We are now all God's people. The mission was never simply about getting saved and going to heaven. Rather, something profound has happened through Jesus' death and resurrection: the Lord of the earth has come, and you are invited to be part of His kingdom. Jews and Gentiles, male and female, slave and free, all are now one family. This mission goes beyond Israel.

Jesus often taught that the KOG has come. Through His death and resurrection, He further demonstrated the upside-down nature of the Kingdom. While others seek to lord over people, the true King serves. While others take life, the King lays down His own. While others strive to preserve themselves, the King gives His life, passing through death to birth life for all.

The fallen world is run by rebellious spirits, working alongside rebellious people and systems. Human beings gave over their authority to the enemy at the fall. Jesus nailed them to the cross and made a public spectacle of them. This is a victory, not a defeat. Here comes the final victory, a culmination of his life's work as he cast out demons and healed the sick.

After the resurrection, we see the cross differently. Jesus met some disciples and said to them, 'The Messiah had to suffer all these things to enter his glory'. Jesus, before his death, said, 'It was time for the Father to be glorified.' We later see them begin to read OT prophecies about the Messiah and the end of days when God comes as King, referring to Jesus and this moment. This is the moment He is crowned as King of Kings and the usurper is driven away, as Jesus says before his crucifixion.

That when all seemed lost and forgotten,

When all seemed dark and gloomy, when fear and hopelessness filled the lives of the disciples, when their dreams were shuttered all seemed not to work. They were surprised by Hope through the resurrection that changed everything.

Jesus invites us to suffer with and like Him. Suffering well is a part of the way of Jesus. After all, the cross is the path to the resurrection, just like for Him. Yet the only way to suffer well is like Jesus, hold on to the joy set before us; hold on to the promises of God, the promise of resurrection even. So fasting and Lent is a Hope-Filled Sadness.

Lent invites us to fast for both spiritual renewal and physical care. Cutting out excess from rich foods to distractions resets both body and mind. Traditionally, fasting has been seen as a way to cleanse the body and deepen our prayer life, much like Jesus’ 40-day desert fast. When we fast with gratitude, we honor our body as sacred and allow Lent to heal both our soul and flesh.

Lent is about fasting from food and selfish ways. Give up something you enjoy, and use what you save (money, time, etc.) to help those in need. This turns fasting into love, uniting us with the poor and following Jesus call to serve.