Tag: Lent

Posted in Lent devotions

Stirring things up

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“Scenes from the passion” Lent devotion for Thursday, February 18, 2021. Photo by Levi Meir Clancy on Unsplash

“It was now two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to arrest [Jesus] by stealth and kill him, for they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar from the people” (Mark 14:1-2).

The Jewish historian Josephus estimated that two million people were in Jerusalem for Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread at the time of Jesus, more than three times the usual population of the city. I picture something like Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Times Square on New Year’s Eve, or Bike Week in Daytona Beach, FL.

Continue reading “Stirring things up” →
Posted in Lent devotions

Sounds like a plan

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“Scenes from the passion” Lent devotion for Wednesday, February 17, 2021.

“It was now two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to arrest [Jesus] by stealth and kill him” (Mark 14:1).

In the recent ABC TV series “How to get away with Murder,” a criminal defense professor and some of her law students get mixed up in an elaborate murder plot. The classroom lectures and discussions are no longer theoretical, but real life drama.

The bible is littered with real life murder, too. Joseph’s brothers want to kill him and dispose of his body in a pit. Daniel’s coworkers carefully plan his death by lions, using his prayer life against him. In the book of Esther, Haman plans to kill Mordecai by exterminating every one of the Jews in exile.

So maybe you aren’t surprised to read about a plot to arrest and kill Jesus. But maybe you are. The chief priests and scribes aren’t bad guys are they? These descendants of Aaron offered up sacrifices at the temple, made atonement for those seeking to be clean, kept the incense and lamps burning in the temple, presided over the Day of Atonement, and taught God’s Word. They were an important part of the worship life of God’s people, the glue that had held this nation together.

Continue reading “Sounds like a plan” →
Posted in Devotions, Lent

2020 Lent devotion #11 – Blood of consecration

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by DDP on Unsplash

“You shall take the other ram, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the ram, and you shall kill the ram and take part of its blood and put it on the tip of the right ear of Aaron and on the tips of the right ears of his sons, and on the thumbs of their right hands and on the great toes of their right feet, and throw the rest of the blood against the sides of the altar. Then you shall take part of the blood that is on the altar, and of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it on Aaron and his garments, and on his sons and his sons’ garments with him. He and his garments shall be holy, and his sons and his sons’ garments with him.” (Exodus 29:19-21)

These instructions are part of a whole chapter’s worth of ritual to consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve God as priests. Their ordination includes bulls, rams and lambs, unleavened bread and cakes, anointing oil, special garments, wine and of course, blood. Blood will cover these priests from head to toe as well as their garments and the altar. When it’s all said and done, these men will be a constant reminder that God brought the people out of Egypt, lives with them and is the Lord their God.

When Jesus was crucified, he was covered with blood from head to toe. His own blood flowed from the thorns on his head and the nails in his hands and feet. Whatever garments they took from him would have been stained by his blood, as would his linen burial cloths. It all makes sense. He is our great high priest. He delivers his people from sin, death and the power of the devil. He is our Lord and our God. The picture from Exodus comes into sharper focus at the end of each of the gospels.

I believe most of us think of “God with us,” in a much cleaner way. But the bloody mess of both the priestly ordination and the crucifixion show us the other side of Emmanuel. It’s a side where the sights and smells of sacrifice and offering define what it’s like to have the Lord in your neighborhood.

Lord, thank you for the blood which shows us who you will be one day, my great high priest. In your name. Amen.

Posted in Devotions, Lent

2020 Lenten devotion #2: The blood of Abel

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by geralt on paxabay.com

Photo by geralt on paxabay.com
“Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell.”

“When they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. Then the Lord said to Cain, ‘Where is Abel your brother?’ He said, ‘I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?’ And the Lord said, ‘What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground.’” (Genesis 4:2-5,8-10)

Like a glass of red wine spilled on a light-colored carpet, a scratch along the side of a car or a welt across a slapped face, some sins cannot be hidden. There is no hiding Cain’s murder of his brother Abel in a field where no one sees. Heaven can hear the screams. 

How does God respond? He simply asks, “What happened?” Of course he knows. But he wants Cain to say it. To speak the words. To confess. Why? Because “if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us” (1 John 1:9). God has always been that way. Drops of blood from his own son’s whipped back, thorn-crowned head, nail-pierced hands and feet and spear-pierced side have also splattered on the ground. With the assurance of forgiveness, his blood drowns out the blood of Abel (Hebrews 12:24) and the stains, scratches and scars of all my sins, too. 

There may not be a chalk outline on the ground for each one of my sins. But God knows. So do I. Amazingly, he always listens when I tell him what I’ve done. Even more amazingly, he forgives. 

Thank you, Lord, for drowning out the voice of my guilt with your words of grace and forgiveness. Amen. 

Posted in church, Lent, Ministry

It’s time for purple

Posted on by William Douthwaite

In liturgical churches like ours, the altar will look different this week. As the season of Lent begins on Wednesday, the paraments will be purple.

Purple was an expensive dye at the time of Jesus. It was made from the secretions of a certain snail. Thousands of those snails were needed even for a small amount of the dye. Only the rich, which usually meant royalty, could afford purple garments.

Jesus wore a purple robe just once, along with a crown of thorns, as soldiers mocked him for being a king (Mark 15:17). This color is a powerful reminder of that Jesus was despised and rejected, a path of suffering that culminated with his crucifixion.

Reminded of the sacrifice he made for us, we enter the season of Lent with repentance. Turning from our sin to our Savior, we will find forgiveness from our king, who came to suffer and die for us.

