulness is the attitude we are talking about today.

As I read this account from Luke’s Gospel, I imagine that Jesus’ heart must have been just broken. I mean here was this great miracle of physical healing and only ONE in a world of MANY came back to say Thanks! This was really big because in that day and time, understanding of law and custom, their physical healing meant that they could now be restored to their families, friends, jobs, place in society—this was a huge thing. But 9/10 DIDN”T Come back to say Thanks. I imagine that Jesus’ heart must have just been broken. (Wade Arp)

Do you think that God’s heart just breaks when His people choose NOT to be thankful?!
Do you think that God’s heart just breaks when His people choose to have hearts that are so blinded by self, they are unable to see God?
Do you have an attitude of gratitude?

Day 27 Reading & Reflection

2010-03-16T08:01:00.001-04:00

Read Luke 16

Right after I learned to drive and got my license, my dad bought a brand new Jeep Wrangler. And I was so excited. I loved Jeeps and this particular one was such a neat one: limited edition, lots of special features, only one like it in the tri-state area. And he said to me that, while it was still going to be one the family’s vehicles, it would be primarily mine to drive—to school, to work, for fun. And so he gave me the keys. And I drove that thing and had a ball with it—but I took great care of it too. Now I knew it is just a simple rough and rugged 4- wheel drive…but I took care of it just like it was a Rolls Royce. Washed & waxed. Cleaned and treated the tires. Checked and changed all the fluids regularly. Didn’t let other people drive it or make any messes in it. I babied that Jeep.

Now why am I telling you about my Jeep story? Here’s the key. That vehicle was my dad’s. He paid for it. The title, registration, taxes all had his name on them. When I treated the Jeep like it was mine (even though it really wasn’t) I took great care of it. I considered it to be mine, even though deep down inside I knew at the end of the day, it was really my dad’s. I used it for my needs, but I was protective of it. I used it as if it were my own, treat it like my own. But I took care of it for him.

While I didn’t know it at the time, that was good stewardship. I was faithful in taking care of something valuable and important that belonged to somebody else. And that is the kind of thing that God wants me and all of us to do on a bigger scale. Take all the resources, possessions we have and realize that they are entrusted to us by God. Manage it for God, treat it and care for it as if it were your own, but realize that at the end of the day it is still His. In the end it is all about God and it is all about how we handle His possessions which are temporarily entrusted to each one of us. (Wade Arp)

Day 26 Reading & Reflection

2010-03-14T23:04:00.002-04:00

Read Luke 15

One of the most beautiful and hopeful passages in the New Testament is Luke 15:2 - "Jesus welcomed sinners and ate with them". A another great passage is Luke 15:7 - "There is more joy in heaven over one sinner who changes his heart and life, than over ninety-nine good people who don't need to change". These words give show us great hope. These two verses and the verses in between offer hope by telling us God loves all people, and wants everyone, especially sinners to come to Him. God doesn't play favorites and offers salvation to everyone. God looks for the least, and the last, and the lost.

God seeks us out to enter into a relationship with Him. Also this signifies His desire to forgive us and make right our relationship. Even though we do not deserve God’s mercy and grace, He bestows it on us out of his love. We can’t be bad enough for God not to welcome us if we choose to return to Him. This isn’t a license to sin but should actually serve as motivation to please a God who is good to us beyond belief. (Danny & Anna Orr; Kevin Bradford)

Day 25 Reading & Reflection

2010-03-14T06:55:00.002-04:00

Read Luke 14

Empty Chairs. What if you are the one hosting a special meal and you are inviting special guests. And you know just exactly what the favorite food is for each and every one of your guests. So, you pick an evening to host this special meal for all of your special guests. And you send out the invitations. And you go and buy all of the food. And you set the tables & prepare the food perfectly—just the way they like it. And when the time comes to serve the meal you yourself go out to serve and greet the guests. And everything is perfect…except for one thing. Some of your special guests are missing. They are not in their seats. They are not anywhere in the dining room. They are simply not there. They are no-shows. They are missing.

Think how shocked, mad, and insulted you would be if you went to all of that trouble and some of your special friend just didn’t show up! Think how disappointed, hurt, and frustrated you would be if you went to all of that trouble and no one came! You go to all that trouble and effort and planning and sacrifice. And all you see is an EMPTY CHAIR.

