Bulletin Bible Study 02/18/2018
Lent starts with Ash Wednesday and ends with Easter Sunday. Ash Wednesday commemorates the beginning of Jesus’ 40 day fast and temptation in the desert, and Easter Sunday commemorates Jesus’ resurrection from the grave after His crucifixion.
Today we generally use lent as a time to “give up something”. The question is what are we giving up and why. You see this should be a time for Christians to reflect, repent and pray as we prepare for Easter remembering the great sacrifice Christ made for us.
If the focus is truly on Christ then we should remember the 40 day fasts by Moses (Exodus 34:24; Deuteronomy 9:9-18), Elijah (1 Kings 19:8) and Jesus (Matthew 4:2). Fasting is a way of denying ourselves so we can become more aware of God’s voice. It is also a way of disciplining ourselves so we are ready for temptation.
When you fast or give up something for Lent make sure it is for the right reasons. It is not for everyone to know what you are sacrificing to improve your relationship with God. Jesus warns us to guard against pride while fasting (Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18).