Transitions
We have just completed a season of joyful celebration. First was the Advent of anticipation and preparation, then the celebration of Christ’s birth, followed by the glorious manifestation of Jesus as God’s beloved Son, ending with our viewing Jesus’ divine glory on the Mount of Transfiguration. Soon will come the Lenten season with its self-examination and deep repentance.
The Christian Church inserted three Sundays of transition between Christ’s glory and Christ’s suffering, called “Gesima Sundays.” Septuagesima is 70 days before Easter, Sexagesima is 60 days, Quinquagesima is 50 days.
The message of these three Sundays transitions from emphasizing Christ, to focusing on God’s important gifts to us: Grace alone, Scripture alone, and Faith alone. These gifts emphasize that our salvation depends on God alone, who sent Jesus, His Son, to rescue people from sin.
On Septuagesima Sunday, the workers in the vineyard parable teaches us that when God calls us to faith in Jesus, He will give the denarius of eternal life equally to all; for salvation is by the grace of God. Scripture alone is the theme of Sexagesima Sunday, as we hear Jesus encourage His enemies to search the Scriptures because they speak about Jesus and give eternal life. Quinquagesima Sunday looks at the service Jesus wills to do as He goes to Jerusalem. We are to believe that Jesus came to serve us and give His life as a ransom for all people.
Our transition to Lent is not one of anticipation. For Lent calls on us to confess our sins, to recognize how much God hates sin, and to confess our inability to please God by anything we can do. To sustain us during Lent, we carry along the gifts of God’s grace, Word, and faith in Jesus. For Lent is another season of preparation as repentance shows us why Jesus’ death was necessary and how Jesus won the victory over death for all people.