Awareness of Sin and The Urgency of Repentance
Commentary
Ash Wednesday is time to stress our sorrow for sin and the way out, a chance to stimulate our awareness of sin as well as the need for and urgency of repentance, along with a Word of God’s forgiveness.
Joel 2:1-2,12-17
One option for the First Lesson is taken from a Book that reports on the ministry of a cultic prophet who did his work in the Jerusalem Temple, probably during the period of Persian domination after the return of the Babylonian Exiles (539 BC – 331 BC). (Some speculate that the concluding section of the Book [2:28ff.] may be the work of an editor of the period of the Maccabees in the second century BC.) The Book’s historical theme is the plague of locusts that had destructively descended on Israel (1:4). It is also characterized by apocalyptic/eschatological elements -- references to the Day of the Lord (2:1-11,28-32; 3:1-3,9ff.) There is an evolution in this concept from being a day of judgment, not one of salvation, to the suggestion that it is a theme of hope and salvation (3:1ff.).
The text is a cry of alarm since the cataclysmic Day of the Lord in coming. Reference to a great and powerful army and to the clouds of thick darkness is probably a way of talking about the plague of locusts ravaging the land (though they might just as well symbolize the eschatological cataclysm) (vv.1-2). Yahweh even seems at the head of this plague in v.11, but then the Prophet abruptly changes to a more gentle tone. He proceeds to make a call to repentance by which the calamity might be averted (vv.12-17). Fasting, weeping, mourning, and offerings in the Temple are commended, but above all a repentance of the heart is exhorted (vv.12-13,15). Yahweh is said to be gracious and merciful (a phrase often attributed to the Lord as it is rooted in Israel’s ancient formulations of faith [Exodus 34:6; cf. Nehemiah 9:17,31; Psalm 86:5]). An assembly to sanctify the people is called (vv.15-16). These verses and the one continuing to the end of the lesson take the form of a traditional liturgy. Priests (also called “ministers [sharath] of the Lord”) are called on to weep for the people in the Temple (especially in the inner court reserved for priests – between the vestibule and the altar) and urge God to spare the people, so that the truth of their commitment to Yahweh will no longer be questioned by Gentiles (v.17).
Sermons on this lesson can help clarify the meaning of Ash Wednesday. The text is a call to repentance in face of a plague afflicting the nation. America has been plagued by the vestiges of slavery and racism almost since its origins. The Congressional Research Service has found that since the 1990s wages have been stagnant for the middle class and the poor. The opioid epidemic costs many lives (more than car accidents and gun violence in 2018). Meanwhile we continue to pollute the environment. Plagues do indeed infect America.
These problems are our fault. We have a lot of sin to confess. We are badly in need of forgiveness. Of course it is easy to dodge these global and national problems, to feel like they are problems of our political or business leaders. Sermons on this text need to make clear that the guilt for these insalubrious developments is ours too! We put these leaders in charge; we buy the products which give the business leaders their power; we are the polluters. We need the repentance for which Joel calls. We need to change. And yet the text reminds us that we have the assurance that God will spare us and that the unfaithful (the so-called Gentiles) will see Him vindicated. This is what Ash Wednesday is all about.
Isaiah 58:1-12
The other option for the First Lesson, Isaiah 58:1-12, is drawn from the third strand which comprises the Book – probably written during the period when Exiles from Babylon returned to the Holy Land and were beginning to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem in the midst of harsh conditions. The consolations of the themes reflecting in Chapters 40-55 inform the outlook of this writer. This text is about how God does not desire fasting, but kindness. It is proclaimed that the people have rebelled, are in sin (v.1). But though the people act as if they practiced righteousness and delight to draw near to God, they grumble that God seems not to reward their fasting and humility for they remain oppressed (vv.2-3). It is proclaimed that the people are not truly humble, but quarrel and fight, and so God does not want such fasting (vv.4-5). He wants them to practice justice and free the oppressed, to feed the hungry and give housing to the poor (vv.6-7). A Word of hope follows. It is promised that light will break forth along with healing, for Yahweh will vindicate and guard the people (v.8). They will call on Him and He will be Present (“Here I am”) (v.9a). It is also promised that the Lord will guide and people, make them strong, repair the ancient ruins when they offer food to the hungry, and satisfy needs of the afflicted (vv.9b-12).
