Many churches and church members take observances such as Lent for granted. Many others ignore Lent and other church seasons. In both cases, they don't always know what they are doing and why. Whether we observe a traditional church calendar or not, we should be aware of what it is and why some Christians observe it.
Although Lent is certainly not commanded in Scripture, I have found that there are some good biblical reasons for having the season of Lent. There are various references in the Bible to forty, including the forty years Israel spent in the wilderness, the forty days Elijah fasted as he journeyed to Sinai (I Kings 19:8), and especially the forty days Jesus fasted in the wilderness (Mark 1:12-15). There is also a human tendency to forget about the biblical disciplines of prayer and fasting unless there is a time of emphasis, such as Lent.
So, for the First Sunday in Lent, I would emphasize that there is a biblical basis for setting aside a season of fasting, abstinence, repentance, prayer, and special devotion. Lent is rooted in what Jesus did at the beginning of His public ministry. As the Gospel for the day from St. Mark 1 shows, Jesus set aside a special time for prayer and fasting to consider His Father's will. This period included temptation, but by rejecting the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil, the nature of Christ's vocation became clearer and stronger. In our limited human ways, we can use the days of Lent to follow Christ's example, to be more open to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and to draw closer to our heavenly Father and His will for our lives.
