A Note From Seth
This past week I was meeting with a dear friend (and mentor) to catch up on life. After much laughing and some (almost) crying, the subject of evangelism came up. My friend then shared how this past week he was approached by a coworker who was a devout Muslim.
The conversation went a bit like this:
Coworker: “Do you know what this Wednesday is?”
Friend: “Of course. It’s the start of Ramadan.”
Coworker: “Oh – I didn’t realize you’d know about Ramadan.”
Friend: “I do. Did you know that this Wednesday is also the start of Lent?”
Coworker: “Indeed. So, what are you giving up this year?”
Friend: “Nothing.”
Coworker: “Nothing? Isn’t that something Christians do during Lent? Fast?”
Friend: “Yes. Some do. But I’ve found that when I’ve done it in the past that I’ve done it for the wrong reasons. But I know for some it’s a really powerful season.”
Their conversation, which continued for a powerful 10-15 minutes, captures several things worth highlighting. First, I’m guessing my friend wasn’t expecting this to happen, but his interaction that day is such a wonderful and beautiful example on how our Vision is supposed to work! He had built enough of a friendship up to this point that his coworker felt safe enough to start this kind of conversation. Of special note is how God opened up a door through my friend’s knowledge of Ramadan. I’m blown away by the man’s response: “Oh, you know about Ramadan?” Knowing about what’s going on around us is a key and vital way to have real conversation. And I’m so thankful that my friend jumped on the opportunity. It’s so easy for us to forget Jesus’ famous words, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) Those words ring with authority and invitation. But we also remember that we are the ones called to be ambassadors and ministers of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18-20). The gospel is the starting point for faith! So, I invite you to pray with me for people like this coworker during Ramadan! You can signup HERE for a special daily 30 second video to help you pray for Muslims. Second, this story also captures the possible beauty, or the potential harm if something is done for the wrong reasons. Each person must make a choice for themselves what is most appropriate for them as they approach Easter. Yet we remember that Easter is the most important holiday of the Christian calendar and is worth preparing for. Lent can be a powerful tool in the hands of the Holy Spirit for those who might want or need to surrender in this season to draw near to God. So, what are we surrendering? Our idols. Tim Keller captured the idea of idolatry best when he said in his book Counterfeit Gods,
A counterfeit god is anything so central and essential to your life that, should you lose it, your life would feel hardly worth living. An idol has such a controlling position in your heart that you can spend most of your passion and energy, your emotional and financial resources, on it without a second thought. It can be family and children, or career and making money, or achievement and critical acclaim, or saving ‘face’ and social standing. It can be a romantic relationship, peer approval, competence and skill, secure and comfortable circumstances, your beauty or your brains, a great political or social cause, your morality and virtue, or even success in Christian ministry.
Idolatry is a hard reality to escape, even for Christians. So, as we prepare for Easter, what idols might be stealing our worship from our Heavenly Father and keeping us from following Jesus? The gospel is the starting point for our faith, but it is also what empowers us to daily follow Jesus! And as we’ll see on Sunday as we continue in Matthew, following Jesus comes with a cost. The question is: Do you think it’s worth it? As you ponder, consider this: Jesus is far more valuable than anything you can possibly surrender! Jesus offers us life as it was designed, so is any other life even worth pursuing? Rhetorical enough? And yet, it’s far easier on paper than in real life. So, whether you choose to practice Lent or not, the season itself reminds us to “set our minds on things above” (Col. 3:1-2).
If you’d like to read more on Lent, consider reading this recent BLOG by the EFCA on Evangelicals and Lent. It offers a thoughtful and articulate perspective, with a variety of considerations. If you’re looking for more practical reflection, look especially at the Biblical meditation and reflection portion.
So, whoever you are, wherever you’re at in your journey with Jesus, I pray in this season – as we all prepare for Easter in different ways - that we each find the same unconditional love in Jesus that offers us unequivocal identity and unprecedented purpose.
“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21)
The conversation went a bit like this:
Coworker: “Do you know what this Wednesday is?”
Friend: “Of course. It’s the start of Ramadan.”
Coworker: “Oh – I didn’t realize you’d know about Ramadan.”
Friend: “I do. Did you know that this Wednesday is also the start of Lent?”
Coworker: “Indeed. So, what are you giving up this year?”
Friend: “Nothing.”
Coworker: “Nothing? Isn’t that something Christians do during Lent? Fast?”
Friend: “Yes. Some do. But I’ve found that when I’ve done it in the past that I’ve done it for the wrong reasons. But I know for some it’s a really powerful season.”
Their conversation, which continued for a powerful 10-15 minutes, captures several things worth highlighting. First, I’m guessing my friend wasn’t expecting this to happen, but his interaction that day is such a wonderful and beautiful example on how our Vision is supposed to work! He had built enough of a friendship up to this point that his coworker felt safe enough to start this kind of conversation. Of special note is how God opened up a door through my friend’s knowledge of Ramadan. I’m blown away by the man’s response: “Oh, you know about Ramadan?” Knowing about what’s going on around us is a key and vital way to have real conversation. And I’m so thankful that my friend jumped on the opportunity. It’s so easy for us to forget Jesus’ famous words, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) Those words ring with authority and invitation. But we also remember that we are the ones called to be ambassadors and ministers of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18-20). The gospel is the starting point for faith! So, I invite you to pray with me for people like this coworker during Ramadan! You can signup HERE for a special daily 30 second video to help you pray for Muslims. Second, this story also captures the possible beauty, or the potential harm if something is done for the wrong reasons. Each person must make a choice for themselves what is most appropriate for them as they approach Easter. Yet we remember that Easter is the most important holiday of the Christian calendar and is worth preparing for. Lent can be a powerful tool in the hands of the Holy Spirit for those who might want or need to surrender in this season to draw near to God. So, what are we surrendering? Our idols. Tim Keller captured the idea of idolatry best when he said in his book Counterfeit Gods,
A counterfeit god is anything so central and essential to your life that, should you lose it, your life would feel hardly worth living. An idol has such a controlling position in your heart that you can spend most of your passion and energy, your emotional and financial resources, on it without a second thought. It can be family and children, or career and making money, or achievement and critical acclaim, or saving ‘face’ and social standing. It can be a romantic relationship, peer approval, competence and skill, secure and comfortable circumstances, your beauty or your brains, a great political or social cause, your morality and virtue, or even success in Christian ministry.
Idolatry is a hard reality to escape, even for Christians. So, as we prepare for Easter, what idols might be stealing our worship from our Heavenly Father and keeping us from following Jesus? The gospel is the starting point for our faith, but it is also what empowers us to daily follow Jesus! And as we’ll see on Sunday as we continue in Matthew, following Jesus comes with a cost. The question is: Do you think it’s worth it? As you ponder, consider this: Jesus is far more valuable than anything you can possibly surrender! Jesus offers us life as it was designed, so is any other life even worth pursuing? Rhetorical enough? And yet, it’s far easier on paper than in real life. So, whether you choose to practice Lent or not, the season itself reminds us to “set our minds on things above” (Col. 3:1-2).
If you’d like to read more on Lent, consider reading this recent BLOG by the EFCA on Evangelicals and Lent. It offers a thoughtful and articulate perspective, with a variety of considerations. If you’re looking for more practical reflection, look especially at the Biblical meditation and reflection portion.
So, whoever you are, wherever you’re at in your journey with Jesus, I pray in this season – as we all prepare for Easter in different ways - that we each find the same unconditional love in Jesus that offers us unequivocal identity and unprecedented purpose.
“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21)
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