What Are You Being Prepared For?

What Are You Being Prepared For?

John Smith was the only Protestant to move into a large Catholic neighborhood. On the first Friday of Lent, John was outside grilling a big juicy steak on his grill. Meanwhile, all of his neighbors were eating cold tuna fish for supper. This went on each Friday of Lent. On the last Friday of Lent, the neighborhood men got together and decided that something had to be done about John. He was tempting them to eat meat each Friday of Lent, and they couldn't take it anymore. They decided to try and convert John to be a Catholic. They went over and talked to him and were so happy that he decided to join all of his neighbors and become a Catholic. They took him to Church, and the Priest sprinkled some water over him, and said, "You were born a Baptist, you were raised a Baptist, and now you are Catholic." The men were so relieved, now their biggest Lenten temptation was resolved. The next year's Lenten season rolled around. The first Friday of Lent came, and just at supper time, when the neighborhood was setting down to their tuna fish dinner, came the wafting smell of steak cooking on a grill. The neighborhood men could not believe their noses! WHAT WAS GOING ON? They called each other up and decided to meet over in John's yard to see if he had forgotten it was the first Friday of Lent. The group arrived just in time to see John standing over his grill with a small pitcher of water. He was sprinkling some water over his steak on the grill, saying, "You were born a cow, you were raised a cow, and now you are a fish."

While we smile at the work around, we need to remember Lent is so much more than giving something up. Yes, it does include fasting, but it is about preparation and repentance as well. It’s about spiritual growth.

In 325ad at the First Council of Nicaea a period of 40 day fasting for repentance, (praying) and preparation, (alms giving) was established. It is during this time we are encouraged to take self-inventory of our spiritual lives and prepare our hearts for the Observance of Christ’s death commemorated on Good Friday, and His triumph over death and the grave on Easter Sunday.

But what is the significance of 40 days and how does it help prepare us?

The period of forty days and for nights is a repeated theme in the Bible. As we examine the scriptures tonight, we will find that preparations affected men in the scriptures in different ways. We can see they were being prepared for such things as a newness of Life like Noah, a new Relationship like Moses, a new Possession like Joshua, New Leadership like David, a new perspective like Elijah, a new Insight that is needed like Ezekiel, or a New God like the people of Nineveh. All this then begs the question, What Are You Being Prepared For?

The first such mention is in Genesis 7:4 where it says that it rained for forty days and forty nights. This is a foreshadowing, of sorts, of our baptism as Peter points out in Chapter 3, verses 20-21 his first letter. Noah was deemed righteous and he found grace in the eyes of the Lord in Genesis 6:8, after which the flood came and destroyed sinful man, save for eight souls. Noah and his family were being prepared to walk in Newness of Life.

We see Moses, 2 times, being with God on Mount Sinai for 40 days & nights. In Exodus 24:18 with the preparing of the Children of Israel as God’s chosen people and establishing a New Covenant. But when Moses comes down from the mountain he sees and destroys the golden calf that they had made. He then returns to the mountain and pleads with God to not destroy His people. Moses is once again on the mountain for 40 days and nights in Exodus 34:28. And God re-establishes and prepares a New Relationship with his people.

In Numbers 13:25, Joshua and Caleb spy out the land for 40 days and nights. They are preparing a report for a New Possession.

In the Valley of Elah, Goliath defied the armies of Israel for 40 days and nights (I Samuel 17:16). They were being prepared, as was the anointed King-in-waiting, David, for New Leadership.

On the run from Jezebel, Elijah was on a 40 day and night journey to Mount Horeb, the Mount of God (I Kings 19:8). It was there that he gained a New Perspective.

Ezekiel prophesied to the House of Judah that for each day and night that he slept on his right side he would bear their iniquity; 40 days, a day for each year. Yes, punishment was coming but for a set period of time. Ezekiel was shown that God’s judgement toward his people has specific length of time. This was a New Insight.

In today’s text (Jonah 3:4) we see Jonah preaching that in 40 days and nights the city of Nineveh is about to be destroyed. But the people responded. For 40 days and nights the people fasted and put on sackcloth. Because of their repentance they found a New God.

In Matthew 4:2 we see Jesus being tempted in the desert while he fasted and prayed for 40 days and nights. The spirit led him so that the devil could tempt him in all things. Because of his victory over temptation and sin, Jesus was able to become the New Sacrifice.

Jesus was seen by his disciples and gave many infallible proofs that he was indeed risen (Acts 1:3). Because of his victory over the grave we are saved by His life (Romans 5:10). We now have one who intercedes for us at the right hand of the Father. We have a New Mediator.

So as we enter into this season of preparation, this season of contemplation, this season of Lent, I challenge each and every one of us to grow in his mercy and grace. Seek out from God what he is preparing you for. Whether it be a newness of life like Noah, a new Relationship like Moses, a new Possession like Joshua, new Leadership like David, a new perspective like Elijah, new Insight that is needed like Ezekiel, or maybe you need a New God like the people of Nineveh and ask Jesu Christ to be your Lord and Savior and to accept the challenge that the King of Nineveh presented to his people;

(As) he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water: 8 But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn everyone from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. 9 Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not? 10 And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.

It is then that we can truly accept the New Sacrifice and have a New Mediator in Jesus Christ.

Look deep within and ask God “What Are You Preparing Me For?”