From Ashes to Grace!

Ash Wednesday Service!

 

                                                                         Prayer

                                                                 Joel 2:1-2, 12-17

II Cor. 5:20b-6:10

 

First Movement:

            The book of Joel is written after the return of the exiles to the promised land.  The temple has been built, and the wall has been rebuilt.  They have just endured a plaque of locusts, and Joel sees this as a sign that the “Day of the Lord” is near.  The Day of the Lord could mean destruction for Israel’s enemies, but it could also mean judgement upon them.  Either way, Joel is a call for them to do something in preparation for the coming of the “Day of the Lord.”  Joel tells them something is coming like they have never experienced before, and he instructs them to gather for prayer and fasting and return to the Lord!

            In Corinthians, Paul says, “Since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.  For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. As we work together with him, we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain.  For he says, “At an acceptable time I have listened to you, and on a day of salvation I have helped you.” See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation!”  Paul is calling out, “today is the day of salvation!”  Now is the accepted time to get ready since God is making his appeal through us!  This too is a call to get ready!

 

 2^nd Movement:

             The early church established Lent as is a time of getting ready and examining ourselves!  It is a time of examination as we move toward Holy Week when Christ gave his all for us and as we move toward the celebration of all celebrations: the resurrection!  Lent is a season of 40 days, not including Sundays, when the church would do things to help them really clean out their spirit to draw near to God: fasting, prayer, and doing without something or doing something extra.  It is a time of intense examination and reflection.  It is a time when the church would try to bring back people who had fallen away or make a special effort to bring people into the fold.   Since Sundays are always little celebrations of the resurrection, Sundays are not really a part of lent, so we say, “the first Sunday in Lent,” etc.  During Sunday worship, we try to offer messages that help us examine ourselves but yet we try to maintain the celebration because we do serve a risen savior!  Because Sundays are not a part of Lent, if we are fasting etc., they give us a brief rest from the fasting or whatever we are trying to do and give us a time to celebrate our risen savior. 

Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent.  On Ash Wednesday, we encounter our own mortality and sin and confess our sin before God, within the community of faith.  We realize that we are nothing before God; we realize our intense need of what God did in Christ (our need of God’s grace).  Ashes have had a long tradition in the church as a symbol of mortality and repentance.  This probably comes from the tradition in the Old Testament of sitting in sackcloth and ashes as a sign of repentance.  The wearing of the ashes acknowledges our sin and need of God to others.  It names us within the community of faith as a believer.  If someone asks you about the ashes, tell them it is a symbol of our sin and our need for God’s forgiveness and grace.  It reminds us that none of us are perfect and that we are all in need of God. Then invite them to come and worship with you next Sunday! 

Prayer