A Pastoral Perspective – On The Word Written Life

This past weekend I had the honor and privilege of rooting for my nephew, Aaron Michael Snoberger at the statewide tournament for high school wrestling competitions in Huntington, West Virginia. As a senior, Aaron had ranked fourth in the state among high school students in his weight class prior to Ash Wednesday.

Now, upon this past first weekend in this season of Lent, I am proud to share with you as his uncle that at Saturday’s final matches, he won third place in the whole state of W.Va. I cannot express to you enough what a thrilling rush it was to root for him and his teammates as well as other wrestlers against very formidable opponents. I marveled at how each of these young people struggled on those mats through the process of working due diligence toward victory, doing their best to succeed, even in the face of some interim defeats. Their perseverance and determination leading up to the concentrated intensity of three two-minute rounds for a maximum of six minutes in those circles was something to behold. I couldn’t help but think of Jesus’ own wrestling with the devil through three rounds of temptations going back and forth with the Word of God as He exhibited for us what it means to live and embody The Word Written Life.

Amidst the resounding rumbles and loud shouts of parents, families, and communities, they were cheering them on with strength, vigor and vitality to encourage and empower them in their journey through the ring. It was, for me, an image of what we are supposed to be about in our mission as Christian families and communities in the body of Christ, enjoying the experience of being there, rooting for each other, encouraging each other’s growth and development for ministry, praying in support of one another in the journey of faith to the glory of God. This is what many among us are endeavoring and encouraged to do this spring season in our Lenten Life Together through the mission and ministry of small groups.

Well, as I stood there shouting from the top of my lungs, almost losing my voice last week, it seemed as though I could well imagine what it might have been like for the Son of Man to have His heavenly Father urging Him on right there from the stands in the distance, as near to Him in Spirit as Aaron’s dad, Bill was, pulling for his son throughout the trying times of the contest of his time.

At the beginning of His ministry, Jesus spent about six weeks – forty days, in the desert to be in communion with God and to reflect upon his upcoming ministry. While there, the devil confronted Jesus. This reminds us that goodness is not the same as innocence. Goodness is realized following an experience of struggling with evil. It is in the testing of such trials and temptations that the power and glory of Christ endures and overcomes by God’s Word and Spirit.

Beloved, we have been given an invitation to experience through a season of preparation in Lent the blessings of The Word Written Life. Jesus knew His Father and God’s Word written by the Holy Spirit intimately enough to apply effectively in time of need when faced with the devil’s temptations. He knew enough to recognize, discern, distinguish and differentiate truth from falsehood when Scripture was being misused and/or misapplied by the enemy. The value of the training He received and exercised earlier in life equipped, enabled and empowered Him to intuitively employ techniques against His opponent in a tough and trying situation. It was by training in his nature with the leading and power of the Holy Spirit to engage in spiritual warfare using the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. In this Lenten season, I encourage you to join with others in Christian community over six weeks of fellowship in a small group. Let us discover The Word Written Life in our experience of life together.

In Christ,
Pastor Rex

Year C 2007 February 25
Deuteronomy 26:1-11; Psalm 91; Romans 10:8b-13; Luke 4:1-13