Pulpit Message Introduction for Feb. 10

Pulpit Message Introduction for first Sunday in Lent
Our 40 days of inner testing in the season of Lent are like Jesus’ 40 days in the wilderness. After Jesus committed himself to the mission God intended, and expressed his commitment through baptism, the gospel of Mark says the Spirit “drove him out into the wilderness.” (Mark 1:12)
It’s really not so different for us. The Spirit drives us into wilderness, too, where we contemplate God’s call and reflect on our responses to events and emotions which test us. We’ve seen the holy in Jesus’ ministry; we’ve chosen to take up the cross and become Christ’s disciples. Now as Lent moves us from the mountain to the valley; we start to feel the implications of that decision. What are we being asked to learn? Where is this journey going to lead? What will we have to give up? Whom are we invited to become? The Lenten season is a time of focused contemplation and reflection in light of our faith.

講壇信息介紹
四十天的大齋節，是要我們在這個節令中，能在內心裏澈底的反省自己。我們心靈的試探與耶穌在曠野四十天的試探有異曲同工之效。耶穌受洗之后，委身作神的事工，祂便被聖靈催到曠野去 。我們的靈性旅途，又何嘗不是要經歷同樣的過程？。聖靈把我們催到曠野，叫我們認真思想神對我們的呼召，究竟是怎樣一回事。我們在情感上和遭遇上，都要面對很多的試探。我們曾見過耶穌神聖的顯現，我們曾決志要背起十字架來跟從主，我們願意做基督的門徒。現在是時間我們從山峰回到山谷了。我們要好好地思想，這決定要求我們所付出的代價。我們要學習甚麼是背起十字架：我們要知道，跟隨基督這條路將引領我們到甚麼地方？我們要放棄的是甚麼東西？我們被邀請變成主的門徒，究竟怎樣是主的門徒？大齋節就是信心的曠野，它叫人在此反省與默想。