1 00:00:01,700 --> 00:00:07,600 In the name of Jesus Christ who takes away the sin of the world. Amen. 2 00:00:09,100 --> 00:00:14,300 The text for our reflection today on this Ash Wednesday is the Old 3 00:00:14,300 --> 00:00:16,700 Testament reading read earlier. 4 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:20,000 My brothers and sisters in the Lord, 5 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:24,400 today is Ash Wednesday. 6 00:00:25,900 --> 00:00:29,200 Today is Ash Wednesday. 7 00:00:31,200 --> 00:00:35,200 The world considers many of the beliefs and practices of the Christian 8 00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:36,900 church to be strange. 9 00:00:37,800 --> 00:00:41,800 But perhaps one that seems most bizarre to the world 10 00:00:41,800 --> 00:00:45,100 is this right of imposition of Ashes. 11 00:00:46,500 --> 00:00:48,000 Wearing ashes? 12 00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:55,600 Ashes for the most part have been excised from the experience of many 13 00:00:55,600 --> 00:00:56,800 in our world today. 14 00:00:58,200 --> 00:01:03,200 In our super sanitized society and in our extra clean culture 15 00:01:03,200 --> 00:01:07,300 we just don't encounter ashes anymore. 16 00:01:08,500 --> 00:01:14,200 I remember when I was a young man going into various buildings, you 17 00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:21,600 would see ashtrays strewn about filled with ashes. Homes, businesses, 18 00:01:21,600 --> 00:01:24,500 restaurants no more. 19 00:01:26,100 --> 00:01:33,800 In fact now we have e-cigarettes and Juul and vaping no ashes 20 00:01:33,800 --> 00:01:35,400 produced there. 21 00:01:37,500 --> 00:01:43,800 Perhaps where you will encounter ashes most regularly is if you have a 22 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:45,100 wood burning fireplace. 23 00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:52,300 But if you're like me, we've converted our wood burning fireplace into 24 00:01:52,300 --> 00:01:53,200 a gas fireplace. 25 00:01:53,200 --> 00:01:58,400 So with just the flip of the switch you have the flame and you don't 26 00:01:58,400 --> 00:02:02,900 have to bother with the messiness of cleaning up the ashes. 27 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:10,199 Yes, ashes have been excised from our experience 28 00:02:11,400 --> 00:02:13,300 in contemporary life. 29 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:16,900 Except, 30 00:02:18,400 --> 00:02:20,400 except on this day 31 00:02:21,700 --> 00:02:23,400 Ash Wednesday. 32 00:02:24,500 --> 00:02:30,500 Where we get up-close-and-personal with ashes they are imposed on our 33 00:02:30,500 --> 00:02:31,400 foreheads. 34 00:02:31,400 --> 00:02:34,100 There are placed on our faces. 35 00:02:35,300 --> 00:02:36,100 Ashes. 36 00:02:38,500 --> 00:02:39,400 What's that all about? 37 00:02:41,400 --> 00:02:47,800 Well this is an ancient practice and tradition that goes back at least 38 00:02:47,800 --> 00:02:51,000 1,500 years. Gregory 39 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:59,000 the Great is the one who we have record of as bringing the right of 40 00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:04,200 Ashes at the beginning of Lent, but it probably even went earlier than 41 00:03:04,200 --> 00:03:04,400 that. 42 00:03:05,500 --> 00:03:07,700 And certainly in biblical times 43 00:03:07,700 --> 00:03:11,600 we see the people of dawning ashes for certain purposes. 44 00:03:13,100 --> 00:03:14,800 New Testament and Old Testament. 45 00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:21,800 For example in the book of Job were told that Job abased himself and 46 00:03:21,800 --> 00:03:23,800 repented in dust & ashes. 47 00:03:25,800 --> 00:03:29,900 The Prophet Daniel in chapter 9 of his book. 48 00:03:30,800 --> 00:03:36,200 It says quote pleaded with God and prayer fasting sackcloth and ashes 49 00:03:36,200 --> 00:03:37,800 end quote. 50 00:03:39,600 --> 00:03:43,100 In the Book of Esther the entire Jewish Nation 51 00:03:44,300 --> 00:03:48,900 went into weeping and wailing and put on ashes 52 00:03:50,400 --> 00:03:51,900 in their time of crisis. 53 00:03:53,500 --> 00:04:00,600 The prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel all call the people to repent with 54 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:07,100 ashes. For example in Jeremiah 6 verse 26. Oh my people put on 55 00:04:07,100 --> 00:04:10,600 sackcloth and roll in ashes. 