Ash Wednesday Message
Various Scriptures
Keven Dickerman

Opener: Share trivia about Mardi Gras. The rewards for answers are party beads to be handed out. Everyone starts out with one set of beads and then more are added to those who get the right answers.

Today is Ash Wednesday.

Yesterday was Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras or Carnival.

Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent, a forty-day period of fasting and abstinence. It is a period of preparation for Easter, a period of cleansing and repentance.

Fat Tuesday is the indulgence before the fast. It is the binge before the abstinence. It is giving into the flesh before the time of spiritual discipline.

Symbols of Mardi Gras
   a. Beads
   b. Masks

1. Tonight, we will allow the beads to represent indulgence, excess.
   a. Read 1 Corinthians 10
   b. Read Exodus 32:6
   c. Are we really giving something up if we indulge in it beforehand in order to offset the sacrifice?
   d. What do you indulge in?
   e. What are some other biblical illustrations of indulgences?

2. Tonight, we will allow the masks to represent the walls or the things that we hide behind or that are between God and us.
   a. Read John 12:1–10
   b. Read Matthew 19:16–30
   c. Judas hid behind the wall of charity.
   d. The rich young ruler hid behind his money.
   e. What are some other biblical examples of people hiding behind masks?
   f. Are there any masks between you and God? What are they? Are you willing to give them up to follow Christ?