The Comfortable Words are the Bible verses the minister can say right after he declares God’s forgiveness of our sins. It’s a beautiful, very simple proclamation towards the conclusion of the Liturgy of the Word at our eight o’clock gathering for Holy Communion which follows Rite I. You can find them on page 332 of the Book of Common Prayer.

This Sunday I get to preach one of those sentences of Scripture, as well as two verses following that one: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” (John 3.16-18)

I could dress up as Banner Man (HT: Steve Taylor) I could. That would be fun, but I won’t. It’s Lent and all…And telling everyone to just believe isn’t going to make them believe. Human nature is what it is. Telling people what to do never works. People tried it on me. I’ve tried it on others.

Of course, I will preach Jesus. He is our Content after all. He was lifted up for us (symbolically like the bronze serpent in front of the children of Israel while in the desert and literally as a dying man, condemned to a humiliating death on a Roman cross). He is our hope, not our power or ability to believe anything about him. This is a 10-15 minute opportunity to talk about who he is and what he’s done.

Who are we because of him and what he’s done?

What’s possible now?

I am convinced that if our lives are marked by increasing confidence and trust in Jesus, there will be deep joy, very deep joy. And there will be peace and love and creativity and hope. Now. In this life. And in the next.

Just think what that means for the kids, the guy sabotaging your project at work, or for you.

Let me know what happens as you live that out this week. Peace.