Andy Cornett | living in the new creation

endlessly captivated by the person and work of the resurrected Jesus

a prayer for Maundy Thursday

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In those seasons of the church year that we often think of as high and holy times, I enjoy digging back through the ages and seek how the church has prayed. Sometimes you find words from another century or another culture that become your own and give you what to say when you heart feels like it is fumbling around. Here is a prayer that I wrote today for Maundy Thursday: some of its phrases have been inspired by earlier words from Bede, Gregory of Nyssa, Augustine, 1 John, and The Gelasian Sacramentary. Make it your own!

A prayer of Thanksgiving for Maundy Thursday

Our Good and Gracious Father,

You have brought us in safety again to this precious week and this new day. This truly is a day that you have created and we are glad and rejoice in it. For on this day not only do we have the chance to live, to love, and to lift our voices to you in prayer and praise – but we also come face to face with the astounding love of your son – our Lord, our Redeemer – Jesus Christ.

Tonight we remember his shocking and saving love for us: that while we were sinners, Jesus loved us, Jesus came for us, embraced us, and died for us. That when we were about to despair because we were faced with our sin-sickness, Jesus appeared … as the almighty doctor who can deliver us. And he did so by taking our sickness upon himself, sharing our death that he might administer life to us!

Lord, tonight we gather as a people who depend on your compassion and mercy. We stand on this side of the cross and praise you for freeing us from sin and for life with you. Let us remember our need for your mercy to cover our sin. Let us find grace in the gift of your body and your blood. Let us hear in a fresh way your word to love one another even as you have loved us – a humble, sacrificial love.

So come Holy Spirit: fill the hearts of your faithful people with your grace. Kindle in us the fire of your love. Make the flame of that love first take hold among each other – our brothers and sisters here – and then spread to all those who are far off. Give us the grace that might seek order all our thoughts and actions after your commandment to love. And may we be found fit to enter into Your everlasting joy. Amen.

why lent

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ash-wednesdayWhy Lent? Have you ever had to prepare for a big trip? You faced the truth about where you were going and what needed to happen to make the trip. You made your plans, packed your bags, got ready, etc. You went through a “Season” of “preparing” for what you were about to experience.

“Lent” is like that. Lent isn’t that junk in your pocket of your jeans – or the fuzz you pick out of your belly button after wearing a new shirt. Lent is the season of the church’s celebration of 40 days before Easter (FYI: “Lent” comes from an old word for “spring”). It’s a time of gracious preparation and truth-telling. It starts with today, called “ASH WEDNESDAY,” and rolls on the next 6 weeks.

So what is this ancient and dusty tradition for? I’ve come to think of it as a wake up call. Most of us wake up to some kind of an alarm (whether you pop up to need 5 snoozes), and lent rings two notes of alarm to us – saying “get up! Life is here! Wake up and move on out!”

  1. We remember our incredible need for God – the reason that Jesus came to rescue us. That you and I are made in God’s image, but our sin has harmed every relationship we know: with self, others, our world, and – especially – with God. I need God. You need God. We each need him. To live apart from God is to be dying in the way you live.
  2. And here’s the second incredible truth – in our incredible need, we have an incredible Savior – Jesus Christ. You and I cannot save ourselves. The good news is our God has revealed himself to be our Savior in Jesus Christ. He offers forgiveness of your sin through his own death on the cross, and new life through his own resurrection from the grave. He reigns now as Lord of all lords. We need forgiveness. We need life. Thank God that both of those are freely offered to us in Jesus Christ.

Here’s the thing about Jesus – he stood in your shoes. He lived your life. He was obedient to God in every way and yet he took on himself all your sin and suffered for it, was judged for it, died for it, and put it all right so that you – by faith – can stand in his shoes and hear his words: YOU ARE FORGIVEN. You are my beloved.

Hear that again. YOU ARE FORGIVEN. Jesus has made things right with you and God and restored you to the place of love, fellowship, and following him in this world.

So this Lent, don’t think you are going all super-spiritual and finally getting yourself in shape. You can’t make it right. You don’t HAVE TO make it right. You are – we are – actually admitting the reverse: we can’t. But by God’s grace, Jesus has done it, did it for you, and calls you back to share in his perfect response to the Father.

Tonight we gather together and start that journey by having a time of worship. At the end, we all come forward (if you choose) to face the truth – you say “I am a sinner” and we remind you that “we have a great Savior: in Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.” And you get a mark – on your forehead, or on your hand – of ashes.

Why ashes? It’s an ancient tradition that when you hurt, or when you were full of sorrow, or when you were ashamed of your actions, or when you wanted show that you’d reversed your wrong course and were heading down the right road – you put dust on yourself. Maybe on your head, shoulders, or hands.

In the church today, we mark you with ashes as a reminder that you came from dust and you are going back to dust. A reminder that your life here is temporary. A reminder that none of us is Lord of our own lives: each of us will face death and be accountable to God. We mark each other with ashes tonight to remember that first alarm bell (we are sinners).

But we mark you with ashes in the sign of the cross because it’s in the cross of Jesus Christ that we meet an incredible savior who cleanses us from our sin, gives us new life by his Spirit, and leads us in the way of love for God and love for others.

So tonight – we invite you to wake up and walk with us on that journey. Pack your bags, make some preparations. There is life to do this season as we wake up to the call of God on our lives.

Find an Ash Wednesday service tonight. If you are local to Chattanooga, join us in the sanctuary at Signal Mountain Pres at 6:30pm. May your own heart sense the call of Christ to leave life as you know it and follow him in the fire of love with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.