Open Door Policy - Ash Wednesday

Open Door Policy – Ash Wednesday begins our forty-day march to the cross. We are reminded of our mortality and called us to repent. The ancient practice of imposing ashes on the foreheads of the faithful is what gives Ash Wednesday its name. The church father Tertullian (c. A.D. 160-215) writes of the practice as a public expression of repentance and of our human frailty that stands in need of Christ. Ashes can remind us forcefully of our need for redeeming grace as they recall words from the rite of Christian burial—“earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust…”—words that will someday be spoken over us all.

Two Options

Just for a minute I want you to see yourself as one of the sinners in our story. So, empty the sanctuary here in your mind’s eye. Two people come into the sanctuary. One marches up to the front. The other barely comes into the room; he hangs back. Which one are you? You know you’re not perfect, but you also know you’re not as bad as those other people the Hitlers, the Esaus, the Jezebels, the Judases.

Easy Money

Before you decide which group you’re in, let me give you a little more information about Judas. We know that he betrayed Jesus – the innocent Son of God for thirty silver coins, but do you know how that translates to 2025 dollars? I’ll spare you the equation, but it comes out to a little more than $23,000. That may not make Judas’ betrayal seem any less despicable to you. But consider this, Judas didn’t really think he betrayal was going to hurt anyone. It’s only wrong if you get caught and if you hurt someone, right? Jesus was the perfect Son of God. How is anyone going to find him worthy of death?! To Judas, maybe Jesus would be arrested, but no one would get hurt. Some would call that an easy $23,000. At least that’s how Judas saw it.

I Would Do It For Nothing

If that makes any sense to you, I’ve been speaking to your sinful nature. There is a part of me nods in approval too. We know what Judas’ price was, $23,000. How much is yours? How much would it take before you would sell out on God. Would it even take $23,000 – 30 silver coins, before you would betray your Lord? Or would you hand Jesus over to die for far less? Would you betray Jesus for nothing? I’m ashamed to say that I have. Ask yourself what the pay off was the last time you sinned and you knew it? Sounds like easy money doesn’t it? Jesus can pay for ANY sin, what’s the harm. Jesus paid for the sins of the whole world, what’s one more? My sin didn’t hurt anyone, did it? That couldn’t be farther from the truth. Every time you and I sin we hurt ourselves, we hurt the ones who loves us, we hurt our God.

Want to hear more? Watch the message, the first in our Lenten series, Open Door Policy – Ash Wednesday.

Here is the logic behind 30 silver coins being worth $23,000 in 2025.

30 silver coins=120 denarii

1 denarius = 1 day’s wages

So at $24.4/hr. x 8 hr. day = $195.2

$195.2 x 120 = $23,424 or 23K