Kingdom Bites

Although, the word “Lent” is not found in the Bible, nor are we commanded to observe this season, I believe this is an important time in the life of the Christian and the Church. Let’s take a moment and explore this special time.

Lent is the forty-day season of preparation before Easter. It starts on Ash Wednesday and ends on Easter Sunday. The Lenten season is generally referred to as being 40 days long (which mirrors Christ’s time of fasting and prayer in the wilderness, Matthew 4:1-11) even though it is spans 46 days, because Sundays are generally not counted as part of the season.  

Lent is designed to be a season of fasting, self-denial, Christian growth, penitence, conversion, and simplicity. Lent comes from the Germanic word for springtime, and can be viewed as a “spiritual spring cleaning,” or a time for taking a spiritual inventory and cleaning out those things which hinder our relationship with and service to Christ.

Lent is a time for serious self-examination. It is often a time spent in prayer, repentance, and fasting. In Scripture (see I Samuel 7:6, I Kings 21, and Ezra 8) fasting is often connected with times of repentance and prayer. 

Fasting often means abstaining from all food and drink for a period of time. However it can also mean going on a disciplined diet, or simply giving up anything that you normally consume. This reminds us Who is in control; and also reminds one to spend time in prayer when their belly growls or they see the things they have given up. 

Traditionally Catholics fast on Good Friday, and traditionally eat fish rather then other meat on Fridays during Lent. This tradition could stem from a couple of reasons. Some say that giving up meat was forgoing a luxury, as it was rare for most people to have. Others point to the early days of Christianity, they were forbidden to eat meat every Friday . 

Friday’s were chosen because this is the day that Christ died, and is the day (sixth) where God created animals. Some believed that abstaining from meat is a symbolic "stay of execution" for cows, pigs, and sheep; symbolizing how the cross saves us from eternal death. Good Friday is also considered a fast day, where one goes without the usual luxuries as a form of penance, purification and remembrance of God's laws. This idea has morphed into the large fish fries we see today.

In any case, Lent is a time for serious, disciplined self-examination, spent in prayer and repentance before the cross of Calvary. Where we are reminded of our sin and the sacrifice of our Savior. 

2 Corinthians 7:9–10 says, “Yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.”

Take time this season and consider how great our need for Christ is; and how His sacrifice completely met that need.

With the mercury rising and the snow pack falling, many are suffering from the same condition as my wife - Spring Fever.  She’s itching to get out into the yard and begin to clean up the grit and grime left by the long winter. Yet it’s not only our yard that needs to be freshened up, our entire house could use a good “Spring Cleaning.” 

Before we wash our windows, shampoo our carpets, or rake our yards; there is another cleaning that many of us need to do. We are fully immersed in the season Lent. Although many people grew up with this custom, and celebrate it today; for plenty of Christians, Lent is a mystery. 

For some, it is simply a period of going on a diet; for others Lent is a time when their Catholic friends wear ashes on their foreheads and eat fish on Fridays. Although many are attracted to it, few know much about the Lenten season. 

Although, the word “Lent” is not found in the Bible, nor are we commanded to observe this season, it has been a custom which Christians have practiced for nearly two thousand years. I believe this season is still an important time in the life of the Christian and the Church. 

Lent comes from the Germanic word for springtime, and can be viewed as a time for “spiritual spring cleaning.” It is designed to be a season of fasting, self-denial, Christian growth, penitence, conversion, and simplicity. A time for taking a spiritual inventory and cleaning out those things which hinder our relationships with and service to Christ. 

Just as dirt, grit, and grime cover our homes and yards during the winter season; bad habits, compromise and unconfessed sin stack up and dirty our lives as well. Lent is a wonderful time to stop, reflect, repent, and freshen up our relationship with Christ. The great news is, we don’t need to do the cleaning - God does it for us! 

2 Corinthians 7:9–10 states “Yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.”

Lent should not be a time where we look at our sin and punish ourselves (or attempt to pay for our actions) though outward acts, but instead a time where we conduct a “spiritual inventory.” We invite God to search our hearts, and see if there is any wicked way in us. 

When He does search, we should not respond in worldly sorrow and despair, but Godly sorrow; confessing our sins, looking to the cross, and asking God to forgive for Christ’s sake, while at the same time being strengthened, renewed, and refreshed by His Word and Spirit each day. 

Would you take time to consider your need for Christ; and invite God do some “Spiritual Spring Cleaning” today?

May your “Spiritual House” be cleaner than your “Temporal one.” 

For millions of people across the globe, Wednesday nights during the six weeks before Easter are filled with an opportunity to worship together in observance of Lent. From meat to alcohol, or chocolate to cigarettes many spend these weeks in fasting, or denying themselves something they would usually have. This is done as a symbol of sacrifice to God.

Until 1863 England had a law forbidding the use of meat, fish, cheese, butter, eggs, or milk during Lent. People who broke this law could be fined or even imprisoned. As a result, some traditions were established in order to clean their house for Lent. 

One such tradition is known as Shrovetide - which is the English name for the three or four days before the Lenten season. As a result, “Collop” Monday and “Shrove” Tuesday were Established. On Collop Monday small pieces (collops) of meat were eaten, and on Shrove Tuesday Pancake meals were eaten, ensuring the use of all the butter, eggs and milk found in the house.

