I’m Giving Up Lent For Lent

I’M GIVING UP LENT FOR LENT

Scripture: Luke 9:22-24, 2 Corinthians 13:5

INTRODUCTION: IT’S LENT SEASON, BUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

My Saint Thomas Baptist family and friends, we are about to enter the season of Lent! This coming Wednesday will be what is known as Ash Wednesday a day that marks the forty-day period before Resurrection Sunday. This is the time where many people decide to give up something for forty days, trying to sacrifice for the Lord. Some give up meat, some give up TV, some give up social media, but can I ask you a question? After forty days, do we really come out changed?

You see, I don’t want to just go through the motions of Lent. I don’t want to just do something because it’s tradition. If we’re going to sacrifice, if we’re going to give up something, let’s make sure it’s not just about what’s on the outside, but about what’s on the inside!

So today, I came to tell somebody: I’m giving up Lent… for Lent! I’m giving up this surface-level ritual. I’m giving up this routine sacrifice that changes absolutely nothing. I’m giving up this outward show without an inward transformation.

And I want to challenge you today—what are you really giving up this season? Are you just giving up coffee, or are you giving up complaining? Are you just giving up sweets, or are you giving up sin? Are you just giving up a meal, or are you giving up mess?

Somebody shout, “I’m giving up Lent for Lent!” So, with the help of the Holy Spirit and the real preacher Jesus Christ I would like to leave us with these three things that will help us to achieve “Giving Up Lent for Lent” and the first is this.

GIVE UP THE RITUAL, GET THE RELATIONSHIP

My brothers and sisters, Lent started as a time of preparation for Easter, a time to reflect, repent, and renew. But somewhere along the way, we made it a tradition without transformation. We made it a habit without holiness. We made it about sacrifice without sanctification!

Jesus didn’t come for rituals—He came for relationship! Luke 9:23 says, “And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to follow Me [as My disciple], he must deny himself [set aside selfish interests], and take up his cross daily [expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come] and follow Me [believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me].” It’s not just about denying yourself for forty days but denying yourself every day!

• Jesus ain’t worried about you skipping meat—He’s worried about you skipping prayer!

• Jesus ain’t focused on you turning off Netflix—He’s focused on you turning off gossip!

• Jesus ain’t concerned with you giving up soda—He wants you to give up sin!

2 Corinthians 5:18 “But all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ [making us acceptable to Him] and gave us the ministry of reconciliation [so that by our example we might bring others to Him].”

Romans 8:33 “Who will bring any charge against God’s elect (His chosen ones)? It is God who justifies us [declaring us blameless and putting us in a right relationship with Himself].”

Somebody say, “It’s time for relationship!”

GIVE UP THE SHOW, GET THE SPIRIT

Oh, we know how to put on a show! We know how to look holy, how to sound righteous, how to act religious. But Jesus said in Matthew 15:8, “These people draw near Me with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts hold off and are far away from Me.”

We dress up for church, but are we dressing up our souls?

We lift our hands in worship, but are we lifting up holy lives?

We say, “God is good all the time,” but do we live like we believe it?

This is the season to give up the show and get the Spirit! 2 Corinthians 13:5 says, “Test and evaluate yourselves to see whether you are in the faith and living your lives as [committed] believers. Examine yourselves [not me]! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves [by an ongoing experience] that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test and are rejected as counterfeit?”

Matthew 7:1-7 “[Do not judge and criticize and condemn [others unfairly with an attitude of self-righteous superiority as though assuming the office of a judge], so that you will not be judged [unfairly]. 2 For just as you [hypocritically] judge others [when you are sinful and unrepentant], so will you be judged; and in accordance with your standard of measure [used to pass out judgment], judgment will be measured to you. 3 Why do you look at the [insignificant] speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice and acknowledge the [egregious] log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me get the speck out of your eye,’ when there is a log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite (play-actor, pretender), first get the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.”

That means it’s time for a heart check!

