Evangelism Bulletin 212 – Lent – a time for FOCUS

As we are now into Lent and are hopefully keeping to our commitment to give up whatever it is we have agreed to give up, we are presented with an opportunity to reflect upon the meaning, purpose and direction of our lives. Jesus spent forty days in the desert without food, not for dietary reasons, but in order for him to focus clearly on what it is that his life and ministry should be about from that moment on. We are told he was ‘tempted by Satan’ and the gospels depict three aspects of temptation which he faced. I don’t believe that Jesus was taunted by a comic figure with horns and a tail. I believe Jesus faced what we all face – the battle between doing, on one hand, what comes naturally (humanly speaking) and on the other hand, what comes through obedience to God (life in the Spirit).


For me this Lent is bolstered by using a number of resources. Firstly the excellent daily readings from the Methodist Church ‘A Word in Time’ which are linked to the Methodist Prayer Handbook. At a click of a button my computer plays me the scripture reading and accompanying reflection. Also I have downloaded the entire Bible in MP3 format (I use the Audio Treasure web site so that I can sit and listen to large chunks of the Bible being read to me as part of my endeavour to read the entire Bible in a year). All of this is on top of my use of the Celtic Daily Prayers from the Northumbria Community.

I read today from Acts 26:16-18 which recounts the conversion of St. Paul as Jesus says to him …


‘Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me. I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’


Here Jesus does not engage in anything other than, ‘this is what you have to do - go and do it – and I will help you’. Interestingly Jesus reminds Paul of his own experience in the desert in the words ‘and turn them from … the power of Satan to God’. Yes, Paul remained a tent-maker but this was subservient to his main calling as apostle to the gentiles. 

When we think about the churches to which we belong, how often do we ask questions which focus our minds on their purpose? Do we see church as something which is always there and something to which we go each Sunday, or do we ask questions about its meaning and purpose in the wider world? Notice that Paul was not asked to ‘go and plant churches’ although that’s what he did as part of his mission. Our churches are there primarily to fulfil God’s mission in the world around them. That means that they are there for God and for the community, as well as for us. A telling question to ponder this Lent is, ‘If your church were to close tomorrow, would the community notice?’ In other words is your church making a Christian impact upon the community which would cause a clamour if it was withdrawn? Of course, we must not be hoodwinked into thinking that serving the community is all we are about – that would make us no more than a branch of Social Services. Our primary focus is upon God and the gospel – and then, how to transform our communities through God’s love.


As I look at the pile of papers on my desk I am often tempted to sweep them all aside and start with an empty desk. I don’t think this is an unhealthy feeling because an untidy desk is a sign of lack of focus. However, those papers are all there for a purpose. The trick is in constantly keeping in focus those things which are at the heart of who I am and what I am here to do. In every task it’s good to ask yourself, ‘how can I do this task more simply to the glory of God?’ 

I love the words from Jeremiah 6:16… 

This is what the LORD says:
“Stand at the crossroads and look;
ask for the ancient paths,
ask where the good way is, and walk in it,
and you will find rest for your souls.’

A day out in Southwell