Posted in Devotions, writing

Five things I learned writing daily Lent devotions

Posted on by William Douthwaite

glenn-carstens-peters-203007-unsplash
Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash

A week before Ash Wednesday (February 14 this year), I cast a line via my weekly email into the congregation announcing that I would be writing daily devotions on Mark’s version of the passion of our Lord during the forty-six days of Lent (I included the Sundays). About twenty replied and received a daily early-morning email devotion. This was a new project for me, and here’s what I learned from the experience. Continue reading “Five things I learned writing daily Lent devotions” →

Posted in Lent, Ministry

Ashes to go

Posted on by William Douthwaite

24hy432Early this morning I took Ash Wednesday on the road. Two things prompted me to do this. One was this article. The other happened last year after our noon service. I joined one of our small groups for lunch, and the cashier at the restaurant saw me in my collar with ashes on my forehead and asked, “Do you have any more ashes?” Because of her job, she didn’t get to go to her church and get ashes. It made me wonder who else was like her?

So this year I got myself and my ashes together and I went to a Starbucks near us about 6 am. I had told the congregation I would be there, and it put it out on social media, too. I got myself a grande dark, found a nice corner and sat down to work and wait for the next two hours.

As I worked on sermons and devotions, a few church members wandered in to see me. Some on their way to work, some up before their caregiver duties began, one on the way to Mahjong, a few others on the way to school. All would not be able to attend worship today, so all appreciated the chance to talk for a moment, remembering with ashes both out mortality and the eternal life we have in Christ. Several hung out for a little, asking about me and how I was doing. Eight folks in all this time around.

The coffeeshop wasn’t as busy as I expected. About half of those who came in had placed online orders, grabbed their cup and were quickly out the door. A couple of folks who were there when I arrived were still there working on their computers when I left at 8 am.

I enjoyed the coffee and the conversation. I may try it again next year. Perhaps I’ll make a little sign (though it was pretty obvious what I was doing.) Or go a little bit later in the morning. It takes a few cycles for people to get used to something new. I like Starbucks better, but maybe I’ll give Dunkin Donuts a try.

Posted in Rant

Repost: I’m not giving up anything for Lent

Posted on by William Douthwaite

(Originally posted February 20, 2010)

That’s right. I”m not giving up anything for Lent. Zip. Zero. Nada. Zilch. Over the last few years I’ve heard much more about giving something up for Lent than ever. For some reason it has seen a resurgence not only among Christians, but in the secular world as well. On one popular afternoon talk show in Orlando, an avowed atheist and an individual from a Jewish background were discussing what they would give up for Lent. It seems that the practice has gone viral.

I have a problem with the practice on several levels. First of all, if you are going fast, even if just from one particular food or activity, you aren’t supposed to advertise it on social media or talk about it among your friends. Jesus said that if you were going to fast, it was something between you and God. You were to go about your day as if everything were normal. If you’re going to give up something for Lent and then whine about it for the next 38 days on Facebook, I’m going to block you until after Easter.

Next, God’s not impressed when people fast but then turn around and treat each other like dirt. Read Isaiah 58. The kind of fasting God’s interested in is one that helps other people, especially those who are hurting and going without some of the basics of life. When people who have little interest in church or ministry decide to fast, it means nothing. Why bother?

What do you think of this Lenten prayer by Christian Sine?

We have chosen to fast

Not with ashes but with actions

Not with sackcloth but in sharing

Not in thoughts but in deeds

We will give up our abundance

To share our food with the hungry

We will give up our comfort

To provide homes for the destitute

We will give up our fashions

To see the naked clothed

We will share where others hoard

We will free where others oppress

We will heal where others harm

Then God’s light will break out on us

God’s healing will quickly appear

God will guide us always

God’s righteousness will go before us

We will find our joy in the Lord

We will be like a well watered garden

We will be called repairers of broken walls

Together we will feast at God’s banquet table

Rather than giving something up, maybe we could start doing something new for Lent, something that makes God’s love real. Who knows? After forty days, it might become a habit.

 

Posted in Rant

I’m not giving up anything for Lent

Posted on by William Douthwaite

That’s right. I”m not giving up anything for Lent. Zip. Zero. Nada. Zilch. Over the last few years I’ve heard much more about giving something up for Lent than ever. For some reason it has seen a resurgence not only among Christians, but in the secular world as well. On one popular afternoon talk show in Orlando, an avowed atheist and an individual from a Jewish background were discussing what they would give up for Lent. It seems that the practice has gone viral.

I have a problem with the practice on several levels. First of all, if you are going fast, even if just from one particular food or activity, you aren’t supposed to advertise it on social media or talk about it among your friends. Jesus said that if you were going to fast, it was something between you and God. You were to go about your day as if everything were normal. If you’re going to give up something for Lent and then whine about it for the next 38 days on Facebook, I’m going to block you until after Easter.

Next, God’s not impressed when people fast but then turn around and treat each other like dirt. Read Isaiah 58. The kind of fasting God’s interested in is one that helps other people, especially those who are hurting and going without some of the basics of life. When people who have little interest in church or ministry decide to fast, it means nothing. Why bother?

What do you think of this Lenten prayer by Christian Sine?

We have chosen to fast

Not with ashes but with actions

Not with sackcloth but in sharing

Not in thoughts but in deeds

We will give up our abundance

To share our food with the hungry

We will give up our comfort

To provide homes for the destitute

We will give up our fashions

To see the naked clothed

We will share where others hoard

We will free where others oppress

We will heal where others harm

Then God’s light will break out on us

God’s healing will quickly appear

God will guide us always

God’s righteousness will go before us

We will find our joy in the Lord

We will be like a well watered garden

We will be called repairers of broken walls

Together we will feast at God’s banquet table

Rather than giving something up, maybe we could start doing something new for Lent, something that makes God’s love real. Who knows? After forty days, it might become a habit.