A Long Lent

Christian tradition sets the season of Lent at 40 days, plus six Sundays, for a season lasting 46 days. The season is supposed to help us dwell on the suffering and sacrifice of Jesus. He suffered in the desert for 40 days before his ministry began. He suffered all the torture Evil could throw at him as he bled and died for humanity. 

This year I am realizing that 46 days is a long time to dwell on something so somber. I'm ready for the hurrahs of "Up From the Grave He Arose!" So often we have to wait. We have to wait it out. We know that things will be better...eventually. 

Maybe you are waiting for a raise, a clean bill of health, a wedding, a baby, a weekend, a vacation, a completed project, a restored relationship. We are conditioned these days not to wait. We carry devices that can answer almost any question we can pose. It only takes a few seconds. We can order almost anything we want (and can pay for) and have it arrive in two days. 

And so this season may feel exhausting. We don't like waiting. And the waiting is even worse when we are supposed to focus on mortality, deprivation, and suffering. It's all a reminder that Jesus is with us even as we go through dark, extended times.

God hears us as we cry out, "How long, O Lord?"

What was Judas thinking?

By the time Jesus had led his disciples across the countryside to Jerusalem, the air was full of revolution. They had stirred up crowds in town after town, and everyone was expecting a showdown in Jerusalem.

There would be a crowd there for Passover, just like every year. But this time, a charismatic, powerful, persuasive leader was in rare form, ready to make things right.

Judas, probably, was also cheering Jesus on. But maybe Judas became frustrated with Jesus's way of dealing with all the bad guys. Jesus just debated with the religious authorities, and he seemed to ignore the Roman occupiers. So maybe Judas wanted to speed things up. Maybe he thought that Jesus would finally show his strength if he had to. So Judas betrayed Jesus, expecting Jesus to meet the challenge by force.

But Jesus did not fight back. He didn't even let his friends fight for him. He just gave up and let the bad guys take him away.

When he saw how it played out, Judas was so overcome with remorse, he tried to return his blood money and ultimately took his own life. He even died before Jesus did.

We can only guess what Judas was thinking. 

No Facebook on Phone

I posted earlier about giving up something for Lent. But I never said what I had given up.

No drumroll needed. I just gave up Facebook on my phone. I actually do need to keep tabs on Facebook for church things and farm things, so I just do that on my laptop. I can keep up with my accounts, but all my interactions are on my computer. So I don't check posts when I'm in the waiting room or in the check out line. I kind of like the freedom.

You may wonder what I do about Twitter and Instagram. I have never checked those accounts regularly on any device, so I am already free from them. I have never gotten "hooked" on those platforms. I'm not sure why, because I have used them. There is so much talk these days about how addicting social media is, I'm just choosing to keep it at arm's length.

Truthfully, a lot of these social media apps are not very intuitive to me. I don't know how to use them, and I don't want to invest the time required to figure them out. For example, Snapchat. I get videos of my children and grandchildren there, so I do use that on my phone. And I only have three friends on Snapchat, my wife and two children. But there seems to be no rhyme or reason to replaying a video or saving it. I'm so tempted to go off on a rant about how confusing it is, but I'm surely just showing how not-with-it I am.

And as I write about this, I'm seeing how my Lent sacrifice is not really much of a sacrifice. But I did commit to blog posts for the 40 days of Lent. This has caused me to dig deeper into the meaning of the season. That has been worth something to me.

Big Givers

Jesus observed people giving their offering at the Temple. It was common for bystanders to observe the faithful making their offerings there. So it was easy to make a show of your offerings. Big heavy coins can sound so impressive when you drop them in the basket. You can help people see just how spiritual you are. 

The disciples were also watching the givers, and they were impressed with the big givers. But Jesus was impressed by a tiny gift of a poor widow. There was no loud clang when her tiny mites hit the pot. Jesus called attention to her sacrificial gift. It was worth more than all the noisy, gaudy offerings of the showoffs.

This widow put her money where her faith was. She had to trust God to provide for her. She was living her faith. 

I wonder what would happen if we really lived our faith. It might be really scary.

