Repentance Equals Preparation

What Ash Wednesday Is Not

Not a pity party. Not isolated to “woe is me” alone. Also not a piety party which is what Jesus was basically saying in the Gospel reading.

It is a season of preparation. A yearly rhythm we practice because sometimes we forget.

But why is it needed?

What Is Sin?

Adam was made from dust into something good. Then sin. “I’m boss. I know better. I decide for myself.” It’s that simple. Not just the action, but the thought, the impulse.

Jesus on murder and adultery. The impulse of “I know better” escalates into these things; it justifies these things. “You deserve this. You are entitled to this. It is fair in the grand scheme of things. I’m accomplishing justice! Doesn’t God want me to love?

What Is The Flesh?

Sarx - not the physical body, but that part of our nature that wants to gratify itself at the expense of others, even at the expense of ourselves. The sarx sucks.

It lives out “I’m boss.”

It loves self with the same love God loves us.

John 3:19 ESV

And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.

John 3:16–17 ESV

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

If you are a follower of Jesus, then you know there is a fight happening here.

What Is The Fight?

The flesh vs The Spirit. The Holy Spirit in us joined with our spirit. “And with your Spirit.”

Galatians 5:16–17 ESV

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.

Beat my body into submission.

Dead to flesh alive in Christ.

Deny self. JtB, I must decrease, He must increase.

Humble yourself and he will lift you up.

Dead to self, alive in Jesus.

A cup is always full. Of what is the question. Never really empty.

The flesh wants to condemn you. “You are bad at this.” The Spirit wants to convict you. “You can do this with My help.”

“He made him…”

What Is Repentance?

Repentance is not wallowing in misery, shame, guilt. It is to change the way you think with the result being to change the way you act.

Joel - “Return to me with all of your heart” calls back to the Shema, the chief commandment. Jesus as a Rabbi makes a comment and summarizes it as “oomph.”

Do we focus too much on the acknowledgement/agreement of sin in the practice of repentance and not enough on the changing thinking/acting? Complete repentance is visible in changed actions, not just self-pity.

Repentance results in reconciliation. With people, with God. This is what Ash Wednesday is about.

What Ash Wednesday Is

Ash Wednesday is like every 80s movie training montage you have ever seen.

Fixing up the car for the big race. Training for the fight, drinking the raw eggs, denying yourself food and drink. Wax on, wax off.

Recognizing the need for training is an acknowledgment of your own weakness. Or your weakness compared to your opponent (in this case the flesh).

The process of training reveals even more and gives you determination.

Do we focus too much on the acknowledgement/agreement of sin in the practice of repentance and not enough on the changing thinking/acting?

Active repentance is visible in changed actions, not just self-pity.

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Jesus’ words about not making this process visible to others seem ironic in light of us putting ashes on our heads in the form of a cross. However, in our culture, it isn’t obvious what it means because most people don’t know what it means. Instead, it presents an opportunity to share Jesus.

“Remember that you are dust”

You’re Ralph Machio at the start of Karate Kid. Scrappy, trying to do the right thing, but in need of preparation.

You’re Luke Skywalker in original Star Wars. You want to get off the farm and go on adventures.

You’re Elizabeth Bennet at the start of PnP. Is she Pride or Prejudice? Or both? Iin either case, in need of seasoning.

This is where you are now, but it isn’t where you are supposed to stay.

Revive a habit of prayer, of Bible reading, of fasting from something as a personal challenge that pushes you toward Jesus, and showing charity/love in action.

Apart from God we are ashes, dust. In God, walking in the Spirit, we are remade into something better.