Today’s the first day of Lent which begins with Ash
Wednesday. First, what is Ash Wednesday and why celebrate
it? Ash Wednesday is a day of fasting and is the first day of
Lent which is a 46 day period leading up to Easter. I’ll talk
more about Lent shortly. What is the scriptural basis for Ash
Wednesday? Many Old Testament scriptures are used to
support the use of ashes in correlation with repentance.
Ashes were used in ancient times to express grief. When Tamar was raped by her half-brother, "she sprinkled ashes on her head, tore her robe, and with her face buried in her hands went away crying" (2 Samuel 13:19). The gesture was also used to express sorrow for sins and faults. In Job 42:3–6, Job says to God: "I have heard of you by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eyes see you. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes." The prophet Jeremiah calls for repentance by saying: "O daughter of my people, gird on sackcloth, roll in the ashes" (Jer 6:26). The prophet Daniel recounted pleading to God: "I turned to the Lord God, pleading in earnest prayer, with fasting, sackcloth and ashes" (Daniel 9:3). Just prior to the New Testament period, the rebels fighting for Jewish independence, the Maccabees, prepared for battle using ashes: "That day they fasted and wore sackcloth; they sprinkled ashes on their heads and tore their clothes" (1 Maccabees 3:47).
Examples of the practice among Jews are found in several other books of the Bible, including Numbers 19:9, 19:17, Jonah 3:6, Book of Esther 4:1, and Hebrews 9:13. Jesus is quoted as speaking of the practice in Matthew 11:21 and Luke 10:13: "If the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago (sitting) in sackcloth and ashes.”
So, ashes use on Ash Wednesday to begin the Lenten Season is for us to remember our mortality and need of repentance. Ashes are placed on the heads of believers in the form of a cross and the words of Genesis 3:19 when God says: “Remember, you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” This passage is also found in Ecclesiastes 3:20.
Lent, as I mentioned above, is a 46 day period leading us to Easter Sunday. The 46 days are broken down this way. 40 days of Lent and 6 Sundays in Lent. In other words, the 6 Sundays between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday are NOT days of Lent. They are called Feast Days, days you celebrate the risen Savior. The other 40 days are fast days. The 40 days originated from the 40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness fasting and being tempted by Satan as recorded in gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. These 40 days of fasting and prayer are to be used to reflect on your walk with Christ. We are to examine ourself and see where there is need of repentance, where our way of life can be changed for a stronger, more committed walk with Christ. This time has also supported the instruction of those who desire baptism and membership into the church family.
Ashes were used in ancient times to express grief. When Tamar was raped by her half-brother, "she sprinkled ashes on her head, tore her robe, and with her face buried in her hands went away crying" (2 Samuel 13:19). The gesture was also used to express sorrow for sins and faults. In Job 42:3–6, Job says to God: "I have heard of you by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eyes see you. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes." The prophet Jeremiah calls for repentance by saying: "O daughter of my people, gird on sackcloth, roll in the ashes" (Jer 6:26). The prophet Daniel recounted pleading to God: "I turned to the Lord God, pleading in earnest prayer, with fasting, sackcloth and ashes" (Daniel 9:3). Just prior to the New Testament period, the rebels fighting for Jewish independence, the Maccabees, prepared for battle using ashes: "That day they fasted and wore sackcloth; they sprinkled ashes on their heads and tore their clothes" (1 Maccabees 3:47).
Examples of the practice among Jews are found in several other books of the Bible, including Numbers 19:9, 19:17, Jonah 3:6, Book of Esther 4:1, and Hebrews 9:13. Jesus is quoted as speaking of the practice in Matthew 11:21 and Luke 10:13: "If the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago (sitting) in sackcloth and ashes.”
So, ashes use on Ash Wednesday to begin the Lenten Season is for us to remember our mortality and need of repentance. Ashes are placed on the heads of believers in the form of a cross and the words of Genesis 3:19 when God says: “Remember, you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” This passage is also found in Ecclesiastes 3:20.
Lent, as I mentioned above, is a 46 day period leading us to Easter Sunday. The 46 days are broken down this way. 40 days of Lent and 6 Sundays in Lent. In other words, the 6 Sundays between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday are NOT days of Lent. They are called Feast Days, days you celebrate the risen Savior. The other 40 days are fast days. The 40 days originated from the 40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness fasting and being tempted by Satan as recorded in gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. These 40 days of fasting and prayer are to be used to reflect on your walk with Christ. We are to examine ourself and see where there is need of repentance, where our way of life can be changed for a stronger, more committed walk with Christ. This time has also supported the instruction of those who desire baptism and membership into the church family.
Some have asked me, “Is that a Catholic thing?” “Yes and
No,” I say. Yes it came out of the early church, but no, it is
not only a Catholic thing. Following the Reformation of the
16th Century, the reformers did not abandon ritual or feast
day the Catholic church celebrated in Lent. If so, the
Protestant church would have done way with Holy
Communion and Baptism along with the other 5 Catholic
sacraments. But instead, the reformers saw this 40 days of
Lent as a significant time of preparation for our journey with
Christ and felt it should be included in the Book of Common
Prayer. Many churches since have embraced Lent.
I believe Lent can be a very significant period for all of us each year. Through days of fasting (you decide on that) and emphasis on prayers of repentance, we all grow closer in our walk with Him, our Savior and LORD!
This year at HOPE Church on the Feast Day of Sunday, we will be preaching on the 7 Last Words of Christ from the cross. Those words are: “Forgive, Salvation, Family, Forsaken, Thirsty, Finished, and Father...” Each Sunday we will focus on one of these words, study what it meant then and how it applies to us today.
Lent 2016 begins today, Wednesday, February 10th and ends on Saturday, March 26th. How will you spend these days of preparation? Will Lent 2016 look any different in your life than in years before? Will you examine yourself for ways to follow your Savior more completely? My answer to these last two questions is “YES.” I will be praying for you all that you too will say Yes!
I believe Lent can be a very significant period for all of us each year. Through days of fasting (you decide on that) and emphasis on prayers of repentance, we all grow closer in our walk with Him, our Savior and LORD!
This year at HOPE Church on the Feast Day of Sunday, we will be preaching on the 7 Last Words of Christ from the cross. Those words are: “Forgive, Salvation, Family, Forsaken, Thirsty, Finished, and Father...” Each Sunday we will focus on one of these words, study what it meant then and how it applies to us today.
Lent 2016 begins today, Wednesday, February 10th and ends on Saturday, March 26th. How will you spend these days of preparation? Will Lent 2016 look any different in your life than in years before? Will you examine yourself for ways to follow your Savior more completely? My answer to these last two questions is “YES.” I will be praying for you all that you too will say Yes!
Blessings my friends,
Pastor Marty.
Pastor Marty.
Worship, Grow, Serve.
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