What is Lent?

Lent is a 40-day season of an intentional Christ-centered return to our baptisms, where we daily die with our sins and rise with Christ to live a new life.  Between Ash Wednesday and the Paschal Triduum (Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil), the church is again called to live a life of repentance. The practice of Lent has been observed by Christians around the world since the early centuries of the church.

Lent shows how much we need Christ.

Lent is an opportunity to follow Jesus who was led into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit for 40 days of prayer and fasting, who became our substitute. By His fasting and temptation, He opens for us the feast of heaven.

Lent shows how much we need each other.

We often think of our faith as something personal, and while many of the practices of Lent are things that can’t be done except by each person individually, however Christian faith is never practiced in solitude, but always in communion with fellow Christians.  Together, by meeting together around the Word of God, we encourage one another and fulfill a purpose of church: to carry each other’s burdens and to encourage them with the love of Christ.  May we encourage each other this Lent in our individual participation in the death and resurrection of Jesus.

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As you participate in Lent, please read our guide, and feel free to share it with your friends.

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Here are all of our opportunities at Faith to participate in Lent:

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Epiphany, January 6, is the official end of the 12 days of Christmas. Many Christians celebrate this day by remembering the journey of the Magi who found their way to Jesus by following a bright heavenly body, usually represented by a star. 

Epiphany means “revealing” or “manifestation” and historically was one of the three great feasts of the Church (Epiphany, Easter, and Pentacost). Originally, Epiphany (Jan 6th) was what Christmas (Dec 25th) is for us today, the celebration of the birth of Jesus. Today we retain both celebrations.

In the season of Epiphany we see and hear that Jesus is revealed or manifested through His Word. Through this Word, the full nature of the Christ Child is made known to us. 

Epiphany reminds us that Christ is not just the Savior to a select people, the Jews, but the Savior of the Gentiles, and all people.

Each week of Epiphany reveals this to us with increasing clarity, from the Child worshiped by wise men, to the Boy Jesus in the temple “about His Father’s business,” to the Man Jesus who reveals His deity through miracles including His first sign at the wedding in Cana.  

2 Timothy 1:9-10, “Who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,”

Epiphany is a time of great celebration and rejoicing. During Advent we spent four weeks waiting and anticipating the coming King, Christmas we celebrated his arrival and birth, and Epiphany we continue that rejoicing as we see Him manifest Himself as God and Savior.

Here are a few ways you can celebrate Epiphany with your family:

Prayer for Epiphany 
O God, by the leading of a star You made known Your only-begotten Son to the peoples of the earth: Lead us, who O God, who by the leading of a star made manifest Your only-begotten Son to the Gentiles, mercifully grant that we, who know You now by faith, may after this life joyfully behold Your glorious Godhead; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Fifth Bible Study on Ars Moriendi – “The Art of Dying Well”

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“Ars Moriendi – The Art of Dying Well”

Writing to those concerned about the plague in his day, Martin Luther said, “Everyone should prepare in time and get ready for death.”

From the moment we are born we are dying. We are brought into newness of life in Christ and the Church through the death of Holy Baptism. Much of our Lord’s teaching and the teaching of Scripture is about learning to die well, which leads to a life lived well, now and for all eternity.  Join us for a Bible Study utilizing Ars Moriendi (‘art of dying’) literature from the Reformation era.  You will learn what it means to die well, and as a result, what it means to live well.

Second Bible Study on Ars Moriendi – “The Art of Dying Well”

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“Ars Moriendi – The Art of Dying Well”

Writing to those concerned about the plague in his day, Martin Luther said, “Everyone should prepare in time and get ready for death.”

From the moment we are born we are dying. We are brought into newness of life in Christ and the Church through the death of Holy Baptism. Much of our Lord’s teaching and the teaching of Scripture is about learning to die well, which leads to a life lived well, now and for all eternity.  Join us for a Bible Study utilizing Ars Moriendi (‘art of dying’) literature from the Reformation era.  You will learn what it means to die well, and as a result, what it means to live well.

This article comes from The Center of Apologetics and Worldviews at Bethany Lutheran College. It is from a series entitled “Q&A Leading to Christ.”

Liberal theologians and secular professors foster doubts that Moses (or any singular person) wrote the first five books of the Bible. But, consider:

1. The word “Pentateuch” describes a singular work. You can probably name the first five books of the Bible without any trouble. Jews have always referred to these five books as the “Torah”: a singular noun, typically translated as “law.” Another name for these books is “Pentateuch,” which is Greek. Like “Torah,” it is a singular noun; “penta-“ recognizes that there are five parts making up the whole.

“Pentateuch” means “the five-volume book.” The first five books of the Bible are not a crazy quilt, stitched together from scraps. While that has become the “scholarly” way of looking at them, they are, in fact, one complete, seamless work.

2. This singular work was written by a single person: one real, flesh-and-blood human being—with a name. No one today would deny that one person is capable of writing a series of books. No one would deny the author’s name or existence, either. Why shouldn’t this same courtesy apply to Moses?

This question shows that the tradition of Moses writing the first five books of the Bible is still alive despite the “crazy quilt theory.” Around the world, several Bible translations still list “First Moses” through “Fifth Moses” instead of “Genesis–Deuteronomy” in their tables of contents.

More important than what tradition says about who wrote these books is what the Bible itself says. The Bible consistently calls its first five books the “Law of Moses.” The Bible also makes it clear that “Moses” is not just a title, or an “it,” but a person:

For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues. (Acts 15:21)

In the New Testament, those who worked for the Church and those who worked against the Church agreed that Moses personally wrote the Pentateuch. St. Paul referred to the “Law of Moses” in his sermons and epistles (Acts 28:23; Romans 10:5; 1 Corinthians 9:9). St. Stephen was accused of speaking “blasphemous words against Moses and God”; specifically, that “Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us” (Acts 6:11,14; see also: John 8:5, 9:28–29).

Compare that “bad news” with the good news St. Philip brought to his friend:

Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” (John 1:45)

Philip’s words and actions reveal the most important reason why you should be thankful for this question.

3. This question leads to Christ, who answers, “Yes.” Jesus is the final authority on the authorship of the Pentateuch. Through Him “we have the word of the prophets made more certain” (2 Peter 1:19).

As Teacher, Jesus refers to the “Law of Moses” and even the “Book of Moses” (John 7:23; Mark 12:26). To those who work against Him, He speaks of Moses personally:

There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope. If you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. (John 5:45b–6; cf. Mark 10:3, Luke 20:37)

The Lord’s message to you is clear: inspired by the Holy Spirit and recorded by Moses, the Pentateuch leads not only to knowledge of Christ, but faith in Christ as your Savior.

The person and work of Moses is fulfilled in the person and work of Jesus Christ, the greater Prophet, who personally redeemed and delivered God’s people from the bondage of sin.

For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (John 1:17)

Rev. Christian Eisenbeis is pastor at First Trinity Lutheran Church, Marinette, Wisconsin.

Learn More:
www.els.org/apologetics