What if God feels that way when He looks at the world today and sees a lot of empty chairs at the table? Maybe God feels this way (shocked, mad, and insulted) because He has prepared a spiritual feast for us—hope, peace, love, forgiveness, second chances, purpose, and eternal life—and He offers these things to us freely and invites us to come to the table to receive this amazing offer. But instead, He sees empty seats. Maybe that is how God feels this way (disappointed, hurt, frustrated) because He crossed time and eternity, and planned for your salvation, and even went to the great expense & sacrifice of sending His only son Jesus into the world as a sacrifice for your sins and as an invitation to come back to HIM once and for all…., but after all of that He sees empty seats? (Wade Arp)

The empty seat represents someone who is not connected to God—their relationship with God is weak or broken. Who can you invite to the table?
The empty seat represents someone who is not receiving all that God has for them in their life. Who can you invite to the table?
The empty seat represents a real person that Jesus loves and died for; but someone who

has never sat down at the table with God; or maybe someone who has got up and walked away. Who can you invite to the table?

Day 24 Reading & Reflection

2010-03-13T12:24:00.002-05:00

Read Luke 13

This amazing passage has both God’s Judgment and God’s Grace. Normally what we focus on most is the judgment, “I don’t know you...away from me…weeping and gnashing of teeth”; and the Bible is clear that there are serious consequences for those who have not responded to God’s invitation to come in to Him through the Narrow Gate/Door. But there is also a lot of Grace here in this passage too. And so often we miss it!

First, the Door/Gate is Open. That means that it is not closed. That means that people can still come inside. That means that there is still time and anyone can come. Second, Jesus says that God is like the owner of the house. And God has given an invitation for people to come in to Him; and God has set an “open-door policy” for people to make an intentional decision to come in to Him.

The issue here is not that God is keeping people out; God is inviting people in. The bigger issue here is that some don’t want to come in; some people don’t want to respond to the invitation. Why? Or to ask it another way, “If the narrow door is wide open and the owner (God) is still inviting people to come in, why will “they not be able to”? What is the issue, what is the problem?

The simple answer is that going through the narrow gate is difficult because it is going to cost us something. Because to follow God, and do the things of God, means that we have to make sacrifices on our part. It means we’ve got to commit. It means that we have to be discipled. It means become a transformed person. And that is not always an easy thing.

The image of the Narrow door means that we can come in, but a lot of the things that we cling to, that we hold on to, that we think are important, they can’t come in with us. Often we have to leave some things behind in order for us to enter because there is not room for both us and the things that we sometimes cling to. It won’t all fit through the narrow door. So for you to enter, some things about your life have to stay behind. (Wade Arp)

What things are you holding on to that make it difficult to follow Jesus?
Are they standing between you and God?
Can you let go of these things in order to draw closer to God?

Day 23 Reading & Reflection

2010-03-11T22:04:00.003-05:00

Read Luke 12:35-59

Prepare, Be Ready, and Decide! My goodness, decisions need to be made and seems like action must be taken in these scriptures. My heart feels we can’t keep secrets from God and its so important we learn to feel God’s love and grace, delighting in the freedom through the Spirit, he gives us so that we can serve Him.

I picture it as my grand-daughter and I in the kitchen. She tries desperately to measure and pour this and that, but continually misses the bowl dropping egg, flour, oil, cocoa all over the counter and floor....all the while, only wanting to please me. Even with the horror of the mess I will need to clean up, I am delighted she is trying to learn more. God is our Father, encouraging us, wanting us to succeed. Gently and patiently instructing us, guiding us and forgiving us as we mess up even though we don’t realize we have messed it all up! God knows and accepts our hearts. The more we try and often struggle to get it right, the closer we grow in our relationship with Him. (Cindy Myers; Billie Barton)

2010-03-11T11:37:00.000-05:00

Read Luke 12:1-34

Think about the sparrows, grass, lilies in the filed, the mustard seeds, the hair on our heads whether we have it or color it! How much more value are we than these to Him? Our Father knows what we need. Seeking God’s kingdom should be our goal each day. We are so precious in His sight so why be anxious? He gives us the possibility of seeking Him and finding Him! I wake up daily with anticipation that God will come to me again today in ways I may recognize and maybe in ways I don’t see Him, but He will allow me to see and feel the joy that I will become aware it is Him, walking with me.....that’s hope in my world. (Cindy Myers)

Do you ever stop to reflect on just how much God loves you?
Do you need to hear God’s heart today speaking to your heart, saying, “I love you, my child.”?

