Jesus ‘set his face’ toward Jerusalem (Luke 9:51, NRSV); that’s what our Lenten worship series will be all about this year. And what does that mean … to ‘set your face’? It means to determine to do something—to do something deliberately, with no chance involved. Whatever you’re determined to do, to ‘set your face’ to, you mean to do just that; in other words, it’s deliberate…
For Jesus, it was ‘setting his face’ toward Jerusalem—going up to Jerusalem (since it’s located on a mountain) … and all that that meant. And, in so doing, he offers us God’s life, power, and salvation. As followers of his—Disciples of Jesus Christ, we’re called on to reflect on and pray about where we ‘set our faces’ day by day…
- Where do we ‘set our faces’ in our relationships with God and with our neighbor?
- Where do we ‘set our faces’ with our ethical choices?
- Where do we ‘set our faces’ when we see those who are poor and oppressed?
These are examples of questions we ask ourselves and one another as we look at Jesus’ decisions during the season of Lent. In the Christian Church…
Lent is a Season of 40 Days. It’s 40 days of repentance and fasting to help people prepare their hearts and minds for the high and holy day of Easter; and here are a few general comments about this season:
- Sundays are not counted because they’re considered to be ‘mini-celebrations’ of the Resurrection! So you can’t be somber on those days, can you? Those are the days during Lent … that you can be happy! ‘Happy’ is allowed on Sundays, but the rest of the day so of Lent are to be days of repentance, realizing your need for God, and striving in your devotion to God through a variety of means…
- The season begins with Ash Wednesday and lasts through the Saturday before Easter (Holy Saturday)…
Beginning on Ash Wednesday, many of us hear about dust & ashes on this day; we receive ashes on our foreheads; but, what’s that all about? It’s a not-so-subtle reminder to all of us that we will return to dust and ashes, so we repent, and we offer gratitude that, through Jesus’ resurrection, God offers us life and salvation…
The origins of the word Lent include a cluster of Old English and Germanic words that point to the lengthening days of spring. Longer days means springtime, and spring means newness of life—the dead days of winter are gone. Resurrection is coming!
So, that’s the overall meaning of Lent. It’s a season where we’re reminded of the frailness of our human condition, our dependence on God, and our gratefulness that God came through—big time—in the Person of Jesus. And through his life, death, and resurrection (like spring), we too can know a newness of life…
Also, in scripture, the number ‘40’ is highly symbolic for prayer, sacrifice, sober thought, and preparation. Here are 3 examples:
- NOAH AND THE ARK: Genesis 7:12 (NRSV) – “The rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights [italics mine].”
- MOSES AND THE EXODUS: Deuteronomy 29:5-6 (NRSV) – “I have led you forty years [italics mine] in the wilderness. The clothes on your back have not worn out, and the sandals on your feet have not worn out; 6 you have not eaten bread, and you have not drunk wine or strong drink—so that you may know that I am the LORD your God.”
- JESUS MINISTRY BEGINS (The Temptation of Jesus): Matthew 4:1-11 (NRSV) – “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. 3 The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4 But he answered, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'”
5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.'” 7 Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'”
8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor; 9 and he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.”
10 Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! for it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.'”
11 Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.
So, biblically, these are some of the references that show us the importance of ‘40’ in the Bible … and why our Church Fathers recognized Lent as a significant period of ‘40’ days as well. Finally, let me say this about the Season we’re entering into tonight…
Lent is a Time for Self-Reflection. During this Season, it’s always been traditional to use these 40 days to … read the Bible devotionally, spend extra time in prayer (both alone & together), study God’s word, and discuss our Lord’s saving ministry. So, in this worship series called ‘Setting Our Face to Jerusalem’, we’ll be doing this by focusing on the final days of Jesus’ work…
- We’ll begin when Jesus closed his Galilean work, went up on a mountainside with Peter, James & John, spent a night in prayer, and then ‘set his face’ to Jerusalem…
- We’ll carefully consider that critical decision—deciding how we too might make life-determining decisions about where we set our faces…
- We’ll observe Jesus’ healings and his teachings along the way…
- We’ll probably be a bit overwhelmed as we visualize the huge Roman army entering Jerusalem from the west on Passover (Palm) Sunday, the same day Jesus rode into the city from the east on a little donkey… What a contrast!
- We’ll also meditate on the Last Supper—thinking about times when we’ve had a last meal with family &/or friends, experiencing also the origins of Holy Communion…
- Then, we’ll go into the garden of Gethsemane for a night of prayer… Does Jesus really want to go through with the unbelievable pain and suffering that lay ahead?
- And, finally, we’ll complete this Lenten worship series by looking at the Lord’s final words from the cross—all of this helping us to be spiritually ready to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection on a glorious, victorious Easter morning!
So, how will you ‘set your face’ during this Season of Lent? What will you determine to do in order to live as closely to the center of God’s will as possible? What will Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection inspire in you this year?