pastor’s
Note
It is well known that Lent consists of forty days.
It begins on Ash Wednesday and ends with the day before Easter.
But if you count these days, the result is no forty days but forty-six days.
Why?
According to the Early church tradition, the forty days of Lent were fast days in the broad sense, times of self-examination and self-restraint and discipline. But the Lord’s Day – Sunday - was at all times a feast within the church. On those Sundays, Christians had gathered and celebrated the communion and shred meals together.
Therefore, in order to have forty days of fasting, six Sunday must be excluded from the count. Lent in truth is forty weekdays plus six Lord’s Days.
Why forty days? In biblical terms, forty is a round number symbolizing fullness.
Rain fell in Noah’s time for forty days and nights. Moses and Elijah who represent the Law and the Prophets dwelt at Horeb for this same period of time. For forty days Jesus endured temptation in the wilderness and later for the same period was revealed to the disciples after the resurrection.
Nineveh was given forty days in which to repent. For forty years Israel wandered in the wilderness prior to enter the Promised Land. Eli was a judge over Israel for forty years, and Saul, David and Solomon are reported to have had reigns of forty years each.
In the early centuries, forty days was the time of intensive preparation for baptism and thus a pattern for Lent developed.
Lent begins soon and we are about to start our forty days journey.
In March I will be preaching the journey of Israel from Egypt to the land of Canaan.
Follow their excitement, suffering, and pain in the wilderness, I will explore and examine God’s heart and his attributes.
Join us in our Lent services.
Journey well into this Lenten wilderness.
Remember that you are not alone. The God of Israel shall walk along with you.
Shalom, Your Pastor Kyu
It begins on Ash Wednesday and ends with the day before Easter.
But if you count these days, the result is no forty days but forty-six days.
Why?
According to the Early church tradition, the forty days of Lent were fast days in the broad sense, times of self-examination and self-restraint and discipline. But the Lord’s Day – Sunday - was at all times a feast within the church. On those Sundays, Christians had gathered and celebrated the communion and shred meals together.
Therefore, in order to have forty days of fasting, six Sunday must be excluded from the count. Lent in truth is forty weekdays plus six Lord’s Days.
Why forty days? In biblical terms, forty is a round number symbolizing fullness.
Rain fell in Noah’s time for forty days and nights. Moses and Elijah who represent the Law and the Prophets dwelt at Horeb for this same period of time. For forty days Jesus endured temptation in the wilderness and later for the same period was revealed to the disciples after the resurrection.
Nineveh was given forty days in which to repent. For forty years Israel wandered in the wilderness prior to enter the Promised Land. Eli was a judge over Israel for forty years, and Saul, David and Solomon are reported to have had reigns of forty years each.
In the early centuries, forty days was the time of intensive preparation for baptism and thus a pattern for Lent developed.
Lent begins soon and we are about to start our forty days journey.
In March I will be preaching the journey of Israel from Egypt to the land of Canaan.
Follow their excitement, suffering, and pain in the wilderness, I will explore and examine God’s heart and his attributes.
Join us in our Lent services.
Journey well into this Lenten wilderness.
Remember that you are not alone. The God of Israel shall walk along with you.
Shalom, Your Pastor Kyu