Jesus said, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it. What does it profit them if they gain the whole world, but lose or forfeit themselves?” (Luke 9:23-25) 

Lent is the time of year when we more deliberately practice “losing ourselves” for Jesus’ sake as we prepare for the Easter celebration of new life through the resurrection of Jesus. Lent officially begins with Ash Wednesday as we are reminded that we are finite, earthly creatures who cannot construct life on our own but are wholly dependent upon God. It is a time for us to examine our lives and, where necessary, to repent, or turn around, and start off in a new direction. This, of course, requires sacrifice, which in the Biblical sense means that something has to die. 

One of the paradoxical things about the gospel is that it is by letting go that we receive, by losing that we win, by dying that we live. What the season of Lent helps us do is get the letting go and the dying over with so that we can begin even now to enjoy the new life that is our sure hope and promise in Jesus Christ. Every one of us is going to have to let go of this earthly life one day. 

But we who have been buried with Christ in his baptism, “united with him in a death like his,” know that “we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his” (Rom 6:5). Therefore we can live out our days in confident assurance that, in union with Christ, the abundant life is just beginning.

On Sunday mornings during Lent, but beginning one week early on March 2, we will be looking at the events that led up to Christ’s crucifixion as I will be preaching on the last 24 hours of Jesus’ life as portrayed in the Gospel of Mark. 

March 2 The Last Supper (Mark 14:12-25)

March 9 The Betrayal (Mark 14:32-50)

March 23 The Trial (Mark 14:53-72)

March 30 The Choice (Mark 15:1-20)

April 6 The Cross (Mark 15:21-32)

I hope that you will make worship a priority and join us as we seek to grow deeper in our faith and our understanding of the incredibly Good News that Christ died for our sins and rose for our salvation.

Lent at IPC

Journey with us to Easter Sunday. All are welcome to worship and observe Lent with us. 

Find fellowship and ways to worship this Lenten Season»