This is a lesson we want to keep in mind in evaluating the candidates as the Presidential Primaries move into high gear. There are certainly too many hungry and poor among us in America. The Trump economy may have reduced some poverty, but the US Census Bureau reports that there were 39.7 million people living in poverty in 2017. The Feeding America organization reports that in 2017 there were 41 million Americans suffering food insecurity. These numbers are no doubt higher when we include the refugees seeking asylum in America. Sermons on this lesson should make clear that God expects more than rhetoric. Get the congregation to consider which candidate has plans that will actually deliver the goods to the poor and also to have the members consider what they are doing about it themselves, to repent for not doing enough. The text needs to be read in light of the grace orientation of the Second Lesson and the awareness that the Lord is with us to make this happen even before we do it.
2 Corinthians 5:20b--6:10
The Epistle is drawn from a letter by Paul to address relations with the Corinthian church that had further deteriorated during and after 1 Corinthians had been written. Paul begins the lesson by urging the Corinthians for Christ’s sake to be reconciled [katallasso, to be changed thoroughly] to God (5:20b); Christ, it is noted, became sin (assumed our sinful nature [Romans 8:3]) so that we might become the righteousness of God (5:21; cf. 1 Corinthians 1:30). Justification and righteousness [dikaiosune] are woven together. They have a similar Greek root, for justification [dikaioma] resembles the Greek equivalent of the term “righteousness.” You cannot be declared right without “rightness” or “justice.” There is much controversy in New Testament scholarship about what Paul means by “righteousness of God,” a tendency to critique the idea that it entails that God declares us righteous. This argument is made on grounds that there are no Old Testament precedents for such an idea. But the concept of righteousness as not having to do with distributive justice but with relationships (with God’s relationship with the faithful and so salvation) is an Old Testament concept (Nehemiah 9:8; Isaiah 57:1; Gerhard von Rad, Old Testament Theology, Vol.1, p.371). And New Testament scholarship tends to understand the concept this way – in terms of a restored relationship (Rudolf
Bultmann, Theology of the New Testament, vol.1, p.271). And so it seems appropriate in this text to interpret God’s righteousness in terms of faithfulness to his relationship with his people, and it is his righteousness which restores the relationship (Psalm 71:2; von Rad, p.373). The concept of “reconciliation” in v.20b as entailing being thoroughly changed supports this idea. God’s righteousness, restoring our relationship with Him, changes the faithful. And even the Pauline idea of the righteousness of a righteous one being given to those who have fallen (a vicarious death) is itself a Hebrew concept (see 2 Maccabees 7:37-38; 4 Maccabees 6:28; 17:22).
The Apostle proceeds to urge that we not accept God’s grace in vain (6:1). Citing Isaiah 49:8 about God listening at an acceptable time, helping the faithful on the day of salvation, Paul notes that now is the moment to act (the End is near) (6:2). No obstacle will be put in the way of any believer, and so on one can rightful criticize his ministry (6:3). He accounts the suffering and persecution he has experienced in ministry (6:4-7). In antiquity, hardship and virtue were closely linked. The Apostle concludes with seven anithetic clauses illustrating the hiddenness of the Gospel – under dishonor, death, suffering, sorrow, and poverty (vv.8-10).
Several possibilities for sermons emerge from this text. It certainly affords an opportunity to explain Justification By grace through faith and the righteousness of God (see the preceding exposition above), themes most appropriate on Ash Wednesday as we confess our sin in anticipation of forgiveness and need to be clear that even our confession of sin is a work of God’s grace. The stress on now being the time to act (v.2), that we not put off our repentance or determination to change, is a most appropriate Word (especially in light of the themes of the First Lessons above and the desirability of starting to make these changes). Another sermon option would be to focus on the antithetic clauses noted above, on the hiddenness of the Gospel. This can give solace to us when even after receiving the assurance of forgiveness when we encounter life’s trials. Dishonor, suffering, sorrow, and even death need not necessarily imply abandonment by God. In fact, God may be using these challenges to change us.