56 00:04:12,300 --> 00:04:19,000 Even Jesus on at least two occasions refers to repentance with ashes. 57 00:04:21,399 --> 00:04:28,200 And so it's very clear here in the biblical association that 58 00:04:28,200 --> 00:04:31,200 ashes are connected with repentance, 59 00:04:32,900 --> 00:04:33,900 repenting. 60 00:04:36,500 --> 00:04:37,300 Why is that? 61 00:04:39,300 --> 00:04:45,700 Well, when you repent you humble yourself. You go down low before 62 00:04:45,700 --> 00:04:51,800 another before God you get down on the ground in the dust and the dirt and the 63 00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:53,300 ashes. 64 00:04:55,500 --> 00:04:56,300 And also 65 00:04:57,400 --> 00:04:58,900 we repent of sin. 66 00:05:00,500 --> 00:05:03,600 Sin which is a hill upon us. 67 00:05:03,600 --> 00:05:10,200 Just as ashes are dirty and filthy that cling unto us so our sin the 68 00:05:10,200 --> 00:05:12,800 filth of our sin clings to us. 69 00:05:15,200 --> 00:05:19,600 And then certainly ashes remind us of our mortality. 70 00:05:21,800 --> 00:05:29,200 The payment for sin death going all the way back to Genesis chapter 3 71 00:05:29,200 --> 00:05:34,800 the judgement God declared upon sinful Adam dust you are and to dust 72 00:05:34,800 --> 00:05:36,100 you will return. 73 00:05:37,400 --> 00:05:42,600 The words that are spoken today with the imposition of Ashes. 74 00:05:45,000 --> 00:05:46,000 And so all of this 75 00:05:47,600 --> 00:05:50,100 associates with repentance. 76 00:05:51,700 --> 00:05:58,800 Our humility, our sinfulness, our mortality we come to the Lord and we 77 00:05:58,800 --> 00:05:59,400 repent 78 00:06:00,400 --> 00:06:01,800 in light of all that. 79 00:06:05,300 --> 00:06:12,600 And so our text here today from Joel chapter two calls us to repent. 80 00:06:13,500 --> 00:06:17,000 Twice in verses 13 and 14 81 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:18,400 we are called to turn 82 00:06:21,200 --> 00:06:23,300 the Hebrew word is shub. 83 00:06:25,000 --> 00:06:32,900 The sense is turning from sin and turning to God a 100-degree 180 degree 84 00:06:32,900 --> 00:06:37,200 reversal to turn to repent. 85 00:06:39,000 --> 00:06:46,600 That's why our ESV version translates return, return to the Lord your 86 00:06:46,600 --> 00:06:46,800 God. 87 00:06:50,000 --> 00:06:57,300 Notice that this prophecy this exhortation of Joel was directed 88 00:06:57,300 --> 00:07:04,900 not to the Pagan Assyrians or the Blasphemous Babylonians or the 89 00:07:04,900 --> 00:07:08,900 Canaanites in the area who were unbelievers. 90 00:07:08,900 --> 00:07:15,000 This was addressed to the people of Judah to God's people. 91 00:07:16,500 --> 00:07:17,000 Shub 92 00:07:18,600 --> 00:07:19,100 turn 93 00:07:20,400 --> 00:07:23,300 return to the Lord your God. 94 00:07:25,300 --> 00:07:31,600 And this call to repentance is directed to us as well today who are 95 00:07:31,600 --> 00:07:36,400 God's people we must repent. 96 00:07:38,100 --> 00:07:38,600 Why? 97 00:07:41,400 --> 00:07:42,300 First of all 98 00:07:43,100 --> 00:07:47,400 because we have much sin to repent of. 99 00:07:49,100 --> 00:07:51,300 We are continually sinning. 100 00:07:52,400 --> 00:07:57,000 We are always sinful because of our sinful condition. 101 00:07:58,200 --> 00:07:59,000 1st John, 102 00:08:00,300 --> 00:08:05,400 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in 103 00:08:05,400 --> 00:08:05,900 us. 104 00:08:07,400 --> 00:08:08,800 We are sinners. 105 00:08:10,100 --> 00:08:14,000 It's like the prayer that was offered up by a seminarian. 106 00:08:15,100 --> 00:08:21,100 Lord today, I haven't lied, gossiped been unkind or lost my temper. 107 00:08:22,300 --> 00:08:24,500 But now it's time to get out of bed. 108 00:08:27,500 --> 00:08:31,400 Won't be much longer after getting out of bed 109 00:08:31,400 --> 00:08:38,600 then those sins appear in one's life and it's because of what's within 110 00:08:38,600 --> 00:08:47,000 us our simple condition. As Martin Luther said we'd daily sin much and 111 00:08:47,000 --> 00:08:49,000 are in need of forgiveness. 112 00:08:51,300 --> 00:08:55,000 So like ashes are sin is ever before us. 113 00:08:56,100 --> 00:08:57,500 And the penalty of death 114 00:08:58,800 --> 00:09:01,300 precedes before us as well. 115 00:09:02,400 --> 00:09:04,500 That's why we repent. 