Lent: Empty and Filled

7 Weeks

Big Idea of the Series

This seven-week series explores the historic Christian season of Lent—from Ash Wednesday through Palm Sunday. This rich Christian tradition points us back to the reality of our sin and our desperate need for a Savior. Christians have participated in this season not as a means of meaningless self-denial or pious ritual keeping, but as a means of emptying ourselves of distracting comforts so that we can be filled with renewed faith and hope. During this season, we focus on the multifaceted aspects of repentance: recognition of our sin, hope in a Savior, and obedience as a response to his grace. Rather than engage in empty ceremony or purely internal spiritual growth, we learn that observance of this season produces in us a richer faith for the sake of the world.

What is the Series Guide?

Included in each guide is:

A sermon series outline that breaks up the teaching set into a specific number of weeks.
A "big idea" of the series.
A passage, "big idea" of the sermon, topic list, and a number of illustrations and talking point ideas are included in each weekly section. The "Sermon Ideas and Talking Points" area is filled with observations about the text, relevant applications, creative ideas, and illustrations.
A small group discussion (located in a separate document in this bundle).

What is the Series Guide Not?

This guide isn't a set of sermon manuscripts. While sermon manuscripts can be both useful and a powerful training tool, our sermon series guides are different. Rather than tell you what to say, our aim is for this material to spark your imagination, assist you in planning your sermon, and offer a boost to your study time.
This guide isn't ironclad. While we hope you use our material, the pieces of this document are designed to be moved, tweaked, and altered. As you study the suggested passages, and pray through your message, this guide will hopefully be a launching pad, rather than a landing net.

How Do I Use this Series Guide?

Plan ahead. Our guides are best utilized in advance versus the day or night before. Read over the ideas and illustrations provided, thinking through how you can possibly utilize them in your message. We've purposely kept our guides simple so as to give you the best opportunity to create your own, unique message.
While we give you a passage and "big idea" of the message, take time to study the text.
Utilize the media contained in this bundle to promote and communicate your series message.