February 16: Introduction to the 2021 Lent Project
WELCOME TO THE 2021 LENT PROJECT
THE SAYINGS OF JESUS: WORDS OF ETERNAL LIFE
In these perilous days we desperately need a renewed vision of the Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ. So often we Christians get caught up in fighting to prove that we are right about certain dogmas or interpretations to the point that we are unable to see Jesus in all his glorious love and beauty. The New Testament Christ who spoke timeless truths is both captivating and convincing. British scholar, N.T. Wright writes, “Christ is disturbingly compelling. . . .He comes to wound as well as heal, to warn as well as to welcome.”
Our introduction video graciously provided by spoken word poet, David Bowden, ends with a powerful expression, “This is our confession, we believe in Jesus Christ, his death, burial, and resurrection.” We warmly invite you to join us this Lent as we examine once more--the story and words of the living Christ. We enter this discipline together so that our faith in him might increase. There is no better way to focus on what is most essential than to meditate on the actual sayings Christ spoke over the course of his three years of public ministry. Each entry of the 2021 Lent Project will contain a different quote of Jesus. “So will my word be which goes out of my mouth; it will not return to me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the purpose for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11). “For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, even penetrating as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).
Reading Christ’s words in one sitting is a moving experience. Some recount that they felt they were in the very presence of Jesus as his complete message unfolded before them. In 1899, Louis Klopsch, editor of Christian Herald newspaper, conceived the idea of printing a Bible with the words of Christ in red, the color of Christ’s blood. It was his desire that people clearly understand what Jesus had to say about his “mission and revelation.” Klopsch’s prayer was answered as the popularity of red letter editions prevailed for several generations. The Complete Sayings of Jesus can be currently found as a 6.5 hour audiobook on YouTube, if you would like to avail yourself of this resource.
Because of time and space limitations, the Lent Project can only focus on short, isolated passages of Scripture. Although helpful, this approach cannot offer the panoramic view of Christ’s words and teachings where larger portions of the Gospels are read in one sitting. It is highly encouraged then, that during this season of Lent you set a goal of reading through big sections of the four Gospels in extended sessions. It takes 183 minutes to read Matthew, 113 minutes to read Mark, 194 minutes to read Luke, and 156 minutes to read John. Each of these books of the Bible are also available as audio recordings on YouTube and other platforms. Another moving way to experience the drama and power of the Gospels is through a wonderful series of complete word for word film adaptations made with Aramaic speaking Middle Eastern actors. Filmed on location in Morocco, the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are beautiful and compelling ways to experience Scripture. These films created by the Lumo Project are available on Netflix.
Early in his ministry, many of Christ’s disciples abandoned Him because his teachings were difficult. When Jesus asked the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?” Peter answered, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:66-68). As we journey together this Lent may we find renewed hope and strength in the powerful words of Jesus--words of “wounding and healing, warning, and welcome--the words of eternal life!”
---Barry Krammes, 2021 Lent Project Scripture Curator
Please note that there are additional resources under the “About” tab (located next to the “Devotional” tab) that contain biographical information on the artists, poets, composers, and musicians used in the Project, as well as lyrics, song/composition titles, and artwork information.
About the Video:
Today's video features the poem “I Believe in Jesus” written and performed by David Bowden.
Footage in the video provided in partnership by Lumo Project (http://lumoproject.com)
Permission granted from Spoken Gospel
http://spokengospel.com
About the Poetry/Spoken Word:
I Believe in Jesus
I believe in Jesus - the firstborn of all creation
The prelude to Adam, the author of Eden
By all, in all, through all, Genesis’ reason
The husband of the newborn bride
I believe Earth is
One of His love’s brightest beacons
I believe in Jesus - the infant king
Ruler of the heavens, the universe’s spring
Yet He took the frailest of forms
The weakest of things
For our mighty God was not too proud
For the stable and trough of Bethlehem’s sting
I believe in Jesus - the forgiver of men
Since man would not come to God
God came to them
Though we spit in His face
Through our arrogance and sin
Holiness became flesh
So that it might be forgiven
I believe in Jesus - the perfection of the law
For creation was doomed
By the requirements it scrawled
But He came not to abolish correction
But succeed where we did fall
And wrote a new law on our hearts
Love God and love all
I believe in Jesus - the horribly betrayed
Unknown by the world He
Himself had made
Handed over to death by a follower
To whom silver was paid
Disowned by a friend three times in one day
I believe in Jesus - the suffering servant on
the cross
To save the lives of the sinful
He considered His own life lost
Endured the torture of man
Whips and nails in His flesh were embossed
Received the righteous wrath of God
The judge bearing our judgment - the ultimate cost
I believe in Jesus - the flesh in the tomb
He bore the end of a normal human
As He was born of a human’s womb
He died a criminal’s death
And was buried in another man’s room
God the Son lay dead, the lifeless groom
But I still believe in Jesus
And the body of His resurrection
For He redefined life in death’s final rejection
Showed holes in hands
To over 500 of His own selection
So that humanity would not be able to raise an
objection
To the fact that Jesus Christ is God the Son
And has made the ultimate connection
So I believe in Jesus
And the commissioning of his ascension
He ascended to God’s right hand, forever in
intercession
Leaving His truth in the hands of a few
The first to be called His Christians
His hands and feet are now the Church
His boundless reconciling expression
This is our heritage
They are our relatives
And this
This is our confession
We believe in Jesus Christ
His Death
Burial
And resurrection
About the Poet David Bowden:
David Bowden is the Founder and President of Spoken Gospel. David writes and performs all the poems in the introductions, writes devotionals, and co-hosts the Spoken Gospel Podcast. He has a B.A. in Bible and Biblical Languages and an M.A. in Theology. David is the author of When God Isn’t There and Rewire Your Heart.
About Spoken Gospel:
Spoken Gospel is a non-profit digital media ministry committed to fostering transformative Bible engagement by producing creative videos that help people see and savor the good news of Jesus on every page of the Bible. It is their goal to make a video introduction to every book of the Bible, using spoken word poetry to tell the story and show the main themes of every book, and how those themes are fulfilled in Jesus.
https://www.spokengospel.com/
We are most grateful for all of the illustrators, artisans, fine artists, poets, authors, composers, and musicians who have contributed to this year’s Lent Project. We hope that the variety of styles and cultures, and the wide range of denominations represented, creates a full-bodied expression of the marvelous things that God has done and is doing in the hearts and lives of those who seek him. We are also most grateful to those readers who have contributed financially to this unusual endeavor. It is your support that continues to make these projects possible. Our team has spent dozens of hours culling through hundreds of musical compositions and works of art and poetry in an attempt to bring a heartfelt worship experience to our readers. A special thank-you to our curators: Barry Krammes, who selected the Scriptures; N. Rountree, who selected the artwork; Chris Davidson, who selected the poetry; and Rachel Glazener, who selected the music for this year’s project. In addition, thank you to Dean Todd Guy, Luke Aleckson, Tim Beardshear, and Jessica Snell.
—CCCA, 2021