So What is Ash Wednesday all about?

 So What is Ash Wednesday all about?

Ash Wednesday marks the start of Lent—a 40-day season of prayer, fasting, repentance, self-reflection, and preparation for Easter. It calls us to remember three key truths: We are fallen • We are frail • We are forgiven.

I. We Are Fallen (Genesis 3 – The Fall)

• God created a perfect world with one prohibition (the forbidden tree).

• Pride led humanity to disobey: we assumed God was withholding something good.

• Sin immediately brought blame (Adam blamed God indirectly via Eve; Eve blamed the serpent).

• Core of fallenness = pride and self-focus ("I" language dominates after the fall).

• Sin curves us inward—self-obsessed, away from God.

• Pride fills us with ourselves, leaving no room for the Holy Spirit.

• Lent invites us to lean into our sinfulness rather than deny or blame-shift.

• Fasting helps: it denies self, shifts focus back to God, and heightens awareness of Jesus (Matthew 6 & 9).

II. We Are Frail (Genesis 3:19 – "Dust you are and to dust you shall return")

• The penalty of sin = death, decay, and frailty for humanity and all creation.

• Modern culture denies frailty and mortality; Lent confronts it head-on.

• Personal story: Food poisoning in NYC left Pastor Steven and Josh Loftin extremely weak, confronting the reality of being close to death.

• World events (e.g., past nuclear fears, current global unrest) remind us of vulnerability.

• Jesus himself was indignant and angry at death (John 11, Lazarus's tomb)—it was never God's intention.

• Lent calls us to acknowledge our desperate need and lack of control.

III. We Are Forgiven (The Hope of Lent)

• God provided coverings of animal skins for Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:21)—first hint of sacrifice to cover shame and nakedness.

• This foreshadows the cross: an innocent life sacrificed so we can be clothed in Christ's righteousness.

• Jesus took our fallenness and frailty on himself, crying out "My God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46).

• The "wondrous exchange" (Luther): our sin transferred to him; his righteousness to us by grace through faith.

• Forgiveness is complete—the work is done.

• Lent is not pretending Easter won't happen; it's embracing the full cost of grace so we can rejoice more deeply at the resurrection.

Closing Call to Action

In these 40 days:

• Lean into your fallenness (pray Psalm 139: search me, O God).

• Embrace your frailty and mortality.

• Remember how deeply forgiven you are.

• Let these truths prepare your heart to celebrate Easter with greater awe and gratitude for Christ's love and grace.

This season is about honest remembrance—of sin's cost, our weakness, and the astonishing completeness of forgiveness.

Doers of the WORD:

Here are a few personal reflection questions designed to help you engage deeply with the themes of the Ash Wednesday sermon during Lent. They follow the three keynotes: We are fallen, We are frail, and We are forgiven.

On Our Fallenness

Where in my life right now do I notice pride or self-focus curving me inward—away from God and toward myself? (Think about recent moments of blame-shifting, defensiveness, or “I”-centered thinking.)

What “forbidden fruit” (something God has clearly asked me to avoid or release) am I still tempted to reach for because I secretly believe God is holding out on me?

How might fasting (from food, media, scrolling, complaining, etc.) help me become more aware of God’s presence this Lent? What specific practice could I try, and why?

On Our Frailty

When have I most recently felt truly frail, weak, or out of control—physically, emotionally, or spiritually? How did (or didn’t) I bring that reality to God instead of denying or hiding it?

What does the culture around me (social media, advertising, conversations) tell me about aging, weakness, sickness, or death? How does that messaging contrast with the honest reminder of Ash Wednesday: “You are dust, and to dust you shall return”?

If I truly believed “I am dying” (slowly or suddenly), what in my daily priorities, schedule, or relationships would I change right now? What small step could I take this week?

On Our Forgiveness

When I picture Jesus on the cross crying, “My God, why have you forsaken me?” bearing my specific sins and shame, what emotion rises in me most strongly—gratitude, guilt, relief, awe, or something else?

Is there any part of my past (or present) that I still struggle to believe is fully covered by Christ’s righteousness? Where do I keep trying to “pay” for it myself instead of resting in the completed work of the cross?

How can I let the cost of my forgiveness—Jesus forsaken so I could be welcomed home—shape the way I treat myself and others this Lent (more grace, less judgment, deeper compassion)?

At the end of these 40 days, what one sentence would I most want to be able to say honestly on Easter Sunday about how God has worked in my heart through remembering my fallenness, frailty, and forgiveness?

What is one thing you can fast for the next 40 DAys?

You can journal one or two of these each day, pray them slowly during a quiet moment, or discuss them with a trusted friend or small group. May they help you lean in to Lent with honesty and come out on the other side with deeper wonder at the grace of Christ.