Somebody lay hands on your chest and say, “Lord, check my heart!”

• Lord, take out the pride!

• Lord, take out the bitterness!

• Lord, take out the jealousy!

• Lord, take out the fear!

I don’t want to just look saved—I want to be saved! I don’t want to just act holy—I want to live holy! I don’t want to just play church—I want to be the church!

Somebody shout, “Lord, fill me with Your Spirit!”

GIVE UP THE SADNESS, GET THE SHOUT

Now, I know Lent is supposed to be a time of mourning, a time of reflection, a time of solemnity. But I read my Bible, and it says in Nehemiah 8:10, “Then Ezra said to them, “Go [your way], eat the rich festival food, drink the sweet drink, and send portions to him for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be worried, for the joy of the Lord is your strength and your stronghold!” Yes, we reflect. Yes, we repent. But we don’t mourn like people without hope!

Because my Bible says Sunday is coming!

My Bible says the tomb is empty!

My Bible says death couldn’t hold Him down!

I refuse to walk around with my head down, when I serve a risen Savior! That’s why Jesus said in Matthew 6:17, “But when you fast, put oil on your head [as you normally would to groom your hair] and wash your face!” That means don’t walk around looking pitiful—walk around looking powerful!

Tell somebody, “I’m giving up sadness for shouting!”

Tell somebody else, “I’m giving up my sorrow for my Savior!”

• I’m trading my mourning for dancing!

• I’m trading my ashes for beauty!

• I’m trading my sorrow for joy!

Somebody ought to lift up your hands, open up your mouth, and give God a shout of praise!

CELEBRATORY CLOSE: I’M GIVING UP LENT FOR LENT!

I’m giving up Lent for Lent, but I’m not giving up Jesus!

I’m giving up the ritual, but I’m not giving up the resurrection!

I’m giving up tradition, but I’m not giving up transformation!

Because early one Sunday morning… (Somebody say EARLY!)

Early one Sunday morning… (Before the sun kissed the sky!)

Early one Sunday morning… (Before the birds began to sing!)

Jesus got up!

He got up with all power!

He got up with victory in His hands!

He got up so I could get up!

And I don’t know about you, but since He got up, I gotta praise Him!

I gotta shout!

I gotta dance!

I gotta lift Him up!

• He got up so I could be free!

• He got up so I could have joy!

• He got up so I could have life and life more abundantly!

And since He got up, I’m getting up too!

I’m getting up from my past!

I’m getting up from my pain!

I’m getting up from my struggles!

Somebody ought to grab your neighbor and say, “Neighbor!”

Oh come on, grab ‘em like you love ‘em and say, “Neighbor!”

“I don’t know what you’ve been dealing with, but it’s time to GET UP!”

Get up from your doubts!

Get up from your fears!

Get up from your brokenness!

Get up from your depression!

Because the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is living in YOU!

And if that power is in you, no devil can stop you!

No sickness can hold you!

No weapon formed against you shall prosper!

I need about fifty people who know that you’ve got resurrection power to just shout, “I GOT UP!”

Shout, “I’M COMING OUT!”

Shout, “VICTORY IS MINE!”

And if you know He’s been good… (Yes, Lord!)

If you know He’s made a way… (Yes, Lord!)

If you know He’s worthy… (Yessssss, Lord!)

Then open up your mouth,

Throw your head back,

Lift your hands high,

And give God your BEST PRAISE!!!

Ain’t He all right?!

Ain’t He all right?!

Ain’t He all riiiiiiiiight?!

YESSSSSS!!!

Somebody shout “Glory!”

Somebody shout “Hallelujah!”

Somebody shout “Thank You, Jesus!”

Because this joy I have, the world didn’t give it, and the world can’t take it away!

So, for the rest of this season, I’m not walking in defeat—I’m walking in victory!

I’m not living in fear—I’m living in faith!

I’m not stuck in sorrow—I’m standing in His strength!

And that’s why, I’M GIVING UP LENT FOR LENT!

God bless you! Keep on praising!