Online Letter 97

5 March 2019

Dear Online Friend(s),

Greetings in the Name of Christ Jesus our Lord who suffered, died and rose again!

The traditional Christianity observes 40 days as Lent (= spring) each year as a season of penitence. It begins with a Wednesday, called Ash Wednesday, and ends with Easter, leaving out the Sundays. This year the Ash Wednesday falls on March 6.

Because Jesus fasted for 40 days, there are Christians who observe fasting of various kinds during the Lenten days. There are churches which have special meetings almost on all these 40 days or during weekends. The last week of this Season is called the Passion Week or the Holy Week. It begins with Palm Sunday marking the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. The day of institution of the Lord’s Supper is observed as Maundy Thursday. The Sunday after the Good Friday is celebrated as Easter. The subject of Meditation during this Season is the Sufferings, Crucifixion and the Resurrection of our Saviour.

Pastors and Layleaders hunt for materials for preaching and meditation during these days. Books and articles on the Seven Sayings of Christ from the Cross will be on great demand for preparing the seven Sermons to be delivered in the 3-hour Service on Good Friday.

Though these observances do not have direct Biblical basis, it is welcome to give special emphasis during a period of the year to the meditation of the Crucifixion and the Resurrection of Jesus. Of course the ongoing passion of each Christian should be “to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death” (Phil 3:10).

Earlier these observances were prominent only in mainline Churches. But nowadays several of the free Churches also conduct special Services on Good Friday and Easter Sunday. To help Christians everywhere, I have attached here my Outlines and Articles on the Sufferings, the Crucifixion and the Resurrection of Christ. These are all freely downloadable. Use them profitably. Do forward these materials to your Christian friends, pastors and preachers. Have a blessed time!

Please write to me if you want these materials in TAMIL. Other languages not available.