Day 21 Reading & Reflection

2010-03-10T10:55:00.003-05:00

Luke 11:29-54

This part of Luke’s Gospel is one of the toughest. It consists of lots of warning and judgment. And yet, hope remains. We can catch some glimpses of hope in that: Evil cannot prevail over God; there is always for Forgiveness when our hearts are right within; God’s light in our lives can shine into a dark world; and Truth will always stand. (Billie Barton)

Day 20 Reading & Reflection

2010-03-09T09:56:00.002-05:00

Read Luke 11:1-28

Jesus teaches his disciples to pray (Luke 11:1-13): I see the Hope in knowing that God’s kingdom is available to us, God provides our daily needs (key word daily), and our sins are forgiven when we ask God (verses 1-4). To know that we can speak to the Father in prayer is the Hope of all believers. To know that He listens and answers is even more Hopeful (verses 9-10). (Judy Cordero)

Day 19 Reading & Reflection

2010-03-08T10:27:00.002-05:00

Read Luke 10:25-42

Jesus tells the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37): There is Hope in the fact that Jesus confirms that we have the opportunity of eternal life by walking in Love. Loving God with all of our heart, soul, strength and mind. Loving our neighbor as ourselves. The parable is an example of Love in Action and defines who our neighbor is.

Jesus visits Martha and Mary (Luke 10:38-42): Jesus explains to Martha that Mary has chosen the better part and no one can take that away from her. This statement gives me Hope because it tells me that once I have chosen Jesus no one can take Him away from me. (Judy Cordero)

Day 18 Reading & Reflection

2010-03-07T07:42:00.002-05:00

Read Luke 10:1-24

Jesus told his disciples, as they went out, that He was sending them where "he himself was going to come" (NASV). "Whatever house you enter first say 'Peace be to this house' and if a man of peace (or person of peace) is there, your peace will rest upon him. Stay in that house eating and drinking whatever they give you. Do not keep moving from house to house."

Why would Jesus say to "stay in that house?" There are reasons for Jesus' instructions. If we are where "he himself is going to come," then we are where he has readied a harvest and also made ready a person through which we are to enter that harvest. (Carol Davis) We find great hope in knowing that God can use us to invite others to know Him too.

Day 17 Reading & Reflection

2010-03-05T23:26:00.002-05:00

Read Luke 9:37-62

Jesus heals a demon-possessed boy (Luke 9:37 – 43): Here we see how Jesus heals a boy because of the request of the father. It gives me Hope to know that I can ask God to heal a Love one; even when that person might not know how to come before the Lord on there own accord. The Hope is even more to see how Jesus still went on to heal the boy after acknowledging that this was a “faithless and perverse generation”. This tells me that God is willing to help us even when we fall short of who we should be in Christ.

Then the disciples argue about who will be the greatest (Luke9:46): It gives me Hope to know that I do not have live up to man’s standard of greatness to be great in God’s eyes. (Judy Cordero)

Day 16 Reading & Reflection

2010-03-05T09:06:00.002-05:00

Read Luke 9:1-36

In our scripture today, Jesus saw the crowds and He knew they were hungry and He knew what He was going to do about it all. But He just needed someone to share. Jesus asked Philip if they could buy enough bread to feed everyone. And Philip took Jesus’ question and the needs of the people seriously; he even calculated roughly that it would take more than six months’ wages to buy enough bread for everyone to receive only a taste

Andrew, another disciple, took the hunger of the people and the emerging problem seriously, too. He had been out in the crowd looking into the availability of food among the people, and all he had found a boy with five barley loaves and two dried fish. Andrew told the other disciples and then raised the critical question: “What are they among so many?” In other words, how can the tremendous need before them possibly be met by such a small offering?

Jesus received the boy’s gifts and He did the rest. He commanded his disciples to have the people sit down in the grass. More than five thousand hungry, needy people sat down. Jesus then took the five barley loaves and two dried fish, gave thanks for them, and distributed them to the crowd. Everyone ate, and everyone was filled. Then, as Jesus commanded, the disciples collected twelve baskets of leftover bread. That little boy shared what he had and Jesus did the rest! When we share what we have in faith, God takes what we have and multiplies it to bless others.

