The Story of Shalom

Mike Patz • Feb 23, 2026

There are a lot of things that people may be tempted to give up during Lent. Speeding, scrolling, overeating, gossiping, social media, snacking… The list is almost as long as the variety of personalities on earth. For centuries, Christians have set aside the 40 Days leading up to Easter as the season of Lent.

Pastor Mike Patz begins a new sermon series, Lent:It’s not about earning… it’s about remembrance. We’re going to remember the ultimate story of God, of us, and the world. 

The stories we think we’re living will direct our lives. What kind of story do you believe you’re living? The Bible offers us a different story, and it’s found in Genesis 1. This is a liturgy, where God speaks a word and Heaven and Earth are created. If we don’t look at Genesis 1, we won’t know what is being restored through the death and resurrection of Jesus. In the beginning, “it was good!”

We have a God who is intentional, one of form, order, and in-filling. We live in a world that tells us something much different, but in remembering our great God we see our true story. We bear His image, and yes, “it is very good.” Lent invites us to reclaim our true story: we were created in shalom, broken by sin, but invited to be restored in Jesus Christ.