03.05.

17 Lent 1 Meaning of Lent

Let us pray: O God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

our only Savior, the Prince of Peace: Give us grace
seriously to lay to heart the great dangers we are in by
our unhappy divisions; take away all hatred and
prejudice, and whatever else may hinder us from godly
union and concord; that, as there is but one Body and
one Spirit, one hope of our calling, one Lord, one Faith,
one Baptism, one God and Father of us all, so we may be
all of one heart and of one soul, united in one holy bond
of truth and peace, of faith and charity, and may with
one mind and one mouth glorify You; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.

Today is the first Sunday in Lent not the first day; that
was this past Wednesday. Lent is a period of forty days
set aside by the worldwide churches as a period of
repentance for a spiritual preparation for Easter. The
word, Lent, comes from an Old English word: lenchthen
meaning the days are lengthening as Spring approaches.
This celebration started as early as 200 years after Jesus
death and resurrection.

Christians voluntarily observe Lent as the spiritual

emphasis season of the year. The key word is
repentance, meaning a change of mind to transform.
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A turning about from Satans ways to God and His
Kingdom - a radical reorientation of ones personal life.

Lent is observed because it is an opportunity to share in

the Passion of Christ it is walking to Jerusalem to
suffer and die with Him. Lent gives us an opportunity to
practice self-denial the bringing of oneself under strict
control to be a better disciple of Christ. Lent brings us
closer to Jesus by concentrating upon the Cross what
led to it and what its deeper meanings are.

Lent is observed because there cannot be a true and

meaningful Easter without Lent. The Resurrection would
have no meaning without the death on the Cross being
first. If there is no Cross there can be no Crown. If
there is no dying in Christ, there can be no rising with
Him. Lent is observed because it calls for a closer walk
with God and a deeper relationship with His Son through
the Cross.

For well over a millennium Lent has traditionally been a

time of fasting -being an ancient and Biblical practice of
denying self for spiritual discipline. It means saying NO
to your-self. You may fast on many different things, such
as: food drink or any form of pleasure, and the money
saved by such fasting can be given for the extension of
Gods kingdom through the Church.

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To truly fast, you must give up something that is very
precious to you that would be a sacrifice to give up.
Think of what would be most difficult for you to give up
for forty days for the sake of Jesus. Then make it your
sacrifice to God as Jesus sacrificed Himself on the Cross
for our sin giving us an opportunity for life eternal with
God. Fasting calls for discipline, self-denial, and self-
sacrifice and out of this period of fasting, we emerge
stronger in faith and closer to Christ.

During Lent, we should keep our focus on the Cross of

Christ. Which reminds me of a story you may know
this story of a story of a young couple that was given
very clear instructions not to eat of the fruit of good and
evil. But, they lost their focus when the Devil tempted
them and they ate of the fruit and suffered the
consequences. Now, while frolicking in paradise, and
presumably enjoying immortality, as they felt the
physical presence of God, and getting to eat from an
abundance of delicious fruits -may not seem like a fast
but it really was.

In the midst of all that abundance, the sense that there

was something that was not for them was too difficult for
them to bear. The rule concerning the tree of good and
evil was an opportunity for them to deny their desire so
that they could remain in right relationship with God.

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When they didnt, they suffered the consequences
kicked out of the Garden that was their home.

This lesson makes sense on the first Sunday of Lent as

we are reminded of just how blessed we truly are and
how discipline in some things can increase our joy in all
things and keep us closer to God.

Lent is a time to travel. We go up to Jerusalem with

Jesus where He suffers and dies. We re-live the tragedy
of His last days and we share the experience of His agony
of soul in Gethsemane. We shudder as we stand at the
foot of the Cross with His loyal few. To share in this
experience, we attend Lenten services practice special
devotions at home increase our daily Bible reading
and give more time for prayer, meditation, and reflection.
As we keep the Cross before our eyes for forty days, we
come to Easter with a new appreciation of Gods love for
us in Christ; and for the valued role of the Holy Ghost.

The color of Lent is purple the color of repentance and

meditation the mood of Lent. The season would have
us be somber and solemn. It is a serious time because
our dear Lord is being tried condemned and
murdered. This should fill us with horror and shame, for
we too, share in this tragedy by our own personal sin. It
is the most serious time of the Church year its a time
of questioning.
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Life or death questions are asked of Jesus as He gets
closer to Calvary: Is it lawful to pay taxes? Is there a
resurrection? What is the greatest commandment? Who
is this man, called the Christ?

It is also a time of testing: Judas is tested and found

wanting. Peter is tested for loyalty. Jesus obedience to
the Father is tested not only in Gethsemane, but also
three great tests as witnessed in todays Gospel.

Lent is a time of tears: Judas was filled with remorse for

his betrayal. Peter wept bitterly after his denial of his
Lord. In sympathy, women wept for Jesus as He carried
the Cross to Calvary.

Above all, Lent is a time of dying: Jesus to be nailed to a

tree - for having a crown of thorns put on His head - for
the agony of thirst for the desolation of loneliness and
for a spear in His side. Lent is a time that tries the souls
of Christian men and women.

Lent produces great fruit for the one who strictly

observes it. It means great happiness resulting from
living close to God during the forty days. Through extra
Bible reading prayer and worship, Lent leaves us with
a deeper faith. Because we fasted and denied ourselves,
we have a new appreciation for the suffering of Jesus.

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Out of this fresh realization of what Christ endured and
suffered for us, we have a new and deeper appreciation of
Him and what He did for us personally. This results in
gratitude which motivates us to take up our cross daily
and follow Him in loving service to our neighbor.

Then Easter comes in all its glory and we share in the

victory of the Resurrection because we too, have risen out
of death to life in Christ; and can hold our head high to
the rest of the world, for we are living in Gods kingdom
here on earth.

And so, given all this, our call is to live a Holy Lent
beyond fasting and abstinence to embracing the truths
that will set our-selves and our churches free to live out
the fullness of Gods mission on earth.

This means taking ten minutes each morning and

evening for a tryst with God. Start with the prayer that
has been handed to you. Then spend the time thinking,
meditating, praying, and reading Gods Holy Word.
Decide on what you will fast and stick to it through Good
Friday.

Climax the season by offering your sacrifices to God in a

monetary equivalent on the day of Jesus supreme
sacrifice Good Friday or the day of His Resurrection
Easter Sunday.
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Do not be content to worship as usual during Lent, but
attend all the special Lenten services as well as Sunday.
Practice the presence of Christ in your daily life; in
school, at the office, or at home. Since Christ died for all
men and women, reach out each week to someone not
attending a church and invite at least one to go to church
with you.

There will probably not be time in your already busy life

to add these additional practices meaning, you will
have to think through the priorities of your life and drop
those things that are least important in your life.

Ask yourself this: Can there be anything more important

than my relationship with God in Christ?

Through our fasting may we all seek to find the strength

that will keep our focus on God and find ways to meet
the physical and spiritual hunger needs of others.

May we all seek community this Lent and give of our time
to give ohau to those who are particularly isolated and
hurting spiritually and physically.

Finally, let us all consider how we might empower each

other and have power and influence together in order to
create positive outcomes for the world.

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It is this kind of Lent that will truly live into the Spirit of
Spring regardless of what the weather might be doing.

It is this kind of Lent that will take us towards an Easter

Season full of resurrection and new life.

My prayer: May all the church, with Gods help, engage in

Lent this way. Amen.