Lent Guide 1: Ash Wednesday

Scripture: John 1:29-36 (ESV)

The next day [John the Baptist] saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him.  I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”

The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!”

Reflection: 
Today we reflect on the miracle and the mystery that Jesus is at once, God’s Son and God’s Sacrificial Lamb.

In his account (above), St. John records that God also spoke in this moment through John the Baptist heralding Jesus as both the ‘Son of God’ and the ‘Lamb of God.’

In St. George’s Cathedral in Jerusalem, located a few hundred feet up the road from the Garden Tomb and not far from the gates of the Old City, one of my favorite paintings hangs on the wall. Daniel Bonnell depicts Christ’s baptism beautifully:

The Baptism of Christ – Daniel Bonnell

As Jesus comes up from the water, we see the Holy Spirit descending upon him.  And even though, as a visual medium, pictures cannot literally “speak” the artist masterfully succeeds in producing a painting that speaks, proclaiming Jesus as Christ, both God’s Son and God’s Lamb.

“In this painting we see the beginning and the ending of the short three year ministry of Jesus in one painting.” –Daniel Bonnell

Notice and appreciate how the artist visually declares the Good News of Christ’s baptism, crucifixion, and resurrection in one image, integrating a vision of Jesus on the cross with the image of him rising up out of the waters of baptism. By incorporating the figures of Jesus and Holy Spirit (appearing in the form of a dove) into a sunrise painting, the artist’s scene evokes the glorious ‘sunrise’ of Christ’s resurrection.

The fact that Jesus is at once God’s Lamb and God’s Risen Son is the basis of our hope as Christians:

“Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:3-4)

Today, let us give thanks that God’s Lamb is victorious and his risen Son reigns.

Contemplation & Prayer:

Be still. Breathe in and out. Rest in God’s presence.

Pray: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, I consecrate this day and this Lenten season to you. Bless me as your beloved child, with whom you are well pleased. Grant me your spiritual protection and nourishment that I might follow Jesus more nearly. Once I was lost, but now in Christ, I am found. Therefore, I ask you to take your seat on the throne of my heart, as I give you all my praise. May all blessing and honor and glory and power be given forever and ever unto you.

Amen.

Action & Invitation:
Today or throughout this week…

• Re-read the passage above from John 1:29-36, or better still, read the entire first chapter of John’s gospel.

• Ask God to reveal to you any areas of your life where you have been unwilling to open up to the Holy Spirit and the possibility of his transforming work? What’s been holding you back from fully receiving him? Consider what you might need to let go of in order to fully behold Christ as the Lamb of God who takes away your sin.

• Pray for those who will be baptized at our Easter services this year. Even though you don’t yet know their names, God does. He is doing a work in their hearts in this season. Pray that they would respond joyfully to the work and be spiritually strengthened for the road ahead.

• Consider a list of a few names; people whom you may bear witness to that Jesus is the Son of God (v.34) over the next 6 weeks of Lent.

Additional Resources for Going Deeper
If you’d like to use this Lenten season to learn more about the Spiritual Practices, please consider the following:

Read:

• A Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster – Perhaps the definitive overview of the Spiritual Practices; for those who want to try fasting this Lent, chapter 4, “Fasting” provides a good practical overview with an emphasis on why and how to fast. Also available on Audible.
• Keeping the Heart by John Flavel – A wonderful devotional resource on how to maintain your love for God by one of the great English Puritans; this version is updated into readable, modern English and organized with helpful headings and subtitles.

Listen:

• Fasting: The Paradigm of the Disciplines with Dallas Willard – A great listen from one of the greats; all worth listening to, but a specific discussion of fasting begins at 23:45.

Do:

• How to Start Fasting (And Actually Keep It Up) from InTouch – A quick recap and helpful, practical guide to fasting, including some ‘best practices’ and good ‘reflection questions’ to help you make the most of your experience.

*While we recommend these specific resources, this is not a blanket endorsement of everything these authors have written. We encourage you to read with discernment, always measuring insights against Scripture.