Embracing Transformation: A Lenten Call to Action

 

Summary

In today's reflection, we delve into the transformative journey of becoming, inspired by the scripture from 2 Corinthians 3:12 to 4:2. This passage invites us to embrace the hope that comes from being unveiled before God, much like Moses, who encountered God face to face. The veil that once obscured the glory of God is lifted through Christ, allowing us to see God as a living, personal presence. This transformation is not just an individual journey but a collective one, as we, as a church and a community, are called to become more like God, with our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful.

As we approach Ash Wednesday and the season of Lent, we are reminded that Lent is not merely a time of giving up but a season of reflection, repentance, and preparation. It is a time to focus on spiritual disciplines such as prayer, fasting, and acts of justice and mercy, drawing us closer to God. This Lenten season, we are called to resist complacency and embrace transformation, not just for ourselves but for the world around us.

We are challenged to engage in a resistance that is rooted in truth, justice, love, hope, courage, and resurrection. This resistance is an active engagement with the world, refusing to be passive in the face of injustice and division. We are invited to remove the veil of fear, division, and apathy, and to see clearly the truth of God's justice and love.

In the face of global challenges, such as the situation in Ukraine and the weakening of public institutions, we are called to ask ourselves what kind of nation and people we want to be. Lent is an opportunity to fast from everything that keeps us from becoming who God created us to be, both individually and collectively. As a community, we are engaging in a Lenten fast of resistance, boycotting companies that have rolled back their diversity, equity, and inclusion policies, and supporting minority-owned businesses and local economies.

This journey of becoming is about standing face to face with God, allowing ourselves to be transformed into people who not only believe in justice and love but act on it. Let us remove the veil, see clearly, act boldly, and become the people God is calling us to be.

Key Takeaways:

1. Transformation through Christ: The lifting of the veil through Christ allows us to see God as a living, personal presence, inviting us into a transformative journey of becoming more like God. This transformation is both individual and collective, as we are called to reflect God's glory in our lives. [01:22]

2. Lent as a Season of Resistance: Lent is not just about giving up but about engaging in spiritual disciplines that draw us closer to God. It is a season of resistance against complacency, inviting us to embrace transformation through truth, justice, love, hope, courage, and resurrection. [03:42]

3. Active Engagement with the World: Hope and love are not passive; they require our full engagement. We are called to actively resist everything that keeps us from becoming who God calls us to be, removing the veil of fear, division, and apathy. [05:13]

4. Collective Transformation: Our journey of becoming is not just personal but collective. As a community, we are called to engage in acts of justice and love, supporting minority-owned businesses and local economies, and resisting injustice on a global scale. [08:46]

5. Becoming People of Action: We are invited to become people who not only believe in justice and love but act on it. This Lenten season, let us remove the veil, see clearly, act boldly, and become the people God is calling us to be. [10:10]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:11] - Scripture Reading
- [02:37] - Transfiguration Sunday
- [03:22] - The Journey into Lent
- [04:18] - Embracing Transformation
- [05:13] - Hope as Active Resistance
- [06:13] - Removing the Veil
- [07:02] - A Call to Action
- [08:09] - Lenten Fast of Resistance
- [09:02] - Global Resistance and Solidarity
- [09:55] - Standing Face to Face with God
- [10:30] - Becoming People of Action
- [10:46] - Invitation to Join the Resistance

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- 2 Corinthians 3:12 - 4:2

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Observation Questions:

1. What does the passage in 2 Corinthians say about the veil that Moses wore, and how does it relate to our understanding of God's presence today? [00:11]

2. How does the sermon describe the transformation that occurs when we turn to face God, as Moses did? [05:51]

3. What are some of the global challenges mentioned in the sermon that call for our active engagement and resistance? [06:30]

4. According to the sermon, what is the significance of Lent as a season of resistance and transformation? [03:42]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the lifting of the veil through Christ change our relationship with God, according to the sermon? [01:22]

2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that hope and love require active engagement rather than passive acceptance? [05:13]

3. What does the sermon imply about the role of the church and community in the journey of becoming more like God? [03:22]

4. How does the sermon connect the concept of a Lenten fast of resistance to the broader theme of collective transformation? [08:09]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a personal "veil" that might be obscuring your view of God's presence. What steps can you take this week to lift that veil and see God more clearly? [05:51]

2. The sermon challenges us to resist complacency. Identify one area in your life where you have become complacent. What specific action can you take to embrace transformation in that area? [04:00]

3. Consider the global challenges mentioned in the sermon, such as the situation in Ukraine. How can you actively engage in supporting justice and love on a global scale? [09:19]

4. The sermon calls for a boycott of companies that have rolled back their diversity, equity, and inclusion policies. How can you support minority-owned businesses and local economies in your community? [08:28]

5. Lent is described as a season of reflection, repentance, and preparation. What spiritual discipline (prayer, fasting, acts of justice) will you focus on during this Lenten season to draw closer to God? [03:42]

6. The sermon invites us to become people who act on justice and love. Identify one act of justice or love you can commit to this week. How will you ensure you follow through? [10:10]

7. Reflect on the question posed in the sermon: "What kind of person do you want to be?" What steps can you take this week to align your actions with the person God is calling you to become? [07:18]

Devotional

Day 1: Unveiling God's Presence Through Christ
The transformative journey of becoming more like God begins with the lifting of the veil through Christ. This unveiling allows us to see God as a living, personal presence in our lives. As we encounter God face to face, much like Moses did, we are invited into a deeper relationship with Him. This transformation is not just an individual experience but a collective one, as we, as a church and community, are called to reflect God's glory in our lives. The hope that comes from being unveiled before God inspires us to live lives that are brighter and more beautiful, embodying the love and justice of God. [01:22]

2 Corinthians 3:16-18 (ESV): "But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit."

Reflection: In what ways can you allow Christ to unveil areas of your life that need transformation today?


