Transforming Ashes: Embracing Brokenness for New Life

Devotional

Day 1: Embrace Your Brokenness

Our ashes symbolize our sins, failures, and disappointments. Instead of ignoring or denying them, God invites us to bring our brokenness to Him, promising to transform it into something beautiful. This is a powerful reminder that our weaknesses can be the starting point for God's work in our lives. By acknowledging our brokenness, we open ourselves to the transformative power of God, who can take our shattered lives and create something beautiful from them. This process requires humility and trust, as we let go of our self-sufficiency and embrace our need for divine intervention. [02:38]

Isaiah 61:3 (ESV): "To grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified."

Reflection: What is one area of brokenness in your life that you have been hesitant to bring to God? How can you take a step today to offer it to Him for transformation?

Day 2: Biblical Recovery Group

The Bible is filled with characters who, like us, have their own ashes of brokenness. Figures like Moses, David, and Paul remind us that God can use our failures for His purposes. By acknowledging our shortcomings, we open ourselves to God's transformative power. These biblical figures experienced profound failures and yet found redemption and purpose through God's grace. Their stories encourage us to see our own failures not as the end, but as opportunities for God to work in and through us. [01:21]

2 Corinthians 12:9 (ESV): "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

Reflection: Reflect on a biblical character whose story of failure and redemption resonates with you. How can their journey inspire you to trust God with your own shortcomings?

Day 3: Stories of Transformation

The testimonies of those who have found recovery and hope through programs like the Santa Barbara Rescue Mission illustrate how God can bring beauty from ashes. These stories encourage us to trust in God's ability to redeem our lives, no matter how broken they may seem. Hearing about individuals who have overcome addiction and despair through faith and community reminds us of the power of God's love and grace. Their transformations serve as a testament to the hope and new beginnings that are possible when we surrender our lives to God. [05:31]

Psalm 40:2-3 (ESV): "He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord."

Reflection: Think of a story of transformation that has inspired you. How can you use this story to encourage someone else who may be struggling with their own brokenness?

Day 4: Lenten Practices

The season of Lent invites us to engage in fasting, giving, and prayer. These practices help us draw closer to God and align our lives with His purposes. By participating in these disciplines, we open ourselves to the new life God offers. Lent is a time of reflection and preparation, where we intentionally create space for God to work in our hearts. Through these practices, we are reminded of our dependence on God and our need for His guidance and strength. [08:43]

Joel 2:12-13 (ESV): "'Yet even now,' declares the Lord, 'return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.' Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster."

Reflection: What is one Lenten practice you can commit to this season to draw closer to God? How can this practice help you align your life with His purposes?

Day 5: The Phoenix Rising

The myth of the phoenix, which rises from its ashes, serves as a metaphor for the new life God offers us. As we let go of our self-sufficiency and embrace our need for God, we find that He brings new life from our ashes. This is the hope and promise of the Lenten season. The image of the phoenix reminds us that even in our darkest moments, God is at work, bringing about renewal and transformation. By surrendering our lives to Him, we can experience the beauty and hope of new beginnings. [10:10]

Isaiah 43:18-19 (ESV): "Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."

Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to let go of self-sufficiency and embrace God's transformative power? What steps can you take today to trust Him for new beginnings?

Sermon Summary

In this season of Lent, we are invited to draw near to God through repentance, preparing our hearts for Holy Week, the crucifixion, and the resurrection. The ashes on my forehead symbolize my sins, guilt, failures, and disappointments. Throughout the Bible, ashes represent human brokenness and the power of death. The question arises: what do we do with our ashes? It is tempting to ignore them, deny them, or wallow in self-pity. However, God invites us to bring our ashes to Him. This is a lesson we learn through the 12 Steps, as we see biblical figures like Moses, David, and Paul, who all had their own ashes of brokenness and failure. God calls us to bring our shattered lives and guilt to Him, promising to make something beautiful out of them.

I recently attended a graduation ceremony at the Santa Barbara Rescue Mission, where individuals who had reached the end of their rope found hope and recovery through a year-long program. These people, who had been broken by addiction and despair, shared their stories of transformation. One woman spoke of her struggles with substance abuse and losing her children, yet found God and a safe place to heal. Another man realized that his own strength was insufficient and found God in his brokenness. These stories remind us that God takes our ashes and brings beauty from them.

On this Ash Wednesday, the invitation is to bring the ashes of our lives to God. The image of ashes is a reminder of our mortality and inadequacy. In the Book of Job, we see how Job's life, reduced to ashes, becomes the starting point for a new beginning with God. The 12 Steps offer a Lenten way of life, encouraging us to fast, give, and pray. These practices help us draw closer to God and find new life in Him. The ancient myth of the phoenix, which rises from its ashes, symbolizes the new life God offers us. As we let go of our innate awesomeness and embrace our brokenness, we find God in the last house on the block, where He brings new life from our ashes.

