Sermons on Ash Wedneaday:

God's Story Never Ends With 'ashes.'" Series

Contributed by Timilehin Daniel Olabiyi on May 12, 2025

This powerful quote by Elisabeth Elliot reminds us that no matter what challenges or hardships we face, God's plan for our lives is always bigger and better than we can imagine.

"Of one thing I am perfectly sure: God's story never ends with 'ashes.'" This powerful quote by Elisabeth Elliot reminds us that no matter what challenges or hardships we face, God's plan for our lives is always bigger and better than we can imagine. Elisabeth Elliot, a ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28

Denomination: Apostolic

Go And Sin No More

Contributed by Charles Mallory on Feb 17, 2010

God's mercy and forgiveness requires our lives to be lived as sinless as possible.

JESUS NEITHER ACCEPTED SIN NOR CONDEMNED SINNERS. ANOTHER WAY TO SAY IT IS THE WAY WE’VE ALWAYS SAID IT, “HATE THE SIN, BUT LOVE THE SINNER.” JESUS DID NOT COME TO CONDEMN PEOPLE, BUT TO TELL THEM THE GOOD NEWS THAT GOD IS FULL OF MERCY AND GRACE, EVEN WHEN WE SIN AND FALL ...read more

Scripture: John 8:1-11

Denomination: Free Methodist

Dancing With God

Contributed by Anne Benefield on Mar 5, 2009

Dancing with God begins when we realize that God chooses the music and the dance, but most importantly, God leads.

Dancing with God Matthew 6:1-6; 16-21 The Reverend Anne Benefield Geneva Presbyterian Church, Ash Wednesday February 25, 2009 Introduction: The passage we will read tonight is the traditional reading for Ash Wednesday. It focuses our attention on the three disciplines of Lent: Praying, Fasting, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:1-21

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Create In Me A Clean Heart

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Mar 21, 2015

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart These, O' God, you will not despise. Create in me a clean Heart O' God! (Updated February 2023)

Psalm 51 ... designated for today ... is one of the few psalms ... where we are given ... the historical background ... that led to the writing of this Psalm. The inscription reads, ..."A Psalm of David when Nathan the prophet came to him, ... after he had gone into ...Bathsheba." That ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 28:13, Psalm 51:17, Romans 3:23, Psalm 51:1-13, 2 Samuel 11:3-15, 1 John 1:7, Romans 10:9, Colossians 3:9-10, Ephesians 4:22-24, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Psalm 103:12  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

The True Meaning Of A Lenten Sacrifice

Contributed by Ryan Ferwerda on Mar 9, 2019

Most people attempt to give something up for Lent. But is what we give up for Lent beneficial to us or to God?

This past Wednesday, the collective whole of the Christendom observed Ash Wednesday. A day in the church year when we are reminded of our mortality, but more importantly, reminded of our reliance on God, both for life in this world and for life in the next. This day is the mark of the beginning of ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 51:1-17, Matthew 6:1-6, Matthew 6:16-21, Joel 2:1-2, Joel 2:12-17, 2 Corinthians 5:20-21, 2 Corinthians 6:1-10  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Lutheran

Woes Upon The Privileged Series

Contributed by John Lowe on Jul 29, 2017

God loves us, but we are not saved by His love; but by the death and resurrection of Christ, and by faith in Him. Jesus taught that faith and repentance are two sides of the coin, we call salvation.

Harmony of the Gospels -AD 28- Galilee (21) Woes Upon the Privileged (Genesis 19:24) Matthew 11:20-30 Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven; (Genesis 19:24) God saw to it that Lot was safely inside Zoar, and then the rain came. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:20-30

Denomination: Baptist

All The World Is A Stage

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Nov 28, 2013

The deed is done before the all-seeing God. His approval is reward enough in itself.

ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE. Matthew 6:1-6; Matthew 6:16-21. “All the world’s a stage,” Shakespeare reminds us, “and all the men and women merely players.” “And one man,” continues the playwright, “in his time plays many parts…” Jesus’ teaching on almsgiving, prayer and fasting in the Sermon on ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:16-21, Matthew 6:1-6

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Discipline Of Fasting

Contributed by Ian Hyde on Feb 23, 2020

Ezra the scribe knew his people needed to prepare their hearts for the difficult and dangerous journey ahead. In this sermon we look at why we as the church are called to fast and pray together, especially during the season of Lent.

