O. S. Hawkins - The Easter Code: A 40-Day Journey to the Cross

A sh Wednesday begins the Lenten season for millions of professing Christians around the world. It is marked by a period of self-denial during which adherents, for the forty days leading up to the celebration of Easter, will endeavor to give up something for God. Many observers believe that giving something up for Lent is the path to pleasing God. But the Bible clearly teaches that grace can never be earned, for it is the gift of God, not of works (Ephesians 2:89).

The Easter Code is a call to freedom during the days of Lent. As we focus on repentance of sin and consecration of ourselves afresh and anew to God, it is a reminder that this is a 365-day-a-year discipline, and not simply a 40-day period of testing. We are called to a lifestyle of dedication and discipline. Remember: we are cleansed and made pure only through the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, not through any feeble attempt of our own to please a holy God. While fasting, abstinence, and self-denial are worthy goals for all believers, they can never bring us into favor with God apart from His unmerited grace upon us. Salvation is not about guilt. It is all about grace!

In the pages of devotions that follow, we will be walking with Jesus along the journey to Jerusalem. Matthew records, From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised on the third day (Matthew 16:21, emphasis added). Along this journey with Jesus we will be visiting places He went, people with whom He spoke, parables He told along the way, promises He left for all posterity, and the powerful and expressive prayers He offered.

The journey to Jerusalem culminates on a Roman cross outside the city walls of Jerusalem, but it doesnt end there! This is why in our evangelical world we do not use the symbol of the crucifix but always an empty cross to signify that death and the grave could not hold Jesus down. He arose, the ever-living Lord and Savior.

While traditional Lenten devotionals omit the Sundays from Ash Wednesday to Easter and consist of forty devotions, The Easter Code consists of forty-two, including Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday, with its promise of the second chance. Each devotion contains a devotional thought, a code word for the day, a Scripture, and a daily prayer. The code word helps unlock the blessing of each days reading. Write it down, keep it with you, and ponder its meaning. Claim the Scripture as your very own, climb upon it, and stand there throughout the day. Make the daily prayer a part of your own walk with Christ as you repeat it often.

Now it is time to begin this great adventure of walking with Christ daily... on our own journey to Jerusalem!

A s we journey through this day in the normal traffic patterns of our lives, we will see men and women with ashes in the form of a cross on their foreheads. It is a visible reminder on this Ash Wednesday that dust [we] are, and to dust [we] shall return (Genesis 3:19). Today begins a period of fasting and self-denial. It is a good reminder that the only way to please God is not by what we door refrain from doingbut by accepting His gracious offer of forgiveness made possible through Christs shed blood on the cross.

Salvation is Gods work, not our work. For by grace you have been saved (Ephesians 2:8a). Our salvation begins with Jesusnot with us. It is not His response to any good works we may do or evil works from which weve refrained. Salvation is provided for us wholly because of His grace, His unmerited favor toward you and me. The Father did not send His only Son to die for our sins because we kept begging and pleading for Him to do so. It was by His grace alone.

Salvation is Gods work in Gods way, not our way. It is through faith... not of yourselves; it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8b). I want to shout those words on this Ash WednesdayThrough faith... not of yourselves... not of works! No amount of doing good deeds or abstaining from certain pleasures can earn Gods favor. Salvation is wholly by grace, through our faith in Christ alone... Gods gift to us.

No matter what you do or dont do, or what you give or give up, your salvation is not spelled D-O but D-O-N-E! Today remember that Christ paid a huge price to redeem you. It is already done! Your part is to receive this gift by faith.

[It is] not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us.

T ITUS 3:5

Lord, thank You for giving me what I never deservedgrace! And for Your mercy in not giving me what I do deserve. No wonder we call it amazing grace! In Jesus name, amen.