Lent Scripture Readings
Daily Prayer and Scripture during Lent
Holy Week: April 16
Read Isaiah 53. Jesus is inviting us to walk in light and have fullness of life through the forgiveness of our sins. However, oftentimes we try to isolate ourselves from God or from others. Maybe we are anxious that we're not enough or we're ashamed of decisions we've made. If we focus on our sin, shame, or unworthiness, we stay in the darkness, but that's not what God wants for us. Read the text carefully again and see what word or phrase sticks out to you. Why do you think that is meaningful to you? What are the parallels between the Suffering Servant in Isaiah 53 and Jesus?
Holy Week: April 15
Read Luke 23:1-56. The very people who should have understood and rejoiced at Jesus' coming are the ones shouting for His death. The religious leaders cannot acknowledge Jesus' identity because He does not fit within their expectations. Read the text carefully again and see what word or phrase sticks out to you. Why do you think that is meaningful to you? In what ways do you struggle to accept Jesus' authority in your life because He calls you to live in challenging ways?
Holy Week: April 14
Read Isaiah 50:4-10. For the Lord GOD will help Me: In the midst of all this suffering, humiliation, and pain, the Messiah has an unshakable confidence in the help of the Lord GOD. Can we have the same confidence in God? Despite knowing the agony awaiting Him, the Messiah will have a steadfast determination to obey the Lord GOD and follow His way. His face will be set as hard as a flint, and nothing will turn Him aside. This was exactly fulfilled in the life of Jesus, who was determined to go to Jerusalem, even knowing what waited for Him there. Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem. (Luke 9:51) There are two kinds of courage – the courage of the moment, which requires no previous thought, and a “planned” courage, which sees the difficulty ahead and steadfastly marches towards it. Jesus had this kind of courage; He could see the cross on the horizon, but still set His face like a flint.
Holy Week: April 13
Read Mark 14:1-11. Jesus is having dinner in Bethany and a woman anoints him with a costly jar of perfume. It was the best she had to offer and she willingly poured it out as an act of worship. Traditionally anointing someone’s head with oil was to sanctify, to set the anointed person or object apart as holy. It was a symbol of honor and that the one being anointed was a chosen vessel by God. This anointing points to Christ’s identity as Messiah-King, but it also points to His humble position as Servant-King. When the woman anoints Jesus, she foreshadows Jesus’ actions at the upcoming Last Supper when the Lord washes the disciples’ feet and teaches them how to love one another through sacrificial, humble service.
Restoration: April 12
Revelation 21:1-8. Striking images in this passage include God wiping every tear, God saying, "Look, I make all things new!" and "All is done. I Am the Alpha and the Omega..." What image or phrase in this passage struck you as the most beautiful? Something else? What about that image or phrase is meaningful to you?
The Church: April 11
Read Galatians 3:23-29. What does it mean to be "clothed in Christ"? Does that mean we can take off our Christ jacket anytime we don't feel like wearing it? That's probably not the point Paul is trying to make here. When we put on clothes, people see us differently. What colors and styles we choose make us look different to the people around us. How does Christ make us look different to those around us? Do the clothes of Christ make us look gaudy to others, or do they make us appear humble? Do the clothes of Christ separate us from those who suffer or help them see us as a fellow traveler on the way?
Jesus: April 10
Read John 12:12-2. Jesus brings a new kind of kingdom: not one that is characterized by power, oppression, and subjugation, but a kingdom of peace, service, and self-sacrifice. In this story, the crowd is recognizing Jesus' lordship, though they do not fully realize what is happening or what it means. Jesus invites us to be a part of his kingdom. We are called to love God and others more than ourselves and to follow Jesus even and especially when it is difficult. Read the text carefully again and see what word or phrase sticks out to you. Why do you think that is meaningful to you? How would you describe the kingdom of God? How is it different from the institutions and "kingdoms" we see today?
Israel: April 9
Read Joel 2:12-17. Faith is like a roller coaster: there will be times when you feel close and connected to God and other times when you feel like God is distant or unreachable. It is especially in those times of distance where we lean on the faithfulness of God and look to be renewed. Read the text carefully again and see what word or phrase sticks out to you. Why do you think that is meaningful to you? Where can you turn for renewal when you feel like you are just going through the motions of faith?
Promise: April 8
Read Isaiah 9:2-7. The part of the promise we're focusing on today is Jesus. From the beginning of time, God's plan and God's promise has been to redeem the world through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. God promises righteousness, justice, and restored relationship to people who are unfaithful, who are hurting, who are separated from God. The good news of the promise is that God does not leave us in our sinful and broken state but rescues us. Read the text carefully again and see what word or phrase sticks out to you. Why do you think that is meaningful to you? What does this passage tell you about who Jesus is?
The Fall: April 7
Read Luke 22:55-62. Today's culture may not be receptive to the Gospel, but it's unlikely that any of us have risked imprisonment or death because of our faith in Jesus. Yet even still there are all sorts of ways that we can deny Him. We might avoid talking about our faith, church, our beliefs, or Jesus Himself. At work, at school, with our neighbors or our friends, we too may go strangely silent when there's an opportunity to share because we too are inclined to look out for ourselves first and foremost. Read the text carefully again and see what word or phrase sticks out to you. Why do you think that is meaningful to you? What areas of your life don't reflect your love for Jesus? How do you respond to the bitter grief that accompanies sin?
Creation: April 6
Read 1 Peter 2 4-5, 9-10. It's rare for stones to fit naturally together. Often a corner needs to get rounded off here, or an edge needs to be smoothed out there. Jesus is set apart as the cornerstone. Every other stone is aligned according to Him. Read the text carefully again and see what word or phrase sticks out to you. Why do you think that is meaningful to you? How might you create a new hope or expectation that God will be shaping you more and more into Jesus' image?
Restoration: April 5
Read Psalm 118. This Psalm is a helpful reminder that our prayers don't have to be complicated to be exactly what God wants us to understand. How many times can you repeat "God's steadfast love endures forever" without getting tired of it? How many times do we need to be reminded throughout our lives that "God's steadfast love endures forever"?
The Church: April 4
Read Romans 16:1-16. While the Apostle Paul is certainly a giant of the faith, he makes it clear that no one has a monopoly on being the church. The church is made up of the many who care for each other and do the work of Christ. What names stood out to you as being meaningful in Paul's roll call of the church in Rome? Whose names would you lift up as the leaders within your congregation?
Jesus: April 3
Read John 11: 17-44. This story shows us that God knows what it is like to mourn the death of a friend. Even though Jesus knew what was going to happen, he mourns with Mary and Martha. Jesus doesn't leave the community mourning or hopeless. By offering himself as the resurrection and the life, Jesus shows us something better than we could have imagined. Read the text carefully again and see what word or phrase sticks out to you. Why do you think that is meaningful to you? What areas of your life need resurrection or something better than you could imagine? What things areas are you mourning that you want to invite Jesus into?