Fourth Sunday of Lent: Change within ourselves comes from light of Christ, NYC pastor says

The religious astir nan world are celebrating nan Fourth Sunday of Lent this play connected March 19, 2023.

This typical Lenten play is simply a clip to bespeak connected really alteration is only imaginable pinch nan ray of Christ, Dr. Michael Keller, elder pastor astatine Redeemer Presbyterian Church, Lincoln Square, in New York City, told Fox News Digital. 

"Many of america walk copious amounts of money trying to alteration our appearances, our prospects and our character," said Keller. 

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"It is very American to desire change," he said. "It is little evident really to execute it."

In Paul's letter to nan Ephesians, nan apostle writes, "Awake, O sleeper, and originate from nan dead, and Christ will springiness you light" (Ephesians 5:14). 

This transition "is often utilized to promote waking up and changing," Keller told Fox News Digital successful an interview. "We deliberation [change] is simply a process of nan will to effort harder and strive."

In Paul's missive to nan Ephesians, he states that "Christ will springiness you light."  (iStock)

Continued Keller, "Imagine a trainer trying to get you retired of bed, saying, ‘Wake up, sleeper! Rise from nan dead!’"

He said, "But that is not what Paul is saying here."

In nan biblical era, "there were nary siren clocks aliases electrical lights" — and a personification awoke each greeting pinch nan rising sun, said Keller. 

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"In nan aforesaid way, Paul is saying nan measurement to change, nan measurement to aftermath up, is not chiefly done thing you do, but through Christ sparkling connected you," he continued.

"Like waking up to nan sunshine, alteration comes people erstwhile we let ourselves to bask successful nan beauty of Jesus' life and work," he said. 

To exemplify this point, Keller shared nan communicative of Florence Chadwick, a legendary open-water swimmer. 

Michael Keller is elder pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church, Lincoln Square, successful New York City.  (Dr. Michael Keller)

After Chadwick successfully swam nan English Channel aggregate times, she attempted to aquatics nan region betwixt Catalina Island and the seashore of California successful July 1952.

"The upwind was foggy, nan h2o was cold, she couldn’t spot nan land, she couldn’t spot her advancement … Defeated, she gave up, wholly exhausted," said Keller. 

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When Chadwick made it into nan boat, she learned she was not acold from her destination.

Yet "because she couldn’t spot nan shoreline, she didn’t know," Keller said.

As a personification originates to admit nan beauty of Jesus' life and work, "that imagination of beauty and remainder moves our imagination" — conscionable arsenic Florence Chadwick was capable to push done to make it to nan shore, said Keller. (iStock)

"Two months later, she tried again successful nan nonstop aforesaid treacherous conditions — heavy fog, acold water. But aft 14 hours of swimming, she made it to shore," Keller said. 

"When asked really she did it contempt nan fog, she said that she kept nan intelligence image of nan shoreline successful her head."

"It is successful resting successful his emotion that we find nan powerfulness to change."

Although nan circumstances of her swims had not changed, "what allowed her to proceed connected to complete her activity was that she had a imagination of nan beauty of nan shoreline successful her head," said Keller. 

As a personification originates to admit nan beauty of Jesus' life and work, "that imagination of beauty and remainder moves our imagination" — conscionable arsenic Chadwick was capable to push done to make it to nan shore.

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"If Chadwick didn't require a alteration successful circumstances to execute her extremity — she conscionable needed to spot nan beauty of nan shoreline successful her mind — ideate really changed we could beryllium if the beauty of Jesus shined connected us," he said. 

At left, New York City pastor Michael Keller. We tin find nan powerfulness to alteration erstwhile we remainder successful Christ's love, he said. (Michael Keller/iStock)

"By reflecting connected each that he has done for us, connected nan remainder we find successful him, and connected nan emotion and work he has shown us, we tin awaken from our slumber and beryllium filled pinch nan power to change," he continued.

In his missive to nan Ephesians, Paul is saying that "when Jesus shines for illustration that, past we tin aftermath up from our sleep," he added.

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"Ironically, it is successful resting successful his emotion that we find nan powerfulness to change," he said. 

"Just arsenic Chadwick kept her intelligence image of nan shoreline successful her mind, we, too, tin support a imagination of Jesus' beauty and love."