Matthew 6:1-6,16-21
Finally the Gospel, from the most Jewish of all the Gospels in its effort to undergird the faith of besieged Jewish followers of Jesus, reports a segment of Jesus’ famed Sermon on the Mount, teaching practical piety. Jesus begins with a warning against the hypocritical piety (Matthew usually has the Pharisees in mind when referring to “hypocrisy”), especially doing merciful deeds that aim for others to notice one’s faith (v.1). Likewise it is said to be better to give alms (gifts of charity in synagogues, the foremost act of piety in the eyes of first-century Jews) without fanfare, so that “the left hand does not know what the right hand is doing” (vv.2-4). In a similar manner, it is said to be better to pray privately than ostentatiously in public (vv.5-6).
After a critique of long public prayers (vv.7-8), teaching The Lord’s Prayer (vv.9-13), and exhorting forgiveness (vv.14-15), Jesus urges that fasting not be done ostentatiously, so that only the Father knows (vv.16-18). (In this era, pious Jews fasted twice a week.) Here we observe Matthew’s anti-Pharisaism coupled with a moral strategy. Jesus critiques trust in worldly gods, which are prone to destruction (vv.19-20). In ancient times a large part of wealth consisted of costly garments liable to destruction by moths. Then Matthew has Jesus add that one’s treasure is indicative of one’s heart (v.21, i.e. one’s moral priorities (see 9:4; 12:34; Psalm 24:3-4).
Sin is not something Americans like to consider. A 2016 LifeWay poll found that only 2 out of 3 Americans believe they are sinners and over half of those who think they are sinners think they are able to overcome sin. Hardly surprising given our preoccupation with self-esteem and tendency to see of ourselves as “victims” of what goes wrong (see Jean Twenge, Generation Me, pp.53-60.1500ff.). The themes of this text, condemning our sin and false piety, are precisely what we need to proclaim. Even our faith is marred by sin. We need forgiveness! Another angle for the sermon might be to explain The Lord’s Prayer which Jesus also teaches in this lesson – the perfect prayer since it contains no “I’s” or “Me’s.”
Any sermon for Ash Wednesday needs to deal with sin, our sorrow for it, and how God delivers. Regardless the text selected or the option provided above, be sure the sermon reflects this overall theme of the day.
Joel 2:1-2,12-17
One option for the First Lesson is taken from a Book that reports on the ministry of a cultic prophet who did his work in the Jerusalem Temple, probably during the period of Persian domination after the return of the Babylonian Exiles (539 BC – 331 BC). (Some speculate that the concluding section of the Book [2:28ff.] may be the work of an editor of the period of the Maccabees in the second century BC.) The Book’s historical theme is the plague of locusts that had destructively descended on Israel (1:4). It is also characterized by apocalyptic/eschatological elements -- references to the Day of the Lord (2:1-11,28-32; 3:1-3,9ff.) There is an evolution in this concept from being a day of judgment, not one of salvation, to the suggestion that it is a theme of hope and salvation (3:1ff.).
The text is a cry of alarm since the cataclysmic Day of the Lord in coming. Reference to a great and powerful army and to the clouds of thick darkness is probably a way of talking about the plague of locusts ravaging the land (though they might just as well symbolize the eschatological cataclysm) (vv.1-2). Yahweh even seems at the head of this plague in v.11, but then the Prophet abruptly changes to a more gentle tone. He proceeds to make a call to repentance by which the calamity might be averted (vv.12-17). Fasting, weeping, mourning, and offerings in the Temple are commended, but above all a repentance of the heart is exhorted (vv.12-13,15). Yahweh is said to be gracious and merciful (a phrase often attributed to the Lord as it is rooted in Israel’s ancient formulations of faith [Exodus 34:6; cf. Nehemiah 9:17,31; Psalm 86:5]). An assembly to sanctify the people is called (vv.15-16). These verses and the one continuing to the end of the lesson take the form of a traditional liturgy. Priests (also called “ministers [sharath] of the Lord”) are called on to weep for the people in the Temple (especially in the inner court reserved for priests – between the vestibule and the altar) and urge God to spare the people, so that the truth of their commitment to Yahweh will no longer be questioned by Gentiles (v.17).