“Shrove” means to confess one’s sins and receive absolution. People were expected to prepare for Lent not only by having a clean home, but a clean heart as well. Today we may not follow the strict dietary rules of the past, but Lent should still be a season where we evaluate our lives, confess our sins before the Lord and receive His Forgiveness. 

Whereas lent is traditionally thought of in terms of “giving something up;” it can be a great time to add some things to our life as well. Simply, feeling sorry, acknowledging, or even vowing to forsake our sinful and destructive habits does not ensure their permanent absence from our life. Yes, our guilt before God is wiped away, but if left un-replaced by something positive, it is likely these habits will return. 

The apostle Paul taught the same thing 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 attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”

As we confess our sin, and “put off” the desires and actions of the flesh, we are told to “put on” Christ: His nature, His righteous, His holiness, and His actions. Philippians instructs us to “Have His attitude” and further on in Ephesians four we are given an example of what this looks like: put off Falsehood and speak truth - Don’t let anger steep but seek reconciliation and resolution - stop stealing and work, giving back to those who are in need - put off unwholesome talk and speak only things that build people up - rid ourselves of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling, slander, and malice. Replace them with kindness, compassion, and a forgiving attitude, just like God forgave you in Christ.

Just as Christ has taken your sin, let Him replace it with attitudes and actions reflecting His own. Just don’t give something up this Lenten Season, let Christ add something in your life as well.  

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” Galatians 5:22-25

Joy is not a term often connected with the season of Lent, in fact joy might be considered its antonym. For many, Lent prompts somber emotions, images of silence, sorrow, self-denial and sacrifice. These images are understandable. Throughout the centuries this season has been defined most by “giving something up.” 

Lent is the forty-day season of preparation before Easter; and this tradition of giving something up for Lent probably grew out of the history of Lenten penance and fasting. Throughout Scripture fasting is often connected with times of repentance and prayer. Moreover, the length of the season (forty-days) is based on the time Jesus fasted and was tempted in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11). 

Fasting can mean abstaining from all food and drink for a period of time. However it can also refer to going on a disciplined diet, or simply giving up anything that you normally consume. When this is practiced, it serves to remind us who is in control. When your belly growls or you see the things you have given up, it prompts you to spend time in prayer. Since Lent is a time for self-examination spent in prayer and repentance before the cross of Calvary, fasting, or giving something up for Lent has become a well known tradition. 

Others observe this practice by giving something up they value in order to identify with what Jesus gave up for us. While all have some creature comforts that we could live without for 40 days; most of us have things in our lives that we need to give up permanently. Things that distract us from God. Things we have placed before Him. Things we treasure more than Him or His Word. Bad habits or rituals that are not becoming of a Christian; Sin that has dwelt too long in our life, and needs to be removed.

Lent is the perfect time to “give these things up” for good. For in our busy, fast paced, secular world we all need times of reflection and renewal. Times spent before our God, praying as King David in Psalm 139:23-24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

You can be confident that God will answer this request. When He does, don’t ignore it but turn to Him in prayer; acknowledging and confessing your sins before Him like David in Psalm 32:5 where he said, “then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord”—and you forgave the guilt of my sin.”

Only six verses later He commands, “Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!”  See, Lent is a season to rejoice not because of our self-sacrifice but because of Christ’s. May you experience the Joy of Christ’s sacrifice this season! 

“Black Friday.” While the origin of the name may be debated, in our current culture Black Friday refers to the day after Thanksgiving. It’s the “official” start of the holiday shopping season and when stores offer unbelievable deals on select merchandise for a limited time. As a result, shoppers across the country deprive themselves of sleep, brave the cutting cold weather, and stand in line for hours waiting, hoping to find the deal of a lifetime.

Yet, the greatest deal of all time will not be found in any newspaper ads, or big box stores. It can never be gained by standing in line, it is not offered for only a few hours, nor is it in limited supply. Instead, this deal is found in the pages of the Bible.

Matthew 27 records it this way “From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"...And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split.” 

On this “Back Friday” nearly 2000 years ago, an innocent man died a criminal's death. Sin was paid for and salvation secured by the shed blood and death of Jesus Christ. Romans 3:22-24 delivers this promise “This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”

This deal is truly the best ever offered. There are no gimmicks, fine print, limited offerings, or mail-in-rebates. Better yet, God’s supply never runs out, nor does he make us stand in long lines waiting to be served. Instead, this deal is offered freely to everyone, anywhere, at anytime. The value may be priceless, yet the cost to us is nothing. Simply trust and belief in Jesus Christ alone.

As the beloved Hymn says "Jesus paid it all, All to Him I owe; Sin had left a crimson stain — He washed it white as snow."

Have you experienced the greatest deal of all time? The cleansing, life giving power of Jesus Christ? If not the offer has not expired and is still available for all who believe.

If you have, spend some time today reflecting on God’s great gift, and thanking him for it.

In the words of Bessie Sykes “Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul, Thank you, Lord, for making me whole; Thank you, Lord, for giving to me Thy great salvation so rich and free.”