Restored in Christ

By LINDA M. LINONIS

religion@vindy.com

BOARDMAN

Lent is a walk with Christ and a time to reflect on what the Messiah did for humanity.

That’s how the Rev. Richard Kidd perceives the 40-day period that leads to Holy Week and the Resurrection at Easter.

The pastor of Bethel Lutheran Church, 425 Crestview Drive, is presenting a Lenten program on the theme, “Restored in Christ.” The midweek sessions Wednesdays take place at noon and 6:30 p.m. with soup suppers at 5:30 p.m. The weekly sessions continue next week and March 18 and 25.

This week, the theme was broken trust. That was personified in the betrayal of Jesus by Judas Iscariot. “There are many books that offer different views on Judas,” Pastor Kidd said. “Judas brokered the confrontation between Jesus and the leaders” from the Roman and Jewish factions.

Pastor Kidd pointed out the players in the drama that unfolded “all did what they were supposed to do. The Roman soldiers did their jobs, Pilate did what he had to do to stop a riot and the Jewish leadership did what they thought was right,” he said.

Pastor Kidd said trying to “explain and understand” Judas and his actions is “terrifying and unnerving.”

The minister asked, “Was he a bad apple?”

But that characterization goes against the fact that Jesus picked Judas as a disciple and Judas spent a few years with Jesus. “Judas was a good disciple who went bad,” Pastor Kidd said. “It’s scary to know that if Judas could betray Jesus ... what keeps us from doing the same?”

Broken trust is widespread in modern life. “With one of every two marriages ending in divorce, there is broken trust when it comes to fidelity and apathy and indifference in the love relationship.”

The pastor pointed out broken trust also is found in parental relationships with children ... by “having no time” for them. And conversely, children sometimes dishonor their parents.

“We betray Christ when we don’t stand up as a witness,” Pastor Kidd said. “An identity makeover is needed so the trust is recreated.”

Pastor Kidd said Judas “betrayed Jesus with a kiss.” In that time, it was believed the breath and soul were linked. “The kiss of death stole a soul,” he said. “With broken trust, you lose your soul and die.”

But, the pastor said, “God intervenes with a new you ... the Holy Spirit is the breath of God and breathes new life into us.” He said that gives us a new identity and “remakes what sin destroyed and we become children of God.

“There is a new you in Jesus Christ,” Pastor Kidd said.

The Gospels offer no easy explanation of Judas. “Judas reminds us of our own betrayals,” he said, “but in Christ we are restored.”

Among those attending the Lenten program was Earl “Dig” Coffin, a 40-year church member. “I’m here because of my faith,” he said.