Sermons on this lesson can help clarify the meaning of Ash Wednesday. The text is a call to repentance in face of a plague afflicting the nation. America has been plagued by the vestiges of slavery and racism almost since its origins. The Congressional Research Service has found that since the 1990s wages have been stagnant for the middle class and the poor. The opioid epidemic costs many lives (more than car accidents and gun violence in 2018). Meanwhile we continue to pollute the environment. Plagues do indeed infect America.
These problems are our fault. We have a lot of sin to confess. We are badly in need of forgiveness. Of course it is easy to dodge these global and national problems, to feel like they are problems of our political or business leaders. Sermons on this text need to make clear that the guilt for these insalubrious developments is ours too! We put these leaders in charge; we buy the products which give the business leaders their power; we are the polluters. We need the repentance for which Joel calls. We need to change. And yet the text reminds us that we have the assurance that God will spare us and that the unfaithful (the so-called Gentiles) will see Him vindicated. This is what Ash Wednesday is all about.
Isaiah 58:1-12
The other option for the First Lesson, Isaiah 58:1-12, is drawn from the third strand which comprises the Book – probably written during the period when Exiles from Babylon returned to the Holy Land and were beginning to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem in the midst of harsh conditions. The consolations of the themes reflecting in Chapters 40-55 inform the outlook of this writer. This text is about how God does not desire fasting, but kindness. It is proclaimed that the people have rebelled, are in sin (v.1). But though the people act as if they practiced righteousness and delight to draw near to God, they grumble that God seems not to reward their fasting and humility for they remain oppressed (vv.2-3). It is proclaimed that the people are not truly humble, but quarrel and fight, and so God does not want such fasting (vv.4-5). He wants them to practice justice and free the oppressed, to feed the hungry and give housing to the poor (vv.6-7). A Word of hope follows. It is promised that light will break forth along with healing, for Yahweh will vindicate and guard the people (v.8). They will call on Him and He will be Present (“Here I am”) (v.9a). It is also promised that the Lord will guide and people, make them strong, repair the ancient ruins when they offer food to the hungry, and satisfy needs of the afflicted (vv.9b-12).
This is a lesson we want to keep in mind in evaluating the candidates as the Presidential Primaries move into high gear. There are certainly too many hungry and poor among us in America. The Trump economy may have reduced some poverty, but the US Census Bureau reports that there were 39.7 million people living in poverty in 2017. The Feeding America organization reports that in 2017 there were 41 million Americans suffering food insecurity. These numbers are no doubt higher when we include the refugees seeking asylum in America. Sermons on this lesson should make clear that God expects more than rhetoric. Get the congregation to consider which candidate has plans that will actually deliver the goods to the poor and also to have the members consider what they are doing about it themselves, to repent for not doing enough. The text needs to be read in light of the grace orientation of the Second Lesson and the awareness that the Lord is with us to make this happen even before we do it.
2 Corinthians 5:20b--6:10
The Epistle is drawn from a letter by Paul to address relations with the Corinthian church that had further deteriorated during and after 1 Corinthians had been written. Paul begins the lesson by urging the Corinthians for Christ’s sake to be reconciled [katallasso, to be changed thoroughly] to God (5:20b); Christ, it is noted, became sin (assumed our sinful nature [Romans 8:3]) so that we might become the righteousness of God (5:21; cf. 1 Corinthians 1:30). Justification and righteousness [dikaiosune] are woven together. They have a similar Greek root, for justification [dikaioma] resembles the Greek equivalent of the term “righteousness.” You cannot be declared right without “rightness” or “justice.” There is much controversy in New Testament scholarship about what Paul means by “righteousness of God,” a tendency to critique the idea that it entails that God declares us righteous. This argument is made on grounds that there are no Old Testament precedents for such an idea. But the concept of righteousness as not having to do with distributive justice but with relationships (with God’s relationship with the faithful and so salvation) is an Old Testament concept (Nehemiah 9:8; Isaiah 57:1; Gerhard von Rad, Old Testament Theology, Vol.1, p.371). And New Testament scholarship tends to understand the concept this way – in terms of a restored relationship (Rudolf
Bultmann, Theology of the New Testament, vol.1, p.271). And so it seems appropriate in this text to interpret God’s righteousness in terms of faithfulness to his relationship with his people, and it is his righteousness which restores the relationship (Psalm 71:2; von Rad, p.373). The concept of “reconciliation” in v.20b as entailing being thoroughly changed supports this idea. God’s righteousness, restoring our relationship with Him, changes the faithful. And even the Pauline idea of the righteousness of a righteous one being given to those who have fallen (a vicarious death) is itself a Hebrew concept (see 2 Maccabees 7:37-38; 4 Maccabees 6:28; 17:22).
