02/14/24 Sidney UMC – Ash Weds. Sermon
Sermon Title: “Be Reconciled To God!”
Old Testament Scripture: Psalm 51:1-17
New Testament Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10
Gospel Lesson: Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21
So, I remember twelve years ago when I led my first Ash
Wednesday service up in the Adirondacks. It was not a service that I had ever
led before, and while I had attended a couple of Ash Wednesday services in the
past, I guess I never really thought too deeply into what Ash Wednesday is.
What I did know however, was that the day before Ash Wednesday it seemed to be
a party day. In New Orleans there is Mardi Gras, and some churches have pancake
feasts, known as “Shrove Tuesday Dinners”. The day before Ash Wednesday in many
traditions seems to be a day of feasting and excess.
Then today, the beginning of Lent or Ash Wednesday, we enter
into a season of prayer, giving up, giving away, reflection, fasting, and
seeking to grow closer to Jesus Christ. Throughout the two-thousand-year history
of the Christian Church, many traditions have developed within the worshipping tradition
and the life of local churches. Some of these traditions have been embraced by
some Christian Churches and some Christian Denominations, and some have been rejected.
While the Holy Scriptures are our central source of teaching over the centuries,
various churches and denominations have incorporated into the worship and the
life of their churches things that affirm and or coincide with the teaching of
the Holy Scriptures.
Many Christian Churches and Christian Denominations, as I
have said in previous Ash Wednesday services also plan there years around the “liturgical
calendar”. The “liturgical calendar,” or church calendar includes the various
seasons of the church year like Advent, Lent, Common or Ordinary Time, Christmas,
Epiphany, and etc. We mark these seasons with different color paraments or rugs
on our pulpit, lectern, and altar, but we don’t have to do this. This is all
tradition. In Medieval times when most people were illiterate, the church
calendar, the colored paraments, etc. helped orient people around the Christian
Calendar and the seasons. Purple for example, is the color of royalty, and
since Jesus is the King of kings, many churches have purple colored paraments
in the holy seasons of Advent and Lent, to show that Jesus is our high and holy
leader. Some churches have even gone to royal blue paraments in the season of Advent
to distinguish Advent and Lent.
Many churches have or used to have annual Christmas pageants
every year. Many churches have Advent Wreathes, candy canes, green garlands, coffee
hour, rummage sales, Christmas Wreathes, etc. Some churches have children’s
sermons each week, some churches have many other traditions, as well. Throughout
the two-thousand-year history of the Christian Church these traditions were
created to be connected to scripture and to grow our faith in Christ, and as I
said, some people think some of these traditions are unscriptural and or unnecessary.
I say all of this, because the season of Lent is something
that developed through the worshipping tradition of the Christian Church. This
season is not required of us to observe or even directly laid out in scripture.
Yet, Jesus is tempted by Satan in the wilderness for 40-days and 40-nights in Matthew
4:1-11. The Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40-years, Moses was on
the mountain for 40-days and 40-nights, Noah was on the Ark 40-days, etc. So,
throughout the worshipping tradition of the church, what emerged was a special season
of spiritual preparation leading up to Jesus’ birth on Christmas, and to his crucifixion
and resurrection on Easter. The church developed and created the season of
Advent and Lent, which by the way, are 40-days and 40-nights. These seasons
exist to offer us time to spiritually connect with Christ and to prepare
ourselves for Jesus to die on the cross, to await his resurrection, and in Advent,
to await his birth on Christmas, and one day return to earth.
Another tradition that developed within the church to start
the season of Lent, is what brings us here tonight, the tradition of “Ash
Wednesday”. Once again, we created it, but the scriptures in different places
do talk about going before God in sackcloth and ashes. Given this, “Ash
Wednesday” in the most basic sense, is a call for us to enter into the season
of Lent, and we do this by marking ourselves with ashes. In some places the
ashes are sprinkled on people’s heads. Further, what kind of ashes do we use?
Well ashes from burnt palms of course! Jesus rode into Jerusalem of Palm Sunday
to the shouts of “Hosanna,” and those palms become the ashes we impose tonight.
As our opening hymn for tonight is called, “Sunday’s Palms Are Wednesday’s
Ashes”.