All of us have something to give to God. (great financial resources—you have been blessed to be a blessing; some of you have great leadership gifts….experiences to share to help shape and guide and mold younger believers….time….skills or abilities that you are only using for you….) All of us have something in our hands that we can give to God. And you know what!? It all depends on whose hands it is in. It’s not about what you are holding in your hands because your hands by themselves don’t do miracles. But when you take what you have (little or lot, big or small) and you place it in God’s hands, then the miracles happen, then the blessings flow, then the world changes. It all depends on whose hands it is in.

· What do you have in your hands today?

· And will you share it with Jesus?

Day 15 Reading & Reflection

2010-03-04T10:20:00.005-05:00

Read Luke 8

A God Who Cares and Can Do Something About It. Luke 8 contains stories of Jesus’ teachings and Jesus in action. And one of the most dramatic stories of Jesus in action is when he calms the storm; verses 22-25. When the storm overtook the boat, the disciples panicked but Jesus was asleep. And they ran to him and woke him up in fear that they were all going to be washed overboard and drown. I wonder, in that moment, if the disciples were really asking, “Jesus, don’t you care about us?”

We ask that question sometimes too don’t we? Don’t you care? Why me? Why my friend? Why my family? Why my business? Don’t you care Jesus?” It’s the undying question. The question asked by literally every person who’s graced the face of the earth…There’s never been an individual who hasn’t wrestled with this aching question. Does my Jesus care? That’s the question the disciples were wrestling with. And sometimes we do too. (You may be struggling with that question today…wondering if He cares about what you’re going through?) When it seems that Jesus is asleep in the stern in your situation, remember, it just may be that He’s testing your faith.

If Jesus was just another tired old teacher he could have gotten up and helped them be afraid and that would have been about it. But instead, he chooses to reveal just WHO He is to these disciples. He chooses, with just a word, to demonstrate His power to do only what the God who created the sea could do – subdue it! Jesus chose the Sea of Galilee as His stage to establish and increase the disciples’ faith in Him as the strong Son of God, as the Incarnate Christ! (Don’t miss the contrast: one moment He’s sleeping in the stern, the next He’s stilling the sea – one moment he seems impotent to do anything about the situation, the next He displays His omnipotence!) He is Jesus, Lord of creation. He is more than a good man – He’s the God-man – He is Lord. There’s no need to fear – He’s in complete control. The Lord of creation is also Lord of our lives! (Rev. Jody Flowers)

· Is there a storm in your life right now?

· Does it seem like God is silent in the midst of your storm?

· Could it be that this storm in your life may be an opportunity for Jesus to display His power, authority, and love?

· Do you trust Him to do so?

Day 14 Reading & Reflection

2010-03-03T07:44:00.002-05:00

Read Luke 7:36-50

Extravagant Love. This is one of those stories where everything is flip-flopped: being right was actually wrong; and being wrong was actually right. The Pharisee wasn’t wrong—socially, legally, or by the religious customs of his day. He just wasn’t right in God’s eyes. He was acceptable and correct; he did all the right things, but only just enough to get by and still be right. Probably, we all know what that is like. Then there’s the woman. By the ritual, customs, and expectations of her day, she did it all wrong. But then she got it right in God’s eyes.

Maybe the major difference between the woman and the Pharisee was this: the woman knew that she needed God’s love and forgiveness; but the Pharisee did not think that he was in need of those things. After all it was obvious, at least to the Pharisee, that she had the problem; not him. And that is a greater problem—when we think that we are beyond the need or the reach of God’s love, grace, and forgiveness. The Woman, however, went above & beyond. Does deep gratitude and extravagant love make you do things that don’t make sense and seem strange and even awkward? Sure. Would you do anything for those you love the most—even if what you did didn’t make sense to anyone else—even if it wasn’t cool or socially acceptable? Probably. (Wade Arp)

How can you show extravagant love to someone today?

· Maybe you need to express reckless love to a family member: parent or child, brother or sister.

· Maybe you need to find a friend and give them the best handshake, or slap on the back, or hug around the neck.

· Will that make you feel a bit uncomfortable and awkward? Probably. Good, that means that you are stretching beyond protocol and propriety towards extravagant love. You might even make someone’s day, and not even know it!

