An Introduction to this year’s Lenten Devotional
Matthew 21:10–11 • When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, “Who is this?” The crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.”
Luke 7:16 • Fear seized all of them; and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has risen among us!” and “God has looked favorably on his people!”
John 4:19 • The woman said to him, “Sir, I see that you are a prophet.”
Throughout history, God sent prophets to communicate God’s will, saying, “Thus says the Lord God.”
There is a strong connection between the mission of Jesus and that of the prophets. The prophets communicated the word of God; Jesus is the Word of God. The prophets predicted the coming of the prince of peace; Jesus is the Prince of Peace. Jesus not only continued the prophetic ministry; Jesus is the fulfillment of the prophetic mission.
This Lent, the prophetic words of Jesus will be our guide to reflection, prayer and discernment.
Each week our journey will follow these themes:
February 14–17 — Jesus and the Prophets
February 18–24 — The Prophets and the Birth of Jesus
February 25–March 3 — The Prophet Isaiah and Jesus
March 4–10 — The Prophets and the Teachings of Jesus
March 11–17 — The Prophets and the Teachings of Jesus (continued)
March 18–24 — The Prophets and the Miracles of Jesus
March 25–31 — The Prophets and Passion Week
May the prophetic words — spoken once again — be heard in a new way, providing strength not only for the Lenten journey but also for the journey we call life.
About the Author
The Rev. Jimmie Ray Hawkins serves as the director of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Office of Public Witness in Washington, D.C.
He earned a bachelor of arts in social studies from North Carolina Central University; a master of arts in Christian education from the Presbyterian School of Christian Education; and a master of divinity from the Interdenominational Theological Center/Johnson C. Smith Theological Seminary.
He served as the pastor of Covenant Presbyterian Church in Durham, North Carolina, from 1996 to 2016. Previously, he served as the senior pastor of Grace Presbyterian, Holmes Memorial and Trinity Presbyterian churches in western Virginia.
He is a board trustee for Union Presbyterian Seminary. He has chaired several interfaith/ecumenical and nonprofit boards. Hawkins’ community ministry includes being a leader for the Moral Monday Movement since its beginning in 2013. He served as a member of the North Carolina NAACP Executive Committee and has been active in justice advocacy throughout his ministry.
About the Artist
Steve Burgess lives in rural upstate New York. He began painting in 2011. His artwork has been on display at the local community courthouse. Burgess enjoys giving his paintings as gifts. He is active in First United Presbyterian Church in Salem, New York.