Ask the average Joe or Jane on the street about what they are doing for Lent, and they will probably say something like giving up chocolate or alcohol or something like that. Lent is associated, more often than not, with giving up something.
On the other hand, if you start at the original intentions for Lent you will find a much different rationale. It was meant to be a time of preparation for adult baptism. No doubt, the candidates for baptism would be taught about the life of Christ and about what their decision to be baptized would imply for their lives.
The period of Lent was set to be 40 days because that was the length of time that Jesus was in the wilderness being tempted by Satan. According to Matthew, immediately before the wilderness temptation Jesus was baptized. Immediately after he was sent into the wilderness to be tempted. So the wilderness seems to be closely associated with his life and obedience to God.
So was Lent intended to be.
This brings us to the Sermon on the Mount. In this Lenten observance, we invite you to join us in looking at the Sermon on the Mount for the 40 days of Lent. Matthew recorded this sermon from Jesus early in his ministry. In the sermon, Jesus tells the crowd of would-be followers about his vision for them and for anyone who would follow him.
We think this is a good place to start this 2023 Lent. One new Lenten meditation will be posted every day of Lent. Here. Join us.