Peace Presbyterian Church

“What’s the Big Deal about Lent?”

At times, I have people ask me about Lent. They ask me questions, such as: What is Lent? Why do we celebrate this season? What’s the big deal? I hope this will help you understand why Lent is so important.

“...we reflect on the condition of our lives now and of how God calls us and wills us to be.”

Lent is one of the major seasons of the church year and is the period of 40 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday. Lent is a time of spiritual preparation for Easter, a time of fasting and of penitence as we reflect on our sinfulness and on how Jesus paid the painful price for our sins on the cross. Lent is also a time of contemplation, as we reflect on the condition of our lives now and of how God calls us and wills us to be. Lent is a reminder to us that life and our lives are often messy, filled with mistakes, sins and imperfections. Lent is also a season where we give up things such as certain foods or drinks in order to refocus on God and in order to have more of God.

“All of us still have pockets or areas of darkness in our lives, areas where we are not trusting God, or areas where we do not acknowledge the Lordship of Christ.”

In our sermon series on the I Am sayings of Jesus, we see that God is very concerned about the state and well being of our souls and lives. John tells us in 8:12, that Jesus says, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Jesus has come to bring us life because He knows that in so many ways, we are missing the mark and really only scratching the surface of what our lives can really be. Jesus has also come to shine the light of God into our hearts and lives, to show us who we really are, and to show us what we need to let go of if we want more of God. All of us still have pockets or areas of darkness in our lives, areas where we are not trusting God, or areas where we do not acknowledge the Lordship of Christ. During Lent, we can pray and ask Jesus to more fully bring His presence into these dark areas of our lives.

“The imagery here is that of changing clothes.”

Jesus invites us to enter into new lives in Him. As Paul tells us in Ephesians 4:22-24, “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires, to be made new in the attitudes of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” The imagery here is that of changing clothes. That is, just as we put on new clothes each day, or more than once each day, so too are we to daily put on a new life in Christ. We have two basic choices of how to live: the old way, that of sin; or the new way, of being like Christ and living for God.

“Are you still stuck in the old life or are you living and being like Jesus?.”

What are some of the characteristics of the old life? Paul says they include: speaking falsely, being angry, stealing, indulging in unwholesome talk, being bitter, being filled with rage and anger, engaging in brawling and slander or being malicious (4:25-32). What does the new life or life in Christ look like? Paul says in part, it will mean that we speak the truth at all times, that we let go of anger quickly and fully, that we work hard and faithfully, that we only say what will build up others, that we are kind and compassionate to others, that we forgive others as Christ has forgiven us (4:25-32). How are you doing? Are you still stuck in the old life or are you living and being like Jesus?

“...God is still working on and in us.”

Lent is a time when we are reminded that our hearts and lives still have darkness in them, that we still need the cross of Christ, that we still need to be forgiven, that we still need to be filled more fully with the Holy Spirit and that God is still working on and in us. Praise God for the gift of Lent and for the gift of the cross! Please spend this season in prayerful reflection and contemplation of what Jesus wants you to give up from your own lives so that you can have more of Him instead.

Love in Christ,
Pastor Brian