For many Christians this is a special day, but for others ordinary. It’s simple: today is “Ash Wednesday” the first day of a time called Lent – marking the forty days until Easter.
Having a time of preparation for Easter – thinking about Jesus’ sacrifice and mourning our sins that he bears on the cross – has been helpful for millions, although there’s nothing imposed by Scripture about it. It’s just helpful.
This year there’s a new series of reflections for lent – called the Lenten Messiah series that combines Lent with Messiah, the choral masterpiece by Handel.
““What makes the story of Handel’s Messiah is that it is a summary of the story of God’s great act for the world in Jesus Christ, His Son – the story of God’s persistent, redeeming, holy and gracious kindness that overcomes all that is working for the destruction of humanity and the world; it is God’s story for you,” says Andrew Klynsmith a pastor from Adelaide.He pastors fish gate, an evangelical church that was once a uniting church plant.
Here’s how to watch the first of the series:
https://messiahfilm.vhx.tv/lent/videos/lenten-messiah-session-1-the-unexpected-voice-of-good-news
Another person behind the new lent series is David Maegraith, who founded Eternity with me – he was the master salesperson while I ran the journalism – has good question “why not Messiah at Easter, not just Christmas?”
Good question, David. But its not the timing of Messiah performances that has made him and Bible teacher Andrew Klynsmith to launch a lent series based on Messiah.
David is working on a cinema film of Messiah, and the Lent series will help with the bigger project.
He says “I invite you to view the introduction to the Lenten Messiah sessions by Andrew, at https://messiahfilm.vhx.tv/lent/videos/lenten-messiah-session-1-the-unexpected-voice-of-good-news and then consider subscribing to the Messiah channel on Vimeo to watch the rest of the studies, and other preview and behind-the-scenes content related to the MESSIAH Film. “
You can watch the whole of the first week for free, with the Vimeo subscription at $5 a month if you want more. You could just watch the series but if you are impressed enough, continue the subscription to back the movie.
Photo by Patricia McCarty: https://www.pexels.com/photo/jesus-saves-neon-signage-1769691/