GDLC Audio

Many people are convinced that our Country is “divided”...and in many ways it is. There are certainly divisions along party lines and even divisions about core values. That’s simply going to be the way it is in these “United” States, since with human beings there will always be divisions. That truth is why it’s so critical for the Church, and more to the point, for followers of Jesus, to live lives of unity and solidarity. Jesus prayed in John 17 that we as Christian people would be “one” even as He and the Father were one...now that’s unity! And that is in fact God’s will for us...unity, not division. So today we’re reminded that following Jesus, living our Christian faith, is one of “Taking Up Unity”.

t genuinely seems that our world is becoming a very angry place to live. People are easily touched off and as such can be aggressive and hateful and hurtful. After all, we live in what has been called “The Cancel Culture” where someone’s anger towards another person or their actions can genuinely ruin careers and families and sadly, people’s lives. We are not called to “man’s anger” as James wrote it, but we are instead called to peaceful, loving, gentle lives, showing others who Jesus is to us and who He can be for them. Today we remember that our Christian faith is one of “Taking Up Peace”.

We know the saying “you can’t judge a book by its cover” and yet...we do that very thing all the time, don’t we? We are a judgmental people and our judgments are often based on outward “things”, the “things” we think we know about the person we are judging. The Lord reminds us that there is only One Judge and He reminds us the the “One Judge” ain’t you! James writes it this way: “There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?” James 4:12. Today we remember to love the people around us no matter what, look in the mirror at our own fallen-ness and to let God be God. Today we therefore remember that our Christian faith is one of “Taking Up A Mirror”.

We know the saying “you can’t judge a book by its cover” and yet...we do that very thing all the time, don’t we? We are a judgmental people and our judgments are often based on outward “things”, the “things” we think we know about the person we are judging. The Lord reminds us that there is only One Judge and He reminds us the the “One Judge” ain’t you! James writes it this way: “There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?” James 4:12. Today we remember to love the people around us no matter what, look in the mirror at our own fallen-ness and to let God be God. Today we therefore remember that our Christian faith is one of “Taking Up A Mirror”.

We begin our Lenten journey with what is perhaps the most difficult thing for us to give up...during Lent or otherwise...and that being giving up ourselves. To be sure, the Lord wants us to love ourselves and take care of ourselves and view ourselves as valuable creations of His almighty hand. But true Christianity is one of self-denial...more than that...one of dying to self and doing so on a daily basis that you may unhindered, follow Jesus wherever He wants you to go. As we begin our “Taking Up” sermon series, we begin by “Taking Up” what will cause us to truly live for Jesus in this world. As we give up ourselves, we find it easier to live for Jesus daily and follow Him! So today we remember that your Christian faith is one of “Taking Up Selflessness”.