Lent Study

Would you take on the challenge of linking up with another person, another family, a few friends, a newer person around St Petri this Lent?

Giving, Praying and Fasting are the three great streams of life in Jesus that Jesus teaches in the famous Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6. And these three are all about what your heart in centred on. Jesus sums all three up by showing us that “where your treasure is, there is your heart”. So, whatever we value, aspire to, desire and seek in life finds it source inside us – in our heart. If our heart is centred on Jesus and his Word then all his gifts and his good fruit of love, joy, peace, patience and etc will be more fully part of how we live. If our heart is centred on other things like success and money and self and etc, we will not be living as fully as he wants, or we can in these good things.

Lent is the time to discern where your treasure really is so you can discern where you are really at in life and in faith with Jesus.

Christians have always practiced these three things in a more intentional and focused way in one way or another as they prepare for the very centre of life in God’s grace – Easter.

• This Lent we are focussing on The Prayer of Prayers – the Lord’s Prayer. We will be unpacking what it is and how you can pray it during mid-week Lenten Services (Wed nights at 7.00pm). You could attend these gathering or view them online each week.

Ash Wednesday 2nd March – The Prayer of Prayers
9th March – “Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name.”
16th March – “Your kingdom come, your will be done.”
23rd March – “Give us what we need and forgive us as we forgive.”
30th March – “Lead us not into temptation and deliver us from evil.”
6th April – “Your is the kingdom, power and glory.”

• You could pray the Lord’s Prayer every morning of Lent this Lent.
• You could read a petition and its meaning every week in the Small Catechism.

• You could read through the gospel or Luke or only the story of how the crucifixion and resurrection happens (the Passion Narrative in Luke’s gospel) at a set time every day of Lent. You could read this with others in your household or at work or friendship group.
• You could also read the Letter to the Colossians, since this our home text of Colossians 2:6-7 comes from that biblical book and we will be studying it later in the year.
• You could take on extra acts of serving someone else for 40 days – make that call to a person who is struggling, visit that old friend you have not seen for ages, renew that acquaintance and have that conversation with someone with whom you have been out of sorts, etc.
• You could take on a project that helps someone or your church community or the wider community.

• You could give special financial gifts to people in need, your church’s mission needs, a community group or special cause.

• You could fast for one day per week, or fast over lunch each weekday, or any other way!
• You could have one morning or one afternoon whether you fast from media and ‘doing’,  and just be available to the Spirit’s reading as you spend time alone resting or reading or doing an easy task.
• Fasting is a very pointed way to find out where your heart is!

This Lent you are invited to practice the spiritual discipline of daily time reading the word and praying using the ‘From Christmas Manger to Easter Glory’, an excellent Lenten devotional resource published by Lutheran Tract Mission.