Keeping a Lent at Church of the Cross

Throughout the Bible, God calls his people to times of remembrance, celebration, and even lament. In the Old Testament there were rich times of physically remembering God's goodness, grace, and miraculous provision. Passover, for example, is a time to remember how God set his people free from their oppressors. It involves food, prayer, conversation, and more - all for the purpose of allowing our physical bodies, our minds, our hearts, and our souls to engage in remembrance and worship.

Lent falls in line with this ancient tradition of physical remembrance. It is a 40-day period before Easter (Resurrection Sunday) where we enter into Jesus' journey toward the salvation of humankind as he sacrificed himself on the Cross. It is also patterned after Jesus' 40-day fast at the very beginning of his earthly ministry. During these 40 days we deny our physical bodies something. Why? Scotty Smith, a writer for The Gospel Coalition put it this way in a prayer for Lent,

"For the next forty days we have the privilege of surveying your cross, lamenting our sin, and resting in your righteousness. 
May we come more fully alive to the depth of our need, and the overwhelming provision of your grace. With no condemnation hanging over us, we ask you to work deep conviction within us. Show us the ways we love poorly, under-believe the Gospel, and over-believe our fears. Keep us from groveling, but not from quieting our hearts, seeing our sin, collapsing on you."

In short, we give up something physical because we deeply need something spiritual. We need to be with Jesus, to be like Jesus, and to do what Jesus did. Lent is a time to be with our Savior, to be like him as those who rely on our Good Father, and to do what he did by denying ourselves, feasting on his goodness, and giving to others. (Lent can be a season of Spiritual Formation. Consider taking up one of the Spiritual Formation Practices like: Rest, Word & Prayer, Study, Hospitality or Fasting & Moderation, etc during this season.) May this be a time of rich blessing for us as a church, which leads to being a blessing to others! Here's how God himself outlined the richness of fasting:

“Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.” 
                                                                                                                                                                - Isaiah 56:6-8
As a church, we are engaging in Lent as an opportunity for God to reframe our situations as we look deeply into the true story of our Savior.

As a church we can do this in two ways:

1) Denying ourselves by giving up something

Consider giving up something during Lent (like social media, a favorite food, snack, or drink, meal, etc.). This is a way to fast and practice moderation. This is also a way to “deny yourself” as Jesus says in Matt.16:24. Instead, replace that time with Bible reading, prayer and reflection that you would normally spend consuming the thing that you are giving up during Lent. Pray and consider, what is it that your heart desires more than God? Is now a good time to give it up for this season of Lent?

2) Spending time in Bible reading, prayer and reflection

Set aside time every day for Bible reading, prayer and reflection. We have decided as a church to read through the Gospel of Luke during Lent. As you hunger and want for the thing you are giving up, let God’s word feed you. Let the Gospel both convict and comfort you as you follow Jesus to the cross and ultimately to his resurrection. As your pray and reflect, allow the Holy Spirit to root out sin and dangerous habits in your life. Repent and turn back to Jesus knowing there is forgiveness and grace upon grace that has been secured for you.

BIBLE READING PLAN 
Day 1)  2/18: Luke 1:1-25
Day 2)  2/19: Luke 1:26-56
Day 3)  2/20: Luke 1:57-80
Day 4)  2/21: Luke 2:1-20
REST: Sunday, 2/22
Day 5)  2/23: Luke 2:21-52
Day 6)  2/24: Luke 3:1-22
Day 7)  2/25: Luke 3:23-4:13
Day 8)  2/26: Luke 4:14-44
Day 9)  2/27: Luke 5:1-26
Day 10)  2/28: Luke 5:27-6:11
REST: Sunday, 3/1
Day 11)  3/2: Luke 6:12-38
Day 12)  3/3: Luke 6:39-7:17
Day 13)  3/4: Luke 7:18-50  
Day 14)  3/5: Luke 8:1-25 
Day 15)  3/6: Luke 8:26-56 
Day 16)  3/7: Luke 9:1-27
REST: Sunday, 3/8 
Day 17)  3/9: Luke 9:28-62  
Day 18)  3/10: Luke 10:1-24
Day 19)  3/11: Luke 10:25-42
Day 20)  3/12: Luke 11:1-28
​Day 21)  3/13: Luke 11:29-54                             
Day 22)  3/14: Luke 12:1-34
REST: Sunday, 3/15                                          
Day 23)  3/16: Luke 12:35-59                         
Day 24)  3/17: Luke 13:1-35                   
Day 25)  3/18: Luke 14:1-35                    
Day 26)  3/19: Luke 15:1-32                    
Day 27)  3/20: Luke 16:1-31                    
Day 28)  3/21: Luke 17:1-37                    
REST: Sunday, 3/22               
Day 29)  3/23: Luke 18:1-30                         
Day 30)  3/24: Luke 18:31-19:10                    
Day 31)  3/25: Luke 19:11-48                  
Day 32)  3/26: Luke 20:1-47                
Day 33)  3/27: Luke 21:1-38                    
Day 34)  3/28: Luke 22:1-38                    
REST: Sunday, 3/29                      
Day 35)  3/30: Luke 22:39-65                       
Day 36)  3/31: Luke 22:66-23:25                  
Day 37)  4/1: Luke 23:26-56                 
Day 38)  4/2: Luke 24:1-12                  
Day 39)  4/3: Luke 24:13-35                         
Day 40)  4/4: Luke 24:36-53