116 00:09:07,600 --> 00:09:11,800 But there is a second reason given in our text why we repent. 117 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:16,800 And it's because of the one to whom we turn. 118 00:09:18,100 --> 00:09:25,900 Return to the Lord your God. Why? For he is gracious and compassionate 119 00:09:25,900 --> 00:09:31,100 slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 120 00:09:32,700 --> 00:09:42,300 We repent we turn to God because of who he is and what he does for us. 121 00:09:42,300 --> 00:09:44,200 He bestows Grace. 122 00:09:44,200 --> 00:09:46,200 He bestows compassion. 123 00:09:46,200 --> 00:09:51,700 He bestows forgiveness, cleansing of our sin. 124 00:09:52,900 --> 00:09:59,200 And he does that through the person and work of Jesus Christ who came 125 00:09:59,200 --> 00:10:06,200 into the world not only to assume our humanity but to take upon 126 00:10:06,200 --> 00:10:09,800 himself the filth of our sin. 127 00:10:10,700 --> 00:10:15,100 God made him who knew no sin to be sin. 128 00:10:16,300 --> 00:10:21,500 For our sakes that we might become the righteousness of God through 129 00:10:21,500 --> 00:10:22,400 him. 130 00:10:24,900 --> 00:10:27,200 Jesus Christ came into the world 131 00:10:29,100 --> 00:10:35,100 took upon our sin in his passion, his death, his burial. 132 00:10:35,900 --> 00:10:42,000 He paid the penalty of sin and his lifeless body was laid in the dust 133 00:10:42,000 --> 00:10:45,200 and the ashes of the tomb for you. 134 00:10:46,800 --> 00:10:48,900 For your sin? 135 00:10:49,900 --> 00:10:51,900 For your forgiveness. 136 00:10:54,200 --> 00:10:54,700 And now 137 00:10:56,400 --> 00:10:58,100 if we confess our sin. 138 00:10:59,100 --> 00:11:05,100 God is faithful and just he will forgive our sin and cleanse us from 139 00:11:05,100 --> 00:11:09,300 all unrighteousness with the blood of Jesus Christ 140 00:11:09,300 --> 00:11:12,700 God's son cleanse us from all sin. 141 00:11:14,800 --> 00:11:20,100 It is in Christ that we have this cleansing from the filth 142 00:11:21,100 --> 00:11:24,800 of our sin from the curse of death 143 00:11:26,800 --> 00:11:27,800 we are forgiven. 144 00:11:29,900 --> 00:11:37,300 And that is why the ashes are imposed these filthy dirty death 145 00:11:37,300 --> 00:11:43,400 reminding ashes are formed in the face in the form of a cross. 146 00:11:45,100 --> 00:11:49,200 To remind us that it is through the cross of Jesus Christ 147 00:11:50,600 --> 00:11:56,500 that we now find forgiveness life and restoration. 148 00:11:59,000 --> 00:12:01,100 Amazingly in our text here 149 00:12:01,100 --> 00:12:07,200 the prophet says as we return to the Lord Our God and repentance. 150 00:12:08,800 --> 00:12:18,300 He turns, he relents from his judgment from the calamity of our sin 151 00:12:18,300 --> 00:12:23,600 from the penalty of death declared upon us. 152 00:12:23,600 --> 00:12:27,100 He turns and gives us life. 153 00:12:28,100 --> 00:12:29,300 Gives us freedom. 154 00:12:30,400 --> 00:12:32,000 Gives us hope. 155 00:12:35,700 --> 00:12:44,800 And so in this day of penitence Ash Wednesday, and as we begin this 156 00:12:44,800 --> 00:12:46,800 season of penitence 157 00:12:49,200 --> 00:12:52,000 we remember the one to whom we turn. 158 00:12:53,400 --> 00:12:55,900 The one who bore our filth 159 00:12:57,200 --> 00:13:00,000 and experienced our death for us. 160 00:13:00,000 --> 00:13:06,400 The one who is gracious and compassionate full of mercy and abounding 161 00:13:06,400 --> 00:13:07,800 in steadfast love. 162 00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:12,000 And every day of our lives 163 00:13:13,400 --> 00:13:18,900 we turn to our gracious and compassionate God in Repentance. 164 00:13:20,900 --> 00:13:26,100 As Martin Luther said in his first of the Ninety-five Theses our Lord 165 00:13:26,100 --> 00:13:32,000 and Master Jesus Christ will bet the whole life of believers should be 166 00:13:32,000 --> 00:13:32,900 repentance. 167 00:13:35,400 --> 00:13:36,000 Today 168 00:13:37,400 --> 00:13:38,700 in the season of Lent 169 00:13:40,200 --> 00:13:46,700 and in the days that God gives to us to journey in this life. 170 00:13:48,300 --> 00:13:50,300 We repent. 171 00:13:54,200 --> 00:13:57,500 In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.