Day 13 Reading & Reflection

2010-03-02T10:50:00.003-05:00

Read Luke 7:1-35

Is there hope for those on the fringe? Does God really care for those on the outside looking in? There are several short stores in Luke 7 where those on the fringes of society (gentiles, widows, prophets, sinners) encounter Jesus. And they encounter hope because Jesus intentionally takes time to deal with each and every one of their situations. The Good News is that there is hope because Jesus cares for us, and comes to us, no matter what situation or place in life that we are in.

The story is told about a little boy, named Lucas, who went to the park with his mom. While Lucas was playing in the sandbox, he noticed another little boy about his age sitting in a wheelchair. So Lucas went over to him and asked if he could play. But the other little boy shook his head “No” he couldn’t play. Since Lucas was only five, he couldn’t understand why he couldn’t just get in the sandbox and play with him. They talked for a while longer, and then Lucas did something extraordinary. He went back to the sandbox, took a large bucket, scooped up as much sand as he could and dumped it into the other little boys lap. Then Lucas grabbed some toys and put them in his lap, too. His mom rushed over and said, "Lucas, why did you do that?" Lucas looked at her and replied, "He couldn’t be with me in the sandbox with me, so I brought the sand to him. Now we can both be together.” Lucas had great compassion for the other little boy. And he went out of his way to be with him—right where he was. (Wade Arp)

When has God gone out of His way to encounter you and show you compassion? Are you seeking that today?
When have you gone out of your way to encounter and show compassion to someone else? Do you need to do that today?

Day 12 Reading & Reflection

2010-03-01T08:33:00.002-05:00

Read Luke 6:37-49

In these verses of judging others, we have hope in God’s mercy that when we fail because of our sinful nature and judge, condemn, and do not forgive others, we will be forgiven of these sins if we confess them and repent. Only with God’s spirit within us can we forgive others. The hope I see in these verses is that the closer our personal relationship is with the Lord, the more good He can do in us and through us. When we surrender our lives to God, His will, and His Word, with our obedience and put Him first as the foundation of our lives, we have hope that when the trials and temptations come, our faith will not be shaken. (Mary Lou Wood)

· Is there someone that you need to forgive; is there someone from whom you need to receive forgiveness?

· What part of your life that you need to surrender to God right now?

Day 11 Reading & Reflection

2010-02-28T06:52:00.002-05:00

Read Luke 6:1-36

In these verses the disciples unlawfully picked heads of grain and ate the kernels on the Sabbath and Jesus unlawfully healed a man with a shriveled right hand. By Jesus’ example, we have hope that love and compassion, and what is good and right will always be above the letter of the law. Jesus went to the mountainside and prayed all night to God. In the morning Jesus chose 12 from all his disciples to be his designated apostles. This gives us hope that if we spend much time alone in prayer with God that He will guide us in making the right decisions.

For those who are in the Lord and remain strong in their faith, during their times of trouble whether physical, spiritual or emotional, there is much hope of promised rewards and blessing eternally with our Lord. God loves and is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Those who hear the word of God have hope that with God’s help and empowerment we will be able to love our enemies and be kind and unmerciful to the ungrateful and wicked as well. (Mary Lou Wood)

· Do you find that time in prayer helps you to make good decisions?

· Are there big decisions facing you now that you need to pray over?

Day 10 Reading & Reflection

2010-02-27T10:55:00.003-05:00

Read Luke 5:27-39

In 2003, the band Switchfoot released “The Beautiful Letdown”. In the title track we hear the lyrics: “We are a beautiful letdown, painfully uncool; the church of the dropouts, the losers, the sinners, the failures, and the fools”. This is a rather unique look at what it means to be the church and to follow Jesus. Disagree? Just look at Levi. Levi was a very well-known Old Testament Jewish name; Levi was one of the 12 tribes of Israel. But it says here that Levi was a tax collector. That meant he was working for the Roman government. Do you see the problem here? Here was a guy with a sterling Jewish name and background; working for the enemy—Rome. This was a huge problem because Levi had switched sides. To his own covenant people he was a letdown; he was painfully uncool. To his own people he was a dropout, a loser, a sinner, a failure, and a fool.

But here’s the thing: Jesus called Levi anyway. Jesus loved Levi anyway. Jesus wanted to include Levi anyway. Jesus calls all kinds of people to follow Him; even people like Levi. Maybe we should be glad that Jesus called people like Levi because that means Jesus calls people like us too. Where there is love, there is always hope. Jesus loves us so much that he came for all of us—the sick, the sinners, the lost, the lonely. And just like Levi the tax collector, we too can follow Jesus. All we have to do is take the first step. (Wade Arp, Mary Lou Wood)

· Were you at all like Levi when Jesus encountered you?

