Communion With the Christ:: The Season of Lent: A New Life

“Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We therefore were buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may walk in newness of life” Rm:6:3-4

The Season of Lent which is observed by many Christian Churches of both Western and Eastern Traditions. In the Eastern Tradition the Season of Lent is often referred to as the Great Lent or the Great Fast, and sometimes the Great Forty Days, for the Season of Lent is often thought of as a forty-day period of time, but in actuality it encompasses forty-six days, the six Sundays, which are within, the Lenten season are not counted.

Forty

The number forty was borrowed from the Sacred history found within the Scriptures themselves; Moses’ forty years of preparation to lead Israel and his forty days upon Mount Horeb in receiving the Ten Commandments which were the center piece of the Covenant between God and Israel. Israel’s forty years from leaving Egypt to entering the Promised Land and even the Lord Jesus’ own forty days of temptations in the Wilderness wherein he demonstrated that he, and he alone, is the Messiah and rightful King to sit upon the throne of all things.

A Season of Reflection

The Season of Lent is a time of great reflection of the change of life and the transformational power of the living Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit in the lives of those who come to accept the work of salvation which was manifested in and through Jesus’ life, death and glorious resurrection.

The word Lent is a form of an Old English word “Lencten” which means “in the spring of the year” for in the early years of the Church, that of the Post Apostolic period, out of which Lent emerged, the Church would hold it’s Baptism Sacrament once a year on Easter Sunday. This was done to emphasize to new converts the transformation of their lives which was about to take place in light of the death and resurrection of Jesus.

New Converts to Christianity were encouraged to spend the forty days prior to the observe of Easter in reflect upon the transformation of their lives which was about to be entered into acknowledged through Baptisms Sacrament. They , now would live in an all-new life because of the Salvation work of Jesus.

This forty-day period was to sharpen the focus of the new converts to what their new life was to look like. Generally, this time was used for deep prayer the reading of what Scriptures were available to them, meditation, fasting and personal worship and of reflection upon entering an all-new life.

The Purpose of Lent

As new converts through-out the centuries have considered their lives throughout this season, we are today called upon to consider our own lives in light the reality of the resurrection of Jesus.

The Lenten Season is situated in the Church’s Liturgical Calendar by intent, it is placed there to lead us all into the reality of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection and our own sharing in Jesus’ life and death. This is the purpose of the Lenten Season, to begin to see our new life in him and our own sharing in all that is Jesus’.

The Season of Lent leads us directly into Holy Week and to the resurrection commemorated on Easter. Lent calls upon us to reflect upon the words found written by St. Paul.

The New Life Accomplished by Jesus

St. Paul wrote extensively about the new life which we can experience in Jesus sharing in all that is our Lord’s, the suffering, death and his glorious resurrection. All these are ours’ to share in our new life as we are forsaking our past lives.

“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.” Eph: 2:1-5

Our Lord Jesus Christ himself has accomplished this new life for us and bestows it upon us; and when we embrace this new life, we experience leaving our old life behind in the grave as is symbolized by the Sacrament of our own Baptisms as St. Paul reminds us all.

New Life Now

This new life which is ours’ is not just a future reality some day in Eternity to come, but rather is ours even now as we live here upon the Earth. This life, is ours' through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and lived not out of the power of the flesh but through following the lead of the Spirit’s gentle guidance and that which has been laid out for us in the Holy Word of God.

“Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.” Rm: 8:5

As we yield to the Spirit and look to Jesus this new life becomes ever more vibrant and fruitful, our old life becomes more distant and remote to us as our whole life is filled with the merits of Christ.

“For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his We know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be rendered powerless, that we should no longer be slaves to sin” Rm:6:5-6

The Way of Eternal Life

This new life, is eternal life as a way of life. It is way of living built upon the person of Jesus, a way of knowing the true God and his Holy Son.

“this is eternal life, that they might know you the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” Jhn:17:3

This is the way of living which is a result of the of Jesus’ work of salvation for each and all who will but freely receive it. As we come to know our God through Jesus even how we relate to others, and even to ourselves, is forever changed in view of the work of Jesus.

“For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” 2Cor: 5:14-17

As eternal life is a way of life, so is death a way of life one which creates a needless state of alienation from the great God who love us and wants us. This way of death gives rise to every pain and sadness which has plagued humanity personally and collectively from the dawn of creation until this very hour upon the Earth.

Though Jesus himself entering into death itself he has defeated not just the way of death, but all of its painful consequences temporal and eternal and made eternal life a reality for us.

“because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the Law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man, as an offering for sin. He thus condemned sin in the flesh” Rm: 8:2-3

A Time to Reflect

The Season of Lent is a time for Christians to reflect upon our own Christians lives in view of finished the work of Jesus and the life which has been given to us all. A life lived out in view of all that Jesus has done for us all to his glory.

Lent is far more than a season of legalistic performance based religious self-examination, it is rather a time of fully embracing the grace of God and the reality of the risen Christ and the Season of Easter.

Benediction: May we each and all live out our lives in this new life all for the glory of God, today, tomorrow and forever more. Amen.