Ash
Wednesday 03/01/17 Homer Avenue UMC
Sermon Title: “What Holy Lent is about”
Old Testament
Scripture: Psalm 51:1-17
New Testament
Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10
Gospel Lesson:
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21
My friends, my brothers and sisters in Christ, welcome
again on this holy day in the life of the church. This day, Ash Wednesday,
marks for us as Christians, the beginning of the season of Lent, or Great Lent,
or Holy Lent.
In the Bible, in both the Old and the New Testaments, we
have events that occur in time allotments, such as sevens or forty’s. Moses
went up on the mountain for 40-days, the Israelites wandered in the wilderness
for 40-years, Noah was in the Ark on the waters for, you guessed it, 40-days.
In the season of Holy Lent, which comes from the Latin word
“Quadragesima,” which means “Fortieth”, is yet another 40-day period, or in this case, a
season of the church. If you count up the days from today through Holy
Saturday, which is the day before Easter Sunday, there are actually 46-days,
but Sundays don’t count during the Lenten Season.
Since Jesus Christ rose from the dead
on Easter Sunday, many Christians view every Sunday as a “mini-Easter”. If you
have given up something for Lent, then you are not bound to this on Sundays.
You are only bound during the 40-days of Lent. This coming Sunday, I will be
preaching on Jesus being tempted in the wilderness, for you guessed it,
40-days.
While
in both the Old and New Testaments we have plenty of examples of things occurring
in sevens, or forty’s, and etc., the season of Holy Lent is about more than
just 40-days. The season of Holy Lent is about more than just a number of days,
or a period of time. The season of Holy Lent is about more than just giving up something
that we love, like ice cream, or coffee, or Facebook.
It
is true that the season of Holy Lent is about us turning from our sin,
repenting, reflecting, and preparing ourselves for the coming crucifixion of
Jesus Christ. I would argue though, that Lent is not just about us. For some of
us, we give up things, we deprive ourselves, we fast, we reflect, but Lent
ultimately is about growing closer to Jesus Christ. I don’t believe then that
we are called to give up things we love for Lent, simply to just punish
ourselves. Instead our Lenten practices should be chosen in order to bring us
closer to God.
For
me in this season of Lent, or Great, Lent, or Holy Lent, I am giving up sweets.
All sweets. Now that I have just said this out loud, it doesn’t sound very
exciting. I also accidentally forgot, and ate a cookie today to. So I am not
off to a good start! For me though, my hope is that giving up sweets, and yes
all sweets, will be something that makes me appreciate God’s provision for me
more, and will help me grow closer to Jesus Christ.
With
this said, towards the end of the worship service tonight, you will also have
the opportunity to receive ashes on your forehead. For some, this is an
experience that is really emotional, and makes them feel closer to God. The
ashes are not a sacrament, but are a symbol, that we are to be humble before
God. That we are to remember what Jesus has done for us all, and what he
continues to do for us all every day.
The practice
of ashes on Ash Wednesday goes back as early as the late 500’s AD, but became much
more common by the late 1000’s. In many cultures, the ashes are sprinkled on
the head of the receiver of ashes, but in our country, we often impose the
ashes on the forehead of the receiver of the ashes. One of the scriptures that
is often used for Ash Wednesday services, is from Genesis 3:19 that says, “By the sweat of your face
you shall eat bread
until you return to the ground,
for out of it you were taken;
you are dust,
and to dust you shall return”
(Gen. 3:19, NRSV). Jeremiah 6:26 also discussed being in sackcloth and ashes.
This day is also
celebrated all differently in different cultures. In some cultures people crawl
to the church on their hands and knees, some cultures might have people whip their
backs, and do other painful things.
It would seem
that in some cultures, and in some churches there is still a great notion of
Holy Lent being about shame and guilt. This notion that we are supposed to
punish ourselves for 40-days because of how wretched and terrible we are. I
respect the cultures and churches that have these practices, but I don’t think
that Holy Lent needs to be about abusing or harming ourselves.
Did Christ die for us? Yes he did, but Jesus came to bring
life, not to destroy it. Jesus took on the cross, so that we wouldn’t have to.
In growing
closer to Christ during Holy Lent the, I believe that anything we can do to
deprive ourselves shouldn’t be to punish ourselves. If you fast, then fast to
grow closer to Jesus Christ. If you give up something, then do it because it brings
you closer to God. More than this, if we are drawing closer to Christ, then how
are we sharing this hope with others. Specifically, instead of just giving up
things you love, what can you give away in this season of Holy Lent? How can
you love others more? How can we make the world a better place each and every
day?
In being Christians,
we are part of a historic faith that is nearly 2,000 years old. Jesus Christ came
to seek and save the lost, to love, heal, and forgive, and to die for the sins
of humanity. Yet the world today is still riddled with war, violence, and injustice.
Given this, I think that first and foremost that the season of Holy Lent is
about us growing closer to Jesus Christ, but part of our faith is transforming the
world.
As I said
then, Lent shouldn’t just be about us, but it should also be about what God has
called us to each and every day in the world. So in addition to giving up ice
cream, how has God called us to live our faith in this season of Holy Lent? To
me that is what Holy Lent is about. Lent is about turning from our sin,
repenting, recognizing what Jesus has done for us, and growing closer to him.
In the process of doing this though, how can we live our faith to individually
and corporately change the world?
In our reading
from Psalm 51:1-7 for tonight, it talks about need to ask God’s forgiveness, to
turn from sin and death towards God. The scripture says to God, “Hide your face
from my sins, and blot out my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and put a new and right spirit within me. Do not cast mw away from your
presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of
your salvation” (Ps. 51:9-12a, NRSV).
In doing this
though, are we changed from the inside out? We will work to draw closer to
Christ in this season of Holy Lent? If we will, how will it change us, and how
will it help us to change others?
The Apostle
Paul then tells us in his second Epistle or letter the church in Corinth, or the
Corinthians reading for tonight, that “we are ambassadors for Christ; since God
is making his appeal through us” (2 Cor. 5:20a, NSRV). We are called then to be
reconciled to God through Jesus Christ.
The Apostle
Paul then says speaking of God, “As we work together with him, we urge you also
not to accept the grace of God in vain” (2 Cor. 6:1, NRSV). So take the gift of
Jesus Christ seriously, each and every day.
The Apostle Paul then goes on to say, “but as servants of God
we have commended ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in
afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors,
sleepless nights, hunger, by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of
spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons
of righteousness for the right hand and for the left” (2 Cor. 6:4-7, NRSV).
The Apostle
Paul is then telling us to draw close to Christ, but that we must also be
active in the world and serve others. Holy Lent is about drawing closer to God,
but serving others as part of this process.
In our gospel
of Matthew lesson for tonight, Jesus encourages us to pursue a real and an authentic
faith. Jesus tells to be humble, to serve to please God, and not for earthly
rewards. Jesus tell us not to be hypocritical, especially when we pray. Jesus
tells us that if we fast, do it for God, not for earthly validation. Jesus then
tells us to not horde wealth and possessions. Jesus tells us lastly, “For where
your treasure is, there your hearth will be also” (Mt. 6:21, NRSV).
To me, the
season of Lent is a great season to grow in faith, to turn from sin and
darkness, and to grow closer to Jesus Christ. In doing this though, in giving
up, are we also serving, loving, and giving away. Jesus came to set us free,
but also so that we may do the same for each other. So on this Ash Wednesday, I
say blessings in the name of Jesus Christ, and happy Lent! Amen.
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