Lent Begins, 2/15/15

Sermon 2-15-15 Lent Begins 1 John 1:5-2:2

1:5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all[b] sin. 8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us. 2:1My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world

Every morning I sit on a wooden stool and put on my socks.  [dave neimeyer-mercer] Every day.  I make a cup of coffee and drink it.  I drive to work…. The same route every day.  I do what I do.  I go home.  I eat.  I sleep.  And I do it all over again.  There are things that mark a life.  Monuments along the way, reminding us of what is mundane and what matters.

A river runs through it 1992 – blackfoot river

For me, ash Wednesday is such a day.  It comes once a year and reminds me that I need our Father.  It reminds me in no uncertain terms that I must repent and renew my walk with him.  It is an annual passage from death to life, from struggle to grace.  I wouldn’t miss it for the world.

Lent is a time to consider the suffering of Jesus
He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world -1

Lent is about the journey of self discovery
Lent asks the question
Where is god-Where are we-Where do we meet
Lent calls for self examination
Lent calls us to look at our selves

Lent is the annual reminder to remember that it is not about us
Often we think we have arrived - we can get kind of smug
When in fact we haven’t even got on board for the process yet

Lent calls us to leave the areas of superficial spirituality & give ourselves to God
Lent includes struggle, moving along the road, hard choices needed for meaning
Lent asks the hard question - Are you willing to repent of your sin
12 step program = fearless moral inventory

this is a prelent sermon

new sermon  series transformation – change - conversion
consider the stories of great men and women of the bible

transformation.  Change. Am I satisfied with myself?

Those who think they are a finished product scare me.

The nature of repentance.  Facing change.  Being honest with ones self

Real change is possible

The need for us to change.

Not top down, but heart up

What do I want to change into?

My list:

I aspire to

Not waste time

See the good

See people as god sees them.  No more value judgements

Be thankful

Q: What is Lent? Some of you grew up in churches that did not celebrate lent

if we had 20 questions regarding lent…..

1Q: What is Lent?
A:Historically, Lent is the forty day period before Easter, excluding Sundays, it began on Ash Wednesday and ended on Holy Saturday (the day before Easter Sunday).

2Q: Why are Sundays excluded from the reckoning of the forty days?
A: Because Sunday is the day on which Christ arose, its inappropriate day to fast and mourn our sins. On Sunday we must celebrate Christ’s resurrection

3Q: Q. Why are the forty days called Lent?
A: They are called Lent because that is the Old English word for spring, the season of the year during which they fall.  In most other cultures, lent is called Quadragesima, from the latin for “the forty days.”

4Q: Why is Lent forty days long?
A: Because forty days is a traditional number of discipline, devotion, and preparation in the Bible.
Moses stayed on the Mountain of God forty days (Exodus 24:18 and 34:28),
the spies were in the land for forty days (Numbers 13:25),
Elijah traveled forty days before he reached the cave where he had his vision
Nineveh was given forty days to repent (Jonah 3:4),
Jesus spent forty days in wilderness praying and fasting (Matthew 4:2).

5Q: how long has this been going on?
Since 400 ad- Constantine’s conversion 312

6Q: When does Lent begin? Why do we put on ashes
Ash Wednesday is this week
why, do we put on ashes on ash Wednesday?
ashes are a sign of remembrance.

Palms are burned from palm Sunday – joy changes to sorrow.
The Bible tells us that we came from the dust and to the dust we shall return. ...
These ashes are also a sign of repentance.
Ashes are a symbol of repentance & signs that we seek to follow in God's path.

What do we experience on ash Wednesday?
quiet entrance

Opportunity to give to emergency relief

Card with instructions…….on instructions on the wall

Pray.  Ashes.  communion
a chance for repentance – are you willing to repent of your sin and follow

Q: What are appropriate activities for ordinary days during Lent?
A: Prayer, Repentance, Mercy, [I reject this – should do all the time ]

Giving something up

A conversation between a father and his 10-year-old son, illustrates the problem in our attitude toward Lent. The father was attempting to explain to his young son the necessity for giving up something for Lent. Dad suggested that the lad give up candy.
Quizzed by the boy about this kind of religiosity and what it would bring, the father replied that It will improve your character. You'll be a better person on Easter Sunday if you give up candy. After all, your mother and I have given up liquor for Lent.
The boy then said: That's funny Dad. I saw you and mother having a drink before dinner last night. The father replied, That was wine. We gave up hard liquor.
The lad countered, Oh, that's good. I'll give up hard candy.

I gave up diet coke.  During lent im only going to drink coke zero

What might you give up if you were serious?
Sports? Tv? Children’s activities

We should not give up things that we should give up anyway
We should give things up because it helps us think about god [like fasting]
its not about no diet coke. We shouldn’t think about no diet coke
It is about this loss makes me think about God

and so here are some - suggestions for your lent

give something up
1“Cut back on work.” Whatever is taking the most time in your life, pare back on it so that you can find the quiet time [lack of quiet #1 issue in american life]

2.take better care of yourself – that is a spiritual exercise to take care - sleep more

3. if you are not engaged in acts of mercy, this is the time to start

4. “Have a heart-to-heart with God.” Go for a walk. Spend some time in quiet

5.  find a radical lent question….to ask yourself

        How can I think of you more God?

        How can I live for you more God?

        who can I care about for you God?

yet isn’t this what we should be doing all the time…

and so

Lent…….take time to consider the suffering of Jesus and your condition
You cannot apologize or even understand your shortcomings unless you spend some time to consider them and repent of them.

There is no Easter without lent
No resurrection without death
If there were no darkness, there would be no need for light
There is no understanding without contemplation

And being lost can lead to the wonderful experience of being found

As we begin lent, lets make time to consider the suffering of - lord Jesus Christ.
He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world