Again, all of this is tradition within some churches, and
it is not required. I believe though that Ash Wednesday and the season of Lent
can be good for our spiritual growth and our walk with Christ. If I did not, I
would not want to observe and or celebrate them. For these reasons, I like
these traditions, while I realize that some churches don’t embrace them.
Further,
tonight, “Ash Wednesday” is about us realizing our own mortality. That as the
scripture says we come from dust, and to dust we will return one day. Tonight
is about realizing that this life on earth is fleeting, and our time on this
earth is limited. As a result, when the ashes are imposed on us tonight, the
words “Repent, and the believe the Gospel” will be spoken. Why? Because in this
the 40-day season of Lent, we are called to live and love more like Jesus
Christ. We are showing the world our desire to be humble, loving, caring, and
repentant of any sin our wrong doing. We are trying to be all God has called us
to be, so that the world might know us by our love. As my sermon title says, we
are called to “Be Reconciled To God!” Where in our lives is there brokenness? Where
in our lives is there pain, sorrow, sin, and or worry. In this season of Lent
that starts tonight on this Ash Wednesday, may we all “Be Reconciled To God!”
The ashes that we receive tonight then, are just a symbol, as
they themselves have no power. Once again though, they show us and the world
that as followers of Jesus Christ that are we seeking to be more like him is
this season of Lent, and always. This means giving up, giving away, repenting
of our sin, and seeking to “Be Reconciled To God!” We might observe the
tradition of giving things away in this season, or fasting from a food or
something else we enjoy, or being intentionally more loving and generous in
another area. Ash Wednesday, and this whole season, was created simply and
basically to orient us towards the cross of Christ, and to grow us in holiness,
righteousness, mercy, and love. This is why on this night, the first day of
Lent, and always, I challenge us all to “Be Reconciled To God!”
I also don’t think that Ash Wednesday and Lent needs to be
a bummer or a time where we think awfully of ourselves. This of this as a
40-day season to grow closer to Christ, and to become more like Christ. In our reading
for this evening from Psalm 51:1-17, King David is asking God to forgive him, to
cleanse him, and to blot out his transgressions and his wrong doings. King
David asks God for forgiveness, for a clean heart, and asks for God to help him
live for him (Ps. 51:1-17, NRSV). We gather to pray, to repent, and to commit to
drawing closer to Christ. King David was human, like we all are, and we can be
more like Jesus.
In
our reading for tonight from 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10, the Apostle
Paul tells us that we are ambassadors for Christ. The Apostle Paul tells us to
be reconciled to God, as Christ who had no sin, will on Good Friday die for our
sins. Paul also says that as Christians and as people that sometimes we suffer
for our faith. Paul lists various ways that Christians at this point have
suffered. Yet none of our sufferings can compare to the suffering of Christ on
the cross. If we have suffered or are suffering, Christ who suffered for us,
suffers with us. So, while our suffering is real, Christ is with us eternally
if we but call upon him.
In our gospel of Matthew reading for tonight, once again,
we hear about four different topics. We hear about giving money, praying,
fasting, and storing up treasures on earth. First, Jesus tells us to not to try
to look holy and righteous in front others or give money or alms so that
everyone knows what we give. Be holy and give, but do so for God, for Jesus, not
for an earthly reward or accolades from others (Mt. 6:1-6, NRSV). For the only
one we truly need to please is God.
Jesus continues in Matthew 6:16-21, telling us not to be miserable
when we fast. Whether we are fasting from food or something else, do not look
or act miserable just to try to show everyone how holy you are. Do it for God,
to draw closer to Christ. Likewise, Jesus tells us not to store up treasures on
earth, but rather store up treasures in heaven. Jesus ends this gospel reading
with a verse from Matthew 6:21 that really says it all. Jesus says once again:
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”
(Mt. 6:21, NRSV).
So tonight, my friends, brothers and sisters, on this Ash Wednesday, the first day of the season of Lent 2024, I pray that we all receive and wear our ashes humbly and with grace and mercy. We all need Christ. Let this season of Lent be an opportunity to give, to love, to sacrifice, to give up, and to humble ourselves, so that we will grow closer to Christ and to each other. So may you, so may Pastor Paul, and so may the world “Be Reconciled To God!” Happy Ash Wednesday, and have a blessed Lent! Amen.
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