“I invite you in the name of the church to the observance of a holy Lent:
- by self-examination and repentance;
- by prayer, fasting, and alms-giving;
- and by reading and meditating on God’s holy Word.”
– From the ACNA Book of Common Prayer
“All Christians continually have the need
to renew our repentance and faith.”
– From the ACNA Book of Common Prayer
- You don’t need faith in Jesus + anything else to be saved
Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV) For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God– 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
- However – if your so-called faith doesn’t also bring evidence by a change in how you live and/or what you do, you need to consider if you have the kind of faith the Scriptures call us to have
James 2:17 (NIV) …Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
- Belief in Jesus alone is what grants you new life and entrance into the kingdom of God
- If your faith doesn’t lead you to repentance, to put to death the deeds of your sinful nature and turn to the grace of God to live a life worthy of Him who died for you
- Then you may not have the kind of faith the Scriptures commend
- One of the ways we can grow in our relationship with God is through the things we are called to observe in Lent
“I invite you in the name of the church to the observance of a holy Lent:
- by self-examination and repentance;
- by prayer, fasting, and alms-giving;
- and by reading and meditating on God’s holy Word.”
- It’s good for us to examine ourselves
- Are we obedient to God?
- Are we growing in goodness? In knowledge?
- Are we more self-controlled than we used to be? Or have we plateaued?
- Do we continually press in to know God better, worship him more deeply, see him more clearly, love him more dearly, follow him more nearly (day by day)
- Are we growing more like him?
- Are we more kind than we were?
- Do we love more than we used to?
- These are things the Apostle Peter encouraged Christians to grow in
2 Peter 1:5-8 (NIV) For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
- We should examine ourselves: are we growing in our walk with Jesus?
- Where we are not, we are called to repentance
- First, we admit to God the areas we aren’t growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus
- Then we ask: What needs to change so I can grow in that area?
- Am I too busy?
- Is my heart set on lesser things?
- Am I too afraid? Too cocky? Too self-centered? Too independent?
- Should I spend my time a different way?
- Am I doing something I know God wants me to quit? Do I need to start something I know God wants me to start?
- Do I need to soften my heart? To forgive? To seek forgiveness? To be a better friend?
- Do I need to prioritize my spouse/my family/my job more than I do?
- Are my decisions getting me into trouble? Are my decisions not getting me into enough trouble?
Psalm 139:23-24 (NIV)
Joel 2:12–13 (NIV84)
12 “Even now,” declares the Lord,
“return to me with all your heart,
with fasting and weeping and mourning.”
13a Rend your heart
and not your garments.
- “…by prayer, fasting, and alms-giving;
- and by reading and meditating on God’s holy Word.”
- Prayer helps this process of softening our hearts
- So does fasting
- Alms-giving
- reading and meditating on God’s holy Word
Hebrews 4:12 (NIV) For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NLT2) All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
Joel 2:12–13 (NIV84)
13b Return to the Lord your God,
for he is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and abounding in love,
and he relents from sending calamity.
- The motivation to return to the Lord is 5-fold:
- He is Gracious
- He is Compassionate
- He is slow to anger
- He is abounding in love
- And He relents from sending calamity
- That’s motivation to return to Him
All Christians continually have the need to renew our repentance and faith.
Return to the Lord your God,
for he is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and abounding in love,
and he relents from sending calamity.
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