Death Thoughts

On Ash Wednesday Christians are encouraged to remember their mortality. "For dust you are, and to dust you shall return."

I'm using a Lent devotional that suggests that we should consider our own death at least once every day. That seems like a lot to me, but it does seem appropriate during Lent.

When I think of my own death, I consider what would happen if I were to die today. What would I leave unfinished? Who would step into the lives of my friends and family? What would be my regrets? 

I also consider my death at some ripe ripe old age, maybe 100. What legacy would I like to leave for my family? What do I want to be known for? A kind spirit, a good sense of humor, a voice of encouragement. I want to be missed because people enjoyed my company. I want my life to have made a difference.

We are made of dust, and to dust we will return. Remembering our mortality can help us live to the fullest.

And Easter reminds us that resurrection is coming. 

Why did Jesus have to die?

Easter is obviously a season when we ponder Jesus's death. But why did he have to die?

In one sense, Jesus did not have to die. He lived a perfect life and did not earn the "wages of sin," which is death.

So then, if Jesus did not have to die, why did he die? I can think of at least two reasons.

First, Jesus died to show us how much he loves us. His death and resurrection showed that he identified with humanity, even in the suffering of the human condition. He wants to be with us, and he was willing to endure hardship beyond our comprehension to do so. In his death, Jesus restored our relationship with God.

Second, Jesus suffered and died to show us the horror of sin. We may consider our sins mild or of little consequence. But we are all bent toward rebellion against God. Selfishness is part of the human condition, just as much as suffering. Jesus's death shows us that sin is no small matter. Our sin is costly in all our relationships. The sickening ordeal of crucifixion, condemnation on false charges, and desertion of friends, helps us understand how damaging our sin is.

The cross is full of meaning and significance. We can spend our whole lives meditating on his sacrificial goodness and never fully grasp his gift of himself.

Jesus the Dinner Guest

Jesus must have been a popular dinner guest. In Luke's Gospel, Jesus dines in the homes of prominent Pharisees at least three times. For some reason they wanted to spend time with Jesus.

I think the Pharisees of Jesus's day are misunderstood by us 21st century readers. We tend to see them as the bad guys, the religious hypocrites who just hated Jesus. But they weren't all bad. You might remember Nicodemus who came to Jesus at night for a shot of Jesus-wisdom (John 3). The Pharisees were sincerely trying to be obedient to God, but sometimes they fell into legalism.

Luke shows us that the Pharisees really wanted to figure out this wannabe Messiah. A man named Simon has Jesus over, but doesn't treat his rabbi guest with the most respect (7:36). He doesn't even offer to wash Jesus's feet, which was the least he could do for a guest in his home. During the meal a woman shows up and anoints Jesus's feet, weeping so much that her tears wet his feet. With her hair she dries his feet. Jesus takes the occasion to explain that someone, like this sinful woman, who has been forgiven for much will also love much. While Simon treated Jesus as second class, this woman treated Jesus like a king, with great love.

Jesus finds himself judged by a Pharisee in Luke 11:37 because Jesus fails to wash his hands before the meal. Jesus picks up on the judgment and explains that the Pharisees only cared about outward appearances. It's as though they would clean the outside of a cup without cleaning the inside. Again Jesus calls out hypocrisy. 

Then Jesus dines with a prominent Pharisee (14:1) on a Sabbath. A sick man happens to be there, and the Pharisees can't wait to see if Jesus would heal him. Healing is fine, of course, but to do so on a Sabbath would go against the Pharisees' Sabbath rules. They wanted to know if Jesus would play by their rules. Of course Jesus did not, and he publicly healed the man.

It's fine to have Jesus as a dinner guest, but expect the unexpected. Jesus challenges shallow religion at every turn. When we think we have this faith all figured out, Jesus digs deeper and shows us the heart of the Father. He cares about those on the margins, and criticizes those who use religion to prove their superiority.

When we get deeper with Jesus, he shows us his love, but he also sets us straight. 

