Ash Wednesday Sermon

Tonight, I would like to try something a little different for the sermon. It will involve some audience participation on your part, and I think it’s definitely outside the box.

Most of you know that this evening’s service kicks off the season of Lent. Lent is a time used for introspection; a time set aside to prepare our hearts and minds to hear the good news of Christ’s resurrection and his defeat of death, the devil, and all the devil’s empty promises. During this Lenten journey, we are called to examine ourselves and see just how far away from God’s calling we live.

It generally is not an easy task. We love to think we don’t have major issues. We love to think our sins are trivial–somewhat meaningless. Sure, we may have thoughts of anger from time to time. Sure, we may offer up a word or two of gossip. Sure, we may not be perfect, but for the most part we believe we are good people. We believe we are just fine in how we approach the world. It’s those people out there who have the problem. They need to get their act together. They need to be reconciled to God. They need to confess their sins and change their lives. I’m doing O.K. myself.

Yes, we take that approach, or we head down another path. We know we are sinful. We know we don’t follow all of God’s teachings. We know that all fall short of the glory of God and are in need of His forgiveness. But...but at least we are trying. At least we admit we are wrong. We’re not like those other folks out there. You know, the ones who sin on purpose and who aren’t repentant. They willingly sin and aren’t sorry. They have the problem. I at least know I am sinful, and I try to do a good job. I don’t have to worry because at least I am repentant.

To this I respond, "Oh really?"

Repentance means to turn around. To stop doing what you were doing and live utterly and completely different from the way you were living before. Repentance means to turn completely from sin and stop it altogether. It doesn’t just mean saying, "I’m sorry." It means you will change your behavior.


We parents know about this all too well. Children have a wonderful habit of doing the same things over and over that get them in trouble. They learn very quickly it is a good thing to say, "I’m sorry." They feel like it gets them off the hook. More than once, one of my own kids has come up after hitting her brother or sister (or vice versa) and said, "I told them I’m sorry." Hello. Why did you do it in the first place if you knew it was wrong? Simply saying, I’m sorry, doesn’t cut it. God demands change. God demands true repentance.
Do you believe you are truly repentant? Do you believe you truly strive to live a holy lifestyle? Do you believe your life reflects the reality Christ calls you to? Take just a moment to look at the list I have given you this evening. Take a look over it for the next several minutes. This list is taken directly from scripture, and it holds up the expectations of the Christian lifestyle.

__ I always love God with all my heart, mind, and soul. (Matthew 22:37

__ I always love my neighbor as much as I love myself. (Matthew 22:39)

__ I have given up everything I have to follow Jesus. (Matthew 19:21)

__ I never get angry with my neighbor or call him a good-for-nothing. (Matthew 5:22)

__ I never look at a person of the opposite sex with thoughts about having sexual intercourse. (Matthew
5:28)

__ I never swear. (Matthew 5:34)

__ I always do good to others when they do things to hurt me. (Matthew 5:38)

__ I love my enemies and pray that God will bless them. (Matthew 5:43)

__ I never judge others, but always put the best construction on their behavior. (Matthew 7:1)

__ Whenever I do something good for someone else, I keep it a secret and do not let others know about it.
(Matthew 6:2)

__ I am happy when someone makes fun of my being a Christian. (Matthew 5:10)

__ I always forgive others when they do me wrong. (Matthew 6:2)

__ I never worry about food or clothing. (Matthew 6:31)

__ I love God more than my family, my friends or myself. (Matthew 10:37)

__ Whenever I see someone in need, I always help them. (Matthew 10:42)

__ I regularly feed the poor, visit prisoners, put strangers up for the night, give clothes to the needy and visit those who are sick. (Matthew 25:35-36)

How well did you do on this list? How well do you do in attempting to live life in this manner? Are you even attempting to put these things into practice day after day after day?

The God-honest truth of the matter is, most of us don’t. Most of us don’t even come close. I know that I don’t. I’m a pastor, someone who leads a portion of Christ’s church, and I don’t even come close to living my life in this manner. And so, I stand before you this evening as someone who doesn’t measure up. Who can’t measure up. I am not worthy to carry the name of Christian, and I am certainly not worthy to be called a pastor.

Hence, in the spirit of Ash Wednesday; in the spirit of self-reflection; in the spirit of truth telling and repentance, as I once did during a Sunday morning service, I offer to resign my position of pastor. I cannot measure up to the reality of the life I am called to live, and sometimes I confess I don’t even try. I get caught up in my anger; my frustration; my stubbornness, and my unwillingness to change. I become too prideful and too arrogant for my own good. Such a man should not be a pastor of a church.

Congregation responds: We agree you do not measure up to the life you are called to lead, but we reject your resignation. For we have something to confess to you as well. We do not measure up either. We fall far short. There are too many times when we do not follow the teachings of the Head of the Church, Jesus Christ. There are too many times when we do things which are not worthy of the Body of Christ. We do not welcome all who need to be welcomed. We do not always love our brothers and sisters in Christ. We only extend forgiveness when it is convenient. And this is only the start. In reality, we are not worthy to be called a church.

Pastor: But God forgives you.

Congregation: And God forgives you.

All: This is good news. Even in our fallenness, God has chosen to work through us. And so we recommit ourselves to work together in mission and ministry as Pastor and Congregation–to forgive one another and work together for God’s Kingdom. Amen.