The season of Lent is the time of preparation for the Holy Week observance of Christ’s death and resurrection. It is a 40 day journey of prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and scripture reading.  It is a time of repentance and renewal of our minds, hearts and deeds in conformity with Christ and his teachings.   It is the time, most of all, of our return to the great commandments of loving God and our neighbors. Ideally, it is not a season of morbidity and gloom. On the contrary, it is a time of joyfulness and purification.  We are called to anoint our faces, to cleanse our bodies, and to renew our souls.

It is our repentance that God desires, not our remorse. We sorrow for our sins and mistakes but we do so in the joy of God’s mercy. We mortify our body, but we do so in the joy of our resurrection into life everlasting. During Lent, we remember Christ’s baptism as we recall the joy of our own baptism. We recall Christ’s life of prayer and fasting as we also fast and pray. We remember Christ’s victory over temptation as we rise above our own temptations. We recall Christ’s sufferings as we deny our self and take up our own cross. We remember Christ’s resurrection in certain hope of our own resurrection.

Biblically, the number “forty” represents a period of testing or trial. On Mount Sinai, preparing to receive the Ten Commandments, “Moses stayed there with the Lord for 40 days and 40 nights, without eating any food or drinking any water” (Ex. 34:28). Elijah walked “40 days and 40 nights” to the mountain of the Lord, Mount Horeb (I Kings 19:8). Jesus fasted and prayed for “40 days and 40 nights” in the desert before He began His public ministry (Mt. 4:2). Moses, Elijah, and Jesus each took the spiritual discipline of fasting to the height of perfection. Separately, they each had a mountain top encounter with God. On the Mount of Transfiguration, Moses and Elijah saw Christ’s radiant glory and heard the Father’s heavenly voice (Mt.17:1-2).

Other scriptural references include the forty days of rain during Noah’s flood (Gen. 7:4); the forty years that the Israelites wandered in the desert before entering the promised land (Num. 14:33-35); the forty day fast that the Ninevites observed in obedience to the prophet Jonah (Jon. 3:4-5); and the forty days between the resurrection and ascension when Christ revealed himself to His disciples (Acts 1:3).

The use of ashes or oil also has biblical significance.  Ashes or dust were sprinkled on the head or body as a symbol of mourning or repentance. This was usually a public expression of humiliation or grief. The bible also speaks of oil and fragrances poured on the head or body for consecration, healing, or burial. Anointing with oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit’s presence and grace.

Since ancient times, Christians have practiced a forty day fast to prepare for Easter or “Pascha”. In fact, many early Christians fasted on every Wednesday and Friday throughout the year.  Today, Liturgical Christians still observe Lent with a strict vegetarian diet. Others limit themselves to one evening meal daily or abstain from eating meat on Fridays.

The evangelical leader, JOHN WESLEY, encouraged his followers to observe a Lenten fast then continue with weekly “Friday fasts” throughout the year.  Every week Wesley began a fast after the Thursday evening meal and ended it at “tea time” around 3:00 p.m. on Friday.

Many Protestants do not fast for Lent but may give up a favorite food or activity, or take on a discipline such as devotions or charity work. Because Lent is Christian tradition and not a biblical requirement, many see fasting as a personal choice and not an obligation. In fact, many Evangelical Christians do not observe Lent or fasting at all.

The Lenten season is an excellent opportunity for repentance, restitution, and renewal. Spiritual disciplines of prayer, fasting, scripture reading, and communion will enhance the experience. Family prayer and devotions will strengthen the home. Outreach to neighbors or the needy will extend Christ’s compassion to others. Fasting will bring our attitudes, appetites, and passions under Christ’s control. Developing new habits requires repetition, time, and discipline. This is a good time to regain control over distractions like the TV, internet, and iPods. Elijah heard God gently whisper in a “still small voice” (1 Kings 19:11-13). We also can encounter God when we silence ourselves and pray.

© 2008, Pastor Wes McCallum

O JESUS, POOR AND ABJECT, UNKNOWN AND DESPISED,
have mercy upon me, and let me not be ashamed to follow Thee.

O JESUS, HATED, CALUMNIATED, AND PERSECUTED,
have mercy upon me, and let me not be ashamed to come after Thee.

O JESUS, BETRAYED AND SOLD AT A VILE PRICE,
have mercy upon me, and make me content to be as my Master.

