Lent…
The following is an essay I’ve used with our church in describing and preparing for the season of Lent. This year, Lent begins a week from today, February 22.
In the Ash Wednesday liturgy, the pastor makes the sign of the cross on the worshipper’s forehead with ash while saying: From dust you have come and to dust you shall return. This visible and peculiar mark reminds worshippers of their dependency upon God’s provision in creation, God’s rescue operation in Jesus’ death, and God’s victory in Jesus’ resurrection.
Jesus was perfectly and completely devoted to God. He remained faithful throughout his life even in the face of temptations, such as the forty-day fast in the desert and in the garden. His perfect life paved the way for his victorious death. All of which culminated in his resurrection, the inauguration of God’s Kingdom on earth. His followers are by grace through faith identified with him in life, death, and resurrection! The forty days of Lent is a time for believers to journey with Jesus in the desert as it leads to Good Friday and, ultimately, Easter Sunday. Our observance during this time is further cooperation with the Holy Spirit to remove anything that divides our devotion unto God.
The churches I attended growing up focused their attention on Easter Sunday without regard to the historical church’s traditions such as Lent. Furthermore, the resurrection of Jesus was primarily thought of in terms of his physical triumph over death, not completely unlike the one in which Lazarus experienced. In this way, it was the cornerstone of an apologetic, which sought to empirically “prove the faith” to unbelievers – “we are right, they are wrong, and the empty tomb proves it.” Toward this end, the most important fact in the life of the church, not to mention human history, was belittled. The connection of Jesus’ victory over death (sin) to the Kingdom of God was rarely, if ever made.
Little or no attention was given to the sufferings of Jesus (That said, I do remember one preacher from my youth who was famous for going into all the graphic and gory details of Jesus’ beating and death – i.e. Mel Gibson’s portrayal. Even this, though, seemed to miss the battle that was being waged.) It was rare to have someone unpack the meaning of the cross as Christ’s subsitutionary atonement for sin. Because of that, for me, the celebration on Easter Sunday grew thin without a fuller understanding of the battle that had been waged and won at Calvary. When the stone was rolled back, the King of kings emerged and His Kingdom was forever established and will be consummated at His second coming!
The life, death, and resurrection of Christ must be considered in the church’s Easter reflections. Historically, the church has instituted certain practices, rites, and traditions, such as Lent, that assist believers toward this end. For example, Lent provides a prolonged season in which the community of believers is encouraged to fast from certain luxuries or extras, even things that are otherwise necessary. Conversely, some may choose to include certain activities: evening prayers, memorizing passages of Scripture, praying with friends or their spouse. Some might say, “Isn’t that works-based faith?” To which I respond, “No. Having been saved by grace through faith, we are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling.” Of course we must guard against seeing our abstinence or activities as a means we put God into our debt: I do X or don’t do X; God owes me Y in return. The Bible is very clear about our good works being worthless when it comes to the righteous demands of God. By grace through faith, the Holy Spirit animates our otherwise paltry efforts for Kingdom purposes. Thus, as one writer aptly says, fasting and the spiritual disciplines work on us, not God! Our efforts during Lent are responsive not initiative.
Good Friday is the end of the Lenten fast. It punctuates the Gospel truth: We are all at once guilty of rebellion against God and powerless to save ourselves from the guilt. There is nothing noble, pious, good, or humanitarian that can save us from our sin during Lent or any other time. There was only One who could satisfy the righteous requirements of God’s perfect justice: Jesus of Nazareth. The death He died, He died once and for all (Romans 6). No more blood is needed for the atonement of sin. Sin’s power is broken. Its pollution is being swept away by the power of the Holy Spirit. We cooperate with the Spirit in the clean up process.
The apostle Paul calls us to present ourselves to God as His instruments. The metaphor Paul chooses conjures images of guitars, chisels, paintbrushes, paints, and clay, all of which illustrate how God finds His glory in our life in this world. He uses us to accomplish what he desires as the Master Artist! Toward that end, I invite you reflect upon the life-changing, earth-shattering truth of Calvary and the empty tomb. Go beyond the shallow and isolated reflection. Join the invisible church, the local congregation, and the Body of Christ down through history. Together, we carefully consider the reason for our existence as His instruments!
Scripture
One of the ways we cooperate with the Holy Spirit’s clean up is in reading Scripture. The Bible is God’s primary means by which He reveals His living Word to us. And, the Bible says, His Word is “living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” The five questions below for our consideration during Lent will be brought into focus as we read and study Scripture.
Suggestions for reading Scripture during Lent:
• There are daily Scripture readings that are set out in the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL). These usually provide you with a good mix of both Testaments. You can find the RCL online.
• Read the prophetic literature in the Old Testament. (e.g. Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah)
• Journal as you read. By journaling, you interact with the Word of God! This will also aid you in recalling what you have read.
• Read with others. Form small groups for reading Scripture, praying, and discussing the five questions we’ve put forth.
• Scripture teaches us how to pray. Pray portions of Scripture that you read.
Five Questions for Lent
Scripture will guide you to ask practical questions about your life and community. Take careful stock of the incentives by which your life operates. The Bible is full of good questions. Questions give us pause; they provide us space to reconsider our ways and assumptions.
For that reason, I’m inviting you to consider the following questions as we read Scripture, fast, pray, and confess our sin during Lent:
1. What people, possessions, and/or plans are threatening to upstage God and God’s plans in your life? Another way to ask the same question: What provokes your imagination, your worry, your sleepless nights, or your brain space?
2. What expectations and results have organized your life so that even God becomes a means toward these ends? Some of these may seem good, noble, or acceptable from a purely human perspective.
3. What is the tangible fruit of your faith in God? Conversely, what areas of personal sin have you grown accustomed to and are harboring so as to grant the Enemy a foothold in your life?
4. Are you aware of social issues whether near or far in which the poor, the weak, the helpless, the sick, and/ or dying are being exploited? If you are not aware of such realities, why is that? If you are aware of such injustices in this world, what are doing about it?
5. Where are you able to simplify your life right now? TV? Buying? Eating out? Toys? Luxurious travel? Cars? Homes? Gadgets? Eating? Drinking? Music? Where could your life become less packed, less noisy, less consuming, less filling, or less luxurious?
Ask these questions out loud. Ask these questions while sitting next to your wife or husband on the sofa. Ask your kids. Ask your friends. Lent is a communal observance as much as it is time to do personal inventories. Together, we are seeking to be more faithful by God’s grace in every area of our life.
God, grant us mercy and grace by Your Holy Spirit. Left alone, we are but dust.




