Press On - Homily 5th Sunday of Lent

Readings

Sometimes I have to travel for work. Flying into new cities, you can be lost. To get to where you have to go you may need an Uber or Lyft or go old school and call a taxi. When your ride shows up, the driver will ask “What’s your destination?” or “Where are you headed?” We get in with faith the driver will get us to where we need to be.

“What’s your destination? Where are you headed?” That’s a great question of life and faith.

Today, the main message of our scripture is forgiveness. We are lost to sin but through Jesus’ sacrifice we are forgiven. Forgiven, the driver is encouraging us to Christ.

So, “Where are you headed?”

In the gospel, the scribes and the Pharisees were bringing an adulterous woman to Jesus for him to judge. This woman was caught in adultery what should be done? Do we stone her as Moses commanded us?

Many overlooked the next words, “They did this to test him so that they could have a charge to bring against him.”

Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with his finger. Some say, it was the commandments of God; others say he was just doodling.

But, no matter what he wrote on the ground, it was in the dirt of the sin and treachery of their hearts that Jesus wrote.

The message to the woman and the Scribes and Pharisees was this; “where are you headed?”

For the sinful woman, her acts and lifestyle may have been all she knew. She saw no wrong. It was where she was headed.

The Scribes and Pharisees were testing Jesus. In their way they saw no wrong in what they were doing. It was where they were headed.  It was their way to heaven; and, it was not about Jesus.

Jesus didn’t fall for their words. Instead he challenged them.

Writing in the dirt, Jesus challenged them to be more like him. Let the one here without sin cast the first stone.

The Scribes and Pharisee thought about it and slowly turned and walked away. Then he said to the sinful woman, go and sin no more.

He challenged them, “Where are you headed?” He called them to be like Him and forgive.

Then there was Saul of Tarsus.

Saul was a devout Jew, a Hebrew’s Hebrew, a model Pharisee, and exceedingly zealous in his faith. By the Law of Moses, his righteousness was blameless; but, where was Saul headed.

One place Saul was headed to - Damascus.

On the road to Damascus, Saul met the risen Lord.  Saul, Saul why do you persecute me? The risen Lord’s question to Saul was where are you headed?

Saul was Paul before he met the risen Lord. He firmly believed that how he lived and what he did was the way to heaven. Then the risen LORD struck Saul blind and opened the eyes of Paul.

Friends, where are we headed? Is it, to gain Christ Jesus and to be found in Him?"

Our destination should never be outside of Jesus Christ. All that God has for us or will ever do for us is in Him, with Him, and through Him.  

Paul will write: I consider everything as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.

Like the sinful woman or the self-righteous scribes and Pharisees or even Saul, the things we do or the things we consider our spiritual advantage can actually be to our loss if they get in the way of knowing and trusting Christ.

Obviously we can’t forget our past; Paul never forgot he was once Saul of Tarsus.

But don’t live have you have done in the past. Instead, grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (2 Pt 3:18)

When the Lord writes on our hearts open them to Christ and God’s love for us.

People thought there was no chance Paul would come to know the risen Lord.  Paul says, I am not perfect; but I follow after. Other translations of “I follow after” is “I press on”

If someone asked Paul “Where are you headed?” His answer would be, I follow after Christ. I press on towards Christ.

Jesus tells the scribes and Pharisees; let the one without sin cast the first stone. Follow after Christ.  Jesus tells the sinful woman go and sin no more. Press on towards Christ.

So where are we headed?  Our ride is the Church. Our driver is the Holy Spirit. Our destination should never be outside of Jesus Christ.

Friends, we are forgiven, press on to be more like Christ.

Be good, be holy and preach the gospel by the way you live and love one another. Amen.