Preparing for Lent: Joy, Confession, and Transformation

Devotional

Day 1: The Balance of Feasting and Fasting

Feasting and fasting are two sides of the same spiritual coin, each offering unique opportunities for growth and reflection. Shrove Tuesday, with its indulgence in pancakes, symbolizes the joy and abundance of God's love. This day of feasting serves as a reminder of the blessings we have received and the goodness of the Lord. As we transition into Lent, the challenge of fasting invites us to let go of certain comforts, creating space for deeper communion with God. This balance between feasting and fasting is essential for spiritual growth, as it teaches us to appreciate abundance while also embracing sacrifice. [01:49]

Isaiah 58:6-7 (ESV): "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?"

Reflection: What is one comfort you can let go of during Lent to create space for God to work in your life?

Day 2: Confession as a Path to Freedom

Confession and absolution on Shrove Tuesday are not about punishment but about liberation. This practice invites us to examine our souls, confess our sins, and engage in acts of penance. By doing so, we free ourselves from the burdens of guilt and shame, allowing us to enter Lent with a renewed spirit. This process is transformative, helping us become the kind of people who no longer engage in sinful behaviors. It is a journey towards becoming more like Christ, embracing His grace and forgiveness. [03:18]

James 5:16 (ESV): "Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working."

Reflection: Is there a sin or burden you need to confess today? How can you seek God's forgiveness and healing in this area?

Day 3: Embracing Inclusivity in God's Kingdom

The Feast of Epiphany, which leads into the Lenten season, celebrates the revelation of Jesus to the Gentiles. This event symbolizes the inclusivity and diversity of God's kingdom, reminding us that spiritual transformation is available to everyone, regardless of background or status. As we prepare for Lent, we are called to reflect on the inclusivity of God's love and how we can embody this in our own lives. This season is an opportunity to embrace diversity and extend grace to all, recognizing that we are all part of God's family. [04:48]

Galatians 3:28 (ESV): "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."

Reflection: How can you actively embrace and celebrate the diversity of God's kingdom in your community today?

Day 4: Humility and the Deconstruction of Authority

Shrove Tuesday reminds us of the importance of humility and the need to deconstruct human authority. Festivals like the Feast of Fools historically mocked leadership, highlighting that human authority is never ultimate. This humility is essential as we prepare to walk with Jesus to the cross during Lent, recognizing that true authority comes from God alone. As we reflect on this, we are encouraged to examine our own lives and the ways we may hold onto power or control, surrendering them to God's greater authority. [07:35]

Matthew 20:26-28 (ESV): "It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you need to practice humility and surrender control to God?

Day 5: Lenten Practices for Deeper Love

As we approach Lent, we are encouraged to engage in practices that help us love others more deeply. Reflecting on our interactions with others and praying for them can be a meaningful Lenten practice. This season invites us to focus less on ourselves and more on the needs of others, cultivating a heart of compassion and service. By doing so, we align ourselves with the selfless love of Christ, who calls us to love our neighbors as ourselves. [11:55]

1 John 3:18 (ESV): "Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth."

Reflection: Who is someone in your life that you can show deeper love and compassion to today? How can you put this love into action?

Sermon Summary

Shrove Tuesday, also known as Pancake Day, is a day of preparation and celebration before the Lenten season begins. It is a time to taste and see the goodness of the Lord, as symbolized by the indulgence in pancakes made with rich ingredients like butter and sugar. This day serves as a bridge between the feasting season and the fasting season of Lent. It is a time to reflect on the changes we wish to embrace in our spiritual lives, preparing ourselves for the journey of transformation that Lent offers.

The term "shrove" comes from an old verb meaning to confess and receive absolution. On Shrove Tuesday, we are invited to examine our souls, confess our sins, and engage in acts of penance, not as a form of punishment, but as a means to become the kind of people who no longer engage in those sins. This process of confession and absolution is about freeing ourselves from guilt and shame, allowing us to enter Lent with a renewed spirit.

Feasting and fasting are both integral to the spiritual life. Feasting reminds us of the joy and abundance of God's love, while fasting challenges us to let go of certain comforts to grow closer to God. The season leading up to Lent begins with the Feast of Epiphany, celebrating the revelation of Jesus to the Gentiles, symbolizing the inclusivity and diversity of God's kingdom.

Shrove Tuesday also reminds us of the importance of humility and the need to deconstruct human authority. Festivals like the Feast of Fools historically mocked leadership, reminding us that human authority is never ultimate. This humility is essential as we prepare to walk with Jesus to the cross during Lent.

As we approach Lent, we are encouraged to engage in practices that help us love others more deeply. Reflecting on our interactions with others and praying for them can be a meaningful Lenten practice. Shrove Tuesday invites us to taste the goodness of God and prepare our souls for the transformative journey of Lent.

