The Bethany Bullet - Week of February 14, 2016

Lent is just another 40 days.  The “40 days” mantra has sprung an entire cottage industry.  While it is true that many “40 day” events took place in Scripture, Lent is just another 40 days.

Lent is after all, a season for us to draw near to God in repentance.  Repentance means that we will despair of ourselves, mourn our guilt that sent Jesus to the cross and seek to turn away from temptation and return to Him.  Confident that Christ died for us.   

Jesus death was both sacrificial and intentional.  Christ died to atone for sin.  He is the Lamb of God upon whom is cast our sin.  He is also the High Priest that meets our needs.   As both priest and sacrifice Jesus offers the perfect, holy gift (which is Himself) and then suffers the consequences of sin as if the guilt were His own, even though He is innocent of any transgression and we are the guilty party.

Lent is a season in which we are called again to cling to Jesus’ passion by faith certain that He appeased God’s wrath toward sin and through Him, God is favorably disposed toward sinners like us.  God isn’t a cosmic hot head.  He isn’t an intolerant, “over-bearing” being, nor does He have a pietistic exuberance that He enjoys condemning those caught transgressing.  God is holy and nothing, nor anyone who is, unholy can enter His presence; so the Holy one of God, Jesus Christ, becomes the Holy offering to God.  This holy sacrificial offering, Jesus, takes our unholy words, thoughts and acts upon Himself and in exchange grants us His righteousness, purity, His holiness through faith.

That is why Lent is just another 40 days.  That is, these days, are to be like all our days, or maybe all our days ought to be like these 40 days: Days of repentance and faith.

-Pastor Kevin Kritzer