Proving Authority

The Jewish leaders were clearly fed up with Jesus by the time he arrived in Jerusalem. He had been all over the countryside teaching subversive ideas to the masses. This movement had to be stopped. The teachers of the law and elders challenged Jesus with questions designed to trip him up.

They asked him where he got his authority. After all, Jesus had not been through the religious training necessary to be among the religious elite. 

When pressed, Jesus posed a question to them: Where did John (the baptizer) get his authority, from heaven or from men? This was Jesus's own gotcha question for them. They realized that no matter how they answered, they would bring trouble on themselves.

If they acknowledged that John was inspired by God, Jesus would point out their hypocrisy for not believing him. If they denied he was inspired by God, they thought the crowd would stone them. There was no way to win.

So the teachers of the law just backed down. And got more mad.

There is nothing more maddening than knowing you are wrong and not wanting to admit it.

Cleaning House

When Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, he simply looked around the city and left. He spent the nights of Holy Week in Bethany, just outside Jerusalem. 

But on the next day, he got serious. He went into the Temple courts and began clearing house. The worship industrial complex was in full swing there. Some merchants were selling sacrificial animals for the worshippers who had travelled long distances. Rather than bring their animals on a long trip, these pilgrims brought cash to purchase local animals. Apparently the merchants were price gouging, taking advantage of supply and demand. They charged unfair prices because they could get away with it. 

Also at the Temple were money changers. They also took advantage of the visiting worshippers. Typically people travelled with Roman currency (denarii), which was useful on their trips. But to pay the Temple tax, Jews needed Jewish money (shekels). Money changers helped the faithful convert their Roman money into Jewish money. And they made a handsome profit in the exchange.

Jesus was grieved to see businessmen taking advantage of the worshippers. They had turned the Temple into a den of thieves, Jesus said. So he turned over the tables and drove out the animals.

I'm sure I have some metaphorical tables that Jesus needs to turn over.

Triumphal Entry

Jesus came into Jerusalem on the first day of Passover week. We call it Palm Sunday because the crowd cut palm branches and brought them as they greeted Jesus. His donkey ride made the people cheer, as they anticipated a big showdown. All the players were in town now: the religious authorities (because they were always in Jerusalem), the Romans (because they always wanted crowd control for the big Jewish feasts), and Jesus (because he was going to, well, do something big).

The tension and excitement were building. The religious authorities wanted to get rid of the upstart, rogue rabbi. The Jesus followers wanted Jesus to humiliate the religious establishment and lead a revolt against Rome. The Romans just wanted to keep a lid on it all for the next few days.

And nobody could have predicted what really happened.

What's it like when God surprises you?

Under Pressure with Friends

Peter was ready to fight to the death for Jesus. I think he relished the thought of swinging his sword to protect his Rabbi, and then watching Jesus pull some miraculous save-his-disciples stunt. 

After all, Peter was convinced that Jesus was the Messiah, and would soon be crowned as king. Jesus's path to the throne was just a matter of fine print. Peter knew how it would end, with Jesus ruling. He was prepared for whatever it took to crown Jesus king.

But he was not prepared for the pressure coming his way. It was not pressure to shrink from battle, not pressure to speak heresy. His test came from the least threatening person he had ever seen. A servant girl noticed him in the courtyard, as Jesus's trial began. She simply asked if he was with Jesus. Peter's Galilean accent had given him away. Apparently Jesus also sounded like he was not from Jerusalem.

Peter, unfortunately, caved under the pressure. He denied being associated with Jesus, not once, but three times. This confrontation with the Jewish authorities was going all wrong, Peter thought, and he could not bring himself to be associated with his friend who was blowing his opportunity to rise to power.

Peter didn't get it, and so he turned his back on Jesus.

I wonder how often I don't get it, and turn my back on Jesus.

Under Pressure at Work

Pilate had a bad day. We call it Good Friday, but it was anything but good for the Roman governor. He was charged with keeping peace in the rebellious Jewish nation, and those Jews needed a heavy hand on their festival days.

