Worship was an essential part of my youth group. Every Sunday night, when I was a teenager, we would gather in a small room on the second floor of our church and have worship. It was a special time when we would sing, pray for one another, and hear the scriptures read. Those nights were so important to my faith. They helped to connect me to Jesus.
The disciples had followed Jesus for three years. They listened to Him as He taught. They watched as He performed miracles. They shared in the same work as Jesus sent them out into the world. When they first met Jesus, they were simple tradesmen. They fished, collected taxes, and were business owners. They left everything behind to follow Jesus and become His students, His apprentices. At the end of three years, they were not the same. Their time with Jesus changed them. They would eventually become leaders of the new church, become evangelists, apostles, and their work would reshape the world.
The night before Jesus was to die, He gathered with His disciples and they shared the Passover meal together. They gathered in a room and Jesus would show them, “the full extent of his love.” (John 13:1) It is in this room that Jesus would wash the disciples’ feet, share the first Holy Communion, and remind them that they were being called to serve. Soon after leaving this room, they would become the people of faith who would spread the love and hope of God they had experienced with Jesus.
Lent is a season Christians set aside to focus on their faith. During Lent, we are asked to consider who we are in light of who Jesus calls us to be. We are called to sing, pray, and read scripture. We do these things so that we can be reshaped into the image of God. When I was a teenager and I spent time in worship, I saw my faith more clearly. When those disciples entered the Upper Room with Jesus, they saw their calling more clearly. Lent is our time to focus on Jesus. It is our time to be intentional about the practices that connect us to the one who loves us so much.
It is my hope that, during this season of Lent, we will take time to focus on our faith. Let us read the stories of Jesus and His disciples, especially those that happened in the Upper Room. Let them be a reminder of the love God has for us and the love God calls us to share. It is that time we spend with Jesus that will shape us into the servants of God who share His love and bring hope to the world.
Rev. Keith King, Pastor of Worship
