There will be times of sadness in the life of every Christian.  Some will be caused by the difficulties the church and its individual members face.  Nonetheless, we will have a source and basis for joy in who our God is and what he does.  Laetare (lie-tar-e) – “rejoice” – the Fourth Sunday in Lent, focuses our attention on that truth with the words of Isaiah, “Rejoice with Jerusalem (that is, the church) and be glad for her, all you who love her.”  Even in our times of sorrow, our God remains our strength, our song, our salvation.   It is in him that we gather today and rejoice. 

Sunday, March 24  Worship Services

We all do it so naturally and easily.  We excuse what we should confess.  We blame others or our circumstances for our choices and actions.  But Jesus helps.   He gives me strength to face the truth about my sin instead of running from it.  He gives me strength to admit my sin instead of rationalizing it.  Join us this Sunday as we all find strength to repent from the kindness, mercy, and forgiveness of a gracious Savior.

Sunday, March 24, Bible Class

We all do it.  A lot.  We complain about how difficult life is, about the life we have, about how we deserve better.  The root of that complaining is self-righteous bitterness, and it corrodes and can even destroy faith.  As we consider the complaining of the Israelites, we’ll have the chance to diagnose our own, and return to the solution for it:  The certainty that God is kind and merciful, and that we are richly blessed, when we stay focused on the cross of Christ.

Some things we want people to remember; others we wish they would forget. The same is true in our relationship with our God. The psalmist prayed (Psalm 25), “Remember, O Lord, your great mercy and love. . . Remember not the sins of my youth. . . According to your love remember me, for you are good.” Reminiscere (ray-mi-ni-sir-ay, “remember”), the Second Sunday in Lent, focuses on the truth that the Lord, in Jesus, has promised to do just that. His love will sustain us; his love will forgive us when we fall.