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2nd SUNDAY IN
LENT
Our journey into Lent begins in Genesis 12 with a voice inviting a solitary listener to
venture out into the vast Fertile Crescent to embrace a new and unknown future. Reflecting
on that story in light of Christian faith, Paul concludes that God’s saving help, not
human greatness or goodness makes us acceptable to God. That view is exemplified in the
gospel lesson in John 3 where Jesus invites another listener to venture out into a new
life with Jesus.
Psalm 121—Songs of Ascent
This psalm forms one of the Songs of Ascents (Ps. 120-134) which pilgrims
sung en route to Jerusalem to worship. The psalm confesses as much as it
teaches its listeners to trust in God to sustain and protect on our journeys
through life.
Genesis 12:1-4a-Destination: Unknown
The first eleven chapters in Genesis that form a primeval cosmology of the world closes
with the mention of Abram of whom we are told his wife Sarai is "barren; she had no
child." Sounds like a dead-end story-barrenness and the wilderness of Haran. But in
the vocabulary of grace, dead-ends become the starting line for new adventures in God.
Such is where our lesson leads Abram-and us on this Sunday. With a single thread from the
earlier patchwork, the story of Abraham weaves and bobs through one faith episode after
the other. "Go . . ." says God, "and I will . . ."
Romans 4:1-5; 13-17-Vocabulary of Grace
Using a similar vocabulary of grace, Paul presents Abraham as exhibit "A" in
his discourse on saving faith. What do we learn from the life of Abraham? he asks. Paul
answers from Genesis 15:6-God initiates ("count the stars") and Abraham responds
("And he believed"). That’s enough to justify him, Paul concludes-to
believe in God’s saving help alone. Isn't there anything we can do in this adventure
with God? Laws to keep? Doctrine to defend? Church attendance pins to win? Etc. The lesson
closes with God’s promise and God’s ability to make it happen without our
help--the vocabulary of grace.
John 3:1-17-
At night. Two leaders. An intriguing conversation with double meanings and double-talk.
Ambiguity. One is a truth-seeker and the other a truth-speaker. Nicodemus’ first
words suggest what many acknowledged: "no one can do these signs that you do apart
from the presence of God." What follows, however, is a conversation that speaks over
and past one another. Jesus uses the word, "from above" spatially (anathon), but
Nicodemus hears it temporally, as in being born "again"(anathon). Like the
bronze serpent Moses raised up on a pole, so Jesus will be "lifted" up and
become the source of eternal life for all who believe in him.
