“Lent is one of the oldest observations on the Christian calendar. Like all Christian holy days and holidays, it has changed over the years, but its purpose has always been the same:
self-examination
and penitence,
demonstrated by self-denial,
in preparation for Easter.
Early church father Irenaus of Lyons (c.130-c.200) wrote of such a season in the earliest days of the church, but back then it lasted only two or three days, not the 40 observed today.
In 325, the Council of Nicea discussed a 40-day Lenten season of fasting, but it's unclear whether its original intent was just for new Christians preparing for Baptism, but it soon encompassed the whole Church. It was then the idea was connected to the beginning of Jesus' public ministry right after his baptism and his 40 days in the desert where he was tempted. Matt 4:1-2 says:
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted forty days and forty nights and afterwards he was famished.
How exactly the churches counted those 40 days varied depending on location. In the East, one only fasted on weekdays. The western church's Lent was one week shorter, but included Saturdays. But in both places, the observance was both strict and serious. Only one meal was taken a day, near the evening. There was to be no meat, fish, or animal products eaten.
The goal of which was to reorient our lives by focusing our lives on the disciplines of the Christians are urged to refrain from business as usual in order to attend to the body, spirit, mind, soul, and heart. It is a time set aside for worshipers to connect their faith walk with the ways in which they live, move, and have their being throughout daily life. Thus, the Lenten journey is a renewed spirit and a genuine desire to become an incarnational presence in the world.
To get us re-booted in the Spirit, Let’s dive into a traditional Lenten Scripture for the Third Sunday of Lent. It comes from 1 Cor 1:18-25. The apostle Paul is writing from Ephesus, where he planted and stayed three years. He is writing to another of His church plants in Corinth. The date on this letter between 54-56ad. The letter is written because of a church fight taking place - quarrelling and debates are happening with some wrestling with who has apostolic authority in Paul’s absence. It would make for a great reality tv show with hidden conversations and innuendo. Paul is trying to bring unity, compassion and singleness of purpose. He begins this letter with affirmation in the church and the Lord’s faithfulness. He then brings up the cornerstone issues, leaders asserting their human wisdom into the simple message of Jesus. In doing so, they were creating division. Let’s pick up the argument in verse 18. Let me read this snippet once and then we will dive in.
18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written:
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”
20 Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22 Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
Now let's dive in.
18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written:
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”
When Paul mentions the cross, did any of you shiver. In the time, Paul wrote this so many of his listeners would hear the word “cross” as a filthy or dirty word. The cross was the worst way to die. It was considered shameful. It wouldn’t even be spoken of in polite society so in a letter written to the ecclesia (the gathering of early christians) this would have been tantamount to dropping the bomb.
Paul was making a point, the cross signifies the greatest of all paradoxes -the cross is only shameful to those who did something wrong but for those living like Christ, the people who are in the right - the cross is symbol of the greatest truth of all time: Christ has come. Christ has died. Christ has Risen and Christ will come again.
20 Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.
Earthly wisdom will never give you the ability to stand before a perfectly just king. We all have something in our closet that declares us ineligible to enter into the presence of perfection without tainting it. If in our sinful nature, we enter into God’s presence then we taint perfection. It is only by Jesus’ action on the cross, are we able to be in the presence of God. Paul points to this fact in the next few verses:
22 Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
Paul is telling the Jews that their idea that God would come using signs (or powerful acts to prove His presence) was misguided. Most Jews were taught the messiah would be a conquering powerful force establishing the Israel nation as a world power. An error that the Old Testament scriptures would already contradict (psalm 22 and psalm 53) but many would not acknowledge. The thought that God would be anything less was beyond their comprehension. The Greeks too had a flawed idea in the thought that man could come to understand the ways of the Gods by gaining wisdom through human logic. As such, the cross was nothing more than the end of a poorly lived life.
Let’s say this last verse of scripture together.
25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
When Paul wrote those words, he was very much poking the establishment of his day. He was a gadfly. A gadfly is a person who interferes with the status quo of a society or community by posing novel, potentially upsetting questions, usually directed at authorities. The term is originally associated with the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates, in his defense when on trial for his life. It was Socrates who said 400 years before Jesus, “an unexamined life is not worth living.” He is quoted as saying this at his trial for corrupting the youth with teachings that did not follow the mainstream understanding of his day.
Socrates believed that living a life where you live under the rules of others, in a continuous routine without examining what you actually want out of it is not worth living.
The quote is a powerful reminder for the Lenten season in which we are to recommit our lives to Christ.
We need self-examination to combat the spiritual deception rampant in the world. Scripture tells us to confess our sin to God, which requires a certain amount of self-examination. If we can never find any sin to confess, then “we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8). It is dangerous to lie to ourselves. 2 Corinthians 13:5 instructs us to examine ourselves. Paul writes: “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test.”
One of Satan’s favorite traps is to whisper false assurance to an unregenerate heart. Without Spirit-directed self-examination, our enemy’s lie is too pleasant, believable, and palatable to challenge on our own.
Christian self-examination is not a form of navel gazing. We are not to be self-absorbed and looking inward to see how we feel about ourselves or how we compare to other people. Instead, we are to look inward to see how we measure against the perfection of Jesus. As Megan K. McNally says,
“Self-examination should not be an introspective self obsession, but a humble, clear-minded assessment of ourselves through the gospel. It means looking to Scripture and understanding God’s commands as the Holy Spirit points out the sins we harbor that are contrary to the Truth.”
I have found reading the Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5-7) particularly helpful in assessing my own life and creating direction for the future. However, some of our list makers want something a little more concrete so we have included in the bulletin a handout to place beside your bed or wherever you will see it everyday as a series of questions to review. (BELOW)
Meditate on the following passage: “Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has commanded it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that good and bad come? Why should a living man complain, a man, about the punishment of his sins? Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the LORD!” (Lam. 3:37-40).
What did I focus most of my time on today?
What am I most grateful for today?
How much time did I spend in self-reflection (measuring my life to God’s ideal)?
Quick Assessment of personal Life and growth as a Jesus follower
Am I praying in faith regularly?
Am I serving with zeal?
Am I confessing my sin with humility?
Am I forgiving those who hurt me?
Am I worshipping with joy or just observing others?
Am I giving with gladness?
Am I loving the needy in my life?
Am I living in fear or faith?
Am I making progress in these areas? If not, why and what will I amend?
Am I frequently making excuses for my failure to be obedient and faithful to God’s commands? If so, what is my “payoff” for being disobedient and unfaithful?
Am I growing in faithfulness or have I become too comfortable in my spiritual life?
If so, what will I do to enhance the relationship with Jesus?
What will I commit to “let go of” or “start anew” as a result of this evaluation?
Does my evaluation parallel Jesus’ love for and hope for my current life?
The key to any self examination is a balanced reflection so please use the examination as a guide with the last question in the forefront of your mind.
I think it's important to note: Self examination is not intended as a form of self punishment, but a redirection of our love to God for what He did for us through the cross. It’s meant as a guidepost