Key Takeaways

1. sufficiency and embrace our need for God, we find that He brings new life from our ashes. This is the hope and promise of the Lenten season. [10:10]
** [10:10]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:09] - Introduction to Lent
[00:25] - Symbolism of Ashes
[00:43] - Dealing with Our Ashes
[01:06] - Biblical Characters as a Recovery Group
[02:18] - Invitation to Bring Ashes to God
[03:17] - Santa Barbara Rescue Mission
[04:36] - Testimonies of Transformation
[05:48] - Finding God in Brokenness
[06:33] - Ashes as a Symbol of Mortality
[07:07] - The Story of Job
[08:25] - Lenten Practices
[09:55] - The Phoenix Metaphor
[10:41] - New Beginnings from Ashes
[11:16] - Letting Go of Self-Sufficiency

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:

Job 2:8 - "Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes."
Job 13:12 - "Your maxims are proverbs of ashes; your defenses are defenses of clay."
Job 42:5-6 - "My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes."

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Observation Questions:

What do the ashes on the forehead symbolize during the season of Lent, according to the sermon? [00:25]
How does the sermon describe the role of biblical figures like Moses, David, and Paul in relation to their "ashes"? [01:06]
What transformation stories were shared from the Santa Barbara Rescue Mission, and how do they relate to the theme of ashes? [03:17]
How is the myth of the phoenix used in the sermon to illustrate a spiritual truth? [10:10]

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Interpretation Questions:

In what ways does the sermon suggest that acknowledging our "ashes" can lead to spiritual growth and transformation? [02:38]
How does the story of Job, as referenced in the sermon, illustrate the process of moving from brokenness to new beginnings? [07:07]
What is the significance of the 12 Steps in the context of Lent, as discussed in the sermon? [08:25]
How does the sermon use the concept of "the last house on the block" to describe finding God in our brokenness? [06:17]

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Application Questions:

Reflect on a time when you felt like your life was reduced to "ashes." How did you respond, and what might it look like to bring those ashes to God now? [02:38]
The sermon mentions biblical figures who had their own failures. How can their stories encourage you to bring your own failures to God? [01:06]
Consider the Lenten practices of fasting, giving, and prayer. Which of these practices could you focus on this season to draw closer to God, and how will you implement it? [08:43]
The sermon shared stories of transformation from the Santa Barbara Rescue Mission. How can you support or engage with similar recovery or support programs in your community? [03:17]
The myth of the phoenix rising from ashes is a metaphor for new life. What areas of your life need renewal, and how can you invite God into that process? [10:10]
How can you let go of your "innate awesomeness" and embrace your need for God in your daily life? What practical steps can you take to cultivate humility? [06:17]
Reflect on the idea of "the last house on the block." How can you create a safe space for others who are at the end of their rope, offering them hope and support? [03:45]

Sermon Clips

"These ashes that mark my forehead are my sins and my guilt and my failures and my disappointments and Ashes an image All Through the Bible of human Brokenness and the power of death and just the waste that is left over after the destruction that becomes a part of our life." [00:21:80]

"Jerry was talking about how you might actually think of the characters in The Bible as a giant Recovery Group and if you did their introduction like their very robust step ones would be extremely powerful. My name is Moses I'm a murderer, my name is David I'm a murderer and an adulterer." [01:11:68]

"God says now bring me your Brokenness and your shattered lives and your guilt and the things that you cannot fix over which you are powerless, you bring them to me in this season and I will make something happen in your life." [02:48:68]

"I went to an event at a church and it was a kind of a graduation ceremony for people who are part of the Santa Barbara Rescue Mission. They have this wonderful program it takes a whole year to go through it of recovery and working through the 12 steps and it's for people who are at the end of their rope." [03:05:96]

"There was a woman there who spoke for some time she told the story of her life substance abuse in her family by the time she was 12 years old she was cutting herself she was deeply suicidal and she had already begun to drink and use and then a series of abusive relationships." [04:34:19]

"God takes ashes and brings Beauty out of them. There was a man who spoke there and he talked about how it was actually over 10 years ago that he got into AA and became sober and had four years of sobriety but he said I never really could come to grips with God my higher power." [05:33:68]

"On this day on this Ash Wednesday the invitation for you is to bring the ashes of your life instead of ignoring them or pretending they're not there the guilt the failure the disappointments to God this image of Ashes is used all through scripture as a picture of our mortality." [06:22:63]

"When Job finally sees God doesn't just tear by he says my ears had heard about you but now I have seen you I Repent in dust and Ashes and so that Ash he the place that had been the wreckage of his life becomes the place where his life begins again becomes the place of Resurrection." [07:53:28]

"Traditionally in this season that begins today on Ash Wednesday people will engage in historically primarily three particular practices over these next weeks and one of them is to fast and so you might think about doing that today or in some area of your life I will be doing that." [08:36:12]

"The Phoenix was this glorious Golden Bird who had quite a long life but then would come to die it would actually die to itself would bring about its death on a funeral P but then out of the ashes it would rise again the last house on the Block offer its ashes and out of the ashes comes new life." [09:59:95]

"Let go of your innate awesomeness you graduate from some Grand University they might celebrate that if you're at the Oscar ceremony they might get all dressed up and celebrate urinate awesomeness not in the Fellowship of the withered hand here we meet God and out of the ashes through his power We rise again." [11:16:24]

"Keep coming back it works when you work it." [11:41:08]

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Transforming Ashes: Embracing Brokenness for New Life

Devotional

Day 1: Embrace Your Brokenness

Day 2: Biblical Recovery Group

Day 3: Stories of Transformation

Day 4: Lenten Practices

Day 5: The Phoenix Rising

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Transforming Ashes: Embracing Brokenness for New Life

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