Lent 2A - First Thoughts

Lent 2A

Genesis 12:1-4a
Psalm 121
Romans 4:1-5, 13-17
John 3:1-17

The Old Testament lesson details the promise to Abraham that the entire world would be blessed through him (and, as Romans suggests, his faithfulness). I wonder what those words meant to Abraham when he heard them. Did he suppose that the salvation of the world would come through his descendants? Or, did he imagine that there would be a financial or physical blessing which came through his children?

This week's Psalm is one that I memorized when going through a Counselor Training program when I was a teen. It was particularly meaningful since the camp was set just outside the White Mountain National Forest. The Psalm is a promise of God's faithfulness, a reminder that He keeps His promises to us.

Our Romans lesson takes a look at Abraham, speaking of his faith which was credited to him as righteousness. Abraham believed the promise of God, even though it was challenged when he was asked to offer Isaac upon the altar. This passage gives a clear picture of justification by faith. Abraham didn't do anything to deserve the blessings of God, he simply received them by faith. This theme will be more evident in our Gospel lesson.

The well known passage of Nicodemus approaching Jesus at night gives us one of the most well-known scripture verses, John 3:16. Nicodemus is quite perplexed by the concept of being born again. We're not sure what he is expecting Jesus to teach him, but given that he is a Pharisee we might expect that he is looking for something to do in order to get into the Kingdom of God. But Jesus' teaching is easy (His yoke is easy), and entrance into the Kingdom is not so much about what we do as it is about what God does in us. We must be born from above.

Grace and Peace,

PastorJon