2023-02-22 Ash Wednesday

2023 Lent

• Psalm 51 vv 1-17
• Why ashes? 2 reasons:
  • Ashes represent grieving - a visible sign of grieving to others. Esther 4 v1
    • Peroper grief, public, would make us and our society more healthy emotionally
    • Acknowledgement of our mortality
  • Acknowledgement of our sinfulness Job 42 v6
• Our culture trains us to be quick to call out the sins of others. Calling out the sins of others is the way of the world. Calling out our own sin is the way of Jesus.
• Ashes are a sign to God and each other that we acknowledge everything isn't right.
• Ashes are in the shape of the cross Colossians 2 vv 13-15
  • The Gospel shines through in what was seeming like a sad story
  • Tonight we celebrate that we have been forgiven and liberated through the cross.