Jym Shorts - February 4, 2016
Next Wednesday, the 10th of February, begins a 40-day observance leading up to Easter that the church universal has celebrated for almost 1,700 years. Here’s a brief history for those who care - and who wouldn’t care about history! : ) Many books confidently assert that Lent was established by the apostles themselves or in the immediate post-apostolic period. The assumption was that this season of fasting and preparation was closely connected with baptismal candidates preparing for Easter baptisms—a practice that may very well have an apostolic foundation (see Romans 6). This idea, however, is not easy to substantiate historically. It does seem historically accurate to say that fasting before Easter was ancient and widespread, but the length of time that people observed “Lent” varied significantly from place to place and over the succeeding generations. For example, Irenaeus of Lyons (ca. 180 AD) and Tertullian of North Africa (ca. 200 AD) tell us that the preparatory fast prior to Easter baptism lasted one or two days, or forty hours - commemorating what was believed to be the exact duration of Christ’s time in the tomb. By the mid-third century, Dionysius of Alexandria speaks of a fast of up to six days practiced by the devout in his see (the area under his authority as a bishop). The Byzantine historian Socrates tells us that the Christians of Rome commemorated a three-week fast prior to Easter, again, primarily for those preparing to be baptized. Only following the Council of Nicea in 325 AD did Lent become the 40-day observance that we know today. It is assumed that Lent was lengthened to 40 days because of the waning zeal of the post-apostolic church and to provide a longer period of instruction for the increasing number of former pagans who were seeking to be baptized at the Easter celebration.
I share with you this brief history because I continue to hear (not necessarily from people at LifePoint only) that Lent is a Roman Catholic thing that Protestants jettisoned years ago. That simply is not true. I’m not concerned if a believer tells me that they do not practice a Lenten observance. No worries there as to the quality of their faith, although I do think they miss out on a special opportunity. What does concern me is when people who do not observe Lent suppose that those believers who do are legalistic mystics who put their faith in stuffy, ancient rituals that have long been dismissed by energetic, fun-loving Christians. Solid, Christ-loving believers across denominational spectrums have been setting aside a time for prayer, fasting, and self-examination prior to Easter for over a thousand years. Surely we don’t really believe that we have only wised up to real Christianity in the past fifty years. Have we really observed the church in America in the past fifty years? Generally speaking, “wise” is not the adjective that would come readily to my mind (incidentally, “stupid” isn’t the term I would use either – I love the church). So, “what’s the point, pastor?” Aha, I’m glad you asked.
The point I’m trying to make is simply this. For the past six years I’ve been encouraging the church family to reconnect with our brothers and sisters in Christ from previous generations and today by consciously setting aside the seasons of Advent and Lent to examine and, hopefully, strengthen our faith. It is not mandatory, but I believe it can be very helpful. To assist in this practice, I write a devotional each year for both seasons. I don’t claim that my devotions will make you a mighty Christian overnight. I write them only as a way to help those who want the help to have a place to go for a purposeful devotional reading each day of the season. This year, the Lenten devotional will be available online only through a blog on our website. If you would like to utilize it, the devotion for each day will be uploaded the day prior (for those who like to start their day early).
I know my observance of Advent and Lent makes some a little jittery. It’s okay, I’m a committed Protestant! A committed Protestant who loves God and wants to know him more and more through a relationship with his Son, confirmed by the presence of the Holy Spirit in my life. I want that for you too - knowing, of course, that many of you have it already. Spending 40 days with Jesus intentionally may just help you go deeper into that relationship.
Grace and peace,
Pastor Jym