The Apostle proceeds to urge that we not accept God’s grace in vain (6:1). Citing Isaiah 49:8 about God listening at an acceptable time, helping the faithful on the day of salvation, Paul notes that now is the moment to act (the End is near) (6:2). No obstacle will be put in the way of any believer, and so on one can rightful criticize his ministry (6:3). He accounts the suffering and persecution he has experienced in ministry (6:4-7). In antiquity, hardship and virtue were closely linked. The Apostle concludes with seven anithetic clauses illustrating the hiddenness of the Gospel – under dishonor, death, suffering, sorrow, and poverty (vv.8-10).
Several possibilities for sermons emerge from this text. It certainly affords an opportunity to explain Justification By grace through faith and the righteousness of God (see the preceding exposition above), themes most appropriate on Ash Wednesday as we confess our sin in anticipation of forgiveness and need to be clear that even our confession of sin is a work of God’s grace. The stress on now being the time to act (v.2), that we not put off our repentance or determination to change, is a most appropriate Word (especially in light of the themes of the First Lessons above and the desirability of starting to make these changes). Another sermon option would be to focus on the antithetic clauses noted above, on the hiddenness of the Gospel. This can give solace to us when even after receiving the assurance of forgiveness when we encounter life’s trials. Dishonor, suffering, sorrow, and even death need not necessarily imply abandonment by God. In fact, God may be using these challenges to change us.
Matthew 6:1-6,16-21
Finally the Gospel, from the most Jewish of all the Gospels in its effort to undergird the faith of besieged Jewish followers of Jesus, reports a segment of Jesus’ famed Sermon on the Mount, teaching practical piety. Jesus begins with a warning against the hypocritical piety (Matthew usually has the Pharisees in mind when referring to “hypocrisy”), especially doing merciful deeds that aim for others to notice one’s faith (v.1). Likewise it is said to be better to give alms (gifts of charity in synagogues, the foremost act of piety in the eyes of first-century Jews) without fanfare, so that “the left hand does not know what the right hand is doing” (vv.2-4). In a similar manner, it is said to be better to pray privately than ostentatiously in public (vv.5-6).
After a critique of long public prayers (vv.7-8), teaching The Lord’s Prayer (vv.9-13), and exhorting forgiveness (vv.14-15), Jesus urges that fasting not be done ostentatiously, so that only the Father knows (vv.16-18). (In this era, pious Jews fasted twice a week.) Here we observe Matthew’s anti-Pharisaism coupled with a moral strategy. Jesus critiques trust in worldly gods, which are prone to destruction (vv.19-20). In ancient times a large part of wealth consisted of costly garments liable to destruction by moths. Then Matthew has Jesus add that one’s treasure is indicative of one’s heart (v.21, i.e. one’s moral priorities (see 9:4; 12:34; Psalm 24:3-4).
Sin is not something Americans like to consider. A 2016 LifeWay poll found that only 2 out of 3 Americans believe they are sinners and over half of those who think they are sinners think they are able to overcome sin. Hardly surprising given our preoccupation with self-esteem and tendency to see of ourselves as “victims” of what goes wrong (see Jean Twenge, Generation Me, pp.53-60.1500ff.). The themes of this text, condemning our sin and false piety, are precisely what we need to proclaim. Even our faith is marred by sin. We need forgiveness! Another angle for the sermon might be to explain The Lord’s Prayer which Jesus also teaches in this lesson – the perfect prayer since it contains no “I’s” or “Me’s.”
Any sermon for Ash Wednesday needs to deal with sin, our sorrow for it, and how God delivers. Regardless the text selected or the option provided above, be sure the sermon reflects this overall theme of the day.