He was awakened early that day as Jewish authorities brought some rebel to him for an emergency ruling. Pilate listened to the case against this man, but it didn't add up. It didn't take him long to see that these Jewish power brokers just wanted to get rid of this guy. He tried to placate them by having the rebel beaten, and then releasing him. But the Jewish leaders were not satisfied. They whipped up the crowd to call for the rebel to be executed. They shouted, "Crucify! Crucify!"

Pilate found himself between a rock and a hard place. He could not condemn this man in good conscience. But he could not very well maintain peace if he angered those Jewish rulers. It could all get out of hand. The most expedient course of action would be to condemn the rebel. It would be messy, but only for a moment. Pilate had disposed of Jewish rabble many times before. What was one more Jewish execution?

The governor declared that he would take no responsibility for it, and sentenced the rebel to death. Pilate caved. He could not do the right thing with all that pressure.

He sent to death the only truly innocent man in the world.

Maybe you have pressure at work, too.

God's Irony

Anyone who digs into the scriptures will find loads of irony. Sarah was 90 years old before she had a baby. Israel escapes oppression in Egypt, only to become an empire (centuries later) that oppresses its neighbors and its citizens. David, the runt in his family, becomes a conquering king. The boldest disciple can't admit to a servant girl that he follows Jesus. Jesus wins by losing.

And at Easter time we see the death of death. In Christ, God kills death. God does so by surrendering his Son to death. Death should be the last word: when someone dies, it's all over. The forces of evil in the spiritual realm rejoiced when Jesus died. But on the third day, he defeated death. He went through death to emerge on the other side. Death had lost its power over Jesus. Death took its best shot and Jesus defeated it.

Now in Christ, death is dead. Yes, all people will die eventually. But because Jesus defeated death, death no longer has the last word. Those who trust in Christ can know that when we experience physical death, Jesus sees us through to the other side. He walked this path ahead of us and defeated that enemy.

This is why Christians make such a big deal about Jesus's resurrection. We celebrate his victory. And we know that he gives us a taste of that resurrection life here and now. Because death is dead, we can truly live. Today.

The Sting of Forgiveness

Sometimes we get what we don't deserve...in a good way. Someone lets you into traffic, when you selfishly passed the line of cars to get ahead. A shopper lets you have the last one of that scarce item on the shelf, even though they picked it up first. You drop the ball on that work project, and a coworker picks up your slack--and doesn't tell the boss. 

Those experiences make us swallow hard, if we take time to think about it. Someone else has sacrificed for us, and we benefit. We don't deserve it. It is the kindness, even love, that gets our attention. We could rationalize and say that we really deserve those gifts of kindness: 

I was in a big hurry, and really needed to get ahead of those other drivers. 

I saw the item on the shelf first, but could not reach it before the other shopper. 

I have helped out that coworker so many times...she owes me.

It feels better if we can convince ourselves that we have earned those acts of kindness. But sometimes, no matter how hard we try, we can't find any way that we deserve them. 

That's when forgiveness stings. All we can do is say, "Thank you." This is the kind of love that pulls us up short and leaves us speechless. 

That's the kind of forgiveness we really need, and that's the kind of forgiveness we have in Christ. Lent is a time to sit in that forgiveness, to savor the sting, and humbly thank the Lord.

Death and Digestion

When Jesus died on the cross he truly died. Some suggest that he only looked dead, and was revived. But the time frame involved shows this was no resuscitation. He was dead dead. Jesus took all the evil of the world, and it killed him. As pastor Brian Zahnd says, death swallowed Jesus, but death could not digest him. 

When sin and death hit Jesus with their best shot, Jesus took all of it. He took their best shot, and it took him out. But even death itself could not overpower Jesus. When it looked like it was all over, Jesus pull the ultimate surprise. He defeated sin and death by being raised back to life. Jesus defeated the enemy that every person must face. And he won the victory for us.

If Jesus can defeat death itself, he has won the ultimate victory. And he invites us to experience this new life with him. "Come to me," he says.

Confronted by Jesus

No one has ever confronted evil like Jesus did. While he preached his message of love and forgiveness, healing and restoring, he also confronted evil. He told a rich man to sell everything and give to the poor. He called out religious leaders for twisting the commandments for their own benefit. He challenged the religious authorities for taking advantage of the needy.