· What steps do you need to take today to follow where Jesus leads?

Day 9 Reading & Reflection

2010-02-26T12:52:00.005-05:00

Read Luke 5:1-26

Calling, healing, and forgiving. When Jesus told Peter to put out into deep water and let down the nets for a catch, Peter did so. Peter took the first step of obedience, no matter how illogical it seemed to him at the time. Then when Peter was blessed with the extraordinary catch of fish, he told Jesus, “Go away from me Lord, I am a sinful man.” Peter did not feel that he deserved, or was worthy, to be blessed by Jesus. We can all find great hope here, because all of us are sinful people. But if we take those first steps of obedience and choose to follow Jesus we too will be greatly blessed and live an abundant life. Right after the calling of Peter, Luke tells us that Jesus encountered a man with leprosy. And this man had strong faith and belief that Jesus could make him clean. And he also had a strong hope that Jesus would be willing to do so. Wherever there is faith, there is always hope. Then Luke tells us that Jesus encountered a paralyzed man. When his friends lowered the paralyzed man on the mat through the roof tiles, Jesus saw their faith and said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven” and then Jesus said, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” When we have genuine faith our sins are forgiven and we can always have the hope that we will be healed physically as well, here on earth. God lovingly wants only the best for each of us. Where can we find hope? We find hope because Jesus calls, heals, and forgives. (Mary Lou Wood)

Day 8 Reading & Reflection

2010-02-25T10:19:00.002-05:00

Read Luke 4:31-44

The Holy One of God. The Gospel writer, goes to great lengths in chapters 3 and 4 to reveal to us just who this Jesus really is. We learn things like Jesus’ pedigree in His unique genealogy. We learn about his calling and credentials in His unique baptism. We learn about His role as the fulfillment of the ancient prophecies when He speaks in His hometown synagogue. And now in today’s reading we see Jesus demonstrate publically that he has the power & authority of God here on earth as he casts out demons and heals the sick. It’s almost like Luke was anticipating his readers asking the question of Jesus, “What’s your name and who’s your daddy?” And the simple one-phrase answer comes from a strange place; one of the demons confesses to Jesus, “You are the Holy One of God!”

All of us look to God for answers and help in our lives. And maybe we need to be reminded occasionally of just who Jesus really is. And we can take great hope in the presence and identity of Jesus. He is the fulfillment of a long-awaited promise. He is the only one set apart to be Lord, Master, Savior, and Redeemer. In a phrase, He is “the Holy One of God.”

· Who is Jesus to you?

· Is He “Holy” (set apart and special) in your life?

· What do you come seeking from Jesus today?

Day 7 Reading & Reflection

2010-02-24T10:17:00.003-05:00

Read Luke 4:1-30

To test this potential Messiahship the devil himself tempts him in the wilderness. Like two kids using their memory skills, they spar back and forth. With help from the Word of God, Jesus does not succumb to temptation, the devil departs, and an angel comes to bring Jesus a cup of cold water and sings to Him “Whispering Hope”. (This part could have happened!) Any doubt of Jesus’ Messiahship is cleared up when he goes to the synagogue on the Sabbath. Luke 4:16 says that Jesus is handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. He turns to a particular passage and fills the synagogue and the entire world with hope as he reads:

¹⁸"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed,
¹⁹to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

Jesus closes the book, returns it to the attendant, sits down and notices that everybody is staring at Him. So He adds: “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing!” The Word of God came…and hope came with Him. (Sarah James)

Day 6 Reading & Reflection

2010-02-23T09:39:00.006-05:00

Read Luke 3:21-38

Genealogies—these are not the most fun to read. In fact we often skip right over them and move on. However Pastor John Ed Mathison shares a neat take on genealogy passages in the Bible; in his book Treasures of the Transformed Life, he shares the following illustration:

Some boys went to visit an old man who was blind and they asked if there was something from the bible they could read for him. He said, “Yes, please read my favorite part of the Christmas Story: Matthew 1.” Now usually we think of the Christmas story as coming a little later in Matthew because most of Matthew 1 is the genealogy of Jesus—just one name after the other: Abraham was the father of Isaac who was the father of Jacob who was the father of Judah, and on and on and on. Honestly, most of us skip that part of the story. And the boys really weren’t too excited about reading this part of Matthew, especially when they kept running across all of those names that they couldn’t pronounce. Finally the boys said, “Sir we are just going to skip over all these names and get to the good stuff.” And the man said, “Oh no! This is the good stuff! Don’t skip over the names because they are the most important part. They might just look like a list of names to you, but to God each of them was important. He put ever name in that book, and that means He put my name in that book, too.” (pages 117-118)

· Do you really comprehend that God loves each of us as if we were the only one?

