Dear Redeemer Family,

We are about to enter a special, albeit, mysterious season of the year - the Season of Lent. For some of us, we are already anticipating certain rhythms of fasting and discipline that we will take up. For others of us, we’ve heard people talk about Lent, but the meaning and purpose of this season remain strange and confusing to us. So, to help us as a church family all get on the same page, here is some information that I hope you find helpful:

What Is Lent? Lent is a 40 day period (not counting Sundays) of Christ-centered devotion between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday. The practice of Lent has been observed by Christians around the world since the second century. This season is meant to mirror the 40 days of fasting that Jesus spent in the wilderness preparing for His ministry.

Why Practice Lent? The most important reason to practice Lent is to draw near to Jesus Christ and become like him. Lent is a season of intentional discipleship under Christ and with Christ. We also practice Lent to bond more closely with fellow Christians who are on the same journey, not only in our local church but also around the world. Along the way, our sin and enslaving habits are put to death, and we learn to internalize and share in Christ’s resurrection power.

INVITATION TO PRACTICE LENT AT REDEEMER

To the extent that you are able, practice Lent with your church family.

Begin with an Ash Wednesday service and receive the sign of the cross in ashes on your forehead - reminding you of your own mortality.
Participate in a Small Group and discover that you are not alone in your struggles.
Give up comforts like: sweets, alcohol, and some forms of technology and entertainment on Monday-Saturdays.
Take up new disciplines like: daily scripture reading, daily confession, giving away extra time and money to our Justice & Mercy Partners.
Feast on Sundays!
Plan ahead for Holy Week, so that we can walk through Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday together as a church.

What we hope you’ll find is that, as we enter into these practices together, God’s grace for us is more abundant than we previously thought. We’ll try together and we’ll fail together, then we’ll confess our sins together and be forgiven together. When we come out on the other side, into a bright Easter morning, we’ll find ourselves closer to Christ and closer to each other.

HOW MIGHT WE GROW SPIRITUALLY DURING LENT?

There are some themes that often arise when people describe their experience of practicing Lent; however, this list is not exhaustive, God’s activity in your life cannot be predicted or controlled.

➤ Humility – Humility is the capacity to recognize who we are in relationship to the living God. The path of Lent reveals our mortality, sin and limitations. Often, the Holy Spirit reveals personal and corporate blind spots during Lent. Our hunger pains, headaches and failures during Lent become living reminders of our great need for the salvation offered through Jesus Christ.

➤ Reordered Loves – The gentle harness of Lent is designed to loosen our unhealthy attachments to creation (including food, drink, and money) so that we may enjoy a deeper bond to the Creator. We learn to internalize and enjoy the love of Christ during Lent.

➤ Purity – Soren Kierkegaard said that “purity of heart is to will one thing.” During Lent, we see the incompatibility between our commitment to Jesus and our dabbling in idolatry. We confess our sins and thereby take hold of the forgiveness that is ours in the Gospel.

➤ Joy – As we give ourselves to him in our suffering, Jesus Christ supplies us with a lasting spiritual overflow and the consolation of the Holy Spirit. This is to be distinguished from a spiritual high, which cannot be sustained over time or during suffering. Easter Sunday and corporate worship during Lent grants us a taste of heaven.

➤ Renewed Imaginations – As we progress through events of Ash Wednesday, the 40 days of Lent and the drama of Holy Week, see ourselves and the world as they are in God. The events of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection become for us a window into the new creation (otherwise known as the Kingdom of God) in which we can participate and from which we can receive a secure identity.

➤ Dependence – During Lent, we unlearn the lie that we are self-made, self-contained individuals. We learn to draw upon the life of God and the bonds of affection with our fellow Christians.

Friends, the season ahead is not fun per se, but it is good. Starting tomorrow - let’s begin this journey towards the cross and the empty tomb together.

In the Father’s love,

Dan

GO DEEPER | ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR KEEPING LENT

PRACTICES & SCHEDULES