Jesus also confronted evil in the Temple. All four Gospels describe Jesus clearing the Temple of the money changers and those selling sacrificial animals. He flipped over tables and scattered coins. John says that Jesus fashioned a whip to drive out the animals. Such was the Lord's anger at the way his Father's house was misused. 

What kind of confronting would Jesus do with you? What habits, what grudges, what attitudes would he challenge?

It is during this season of Lent that we actually ask Jesus to confront us. He wants to restore us, of course. Sometimes he first has to confront us.

The Everything Test

Jesus had the chance to gain everything. In his last temptation in the wilderness, the satan offers to give all the kingdoms of the world to him. The satan claims that these have been given to him, and that is partly true. The world's systems are clearly influenced by dark forces. Wars and oppression are, sadly, just part of the human condition.

And so the satan offers Jesus complete control of all these spheres and systems. But this control depends on Jesus bowing down to worship the satan. But if Jesus were in control, he could end all the wars and oppression. He could use this power, gained by surrendering to evil, for good purposes. 

It wasn't hard for Jesus to find a Bible verse saying we should worship the Lord and serve him only. But there is so much more to Jesus's rejection of this offer. Jesus knew that the Father would give him all authority in heaven and earth. He would receive this authority only after destroying the power of sin and death. Winning this victory would be painful, as Jesus allowed all the horror of evil to destroy him. He bore physical pain as he received all the evil of religion gone wrong, government conspiracy and abuse of power, and abandonment of his best friends.

It takes a lot of trust in God to believe that he will give his goodness to you, even while you are struggling or suffering. For those who are in Christ, we have the promise that we will also inherit the blessings of God's kingdom. But it is really tempting to take things now through earthly power. Like Jesus, we have a choice.

Drama Test

Jesus's second temptation in the desert (according to Matthew) was to get dramatic. The satan suggested that Jesus throw himself down from the Temple mount. The accuser quoted a Bible verse about God protecting his servant. God would not let Jesus splat himself on the stone walkway. Everyone would see the rescue, and right away, Jesus would have proven his Messiahship. What could go wrong?

Jesus also quotes a Bible verse, that one should not put God to the test. Even as Jesus is being tested, he realizes that he should not put his Father to the test.

Again, Jesus dismisses a sure-fire, fast way to being crowned king of Israel. The fast way to success, the easy way to power, is not the way of God. Jesus knows that his crown will be of thorns, and his throne will be a cross. It will be painful. And resisting this temptation is painful.

Jesus refuses dramatic fame. His path to greatness will be through defeat.

How often do we choose the way of losing, in order to win true victory?

A Hungry Test

Before he began his ministry, Jesus went into the desert to be tempted by the satan. He had been fasting for 40 days when the tests began. Jesus had must have felt, let's say, uncomfortable. But he had been praying for 40 days, so he was spiritually prepared.

The satan's first temptation came like this: "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread." Surely Jesus had the power to do so. His 40 day fast was almost over. Matthew (4:2) tells us that indeed he was hungry. 

This is a powerful temptation for a hungry man. He could satisfy his physical desire, and he could also prove to himself and the satan that he truly was the Son of God.

But he could also use this power to feed the world. Jesus would return to villages full of hungry people, those on the margins who suffered want because of unfair circumstances. What better way to announce the kingdom of God than to offer free bread, supernatural bread, bread from heaven? Jesus would immediately have a following who would stand with him against corrupt Temple leadership and against Roman oppression. 

But Jesus declined. "It is written, 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" Jesus would provide bread in his ministry, but not to satisfy his own hunger or to buy the support of a mob. 

Every day we are tempted to take short-cuts. We can get what we want and look like we are helping people in the process. We can gain popularity or power. But Jesus knew the power of self-denial. When we practice self-denial, we open ourselves to the real power of God.

Fast Ideas

What should I give up for Lent? If you haven't yet chosen something to give up for Lent, it's not too late! The whole point of the Lenten fast is to draw closer to the Lord. It's never too late for that. Remember, self denial makes us more sensitive to the truths Jesus would reveal to us.

