A Message from Pastor George Fry

Last Updated 4/22/2026

Matthew 16:24-26 (ESV)

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

We are in the season of Lent, which began on Ash Wednesday, February 18 and runs through Easter Sunday. It is a time of preparation to celebrate the resurrection of Christ. It is a time to contemplate the cost of our salvation. For many it’s a time for fasting, of giving up something. I grew up with friends that would give up candy, soda, video games, or watching television. People give up things only to take them back again. It never really made sense to me. Is it really giving something up, only to pick it up again?

Christ never calls us to give something up only to pick it up again. He calls us to deny ourselves and the world and pick up the cross and follow Him. Maybe for lent we need to think more of giving up and taking on; giving up judgment and taking on grace, giving up hate and taking on love, giving up anger and taking on peace, giving up criticizing and taking on encouragement, giving up pride and taking on humility. To me, that is what lent should be about.

Ephesians 5:10 (NIV) And find out what pleases the Lord.