Is Lent Biblical

Posted on March 16, 2016March 3, 2022 by Matthew Laker

Is Lent Biblical?

When we ask that question what we are wanting to know is, is Lent a practise that Jesus said we must do?

The bottom line is no. Nowhere in the bible do we find Jesus instructing us to follow Lent.

So, why then would we take part in the practise?

Lent generally is a time for followers of Jesus to reflect, repent, pray, fast and give. These are part of what we may call spiritual disciplines. Commonly Lent is held by those in the Catholic, Anglican, or Lutheran-influenced Christian traditions and many of the different Christian traditions observe it in different ways.

Someone who opposes Lent may say “Lent is just a tradition created by man.” That would be a correct statement. However, it is a tradition with the intent to make disciples. The core of it is to point people to Jesus. It is not a salvation issue or maturity meter.

Jesus said, “teach them to obey my commands.”

Yes, Jesus did not say you should practise Lent. However, I have come to see Lent as a system that could help us accomplish the mission of Jesus. Yes in many circles perhaps we have not used it to its full potential. For some, they have not had good experiences with Lent, but when I look at Lent, I see connections to growing our own faith and other’s.

One may ask, “but are not the spiritual disciples we find in Lent part of our regular routine of following Jesus?”

The quick answer is yes. However like Jesus taking a 40 day time of fasting, there is value in a focused set time of seeking Jesus.

My experience has shown me that Lent can be this great set time of discipleship to help people align their life with Jesus. Like when building muscle you need to stress the muscle then release it and let it rest. Lent can serve as a time to focus and to stress the muscle of faith in order to build it. So Lent can be used to build the foundations of good habits/spiritual disciplines that are to be part of one’s life.

Is Lent instructed by Jesus to do? No, it is not.

Is Lent useful in discipleship? I believe it can be.

Do you have to practise Lent? No, you do not.

Can Lent serve as an avenue to build spiritual muscle? Yes.

http://lentapathway.teachable.com/p/beginners-guide-to-lent

Beginner’s Guide to Lent : Finishing Lent well

Posted on April 10, 2015April 7, 2022 by Matthew Laker

How do I end Lent well? You have been fasting, praying, and practicing alms giving over the Lent season. In a way, Lent is like a race, and as one goes into Holy Week, the last lap on the track is entered.

How do we end Lent well?

1. Utilize Holy Week

What is Holy Week?

Palm Sunday is the start of the last loop of the Lent race. It begins with what Jesus followers call Holy Week. On Palm Sunday we celebrate the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem (Matthew 21). Then later in the week, we remember the Eucharist (Lk. 22:17-23; 1 Cor. 11:17-34). This is also known as the Lord’s Supper or Communion. Through these activities, we remember the suffering, death, and finally crossing the finish line of Lent in the resurrection.

Four major days of Holy week.

a. Holy Thursday

This day comes before Good Friday and commemorates communion, foot washing, and Jesus praying in the garden.

b. Good Friday – commemorates the death of Jesus. Many churches hold a gathering on this day filled with song, scripture reading, prayer and teaching.

c. Holy Saturday (Easter Vigil) – A day for rest, a time of waiting and short weeping.

d. Resurrection Sunday. – Celebration of the resurrection of Jesus. This is a time to celebrate. .

I would encourage you to utilize Holy Week. Many churches will hold extra prayer or gathering times. Consider entering into those times. I would also suggest that you read through the gospels, and the last days of Jesus’ death and resurrection. You could even pick up a devotional to guide you through scripture this week.

A Second tip for finishing Lent well is:

2. Hold a Jesus meal.

A Jesus meal is a time for believers to gather over a meal and intentionally share spiritual stories. They share about their walk with God and how they are growing. They share where they are seeing God at work. They share how they came to faith. Then, the night ends by praying for one another. There are many elements one could incorporate, but for a guide, check out this post:

A Jesus Meal

A Third tip for finishing Lent well is:

3. Personal reflection again.

Answer this question – What will you take away from your lent journey? Journaling through the season can help in this area of reflection.

