LentYear A

First Sunday in Lent

Sunday, March 1, 2026

📜

First Reading

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7

105 illustrations

LensLines™ — One Text. Seventeen Voices.

See all 54 voices →

UniversalClassic

Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18, the text presses one question: will we trust God’s Word and live it?

Arminian/WesleyanPastoral

Luke 16:19-31, God’s love meets you before you’re ready—and strengthens you to say yes.

PentecostalEdgy

Timothy 2:1-7 challenges powerless religion—if nothing ever changes, what are we calling “Spirit-filled”?—today, not someday.

Character Profile

Biblical Profile: Hittites

Hittites The Hittites were once unknown to secular history and thought to be a mythical people by some critics of biblical history.

Genesis 23:3-23:20Universal

Biblical Profile: Adam and Eve

Adam and Eve Adam was the first man, the father of the human race. God created the first couple in his image to populate the earth and rule the created order (Gen 1:26-31).

Genesis 2:7-4:2Universalbiblical_peoplefaith

Character Profile

Biblical Profile: Rebekah

Rebekah Genesis 24 describes the mission of Abraham’s servant to find a wife for Isaac. At Abraham’s command, he went to Haran in Aram-naharaim (northwest Mesopotamia), to Abraham’s relatives, because Abraham did not want Isaac to marry a local Canaanite.

Genesis 22:23Universalbiblical_peoplefaith

Movie Analogy

WALL-E: It Is Not Good to Be Alone (Genesis 2:18)

WALL-E is the last robot on Earth, compacting trash after humanity fled. He's developed something unexpected: a personality, curiosity, loneliness. He collects treasures from the garbage. He watches old musicals and dreams of holding hands. Then EVE arrives—sleek, modern, purposeful.

Genesis 2:18Universallonelinesslove

Character Profile

Biblical Profile: Esau

Esau Esau, the son of Isaac and Rebekah, was Jacob’s older twin brother (Gen 25:24-26), so named because his body was hairy at birth.

Genesis 25:24-25:34Universalbiblical_peoplefaith

Character Profile

Biblical Profile: Leah

Leah Leah was Laban’s first daughter, Jacob’s unloved first wife, and Rachel’s older sister. After Jacob deceived his father Isaac into giving him the blessing intended for Esau (Gen 27:1-40), Jacob went to his uncle Laban in Mesopotamia to escape...

Genesis 29:16-30:21Universalbiblical_peoplefaith

Character Profile

Biblical Profile: Isaac

Isaac The name Isaac means “he laughs,” reflecting the circumstances of his birth. When God promised that Isaac would be born, both Abraham and Sarah first laughed in disbelief (Gen 17:15-19; 18:9-15).

Genesis 21:1-21:12Universalbiblical_peoplefaith

Character Profile

Biblical Profile: Jacob

Jacob Jacob, the younger twin son of Isaac and Rebekah, struggled with his twin brother Esau in the womb and was born grasping Esau’s heel (Gen 25:21-26). God told Rebekah that the boys represented two nations and that the older...

Genesis 25:26-25:34Universalbiblical_peoplefaith

Character Profile

Biblical Profile: Rachel

Rachel Rachel, Laban’s beautiful younger daughter, was Jacob’s favorite wife. He first met her as he arrived at Paddan-aram in Haran, when he helped her remove the stone from a well and watered her father’s sheep (Gen 29:10).

Genesis 29:6-30:26Universalbiblical_peoplegrace

Movie Analogy

127 Hours: Pity Anyone Who Falls Alone (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10)

In 127 Hours, Aron Ralston is trapped alone in a canyon, arm pinned by a boulder. For five days he faces death in isolation. The film flashes to memories of community he took for granted—family, friends, a woman he loved carelessly.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10Universalisolationcommunity

Testimony

On the Mountain God Provides: Dark Night Testimony (Pentecostal)

Pentecostal lens on dark night testimony: God breaking self-reliance, desperate crying out, emptying before filling with Spirit, breaking as beginning not end.

Genesis 22:14Universal

LensLines™

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 — Eastern Orthodox (classic)

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18, salvation is medicine: God restoring the image through prayer and repentance.

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7Eastern OrthodoxCreationFree Will

LensLines™

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 — Dispensational (edgy)

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 Lamentations 1:1-6 feels intense, good; Scripture intends to wake a drowsy Church—today, not someday.

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7DispensationalCreationFree Will

LensLines™

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 — Liberation Theology (classic)

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 71:1-6 declares God’s preferential option for the oppressed—salvation as concrete liberation—today, not someday.

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7Liberation TheologyCreationFree Will

LensLines™

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 — Anglican (edgy)

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12 feels too concrete, remember: God uses means, not vibes—today, not someday.

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7AnglicanCreationFree Will

LensLines™

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 — Baptist (edgy)

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 29:1, 4-7 won’t let you borrow someone else’s faith—following Jesus is personal—today, not someday.

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7BaptistCreationFree Will

Testimony

On the Mountain God Provides: Dark Night Testimony

Personal testimony: hockey injury at 18, retinal detachment, dark night crying out alone, God broke him—and on that dark mountain, God provided.

Genesis 22:14Universal

LensLines™

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 — Anglican (classic)

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 Luke 14:1, 7-14, the via media holds: doctrine with humility, practice with reverence—today, not someday.

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7AnglicanCreationFree Will

LensLines™

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 — Arminian/Wesleyan (classic)

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 137 calls for a real response—grace invites, but love must be chosen—today, not someday.

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7Arminian/WesleyanCreationFree Will

LensLines™

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 — Baptist (pastoral)

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 4:11-12, 22-28 comforts the repentant: Christ receives those who come sincerely—today, not someday.

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7BaptistCreationFree Will

LensLines™

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 — Missional (edgy)

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 66:1-12 confronts consumer Christianity—if you’re not being sent, you’re being sold—today, not someday.

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7MissionalCreationFree Will

LensLines™

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 — Dispensational (classic)

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 Luke 17:11-19, we read with watchfulness: God’s purposes advance toward a literal fulfillment—today, not someday.

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7DispensationalCreationFree Will

LensLines™

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 — Arminian/Wesleyan (edgy)

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 Psalm 119:97-104 feels demanding, remember: love is demanding because it is real—today, not someday.

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7Arminian/WesleyanCreationFree Will

LensLines™

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 — Black Church (pastoral)

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 3:1-11 offers holy endurance: God gives strength for the long road and joy for the weary.

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7Black ChurchCreationFree Will

View all 105 illustrations →

First Sunday in Lent

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7

Biblical Profile: Hittites

Other readings this Sunday

Biblical Profile: Adam and Eve

Biblical Profile: Rebekah

WALL-E: It Is Not Good to Be Alone (Genesis 2:18)

Biblical Profile: Esau

Biblical Profile: Leah

Biblical Profile: Isaac

Biblical Profile: Jacob

Biblical Profile: Rachel

127 Hours: Pity Anyone Who Falls Alone (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10)

On the Mountain God Provides: Dark Night Testimony (Pentecostal)

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 — Eastern Orthodox (classic)

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 — Dispensational (edgy)

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 — Liberation Theology (classic)

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 — Anglican (edgy)

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 — Baptist (edgy)

On the Mountain God Provides: Dark Night Testimony

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 — Anglican (classic)

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 — Arminian/Wesleyan (classic)

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 — Baptist (pastoral)

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 — Missional (edgy)

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 — Dispensational (classic)

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 — Arminian/Wesleyan (edgy)

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 — Black Church (pastoral)