· Do you celebrate that God gives you His name, calls you His own, and wants you to be a part of His family?

Day 5 Reading & Reflection

2010-02-22T10:23:00.012-05:00

Read Luke 3:1-20

Caesars. Governors. Tetrarchs. High Priests. Luke 3:1 lists men who held powerful positions. But then we read in Luke 3:2 “…and the word of God came” and somehow now we feel like falling on our knees, expecting something truly powerful to happen. And it does. A wild-eyed prophet badly in need of a haircut and a bath starts preaching in the wilderness and boldly proclaims from the Word of God that “…soon all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” (Sarah James)

· Jesus was born into a world where people had high hopes for change.

· What changes are you hoping for: in your life, community, church, and world?

Day 4 Reaing & Reflection

2010-02-21T07:20:00.005-05:00

Read Luke 2:21-52

I was not churched as a young person. I did not know Christ until I was in my mid-thirties. When I sit among my Tuesday Small Group I feel like I am at the Temple with Jesus, because I have been touched by so many people in both classes and have learned so much from everyone in those groups. There was a lot about the Bible and Jesus that did not know, and still don’t, until I started attending Sunday School several years ago and now the Tuesday Small Group brings a lot more to the table for me. If Jesus had not been born where would we be today?

For those who did not grow up in church and get to know Christ in their younger years, there is hope of still learning and knowing who God and Jesus are just by hearing the Good News that Jesus was born for us. (Debbie Cochis)

· How long have you been following Jesus? Do you wish you started earlier?

· How many major changes has your life undergone since becoming a follower?

Day 3 Reading & Reflection

2010-02-20T15:03:00.008-05:00

Read Luke 2:1-20

Luke Chapter 2 introduces us to Simeon and Anna in the temple. Simeon was an old man who knew he would not die until he had seen the Messiah. The Holy Spirit had promised him this. Simeon lived in hope and anticipation. Anna was an old woman and a prophetess who also lived in hope to see Israel’s Deliverer. Both saw their expectations met in the temple. They saw Jesus.

During this season of Lent, pause and consider who in your life is living in hope. Who are the Simeon’s and Anna’s in your family or circle of friends who live in anticipation and waiting? Do you know someone who has received incredible, seemingly impossible news, like Elizabeth and Mary? What are you hoping for? Regardless of the situation, rest in the comfort that our trials will be accomplished through God. Jesus Christ was born to bring a moral foundation to humankind. Living in His word gives believers a path to an intimate relationship with God. We will do nothing this season to earn God’s love. But we can dare to hope because we have God’s promise. (Cindy Wilson)

· Who in your life is living hope?

· Is there someone that you know of who needs living hope in their life? Can you be that living hope for them?

Day 2 Reading & Reflection

2010-02-19T12:53:00.008-05:00

Read Luke 1:26-80

Many years ago my uncle (who was also up in his years) had a brain tumor. He and his wife could not have children. While my uncle was in the hospital recovering from having the tumor removed, my aunt found out that she was pregnant. They had always wanted children, but my aunt medically could not have them. We do not know why God provided them with this child at this time in their lives. My uncle was forced to retire at this time, so we believe that this child was a gift from God to help him with his recovery and to remember that with prayer everything is possible with God, and that God will provide as he promises. (Debbie Cochis)

· Have you discovered first-hand that God answers prayer?

· God is the God-of-the-impossible. Are you facing something that seems impossible? If so, you are not facing it alone. God is even bigger than your obstacle; and God is on your side.

Day 1 Reading & Reflection

2010-02-18T12:32:00.003-05:00

What is HOPE? By definition, hope is the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best. Hope is also looking forward to something with desire and reasonable confidence. Finally, hope can be a person or thing in which expectations are centered.