A fourth tip for finishing Lent well is

4. Celebrate.

Often in my life this is another meal. Consider inviting more than just your family. Perhaps you can gather a bunch of people and each take care for part of the meal. Be creative.

Be sure to gather with the church this day for a time of worship, scripture reading and prayer.

Celebrate the life you have in Jesus. Yes, have a party.

Finally to finish Lent well:

5. Keep running the race marked out for you.

This is just one chapter, one season in your life. We have climbed the mountain and have hopefully met with Jesus. But, he wants us to go back down the mountain, and engage life for his glory. Live for Jesus. To not do so will waste your Lent journey.

If you want to finish Lent well, live for Jesus after the season has come to an end.

Beginners guide to the season of lent

Posted on April 10, 2015March 20, 2022 by Matthew Laker

Are you new to Lent? Looking for help as you journey through the Lent season? Do you want to get the most out of the season of Lent? Are you looking for a place to begin in your journey through the Lent season?

This is why I have created these posts.

Through this “Beginners guide to the season of Lent,” I hope to help with the following:

Increasing your knowledge of who God is.
Help you understand the role of Lent, and give you practical application for deepening your spiritual roots.

It was not until later in my journey with Jesus that I began to practice this season with the Church.

Lent is a set period of time to strengthen deeper roots in Christ. I have found it to be a helpful season to assist me in discipling others, as well as helping me to realign in Christ and deal with my own idols. My prayer is that the season of Lent will help you to know Jesus more and to walk in holiness.

A Beginners Guide to Lent:

1. What is Lent?

2. Lent and Prayer.

3. Why give something up at Lent?

4. Alms giving.

5. Lent and fasting.

6. Self-examination.

7. Celebration of Easter – ending Lent well.

Any suggestion on how to make Lent better?

Beginner’s Guide to Lent: Lent and Self Examination

Posted on April 1, 2015March 20, 2022 by Matthew Laker

Self-examination is part of the three pillars of Lent (fasting, prayer, alms giving).

One could argue that this is a fourth pillar, but I see elements of self-examination as being a part of the other three. Like a physical examination, Lent calls us to a self-examination that reflects upon our need for God, our side mirror mortality, our sin and how the gospel is the only answer.

Romans 8:13 says, “For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeed of the body, you will live…”

In “Gospel Coach”, Thomas Scott and Tom Wood, write about four source idols in our lives. A source idol drives the surface idols. We do not always deal with these, unless we ask what is driving me to something other than Jesus. What is it I am trying to fill in my life?

Scott and Wood share that the four source idols in our lives are:

a. power

b. approval

c. comfort

e. security

Check the book out here: Gospel Coach: Shepherding Leaders to Glorify God

These four areas will cover most sin in our lives. A life centered on self will put roots into a foundation that leads us away from the wholeness found in Jesus. Even if we are surrendered to Christ, we will still have the battle between flesh (our sinful nature) and living in the Lordship of Jesus.

In self-examination you are going to have to deal with your idols.

What is an idol? Tim Keller shares, “It is anything more important to you than God, anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God, anything you seek to give you what only God can give…An idol is whatever you look at and say, in your heart of hearts, “If I have that, then I’ll feel my life has meaning, then I ‘ll know I have value, then I’ll feel significant and secure.” There are many ways to describe that kind of relationship to something, but perhaps the best one is worship.” (pages xvii and xviii of Counterfeit Gods)

Lent is a season to face our idols and understand that the gospel is our only solution.

How to do self-examination during Lent:

Over the 40 days ask yourself the questions below and reflect upon them. Seek repentance and obedience as you journey over the six weeks. During this time seek to understand who God is, what Jesus has done, who you are in Christ and what you are to do.

A. What consumes your thinking? When you have time to dream and think about nothing else. Where does your mind go? Are you seeking it in order to have power, or approval, or comfort, or security?

B. Money – Track your spending over 40 days. Where is your money going? If an outsider was to look at how you spend, what does it share about your values, and what is important to you?