O JESUS, BLASPHEMED, ACCUSED AND WRONGFULLY CONDEMNED,
have mercy upon me, and teach me to endure the contradiction of sinners.

O JESUS, CLOTHED WITH A HABIT OF REPROACH AND SHAME,
have mercy upon me, and let me not seek my own glory.

O JESUS, INSULTED, MOCKED, AND SPIT UPON,
have mercy upon me, and let me run with patience the race set before me.

O JESUS, DRAGGED TO THE PILLAR, SCOURGED, AND BATHED IN BLOOD,
have mercy upon me, and let me not faint in the fiery trial.

O JESUS, CROWNED WITH THORNS, AND HAILED IN DERISION;

O JESUS, BURDENED WITH OUR SINS, AND THE CURSES OF THE PEOPLE;

O JESUS, AFFRONTED, OUTRAGED, BUFFETED, OVERWHELMED WITH INJURIES, GRIEFS, AND HUMILIATIONS;

O JESUS, HANGING ON THE ACCURSED TREE, BOWING THE HEAD, GIVING UP THE GHOST,
Have mercy upon me, and confirm my whole soul to Thy holy, humble, suffering Spirit.

O Thou who for the love of me hast undergone such an infinity of sufferings and humiliations, let me be wholly “emptied of myself,” that I may rejoice to take up my cross daily and follow Thee.

Enable me, too, to endure the pain and despise the shame; and, if it be Thy will, to resist even unto blood!

– REV. JOHN WESLEY (at age 20).
Friday morning prayers –
“A Collection of Forms of Prayer for Every Day in the Week”, 1733.

John Wesley

John Wesley’s Band Meeting Questions:

1. What known sins have you committed since our last meeting?

2. What temptations have you met with?

3. How were you delivered?

4. What have you thought, said, or done, of which you doubt whether it be sin or not?

5. Have you nothing you desire to keep secret? (this one was optional).

For well over a century this method of discipling was continued by Wesley’s followers.  The “class meeting” was common practice as late as the 1960′s in North America.  As a child, I recall these class meetings in various churches of the Champlain Conference of the Wesleyan Methodist Church.

Reference: John Wesley’s Class Meetings: a Model for Making Disciples, by D. Michael Henderson, Evangel Publishing House, 1997, pp. 118-9.

The questions have their origin in the spiritual accountability group started by Wesley when he was a student at Oxford — a group that detractors called “The Holy Club.” The first list appeared about 1729 or 1730 in the preface to Wesley’s second Oxford Diary. Similar questions appeared in his 1733 A Collection of Forms of Prayer for Every Day in the Week. As late as 1781, Wesley published a list of questions like this in the Arminian Magazine.

Questions for Self Examination

1. Am I consciously or unconsciously creating the impression that I am better than I really am? In other words, am I a hypocrite?

2. Am I honest in all my acts and words, or do I exaggerate?

3. Do I confidentially pass on to others what has been said to me in confidence?

4. Can I be trusted?

5. Am I a slave to dress, friends, work or habits?

6. Am I self-conscious, self-pitying, or self-justifying?

7. Did the Bible live in me today?

8. Do I give the Bible time to speak to me every day?

9. Am I enjoying prayer?

10. When did I last speak to someone else of my faith?

11. Do I pray about the money I spend?

12. Do I get to bed on time and get up on time?

13. Do I disobey God in anything?

14. Do I insist upon doing something about which my conscience is uneasy?

15. Am I defeated in any part of my life?

16. Am I jealous, impure, critical, irritable, touchy or distrustful?

17. How do I spend my spare time?

18. Am I proud?

19. Do I thank God that I am not as other people, especially as the Pharisees who despised the publican?

20. Is there anyone whom I fear, dislike, disown, criticize, hold resentment toward or disregard? If so, what am I doing about it?

21 Do I grumble or complain constantly?

22 Is Christ real to me?

John Wesley was an 18th century Anglican evangelist and founder of the Wesleyan Tradition.

O Love Divine What Hast Thou Done

The incarnate God hath died for me!

The Father’s co-eternal Son

Bore all my sins upon the tree.

The immortal God for me hath died:

My Lord, my Love, is crucified.

Behold Him all ye that pass by,

The bleeding Prince of life and peace!

Come sinners see your Savior die,

And say “Was ever grief like His?”

Come feel with me His blood applied:

My Lord, my Love, is crucified.

Then let us sit beneath His cross,

And gladly catch the healing stream:

All things for Him account but loss,

And give up all our hearts to Him:

Of nothing think or speak beside,

My Lord, my Love, is crucified!

