Lent Resources for Pastors: Sermon Ideas, Series, & Liturgy

Updated for Lent 2026

The season of Lent is traditionally a penitential season—one in which Christians give special focus to repentance of sin and pursuing holiness by engaging in disciplines like prayer and fasting. Some traditions engage in very austere disciplines, while others are more individualized, with Christians giving up specific foods or pleasures or taking on positive disciplines to draw closer to God.

This guide is aimed at giving pastors options for observing Lent in their sermons and liturgy, as well as in leading their congregations through the season (and some resources for their own practices). On this page, you'll find links to The Pastor's Workshop's extensive resources for Lent including our annual Lent sermon series, insights for sermons from our blog, and links to sermon and liturgy resources by theme.

(This page includes a combination of free and subscriber resources.)

Lent Sermon Series

Consider preaching a sermon series this Lent! Sermon series build a consistent message Sunday-by-Sunday over the course of the season, helping your congregation to understand and apply the themes of Lent. (All our series are RCL-compatible—see year noted below.)

Sermon series require Complete Package subscription.

Sermon Insights for Preaching During Lent

Over the years, we have published many different angles from which to approach Lent over the years. Here are some options to consider.

Free resources from the blog

• An Invitation to an Unhurried Lent | Alan Fadling — Why do we give up things during Lent? It's a matter of saying "no," so that we can say "yes."

• The Value of Lent: Giving Something Up | Stu Strachan — Is giving things up denying what Christ has done for us? No. It acknowledges our continual need to guard against entanglements.

• The Value of Lent: Saying "Sin" Aloud | Stu Strachan — People don't like talking about sin. But it's worse to bear it silently. Lent is a season for being honest about ourselves.

• Making a Lenten Rock Garden | Lisa Degrenia — Little physical reminders can help make the invisible present. Consider encouraging your congregation to make rock gardens to assist their prayer life during Lent.

• Facing Death and Finding Hope | Esau McCaulley — In this book excerpt, McCaulley explores the tension between private and public fasting. Is Lent against Jesus' teaching in Matt. 6?

• Unholy Power Plays | Scott Bullock — Satan tempted Jesus with power. All he had to do was bow down. It isn't limited to Jesus or even the most powerful people to be tempted to bow—it extends to all of us.

Sermon and Liturgy Resources by Theme

Sermon resources accessible to all paid subscribers. Liturgy requires Complete Package subscription.