Key Takeaways

1. The Joy of Feasting and the Challenge of Fasting: Shrove Tuesday is a day to celebrate the goodness of God through feasting, reminding us of the joy and abundance in our lives. It also prepares us for the fasting season of Lent, where we are called to let go of certain comforts to grow closer to God. This balance of feasting and fasting is essential for spiritual growth. [01:49]
2. Confession and Absolution: The practice of confession and absolution on Shrove Tuesday is about freeing ourselves from guilt and shame. It is not about punishment but about engaging in practices that help us become the kind of people who no longer engage in sinful behaviors. This process prepares us for the transformative journey of Lent. [03:18]
3. Inclusivity in God's Kingdom: The season leading up to Lent begins with the Feast of Epiphany, celebrating the revelation of Jesus to the Gentiles. This symbolizes the inclusivity and diversity of God's kingdom, reminding us that spiritual transformation is available to everyone, regardless of background or status. [04:48]
4. Humility and Deconstructing Authority: Festivals like the Feast of Fools historically mocked leadership, reminding us that human authority is never ultimate. This humility is essential as we prepare to walk with Jesus to the cross during Lent, recognizing that true authority comes from God alone. [07:35]
5. Lenten Practices for Spiritual Growth: As we approach Lent, we are encouraged to engage in practices that help us love others more deeply. Reflecting on our interactions with others and praying for them can be a meaningful Lenten practice, helping us to focus less on ourselves and more on the needs of others. [11:55]
** [11:55]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:32] - Introduction to Shrove Tuesday
[01:11] - Preparing for Lent
[01:49] - Joy and Preparation
[02:29] - Pancakes and Tradition
[02:41] - The Meaning of Shrove
[03:18] - Confession and Absolution
[03:59] - Fasting and Feasting
[04:21] - The Feast of Epiphany
[05:13] - Importance of Feasting
[06:05] - Festivals and Leadership
[07:35] - Humility and Authority
[08:00] - Preparing for Lent
[09:05] - Longfellow's Poem
[10:33] - Taste and See
[11:46] - Lenten Practices

Sermon Clips

"Today is called Shrove Tuesday. We're walking together through life and we're learning a lot from Dallas Willard, his little book 'Renovation of the Heart,' how change actually is possible. Tomorrow on Ash Wednesday, we'll begin this journey where we go through the different parts of personhood—our minds, our thoughts, our feelings, our wills, our bodies, our relationships with other people, our souls—to be made new." [00:01:06]

"Shrove Tuesday is a day of preparation, and it's an interesting day. It's a combination of both experiencing joy, being festive, and preparing for change in ways that can be quite costly. So as you may know, Lent often involves, in this process of preparation, things like fasting. I might give up something, a particular devotion to prayer, giving, being aware of other people and wanting to be generous towards them has traditionally been a part of Lent." [00:01:38]

"The reason it's called Shrove Tuesday is an old verb we don't use much anymore, but it's a beautiful word. Shrove or shrive is something that a priest would do, where I would go to the priest—in our case, we go to each other, we go to the fellowship of the withered hand—and I confess these are the sins that I wrestle with, and then I'm given acts of penance." [00:02:37]

"The idea there isn't that I punish myself to get God to stop being mad at me. It's a gift where I can engage in certain practices so that I become the kind of person that will no longer do those things that I don't want to do, and then I am offered absolution. To be absolved, to be freed of guilt and shame." [00:03:05]

"It's the end of a feast season and the beginning of a fasting season. I want to say a word about that because fasting and feasting are both very important, and Shrove Tuesday in a way kind of brings them together. Taste and see that the Lord is good, and then God, what are you calling me to give up? What spiritual challenge are you calling me to embrace so that I can be changed?" [00:03:54]

"The season in front of Lent actually began with what was called the Feast of Epiphany, and that marked the time when the Magi came and Jesus was revealed to them. The church remembered that because really that was the revelation of Jesus, of the goodness of God, of God's love made to the Gentiles, to people who were not part of little Israel." [00:04:16]

"Feasting is a real important part of spiritual life. This goes way back to the Old Testament. There were three primary feasts, and they involved the Feast of Unleavened Bread, remembering the Passover, God delivered His people, and the Feast of Weeks. They waited seven weeks, about 50 days, and then they were at the foot of Mount Sinai and God gave the law, God gave wisdom about how to live." [00:05:13]

"Festivals can look a little bit strange to us, and you may know back in the medieval world often they would involve these odd moments when for a day a fool, a jester, would be made a king, or a boy would be crowned as a bishop. The idea of that is it was reflecting back, it's a really interesting book called 'Sacred Folly' about the Feast of Fools." [00:06:07]

"Those feasts are needed to mock leadership. Order is important, but human authority is never ultimate. My kids used to mock me because, particularly on Sundays, I would eat all day long as much as I could, but because I would also preach on Sundays, often while I was preaching, I would have to pause because I had to deal with digestion management." [00:06:55]

"On this Shrove Tuesday, in confession and penance and absolution, God, how do you want to change me? How do you want to meet me in Lent? One of the practices I will do in Lent, because I really want to love people more, is each day to spend some time reflecting on who was I with the day before, and what did I notice about them, and how might I pray for them or maybe even do some act to help them." [00:11:46]

"That's a Lenten practice that I will do to help shrive my soul. A great Shrove Tuesday, and I will see you in ashes." [00:12:16]

"Death and sin and guilt and darkness, their days are numbered, and that's why we feast. And then, off your soul on this Shrove Tuesday, in confession and penance and absolution, God, how do you want to change me? How do you want to meet me in Lent?" [00:11:33]

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