C. Time – Where are you spending your time? Perhaps there is a need to track it. If Jesus is important in your life, how you use your time will show that?

D. Desires– This is a hard one, because God has given us passions and desires. But, do they consume you? Even good desires can become idols. Are you seeking them because they bring power, approval, comfort or security?

E. What do you not believe about who God is? What do you not believe about who God is in your current circumstances? What is the truth about who God is and who you are? What are God’s promises for your current circumstances?

There are many questions one could ask. For example, marlenagraves.com/ has a great list of questions from the Wesleyan tradition, Just click the link here – http://marlenagraves.com/self-examination-questions-for-lent/

This season is a practiced time to take stock of our lives and our hearts. It is a season about giving up our sin. Use this time to ask yourself some hard questions about your spiritual maturity.

Do you have any other resources that are helpful? What has your experiences been during the season of lent around self-examination.

What is your source idol today?

Beginners Guide to Lent : Lent and Fasting

Posted on March 30, 2015March 20, 2022 by Matthew Laker

“Some have exalted religious fasting beyond all scripture and reason; and others have utterly disregarded it.” -John Wesley

What is fasting? What is its purpose and connection to Lent?

Fasting for the Jesus follower is to be a regular rhythm. Fasting has been part of the life of God’s people throughout biblical history. Sometimes the behaviour was commanded, and sometimes it was voluntary.

Fasting takes on two important roles. One of mourning and one of hope.

Ken Berghuis provides a large list of all the reference to fasting or fasting events throughout scripture.

It is worth a read.

3 Purposes of our Fasting –

1. Worship of God

Throughout scripture fasting has been connected to giving devotion to God. It is a declaration of our dependence upon God. The act of fasting is a reminder that we live in need of God’s word and his Spirit in our life. Fasting accompanied with prayer, and reading of scripture helps centre us on Jesus.

“Our human cravings and desires are like rivers that tend to overflow their banks; fasting helps keep them in their proper channels.” -“Celebration of Discipline” by Richard foster

2. Seek God’s guidance – Throughout scripture fasting is seen as a way to seek direction from God. It becomes an extension of our prayer life.

3. An avenue to prepare to meet with God.

Scott Mcknight shares “Lenten fasting as [is] a response to sins and the prospects of death in our culture, our nation, our church, and our own life, and that we also learn to see fasting as entering into the divine pathos about sin and death.”

He later shares: “Lent reminds us where we were, who we were, what we were doing and have done, and teaches us to tell the truth about ourselves—that as image-bearers of God we have sinned against God in thought, word, and deed, in what we have done and in what we have left undone, in not loving God and ourselves and our neighbors as ourselves—and to turn to God for mercy.

We are not fasting to get something from God but to meet with him. Acts 13:2: “while they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said,…”

Joel 20:26: “So all the Israelites, the whole army, went up to Bethel. They wept and sat there before the Lord; they did not eat anything that day until evening. They offered up burnt sacrifices and tokens of peace to the Lord.”

Tips for Beginners to fasting during Lent

a. Start slow.

Try fasting one meal time throughout your week. Then use that time to pray and read scripture.

b. Don’t eat extra snacks.

If you are fasting your lunch, do your best to not eat something till your next regular pattern of eating. Yes, you will be hungry.

c. Let the hunger pain remind you of your need for Jesus.

I often will pray, “I need Jesus more than food.” Know that the hunger pain will pass.

“Arm yourself manfully against the wickedness of the devil; control the appetite, and you will more easily control all bodily desires” – Thomas a Kempis

d. Drink water and drink more water.

e. Understand you may get tired.

When fasting, consider cutting back on your daily activity.

Fasting is connected to Lent because of its ability to help with self-examination. It allows us to reflect upon our own sin and need for the gospel. Fasting is not about our health and has everything to do with our journey with Jesus.

Whatever time you choose to fast during Lent, remember that the purpose is to draw closer to Jesus. Let it be a time to wrestle with your idols and take hold of Jesus.

The next post in this series will look at self-examination.