What Should a Christian Do About Lent?

You won't find Ash Wednesday or Lent in the Bible, but neither will you find instructions for special Christmas or Easter worship services.  Not even Indiana Jones could find evidence of the early church engaging in Lent, and the Church Fathers didn’t provide any instruction for something they weren’t practicing.  But before you toss out Ash Wednesday and Lent altogether, we should ask if it is biblical and has value for the protestant Christian. 

Finding a concise, official definition of Lent is a challenge; but basically speaking, Lent is a 40-day practice of giving up some worldly thing (namely, food) to give attention to Christ and prepare for Easter.  Historically, it was a 40-day communal fast that was not optional and rejected by most of the Reformers. 

Ulrich Zwingli celebrated a new printing of Paul’s Epistles by attending a Friday night sausage supper during Lent when meat was forbidden on Fridays.  Following the sausage supper, he preached a sermon entitled, “On the Choice and Freedom of Foods.”  In his sermon, Zwingli preached that he couldn’t find Lent in the Scripture and these practices were looking to achieve some level of extra righteousness.  Then he encouraged the believers with Matthew 7:28-30, which reads,

“Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take up my yoke and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (CSB).   

The following year, Zurich rejected Roman Catholic government control and these religious laws.  It was the first city do to do so, and it was because they were led by Scripture rather than papal tradition.    

Jesus does not call upon the believer to be burdened by the absence of food in order to enjoy him, appreciate his grace, or prepare for him.  Jesus calls his people to rest in him.  Abide. But Jesus also assumes his people will fast from time to time in order to accompany their prayers, something entirely different then a Lent-driven food law. 

It would seem that if a Christian seeks to appreciate Christ more and set his or her heart to the Lord’s grace, the brother or sister should not give up coffee or chocolate or Facebook for 40-days. If these things keep one from fully coming to Christ, they should give them up forever!  Instead, the Christian should seek ways to draw closer to Christ and find rest in him.  We should enter into the Lord’s joy and enjoy him.

Here’s an idea.  How about giving up the hustle of the morning and take a little more time to treasure the Word of God.  Listen to worship music and sing along in praise.  Fellowship with your family members.  Pray.  And enjoy a cup of coffee (if that’s your thing) while you’re enjoying Jesus? 

Or how about these other ideas?  While you’re commuting to work, turn off talk-radio and listen to a sermon from a biblical preacher.  Give your time to come to Jesus and be encouraged by the Word of God.  Commit to attending weekly worship services with your faith-family.  (It’s shocking how many people give up a food item for Lent but then miss church services to go skiing.)  Join a Bible Study, small group, or something where you will be able to fellowship with Jesus while you fellowship with his people.  Find an area where you can serve others.  Service isn’t initially thought of as restful, but you’ll find when you join Jesus in the work of his Church, you’ll find that you enjoy being closer to Jesus.  Find new ways to love God and love your neighbors.    

Hopefully, habits will form so these practices of the normal Christian life abiding in Jesus will not be a 40-day burden, but a life time of joy while you come to Christ and rest in him.