Day 2: Lent as a Journey of Active Resistance
Lent is a season that calls us to resist complacency and embrace transformation through spiritual disciplines. It is not merely a time of giving up but a period of reflection, repentance, and preparation. During Lent, we are invited to engage in practices such as prayer, fasting, and acts of justice and mercy, which draw us closer to God. This season challenges us to resist everything that keeps us from becoming who God created us to be, both individually and collectively. By embracing truth, justice, love, hope, courage, and resurrection, we actively participate in the transformative journey of Lent. [03:42]

Isaiah 58:6-7 (ESV): "Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?"

Reflection: What specific spiritual discipline can you commit to during this Lenten season to resist complacency and draw closer to God?


Day 3: Hope and Love as Active Engagement
Hope and love are not passive emotions but require our full engagement with the world. We are called to actively resist everything that keeps us from becoming who God calls us to be, removing the veil of fear, division, and apathy. This active engagement involves standing up against injustice and division, embodying the truth of God's justice and love. By doing so, we become agents of change in the world, reflecting God's glory in our actions and interactions with others. [05:13]

Micah 6:8 (ESV): "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?"

Reflection: Identify one area of injustice or division in your community. How can you actively engage in bringing hope and love to that situation today?


Day 4: Collective Transformation Through Community Action
Our journey of becoming is not just personal but collective. As a community, we are called to engage in acts of justice and love, supporting minority-owned businesses and local economies, and resisting injustice on a global scale. This collective transformation involves standing together as a church and community, embodying the values of God's kingdom in our actions. By doing so, we become a living testament to God's love and justice in the world, inspiring others to join us in this transformative journey. [08:46]

Acts 4:32-33 (ESV): "Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all."

Reflection: How can you and your community actively support minority-owned businesses and local economies this week?


Day 5: Becoming People of Action
We are invited to become people who not only believe in justice and love but act on it. This Lenten season, we are called to remove the veil, see clearly, act boldly, and become the people God is calling us to be. By standing face to face with God, we allow ourselves to be transformed into individuals who embody the values of God's kingdom in our daily lives. This transformation requires courage and commitment, as we seek to live out our faith in tangible ways that impact the world around us. [10:10]

James 1:22-25 (ESV): "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing."

Reflection: What is one specific action you can take today to embody God's justice and love in your community?

Quotes


With that kind of hope to excite us, nothing holds us back. Unlike Moses, we have nothing to hide. Everything is out in the open with us. He wore a veil, Moses that is, so the children of Israel wouldn't notice that the glory was fading away. [00:00:13]

We are transfigured much like our Messiah. Our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become more like God. Since God has so generously led us in on what he's doing, we're not about to throw up our hands and walk off the job just because we run into occasional hard times. [00:01:36]

Lent is not just a season of giving up. Lent is a 40-day season of reflection, of repentance, of preparation leading up to Easter Sunday. It's a time when Christians focus on spiritual discipline, on prayer, on fasting, and on acts of justice and mercy to grow closer to God. [00:03:29]

This Lenten season for us is a season of resistance, of choosing transformation over complacency. It's not about self-denial or giving up chocolate or caffeine or even beer. It's about becoming who God would have us to be. [00:04:02]

Hope is an active resistance to everything that keeps us from becoming who God calls us to be. We were reminded of Moses who had to cover his face because people couldn't handle the brightness of God's presence, but now through Christ, that veil is lifted. [00:05:24]

Lent is an invitation to remove the veil, to stop looking at the world through fear, through division, through apathy, but instead to see clearly the truth of God's justice and love. It is about becoming not just for our own sake but for the sake of the world. [00:06:06]

What kind of nation do we want to be? And here today, I echo that question. What kind of nation do we want to be? And I'll go a step further and ask what kind of person do you want to be because we are nothing if not a nation of people. [00:07:19]

Success is a peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming. This is what Lent is about. It's not about fasting from chocolate or caffeine or beer or anything else but fasting from everything that keeps us from becoming who God created us to be. [00:07:37]

We are calling for a 40-day boycott of companies that have rolled back their DEI or their diversity, equity, and inclusion, their fairness policies, and we are redirecting our support toward minority-owned businesses, toward local economies. Why? Because transformation is not just personal; it's collective. [00:08:25]

The people of Ukraine have been resisting oppression and violence for over two years, standing firm in the face of war and injustice. Their resistance is not just about survival; it's about becoming a nation that refuses to be defined by fear, even against the world's superpowers. [00:09:08]

We are standing face to face with God, allowing ourselves to be transformed. We are becoming people who don't just believe in justice but who act on it, a people who don't just talk about love but live it, a people who don't just pray for change but embody it. [00:10:01]

This Lenten season, let's remove the veil, let's see clearly, let's act boldly, and let's become the people God is calling us to be. Will you join us? Will you join us in the resistance? [00:10:27]

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Transcript
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