Sermon Tone Analysis

LENT

What is Lent?

Lent is the 40 days not including Sundays between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday.

It's not just a Catholic season, but Lent is celebrated by Lutherans, Episcopalians, Presbyterians and Methodist to name a few.

Words that come to mind for Lent – fasting, no meat, sacrifice, duty, tradition.

But let’s metamorphoses our mind this Lent.

The focus is spiritual growth and a deeper connection with God.

Some do this by “giving up” something, others do this by “doing something” and others fast during this time.

It's a time of repentance and drawing closer to God.

It's like spiritual spring cleaning.

Joel 2:12-13 says – “Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.”

Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.

Isaiah 58:6-7 says– “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?

Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?

2 Corinthians 6:2 states – For he says, “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.”

Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

Lent begins today – let’s return to the Lord rendering our hearts to be more aligned with His.

Let’s loose the bonds that enemy has placed on us whether it is busyness or work or desiring to be entertained – lets take this season of Lent to undo the enemies yoke on us and take upon the Lord’s yoke.

Now is a favorable time- with everything going on in the world – now is a favorable time to raise the seriousness of our relationship with the Lord and listening more and following more the Holy Spirit.

Lent begins today.

I want to challenge our church to Walk Lent with me and give up something, pray and do something to draw closer to God and to show how important He is to us –

Don’t think of this as obligation or religious tradition but an invitation – an invitation to utilize self-sacrifice to better understand the heart of a God that loves us – an invitation to relate to a Savior that sacrificed for us – an invitation to hear from the Holy Spirit – inviting Him to speak – willingness to actually listen to Him and feel His movement.

Down load the YouVersion app and select a Lent Devotional (many are for the full 40 days).

Giving up something shows reliance on God – our dependence on God – reminds us of Jesus Giving up His life for us.

What are you willing to sacrifice that your body desires that when that desire roars it drives you into the arms of God?

Pray daily – pray not only for forgiveness and others but that the Holy Spirit would guide us daily and that we could be the microphone of God’s love for those around us.

Set aside a few minutes – set you alarm clock five minutes earlier so you can awake and start the day in prayer – maybe keep a journal or list of what you are praying.

Do something – I am asking that you read 1 chapter a day during Lent and then during your prayer time – pray the scripture back to Him.

That extra 5 fives from the alarm clock should be plenty of time to read 1 chapter and pray.

How are you preparing your heart for Easter Sunday?

Resurrection Sunday?