So here are some suggestions of things to give up for Lent. You could give them up entirely, or give them up in certain circumstances. For example, I am giving up Facebook on my phone, but I am checking it with my computer occasionally.

• Social media
• Some type of meat
• Coffee
• Alcohol
• A selected TV streaming service
• Online shopping
• Snacking between meals
• Ice cream
• The shortest line at the grocery store (choose the longest one)
• Video games
• Hitting the snooze button
• Processed food
• Swearing
• Makeup
• News consumption
• Binge watching
• Taking the closest parking place
• Using AI
• Looking at every mirror
• Obsessing over weight
• Removing certain apps from your phone
• Ear buds

Why do Christians need a calendar?

The Christian tradition includes a pattern for teaching important events in the life of Jesus every year. The year begins with Advent, the season of anticipating Jesus' birth. It concludes (usually late November) with Christ the King Sunday. One of the seasons in the life of Jesus is Lent, which ushers in the celebration of Easter.

Long ago church leaders wanted to make sure that their teachings covered all the important stories. They devised a calendar, prescribing certain Bible passages and stories that should be taught. You can find the current church calendar here. 

I have to admit that I don't know a lot about the calendar, but I do know that I need regular reminders. In the season of Lent, I need to remember my own mortality, need for the grace of God, and the great sacrificial love that Jesus gives to me.

Why Fast?

One of the traditions of the Lenten season is fasting. Back in the early days of the Church, believers decided that preparation for Easter should include fasting. One could fast on Ash Wednesday, on Good Friday, and abstain from eating meat on Fridays during Lent. If you wanted to have one last fling before Lent, you could overindulge on the day before Ash Wednesday. We call that day as Fat Tuesday, or Mardi Gras.

But fasting is a form of self denial. It is a way of acknowledging that life is not all about meeting our every desire. We can gain greater perspective from unsatisfied hunger pangs. And those pangs serve as reminders that Jesus endured indescribable pain as he approached the cross. His pain was emotional, as his friends deserted him; it was physical as he was beaten, nailed to the cross, and left to bleed until he suffocated; it was spiritual as he bore the guilt of the world's sin. He suffered because of his love for us, and his suffering defeated the power of sin and death over us.

Many Christians are fasting now, and that fasting can take many different forms. Some are avoiding certain foods, some taking a vacation from social media, some abstaining from alcohol. Tradition says that you can take a break from your fast on Sundays during Lent. So the 40 days do not include the six Sundays in the season, and the whole season is 46 days.

But when we deny ourselves, we find freedom from things that demand our attention. Even those good things (that we may resume after Easter) no longer have such a strangle hold on us. We have perspective. We have choice. We have freedom. We also have greater intimacy with the One who really suffered.

Ash Wednesday

On the Christian calendar, today is Ash Wednesday. It is the first day of the season Christians call Lent. We get the word lent from the Old English word lencten which simply means spring season. We all know what Easter is about, and early Christians realized the value of preparation for it. They chose to set aside a period of 40 days of preparation (or 46, if you include the Sundays). On Easter we celebrate the resurrection, Jesus's defeat of death. But to appreciate the joy of Easter, we need to remember the suffering and pain that put Jesus in the tomb. In his suffering, Jesus took on the world's sin. That means he took on my sin. For me to appreciate the depth of Jesus's love for me, I need to take a sober look at my own sin. That's what the season of Lent is all about.

This season begins with Ash Wednesday. Many Christians attend church services today in which they receive a cross-shaped smudge of ashes on their foreheads. The cross shape obviously reminds us of the Lord's death for us. But the ashes remind us of our limitations and mortality. 

After Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, God told Adam, 

By the sweat of your face

You shall eat bread,
Until you return to the ground,
Because from it you were taken;
For you are dust,
And to dust you shall return.”

God made humanity from the dust. At the end of our days, we all return to dust. There are limitations that no one can overcome. Our time on earth is limited by death. So during the season of Lent we make a special effort to remember our limitations. 

There's a lot to learn about ourselves and our Lord this season. Happy Ash Wednesday!