Lent is the journey we make as we travel with Christ from the Mount of Transfiguration to Jerusalem, where He will face the cross and the grave for our sake. This year’s theme focuses upon the journey, though perhaps not in the way we usually walk it. Our overall theme is “Return from Exile: A Lenten Journey.”
The beginning of our journey is exile in the wilderness of sin and death. From the first sin in the first garden, we have been exiled into the wilderness where we have wandered without any ability to find our way out. But every journey also has a destination. Our return from exile brings us into the promised land, the perfect place, the new garden, the courts of heaven—the ultimate destination which was established for us by Jesus’ death and resurrection.
There is great joy in the journey as we see where our returning brings us; but there is also a somber attitude when we consider what Christ faced on account of our sin. Each leg of our Lenten journey begins in the Old Testament and continues into the New Testament, pointing us to the joy that is ours on account of Christ Jesus. The sermons in our series give us opportunity to contemplate the reality of our earthly journey, but with eyes always fixed on its destination – the empty tomb and the open gates of everlasting life – and with an underlying reality of joy as we hear proclaimed again that we do not walk this way alone!
Here are the dates, times, and themes of our Lenten Series – “Return From Exile” from Ash Wednesday through Easter Sunday, April 1st. We’d love to have you join us! Please remember that there will be no Thursday worship on Thursday, February 15th because of Ash Wednesday worship on February 14th.
Ash Wednesday – February 14th – 7:00 p.m. (with Communion)
Sermon: “Heart to Heart: Sackcloth and Ashes to Robes of Righteousness”
Midweek of Lent 1 – February 22nd – 7:00 p.m. (with Communion)
Sermon: “Garden to Garden: Eden to Heaven”
Midweek of Lent 2 – March 1st – 7:00 p.m.
Sermon: “Mountain to Mountain: Mount Moriah to Mount Zion”
Midweek of Lent 3 – March 8th – 7:00 p.m. (with Communion)
Sermon: “Out of Egypt: Through the Water”
Midweek of Lent 4 – March 15th – 7:00 p.m.
Sermon: “Tree to Tree: The Tree of Life to the Cross”
Midweek of Lent 5 – March 22nd – 7:00 p.m. (with Communion)
Sermon: “Death to Resurrection: The Wilderness to the Promised Land”
Holy Thursday – March 29th – 7:00 p.m. (with Communion)
Sermon: “Meal to Meal: The Passover to the Lord’s Supper”
Good Friday – March 30th – 7:00 p.m.
Sermon: “Sin-Bearer to Sin-Bearer: The Day of Atonement
to the Atonement”
Easter Sunrise – April 1st – 7:00 a.m. (with Communion)
Sermon: “The Pit to the Pit: The Pit of Lions to the Tomb”
Easter Festival – April 1st – 10:15 a.m. (with Communion)
Sermon: “Welcome Home!”