The time is fulfilled
It was the day after Ash Wednesday, and I came home to a house filled with laughter and giggles. For some reason, my daughter had Googled my name and stumbled upon a 15-year-old video of me. It was an interview from when I was a coach. An identity that, at that time of my life, was more important than any other.
The laughter and the giggles came from probably three things. First, I looked like a baby compared to now. Second, I had a head full of hair, a borderline mop. But probably most humorous to her and my wife was my voice. The past 15 years seem to have done a number on my Midwest Indiana accent. Gone today is a bit of the draw and the speed at which I used to speak. And to my 11-year-old daughter, this was hilarious. It was not hilarious because of the accent, but because it seemed like a different human was speaking to her.
And truthfully, she wasn’t far off.
I laughed along with her, but inside, something different was happening. I was staring at a person I did not want to remember. What I heard was not the accent but the selfishness, the conceit; I heard and saw the navel-gazer that I recognize all too well. That good swimmer, the old Adam, was looking right back at me with a little smirk. ‘Welcome to Lent,’ he seemingly said.
Many of us will hear St. Mark’s account of Jesus’ baptism this Sunday. A brief but glorious text that closes this way:
Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
Mark 1:14–15 ESV
Apt words for one reminded of his sin. Apt words for you, too.
Jesus’ time is fulfilled. Then, for those hearers, a statement of what is now happening. And for us, what has happened and continues to be true. God has provided. Just like the ram caught in the thicket for Issac, God has provided Himself for us.
So the One who claimed you has a call on you, He put you into His life. He drowned you and He raised you. He put His Holy Name on you.
So this Lent, repent, that is, turn from the way of death. Turn from those things that only kill and destroy. And when you are reminded of that Old Adam in you, when he stares back at you with a little smirk, turn your gaze to the One who has made you well. Call upon Him. Trust and believe. And in that turn of gaze, allow Christ to pull you back to the way of life. Walking after Him. Rejoicing with Him. Receiving from Him. Happy Lent, friends.
Your retirement may be decades away or just over the horizon. When you invest your retirement funds in an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) with Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF), you know exactly where your money is and that it is being used to support Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS) ministries in the Northern Illinois District and across the country. LCEF offers a Traditional IRA, Roth IRA and Coverdell Education Savings Account. Ready to invest? Call 800-843-5233 or visit lcef.org/ira today.1
Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:16, “…let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
The LCMS Northern Illinois District is shining a spotlight on service from April 12-21, 2024. Throughout the district, groups of 2 or more people are asked to give witness to the love of Jesus through acts of service to their neighbors and communities. Simply join with some people from your church, school, small group, ministry group, family, etc., and serve together in a project of your own choosing.
And, imagine seeing our our people in specially designed t-shirts all throughout the District during the SHINE! event serving and SHINING His light!
How is God calling you to serve your neighbors and SHINE His light?
SHINE! Tool Kit – Download these resources for SHINE!
40 Ways to SHINE! (Ideas for acts of service.)
SHINE! slide for churches and schools
Download SHINE! logo no dates (PNG format)
SHINE! Bible Study
As we make ready our NID SHINE! Servant Event, April 12 – 21, 2024, we turn to our Lord’s Word for guidance, equipping, and blessing. The SHINE! Bible study is commended for your use as an individual, small group, or congregational study for the weeks surrounding the SHINE! event. Visit the Bible study webpage at nidlcms.org/shine-bible-study.
Share your photos!
Upload your SHINE! photos at this secure link: CLICK HERE FOR LINK. Make certain you have the appropriate permissions so that we may share them on social media and in publications
Frequently Asked Questions
When is SHINE! taking place?
SHINE! takes place April 12-21, 2024. Decide how much time your project will take and pick a day to serve.
Who can participate in SHINE!?
There is no age requirement. Everyone from toddlers to seniors is welcome to participate.
How many people need to be in a group to participate?
A group can be as small as two people and as large as the group wants to be.
What kinds of servant projects are allowed?
There are so many ways that your group can serve right in your own community! Possible projects include: cleaning, carpentry, quilting, cooking, packing, weeding, collecting donations, yardwork, writing cards. Think of unique opportunities to serve in a way that’s tailored to your gifts, your community, and your congregational needs.
LCEF is a nonprofit religious organization; therefore, LCEF investments are not FDIC-insured bank deposit accounts. This is not an offer to sell investments, nor a solicitation to buy. LCEF will offer and sell its securities only in states where authorized. The offer is made solely by LCEF’s Offering Circular. Investors should carefully read the Offering Circular, which more fully describes associated risks. Neither LCEF nor its representatives give legal, accounting or tax advice. Consult your tax advisor as to the applicability of this information to your own situation. UMB Bank n.a. serves as the custodian for the LCEF IRA program.