In Luke Chapter 1, we find Zechariah and Elizabeth. They had reached on old age, Elizabeth was barren and they had stopped hoping for a child. However, the angel Gabriel announced that a son would be born to them. Elizabeth’s cousin, Mary, a young unmarried girl, was also visited by an angel. Mary, too, would bear a son. Elizabeth’s son would grow up to become John the Baptist, bringing his message of the coming hope. The Christ! The nation of Israel had waited and hoped for their Savior for so long….now the wait was almost over. Mary’s son was that Christ. He was born to bring hope. He was born to bring salvation and eternal life to all who believed in Him. (Cindy Wilson)

· When have you had to wait in hope on God to move?

· Are you waiting in hope right now for something from God? If so, take heart and remember that God always keeps His word.

2010-02-16T19:54:00.003-05:00

The Invitation

(Basic Instructions for the Journey)

Intentional Time with God

Set aside some time every day to be intentional with God. Plan to spend some time, reading, reflecting and praying. As a community of believers, we are inviting you to join us over these 40 days of Lent in reading through the Gospel of Luke. Each day, we’ll suggest a short scripture reading, along with a reflection or question authored by someone from within the congregation. Then allow yourself some time to apply the message into your own life. You can also participate online. Just go to our website at http://www.london1umc.org/ and click on either the Facebook or Blogger links. From Facebook you can click on the Notes tab and follow along with each day’s reading. From Blogger you can follow along with each day’s reading and post questions and comments. But if you are just not that into being online, you can pick up each week’s reading at Sunday worship.

Actively Pray for & Share Hope with 3 People

Write down the names of 3 people that you want God to impact and give hope to. This Season of Hope doesn’t have to be just about us! We believe that God wants to do something in the lives of people around us. So over the next 40 days, ask God to give you greater passion for people. And ask God to give you opportunities to show 3 people the hope that is only found in God. So pray for 3 people each day; then look for opportunities to meet, listen and share with them. May others discover the hope through your words, attitudes, and your actions!

Seek Hope for Our World and Our Church

Join us in dreaming for the world around us and our church. And dream BIG. But not only dreaming about how big our church can be, or what the next new thing for us is going to be. Instead, dream about how our church can be a place where the lonely feel encouraged, and the lost feel found, and the broken can find a safe place to put the pieces back together again. Pray that our church can become a place that makes a change in our community. Let’s put our hope in Christ - for with God nothing is impossible.

2010-02-12T23:03:00.005-05:00

“…I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full..."

(John 10:10)

It’s a strange word—Hope. In a world full of disillusionment we wonder if hope still exists. Many of us have become discouraged because we live with disappointment daily. Maybe we have given up dreaming. Maybe we have given up trying to change things. Maybe we have become convinced that nothing in our world can ever really change. Maybe we have lost hope.

Pause, then rewind. Back when Jesus came into our world he encountered a generation who had lost hope as well. God’s covenant people, the Jews, were expectantly clinging to His ancient promises of people, land, and blessing. But they found themselves living under Roman rule. Their land occupied and controlled by the Roman military machine. Caesar proclaimed himself to be god. Roman politics, military, culture and religion cast a growing shadow of doubt over God’s people and His promises. What hope did God’s people have living under Rome? They had waited so long for God to move. They had waited so long for messiah. But now, was it too late? What difference could one person make?

Then Jesus came. “But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son…” (Galatians 4:4). That changed everything. No longer were people bound by their past or stuck in their present. In Jesus, people found hope and a future. Jesus invited people into a new reality; a new way of relating to God. Jesus offered people a way to be transformed, forgiven, healed, and redeemed. Jesus brought hope.

Push play. In our lives today it is arduous to recover hope once we have lost it. Many people simply give in to the false perception that life is noting but a series of disappointments and let downs, with a few happy moments sprinkled in to ease their discontent. But it doesn’t have to be like this. Following Jesus offers us a much brighter alternative. In Jesus we encounter hope from disappointment, redemption from failure, and freedom from captivity.

I want to invite you on a journey. In these next 40 days that lead up to Easter join with me and many others as we seek and hold onto hope in Jesus. We hold onto hope that God’s light will shine light in the dark areas of our lives. We hold onto hope that God will give us direction where we feel confused. We hold onto God for hope that broken areas of our lives will be healed. We hold onto God for hope that He will find us if we are lost. We hold onto God for hope that Jesus will burst into our lives in an undeniable and overwhelming way.