Jesus’ Resolu It was such a good idea.
You gave something up for the new year. You needed to do it. You almost had to do it. So you resolved never to do it again. It was great!
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Until, suddenly, you did it again. But it only happened once. You easily justified it. Then, next thing you knew, you were right back to where you before you made that resolution. “Don’t worry,” you say to yourself, “I’ll start again on Ash Wednesday! I’ll give it up for Lent, which is right around the corner.” Well, hold up. Lent isn’t supposed to be your New Year resolutions 2.0, self-improvement program. That’s not why the Lord gave you a Lent! Lent is about Jesus being tempted for you and overcoming temptation in your place. Lent is Jesus riding into Jerusalem, headed to have a sign hung above His head which said how much He’s for you: Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews. Lent is Jesus betrayed into the hands of sinners, beaten, mocked, rejected by His people. Lent is nails being driven into His hands
and feet, and Him hoisted above the earth. Lent is Jesus dead—God dead—in your place. Lent is Jesus buried and hallowing your grave, making it a holy resting place for you and those whom you love. Lent isn’t about you changing; it’s about God changing. God repented of punishing you. He relented from giving you what you deserve. He took all the punishment due you and cast the full weight of it onto His Son. And His Son died as the propitiation—the sacrifice for your sins and the sins of the whole world. The real problem about you isn’t just that you eat a little too much junk food or have some bad habits you really should stop doing sometime. The thing that will get you tossed into hell is your sin! Your sins are the reason for the suffering and death of Christ. Jesus does a Lent for you because He alone can save you. Your sins crucified the Lord of Glory! Your sins should bring the wrath and hatred of God upon you. If you have any doubts about this, look at Jesus on Good Friday. He took God’s punishment for you and it killed Him. God died to save you. And then God rose again on Easter. Lent is all done by faith! That’s what Lent is for you— it’s about you receiving Jesus. And that’s
