2012

We just want to say a special thanks to everyone who subscribed, downloaded, read, shared, tweeted and to the pastors who contributed this year.

It was a gift to have so many people participate, and it is our prayer that you saw the Kingdom of God breakthrough during the 2012 Lenten Season. We hope you’ll join us for more iLent.org next year!

We saw great momentum and growth from 2011.

Here are some fun 2012 stats:

• 1,989 people visited
• 6,185 total visits
• 29.07% were first time visits
• 77 first time comments
• 14,202 pages were viewed
• 3:33 the average time spent per visit

We also extended our reach for the first time to Costa Rica, Singapore & France.

How did you experience God through iLent.org 2012? Any suggestions of improvements?

2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” 3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. 4 I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. 5 Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
6 Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. 8 And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. 9 And they sang a new song, saying:
“You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain,
and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.
10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.”

In the midst of our despair and sadness is one who triumphed, Jesus himself. He has done so by living in our death and allowing Himself to succumb to it. And in His moment of death, death itself died. Though hard to see sometimes, the process of Christ making all things new, even reversing death itself has begun.

Notice, there is more. The sacrifice of Christ empowers those once despairing to serve in His kingdom. Often my commitment is half-baked, yet Jesus was all in. He held back nothing. Why am I holding back?

I hold back for many reasons, but God is calling and empowering me to see the all-in-even-to-the-death approach of Jesus,. and to follow.

Jesus, you are my life. Because You cannot be taken from me, help me to follow no matter the cost. Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy; Lord, have mercy. Amen.

Ken Brown, Pastor
Christ Community Church – Walnut Creek

38 Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. 39 He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds.[e] 40 Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. 41 At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. 42 Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

The first thing that stands out to me is how both Joseph and Nicodemus were so afraid of what people would think of them, they kept their relationship with Jesus secret. The second thing is how much they both changed. Their love for Jesus overcame their fear of what others would think of them.

I ponder: Are there areas in my life where I keep my relationship with Jesus secret out of fear of what others might think? As I ask the Lord to show me my heart, I realize that sometimes the answer is yes. I’m going to put a sticky note on my mirror as a reminder, “It’s not about me.”

Lord, let my love for you grow so that my first thought is of You, not of what others think of me.

Leslyn Musch, Pastor
Lighthouse Regional Church – Concord

28 Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” 29 A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. 30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Jesus is on the far border of desperate need, at the end of the work God has for Him to do on that cross, such that His lips are cracked with thirst. But He moves over the edge of that vulnerable need and lets Himself fall in submission to the One who will catch Him.

I see God reminding me, I am thirsty, too. But, I’m hesitant to move to the limit of that thirst and beyond, to what feels like sheer helplessness. I sense God asking me to stop trying to manufacture strong pastoral and congregational identity and effectiveness, and to step into what feels like sheer weakness. Next week I will take each “voice” of doubt, discouragement, and defensiveness to God in prayer, releasing it there, bowing in submission to the only One who can quench my thirst.

Bill Azbell, Pastor
First Presbyterian Church – Concord

Church Without Shoes will be hosting it’s annual Diablo Valley Wide Maundy Thursday Service tonight at 7:00PM at Walnut Creek Presbyterian Church. You can get more details here.

17 When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve. 18 While they were reclining at the table eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me—one who is eating with me.”

22 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take it; this is my body.”

23 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it.

24 “This is my blood of the[c] covenant, which is poured out for many,” he said to them. 25 “Truly I tell you, I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

I see Jesus inviting His disciples into a relationship so deep it was sealed with His own blood. I also see Him promising to eat and drink eternally with those who respect this relationship. And I see that one of His disciples violated that relationship, betraying Him for some unknown reason, possibly the love of money.

I understand that I have this same relationship with Jesus. I also understand that I, like the one disciple, often violate this relationship by loving other things more than Him and allowing those things to take me away from Him. One such thing is a particularly vulgar video game that takes His name in vain and contradicts His values. I will not play that game this week so that I can give my whole heart to Jesus.

Doug McCoy, Pastor
First Christian Church – Pleasant Hill