– Hymn by: Charles Wesley, 1742

Many churches set membership commitments for their constituents. Here is an interesting set of

GENERAL RULES set by John & Charles Wesley in 1743 for those attending the class meetings. Initially, only one condition was required to attend — a desire “to flee from the wrath to come, to be saved from their sins”. However, to continue attending one was expected to observe THREE AREAS OF WEEKLY DISCIPLINE:

            1. Doing no harm by avoiding all evil;

2. Doing good towards others; and

3. Attending all the means of grace (worship, communion, prayer, scriptures, fasting).

 A lay leader was responsible to guide a group of 12 persons in their spiritual disciples. Typically, a class meeting had more seekers than perfected Christians.  This class meeting model was observed in many churches for over 200 years but phased out of use in the 1960’s.

 WESLEY’S GENERAL RULES (1743).

THERE IS ONE ONLY CONDITION PREVIOUSLY REQUIRED IN THOSE WHO DESIRE ADMISSION INTO THESE SOCIETIES, — A DESIRE “TO FLEE FROM THE WRATH TO COME, TO BE SAVED FROM THEIR SINS:” But, wherever this is really fixed in the soul, it will be shown by its fruits. It is therefore expected of all who continue therein, that they should continue to evidence their desire of salvation,

FIRST, BY DOING NO HARM, BY AVOIDING EVIL IN EVERY KIND; especially that which is most generally practiced: Such as,

— the taking the name of God in vain;

— the profaning the day of the Lord, either by doing ordinary work thereon, or by buying or selling;

— drunkenness, buying or selling spirituous liquors, or drinking them, unless in cases of extreme necessity;

— fighting, quarreling, brawling; brother going to law with brother; returning evil for evil, or railing for railing; the using many words in buying or selling;

— the buying or selling unaccustomed goods (that have not paid the duty);

— the giving or taking things on usury, that is, unlawful interest;

— uncharitable or unprofitable conversation, particularly speaking evil of Magistrates or of Ministers;

— doing to others as we would not they should do unto us;

— doing what we know is not for the glory of God, as

— the “putting on of gold or costly apparel;”

— the taking such diversions as cannot be used in the name of the Lord Jesus;

— the singing those songs, or reading those books, which do not tend to the knowledge or love of God;

— softness, and needless self-indulgence;

— laying up treasures upon earth;

— borrowing without a probability of paying; or taking up goods without a probability of paying for them.

It is expected of all who continue in these societies, that they should continue to evidence their desire of salvation,

SECONDLY, BY DOING GOOD, by being, in every kind, merciful after their power; as they have opportunity, doing good of every possible sort, and as far as is possible, to all men;

— to their bodies, of the ability which God giveth, by giving food to the hungry, by clothing the naked, by visiting or helping them that are sick, or in prison;

— to their souls, by instructing reproving, or exhorting all they have any intercourse with; trampling under foot that enthusiastic doctrine of devils, that “we are not to do good unless our heart be free to it.”

— By doing good especially to them that are of the household of faith, or groaning so to be; employing them preferably to others, buying one of another; helping each other in business; and so much the more, because the world will love its own, and them only:

— By all possible diligence and frugality, that the gospel be not blamed:

— By running with patience the race that is set before them, “denying themselves, and taking up their cross daily;” submitting to bear the reproach of Christ, to be as the filth and off-scouring of the world; and looking that men should “say all manner of evil of them falsely for the Lord’s sake.”

It is expected of all who desire to continue in these societies, that they should continue to evidence their desire of salvation,

THIRDLY, BY ATTENDING UPON ALL THE ORDINANCES OF GOD.

Such are,

— the public worship of God;
— the ministry of the word, either read or expounded;
— the supper of the Lord;
— family and private prayer;
— searching the Scriptures;
— and fasting, or abstinence.

These are the GENERAL RULES of our societies; all which we are taught of God to observe, even in his written word, the only rule, and the sufficient rule, both of our faith and practice. And all these, we know, his Spirit writes on every truly awakened heart. If there be any among us who observe them not, who habitually break any of them, let it be made known unto them who watch over that soul as they that must give an account. We will admonish him of the error of his ways; we will bear with him for a season: But then if he repent not, he hath no more place among us. We have delivered our own souls.
— JOHN WESLEY, CHARLES WESLEY.
May 1, 1743.