Sermons on Ash Wednesday:

Return To The Lord

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Jun 20, 2019

We are right to emphasize that God loves us, but we too easily forget that because he loves us he wants us to be the best we can be and calls us to a deep repentance.

Return to the Lord Isaiah 1:12-20 Ash Wednesday, February 22, 2012 Rev. Stephen Aram We live in a time when the church really emphasizes the mercy and grace of God. How many times have you heard it said that God loves us just the way we are and that he will be there any time we call? And ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 1:12-20

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

Create In Me

Contributed by Jason Bonnicksen on May 15, 2011

A simple, but memorable sermon for Ash Wednesday.

INTRO Ash Wednesday — it’s kind of a solemn day. It’s the start of Lent —a word which means “spring” in German. But more than this, it’s the time each year when we intently focus on the path Christ Jesus laid out for us to follow — to be true to ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 51:10-12

Denomination: Lutheran

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

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

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: Methodist

Life In The Valleys

Contributed by Bruce Lee on May 28, 2025

This week we begin to celebrate the Holy Season of Lent starting with Ash Wednesday. Lent is a time to reflect on how we live out discipleship in the world around us.

“Life in the Valleys” “The next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met him.” Luke 9:37 Intro: This week we begin to celebrate the Holy Season of Lent starting with Ash Wednesday. Lent is a time to reflect on how we live out discipleship in the world around us. ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:37

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

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