A FAMILY ON THE MOVE For our family, there is rarely any experience more stressful than preparing for a trip back to Iowa to visit our parents. The kids are always excited about the prospect of staying in motels, of visiting with Grandma and Grandpa, of going out to eat at restaurants, and of ...read more

Scripture: Ezra 8:21-23, Nehemiah 1:1-6, Jonah 3:5-10, Joel 2:12-13, Psalm 35:11-14, Psalm 69:9-12, Matthew 6:16-18, Acts 13:2-3  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Nazarene

Keeping Lent As God Wishes

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Feb 16, 2026

God wants a true fast, not just lying down garbed in sackcloth with ashes all over.

Friday after Ash Wednesday 2026 Two days into our Lenten observance, we are confronted with a “full-throated” cry. We must lift up our voices like trumpets and tell God’s people about their wickedness. The people seek God daily, asking to know His ways. We are told that they act like a nation ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 58:1-9, Psalm 51:3-6, Psalm 51:18-19, Matthew 9:14-15

Denomination: Catholic

Seek Ye First

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Feb 17, 2020

Giving first place to the things of God.

SEEK YE FIRST. Matthew 6:19-34. 1. Heart-Treasure. “Treasure not up for yourselves treasures upon earth,” begins Matthew 6:19. Moths destroy clothes (cf. Isaiah 51:8). Even gold and silver can become cankered (cf. James 5:2). Thieves can literally “dig through” mud-brick houses. No, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:19-34

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

How Can I Tell You About Jesus When I Am Afraid?

Contributed by Randy Rodenborg on Mar 28, 2006

Max is a Jr Higher who hates the locker room, and is now likely to be picked on for having a ash cross on his head after the Ash Wednesday service. It ends with a call to pray for others and submitting yourself to God to use you to lead others to Him.

Max hated the locker room. It wasn’t a mild dislike, like the days he would rather not go to science or choir. Max really dreaded walking into the locker room and confronting first the smelliness of the locker room and then those small lockers. These lockers were really just baskets that you could ...read more

Scripture: Luke 22:54-61

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Your Life Is Not About You, But Jesus' Life Is

Contributed by Richard Schwedes on Feb 4, 2008

A short Ash Wednesday Sermon that encourages us to see that your life is not about you, but Jesus’ life is

Ash Wednesday has always presented me with a problem. As I read and research the scriptures for Ash Wednesday I get the feeling that God is saying, Hey Richard, hey Ray, hey….(and mention others) wake up to yourself, life is not about you, there are more important things in your life than ...read more

Denomination: Lutheran

Fire Burns Inward, Love Radiates Outward Series

Contributed by Dr John Singarayar Svd on May 12, 2025

To be a pilgrim of hope in a time like ours is to walk through the ashes of despair carrying a lantern lit by the Spirit.

Title: Fire Burns Inward, Love Radiates Outward Intro: To be a pilgrim of hope in a time like ours is to walk through the ashes of despair carrying a lantern lit by the Spirit. Scriptures: Acts 2:1-11, Romans 8:8-17, John 14:15-16, John 14:23-26. Reflection Dear Sisters and Brothers, There ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:1-11, Romans 8:8-17, John 14:15-16, John 14:23-26

Denomination: Other

Your Nail

Contributed by Rhonda Feurtado on Jun 23, 2009

This sermon looks at various nails we carry in our lives, much like the ones that nailed Jesus to the tree. It can be used on Ash Wed. or maundy Thurs. If used at ash Wed., each participant is given a nail to carry with them throughout lent to remind them

YOUR NAIL A nail can be an uncomfortable thing to confront. If you are not careful about how you handle it, it might cut or scratch you, or even puncture your skin. Then there would be blood on your hands…as there was blood on our Lord’s hands… as a result of the nail. “His blood be on us and on ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:1-21

Denomination: Methodist

Paradigms Of Prayer

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Mar 2, 2019

We pray for the glory of God. We consider that it is He who we have sinned against. We pray in solidarity with those for whom we pray. We don't try to restrict God.

PARADIGMS OF PRAYER. 1. Solidarity with those for whom we pray (Exodus 32:30-32) Moses presents us with an example of true, thoroughgoing, intercessory prayer. This is Moses’ prayer after the infamous ‘Golden Calf’ incident, when the people had committed idolatry at the foot of Mount Sinai ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 32:30-32, Joshua 7:6-9, Psalm 51:3-4, 2 Chronicles 6:18

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational