What is Ash Wednesday and Lent?

Lent is a season of 40 days (not counting Sundays). It begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Saturday (the day before Easter). This period of 40 days represents the time Jesus spent in the wilderness, enduring the temptation of Satan, and preparing to begin his ministry.

In the early church, Lent was a time to prepare new believers for baptism. For us, it's a time of repenting, fasting, and preparing our hearts and lives for Easter. This is a time for us to reflect on and examine our relationship with Jesus. During this season, many Christians choose to give up something (time watching T.V. or chocolate) or to volunteer and give to others.

Maybe you're wondering about the last part of the first sentence. Why aren't Sundays counted in Lent? Each Sunday represents a mini-Easter, so the solemn spirit of Lent is tempered with joyful anticipation of the Resurrection.

Now, back to the talk of personal penitence and self-denial.

Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent. Make no mistake about it, Ash Wednesday is about death. We confront our mortality and confess our sins before God. Think about it this way--to be born again means we have to die. In Romans 6:4 and Colossians 2:12, Paul speaks about "being buried with him in baptism."

Lent is not about adding spiritual disciplines; it's about submitting more fully to grace. Lent is not about us trying to make ourselves better; it's about us letting go, trusting God, submitting to him, and allowing him to make us more holy. Ultimately, it's about learning how to live the way of Jesus.

Comments

From Anxiety to Hope

In the early winter of AD 28, an extraordinary rumor spread across the shores of Galilee. A new prophet is on the scene. God had been silent for so long. Believers had longed for a new word from God. The last prophet to speak about the Messiah lived nearly 400 years ago. Some thought prophecy was dead. Others hoped it would be revived. Many longed for a movement which would bring them a new kind of freedom. Then John appears. Crowds come to hear this voice in the wilderness. It may helpful to remember the Exodus story: When Israel left Egypt, they were ed through the Red Sea, through the wilderness of Sinai, and, finally, through the Jordan into the promised land. People were desperate for a new exodus, a new freedom. Then John appears. He tells people to turn their lives around. He calls for people to change their hearts and lives. He's not calling for a one-time event. Instead, this is a radical change of life. John is preparing the road for the Lord to return. He...

The Grand Tour: Repentance, Justification, and Sanctification

Eventually, in life, we will all wonder if there is more to life than what we do, what we see, and what we feel. Even after we accept Jesus into our heart, we will still feel a longing. We don't believe that accepting Jesus is the final step. Accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior is only the beginning of our faith. The Holy Spirit continues to work in our lives. John Wesley used the illustration of a house to describe this work. When you're beginning to feel that there has to be more to life than this, you take a look at the house. Then, you’re moved to take a risk and step up on the porch of repentance. There you find new life. After that, you walk into the living room through the front door of justification. Justification is when God makes right what we never can; God, through Christ, makes things right. Wesley ended by saying that sanctification is the exploration of the rest of the house. How sad would it be to live your entire life in the living room? That would b...

Our Mission from Jesus

Mark 6:7-13 in the Common English Bible (CEB) reads: "He [Jesus] called for the Twelve and sent them out in pairs. He gave them authority over unclean spirits. He instructed them to take nothing for the journey except a walking stick--no bread, no bags, and no money in their belts. He told them to wear sandals but not to put on two shirts. He said, 'Whatever house you enter, remain there until you leave that place. If a place doesn't welcome you or listen to you, as you leave, shake the dust off your feet as a witness against them.' So they went out and proclaimed that people should change their hearts and lives. They cast out many demons, and they anointed many sick people with olive oil and healed them." In this text, Jesus sends out his disciples to proclaim and live the life that Jesus lives in their presence. He gives them the command to preach, heal, and to overcome evil, with authority. He sends them to reveal the good news of the kingdom with words a...

The Wesleyan Way

Search This Blog