You might be wondering… what exactly is Lent?
Different religious traditions observe Lent in different ways. But essentially, Lent is a 40-day observance leading to Holy Week and Easter. The 40 days correspond to Jesus’ time fasting in the wilderness prior to the beginning of His earthly ministry.
The purpose of participating and engaging in this time of preparation is to come closer to Jesus. As Christians, we can also use Lent to prepare and anticipate what God is going to do in our lives. Lent is not just a season of giving something up, but it is really a season of focus – focusing our attention and being intentional about the work of God in our lives. Lent is a time to press in to some intentional practices and listen for where God is leading and what He is doing in your heart.
So why are we focusing on parables during this season of Lent?
As we enter into this season of Lent at Pulpit Rock, we want to focus our hearts on a tool Jesus gave us in order to change us.
One of the most profound tools Jesus used to lead people was parables.
He would tell these little stories that were rich in imagery. And then He would stop talking. Imagine if you and I were sitting in the crowd… so many of His stories would provoke deep thinking. They would spark questions in our heart. They would force us to consider things in new ways. His parables were like on-ramps to true spirituality.
So this season, we want to take time to reflect deeply on 12 parables found in the Gospel of Luke, and let them sit in our hearts so they can shape us.
Some of them are very challenging. Some of them are very comforting. Some of them will stick with us for the rest of our lives. And all of them will shape us.
How do I draw closer to Jesus through His parables?
We’ve put together a Lenten Experience Guide that is intended to be a resource to help you engage with the Lord over the next 40 days. Each week we’ll be using one of Jesus’ parables from Luke as a jumping-off point.
The guide provides and explains several different options for engaging with the parables. Each practice can be used intentionally to bring you into the presence of God.
You can pick up your Lenten Experience Guide on Sunday mornings, print your own, or engage digitally on our Lent page. You can also find Lent calendars for kids and students, and more resources to help you engage like blogs, books, music, podcasts, and art – all on our webpage!
We hope you’ll participate in this season with us!
