Sermons on ash wednesday:

Lent 2021

Contributed by Michael Hopkins on Feb 17, 2021

A sermon for the start of Lent 2021

I think this is the point where I am supposed to talk about Lent being a penitential time, and time for giving things up, but that seems patent nonsense in 2021. In the last eleven months we have given up more than we ever wished for longer than we would have wished. And we have lost some people ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:9-15

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

God’s Chosen Fast

Contributed by John Gaston on Mar 5, 2025

We look at 4 wrong motivations for Fasting, HOW we're to Fast, 7 Types of Fasts, 7 Purposes of Fasting, and 5 correct Motivations for Fasting. We also do a thumbnail sketch of Isaiah 58, where God does a critique of Israel's fasting practices.

GOD’S CHOSEN FAST Isa. 58:5 INTRODUCTION A. HUMOR: Modern People Know So Much 1. Did you hear the story about the lady who was talking to her friend and brought up the Bible. Her friend said, “Oh don’t start trying to tell to me about the Bible; my parents had me read it every day. I’m ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 58:5, Matthew 6:16

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Ashes To Ashes: Dust To Dust Youth Sermon

Contributed by Youth Sermons on Feb 5, 2024

Ash Wednesday is a day of repentance, when Christians confess their sins and promise to follow God. It is a time to reflect, repent, and pray as we look ahead to Easter Sunday.

Hey guys, have you ever thought about what you're made of? No, not your muscles or bones, but what you're really made of. According to the Bible, we're made of dust. Yeah, you heard it right, dust! And one day, we'll return to dust. That's what Ash Wednesday is all about. It's a day when we ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 2:7

Topics: Lent, Spiritual Growth, Forgiveness, Self-Reflection

Psalm 90

Contributed by Joel Pankow on Mar 5, 2003

ash wednesday sermon based on Psalm 90

Dear friends in Christ, Ash Wednesday has its roots in the early Church’s careful efforts to receive those penitents who had lapsed from the faith and faithful living and had been excommunicated by the Church. The rite of worship that eventually developed for Ash Wednesday focused on contrition ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 90:1-17

Denomination: Lutheran

The Trampled Triumphant (An Ash Wednesday Sermon)

Contributed by John Williams Iii on Mar 5, 2025

The beginning illustration is a about a fern that won't grow because of its soil. Like the fern in the soil of hardened clay, we need a new beginning in the soil of God's grace!

THE TRAMPLED TRIUMPHANT Text: II Corinthians 5:20b – 6:10 2 Corinthians 5:20-21  So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.  (21)  For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:20-21, 2 Corinthians 6:1-10

Denomination: United Methodist

A Call To Wholehearted Repentance.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Jan 29, 2022

This call comes from the LORD Himself.

A CALL TO WHOLEHEARTED REPENTANCE. Joel 2:1-2, Joel 2:12-17. An old elder once said to me that his only regret was 'the years that the locust has eaten' (Joel 2:25). However, there is no point in bemoaning what may have been, but rather our eyes should be on the here and now, and in ...read more

Scripture: Joel 2:1-2, Joel 2:12-17

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Ash Wednesday: Leave No Cobweb Un-Swept

Contributed by Warner Pidgeon on Mar 5, 2014

A short talk for our annual Ash Wednesday service. The bright light of God's judgement and holiness and grace calls us to leave no stone unturned and no cobweb un-swept as we route out sin.

In 1977 (in his book How to be born again) Billy Graham wrote: ‘Several years ago I was to be interviewed at my home for a well-known television show and, knowing it would appear on nationwide television, my wife [Ruth] took great pains to see that everything looked nice. She had vacuumed and ...read more

Scripture: Joel 2:12-17

Denomination: Anglican

Glass Houses: Skeptics Anonymous (Ash Wednesday) Series

Contributed by Robert Butler on Oct 18, 2019

We all carry skepticism but Jesus transforms it for the glory of God

Ash Wednesday marks the first day of 40 that call the season of Lent. While the Bible does not mention Ash Wednesday or the custom of Lent, it does talk of the practice of repentance and mourning in ashes. This was a common place Middle Eastern practice in which garments were ripped because they ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 13:19, Esther 4:1, Job 2:8, Daniel 9:3, Matthew 11:21  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Master's Mark

Contributed by Kevin Barron on Feb 26, 2017

An Ash Wednesday sermon that seeks to remind us of what we signed up for when we said we would follow Jesus!

THE MASTER’S MARK ASH WEDNESDAY, YEAR A 2 CORINTHIANS 5:20-6:10 MARCH 1, 2017 FARM HILL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, HARRISBURG, AR INTRO. Branding your animals to establish ownership can traced at least as far back as the ancient Egyptians. The practice of branding slaves goes at least to the ...read more

Denomination: United Methodist

Should Protestants Change Our Habits During Lent?

Contributed by Dennis King on Feb 25, 2018

What is the value of Lenten Rituals to Protestants?

We could look to the time of Lent as traditional activities representing the death of Christ plus His resurrection, and return. This year, the 2018 Lenten Season began on February 14th – Valentines' day. For Lent that day is called Ash Wednesday and people, worldwide, gave up certain foods or ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:16-18

Denomination: Baptist

Rend Your Hearts Not Your Garments

Contributed by Lucy Vavosa on Mar 5, 2003

This is a sermon about Ash Wednesday and how it is a day of new beginnings.

ASH WEDNESDAY REFLECTION 2003 “Blessed be the longing that brought you here and that quickens your soul with wonder.” This line is from a poem titled “A Blessing” by a man named John O’Donohue. I came across it quite by accident (or by God) As I was getting ready for work this morning and ...read more

Scripture: Joel 2:12-18

Denomination: Catholic

God, Have Mercy On Me, A Sinner

Contributed by Joel Pankow on Feb 9, 2005

This is a comparison on the attitude of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector for an Ash WEdnesday service.

February 9, 2005 Luke 18:9-14 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:9-14

Denomination: Lutheran

Corporate Versus Private Worship

Contributed by Ronald Harbaugh on Feb 5, 2008

A Sermon for Ash Wednesday, with outreach to two congregations without pastors.

Ash Wednesday, February 6, 2008 Grace be unto you and peace, from God our Father and from our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen. Let us pray: Dear Heavenly Father, this evening we begin another season of Lent, another journey in faith as we attempt to follow our Lord on the road to Jerusalem and the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:1-21

Denomination: Lutheran

Learning From The Gentle Jesus

Contributed by Richard Schwedes on Oct 29, 2007

An Ash Wednesday sermon, that encourages to learn from the gentle Jesus.

ASH WEDNESDAY SERMON Ash Wednesday is a bit like a reminder phone call. The alarm going off for an early wakeup call, or the mark on the calendar or diary indicating that something important is coming soon and we need to prepare for it. Ash Wednesday is the start of us preparing for Easter. We ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:5

Denomination: Lutheran

Ashes, Ashes, We All Fall Down

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Feb 17, 2010

ASH WEDNESDAY MESSAGE: We resist the "allness" of sin. David shows us that we must acknowledge it as our own, and that it has to do with our relationship to God, not just breaking rules. We have an even greater resource for our broken hearts than he had

His words were uttered in a commanding tone. It was clear that he was displeased. And to his displeasure he added a twist, as he said to his young son, “I said shovel all the snow off all the walks. What part of ‘all’ do you not understand?” And if, as a twelve-year-old who had soon grown tired ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 51:1-19

Denomination: Baptist