Ash Wednesday Discussion

What is Lent?

Lent comes from an old English word lencten which describes the lengthening of days that occurs during spring. We’ve all known that when spring comes around each year the sun shines in the sky later every night. So, the word lencten was used to signify the lengthening of days and therefore the season of spring. 

But Lent is about more than just spring.

Lent is like the spring cleaning of someone soul.

Lent is always the 6 weeks before Easter every year.

Lent is a time that Christians for over 2 thousand years have set aside as a special time to prepare our hearts and lives for Easter and the celebration of the resurrection.

It is a common practice among most Christians that during these 6 weeks they will fast something.  

What is Fasting?

Fasting is to purposefully do away with something that you would normally do or have in order to focus your attention on God.

Many Christians will fast flour during this time. You might even notice many people at your school fasting red meat on Friday, and they will eat fish instead. Some people will fast television, while others might fast facebook.

The activities that we fast are activities that take our attention away from what God has to say to us. And so, we purposefully refocus our attention on God during these 40 days. However, there is more to the fasting than just giving up something. If all we do is give us something, and still replace that activity with something else that doesn’t allow God to speak to us, then we’ve missed the point of the fast altogether.

But remember… it's not about a SHOW!

Fasting is also sign of repentance and turning to God

Joel 2:12–13 NIV

12 “Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” 13 Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.

Matthew 6:16–18 NIV

16 “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Isaiah 58:5–10 NLT

5 You humble yourselves by going through the motions of penance, bowing your heads like reeds bending in the wind. You dress in burlap and cover yourselves with ashes. Is this what you call fasting? Do you really think this will please the Lord? 6 “No, this is the kind of fasting I want: Free those who are wrongly imprisoned; lighten the burden of those who work for you. Let the oppressed go free, and remove the chains that bind people. 7 Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless. Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help. 8 “Then your salvation will come like the dawn, and your wounds will quickly heal. Your godliness will lead you forward, and the glory of the Lord will protect you from behind. 9 Then when you call, the Lord will answer. ‘Yes, I am here,’ he will quickly reply. “Remove the heavy yoke of oppression. Stop pointing your finger and spreading vicious rumors! 10 Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.

Fasting is about turning our hearts to God AND then showing God to the world we live in.

What does this have to do with Ashes?

Ash Wednesday is the day that we remind ourselves of our need for a savior. It is a day that we remind ourselves of our sinfulness and our breaking of God’s commands.

Death is the result of sin

Romans 3:23 NIV

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 6:23 NLT

23 For the wages of sin is death...

So here’s the news, and it isn’t really good; we’ve all sinned, and we all deserve death.

Not just a physical death, but death that is a separation from God.

And this is a part of Ash Wednesday. We set aside today to be a reminder that we are sinners and in need of forgiveness. We set aside today to remind us of the words from Genesis

Genesis 2:8–9 NIV

8 Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. 9 The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Genesis 2:16–17 NLT

16 But the Lord God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden—17 except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.”

Genesis 3:19 NLT

19 By the sweat of your brow will you have food to eat until you return to the ground from which you were made. For you were made from dust, and to dust you will return.”

But, Why Ashes?

Traditionally, after Palm Sunday, the palm branches would be saved and the next Ash Wednesday they would be burned to be used for placing ashes on people’s foreheads.

Ashes are the results of fire.

Fire is a sign of judgment in scripture.

Ashes remind us that we are judged sinners. Ashes were used in the Bible during times of mourning.

When people were lamenting and mourning over something they would cover themselves in ashes and others would know that they were mourning. 

Ash Wednesday reminds us of our need to mourn our sinfulness

But, it is also a reminder of God’s grace that came through Jesus Christ.

Traditionally, the ashes would be placed on people’s forehead in the sign of a cross - as a reminder that ONLY by the cross are we forgiven!

Romans 3:23–24 NIV

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

Romans 6:23 NLT

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

Do You Have any Questions?