First Sunday in Lent

During Lent we remember, in the spirit of Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16, that we have dwelt, are dwelling, and will dwell “in the shelter of the Most High” (v. 1a).  We also remember that we have abided, are abiding, and will “abide in the shadow of the Almighty” (v. 1b).  And we recall that we have said, are saying, and will “say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust’” (v. 2).  We are satisfied “with a long life” (v. 16a) by God and are able to “see…salvation” (v. 16b).

The salvation we see is one that we share.  On this first Sunday in Lent we remember, in the spirit of Romans 10:8-15, that “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart – that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation” (vv. 8b-10).

These words of Paul, the writer of the sixth book in the New Testament order, are located in the context of his discussion of Israel’s unbelief and God’s faithfulness in chapters 9-11, which are some of the most difficult passages in the Bible due to a long history of varied interpretations, dating back to the days of the early mothers and fathers of the church in the second century AD.  Suffice it to say that a careful reading of these chapters reveals that salvation is for anyone and everyone who believes in Jesus Christ and those who believe are saved and are being saved to share the salvation in multiple ways – words, deeds, attitudes, you name it.

Believers seek to provide the world with an opportunity to hear about Jesus Christ, affording anyone and everyone the chance to confess Him as Lord and believe that God raised Him from the dead.  We are summoned to invite people to call upon the name of the Lord because we know that whenever that happens salvation comes.  We take this seriously and Paul states why it is to be taken seriously.  “How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed?  How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard?  And how will they hear without a preacher?  How will they preach unless they are sent?  Just as it is written, ‘how beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!’” (vv. 14-15).

Some years ago the Atlanta Journal-Constitution carried a story about various films and stage productions about Jesus as far back as 1927.  Some, if not all, were controversial.  I was in my teenage years from the late 1960s to the mid-1970s.  I well remember when the stage productions of the musical, “Godspell,” and the rock opera, “Jesus Christ Superstar,” were each performed on Broadway for the first time.  I saw the movies in 1973 and much later, the stage presentations.  I can still remember in the early 1970s how controversial those were in portraying the life of Jesus in radical ways.  Yet, people got saved as a result of “Godspell” and “Jesus Christ Superstar.”

In the same time period I remember when the timeless musical by Ragan Courtney and the late Buryl Red, “Celebrate Life,” was released and the controversy it stirred in many churches (especially Baptist ones!), at least in western Kentucky where I was reared, because it wasn’t the typical John W. Peterson cantata.  Yet people, especially students, were saved as a result of “Celebrate Life.”

All of these were designed to bring the “good news of good things”so people could understand that there is room at the cross for anybody and everybody and the gospel story of salvation could be proclaimed in non-traditional kinds of ways.  And proclaimed it was!  “Godspell,” “Jesus Christ Superstar,” and “Celebrate Life” are three testimonies to this proclamation.

Over the course of these weeks leading up to Holy Week, let us commit to sharing the salvation. Don’t be afraid to be traditional and non-traditional.  If we’ll share, it might start getting crowded around the cross.  And if it does there is no need to worry.  There is always room at the cross for one more to find salvation.  Always.

“Save the People” from Godspell is three minutes forty-eight seconds.

There are two worship gatherings at Garden Lakes Baptist Church Rome, GA – 8:45 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.  Bible Study is at 9:45 a.m.  My sermon this morning, “A Remembering Community,” is the first in a series of five for five of the Sundays in Lent under the theme, “Community Authentically Focused on Christ Jesus the Lord.”  It is based on Deuteronomy 26:1-11.