Sermon - Ash Wednesday 2019 - Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

Just minutes ago, ashes were placed upon our foreheads, reminding us that we, like our first parents have been formed from the dust of the earth and will one day die and our bodies will be returned to dust. The ashes are an external reminder of a reality which is to be known and felt by our hearts. As such, immediately after receiving ashes upon our foreheads, we confessed our very real and personal sins which each of us have committed.

Thus, while the ashes are a fine practice and reminder of sin, they’re not nearly as significant as what takes place in the heart, when we recognize and know our sins and repent of them. Therefore, today we are reminded that we are to rend our hearts and not our garments, through almsgiving, prayer, and fasting, because our treasures are not on earth, but in heaven.

It’s a difficult thing to grasp the relationship between living spiritually in a physical world. On the one hand, it’s tempting to ignore the inner transformation of the Christian, and focus purely on external actions which are seen by others. On the other hand, it’s tempting to ignore our external actions and focus purely on our inner transformation. 

However, the body and the soul cannot be so cleanly divorced from one another. In fact, the body and soul are united in one being, such that our inner spiritual self must work in cooperation with our outer physical self. That is to say, if you confess your sins and rend your heart, your physical actions must reflect what is going on inside of you. 

So Jesus teaches us today, not that we shouldn’t practice righteousness, but that our hearts must be in the right place. Afterall, what does Jesus say? “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them.” The problem isn’t that people are practicing righteousness before others, it’s that inwardly some are practicing righteousness for the purpose of their own pride.

So how is it that we’re to rend our hearts? Well it doesn’t just take place here in the sanctuary when we confess our sins, but we rend our hearts in all of the actions we perform each day. So Jesus doesn’t say “if you give to the needy,” or “if you pray,” or “if you fast.” No, what does He say? When you give, when you pray, when you fast. So Jesus says, “When you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you...that you may be praised by others...but, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” 

We should be giving to the needy and those who beg of us! Shame on us who look down upon the brokenhearted and poor, and do not give freely out of our abundance! So what if the poor have made foolish decisions, let us rend our hearts and give freely to the needy as our God gives freely unto us who are in far greater need.

Our Lord says, “when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites, [who do so] that they may be seen by others. But when you pray… pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” When we rend our hearts, it becomes obvious that we are in great need and significant peril. Shame on us when we ignore prayer because we assume that we have more important things to do. Let us rend our hearts, confess our sins, and cry out to our God who promises to hear and rescue us.

Again, Jesus says, “When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites… so that their fasting may be seen by others…. But when you fast, wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” For too long we have treated fasting like a diet which we talk about in order to make a show. For too long we have forsaken fasting. Shame on us! Let us rend our hearts, that we may fast in such a way that we spend more time in scripture, almsgiving, and prayer. For when we reflect upon who we are, it becomes obvious that we have been ruled by our bodies instead of by Christ who is our head. 

Through these righteous practices of almsgiving, prayer, and fasting, you rend your heart by disciplining your bodies to obey the will of God. When you gives alms to the poor, you forsake all hope in earthly mammon. When you pray, you teach yourself that no physical work is as important as praying to your God. When you fast, you discipline the flesh by setting its needs behind the needs of your soul. Ultimately, when you rend your hearts in these ways, you forsake your treasures on earth, “where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.” Instead, you rightly “lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven… for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

So rend your hearts and look to Christ who is your priceless treasure! The ashes upon your forehead are in the shape of the cross. After you repented of your sin, Christ forgave you when He spoke those comforting words of absolution. We will all return to the dust of the earth, but like Christ we will return to life. 

We don’t need to wait for Easter to know we’re forgiven, because throughout this lenten season we’re forsaking all earthly treasure, and “in this way there will be richly provided for us an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” Today and for forty days we prepare our hearts for the Easter Feast, but today even now, we celebrate the feast of Christ who richly provides us with His body and blood at this table. Brothers and sisters, let us rend our hearts and give praise to God our Heavenly Father who has saved us through His Son.