Lutheran Hour Ministries
Advent Devotions - https://www.lhm.org/advent/devotionarchives.asp
Lenten Devotions - https://www.lhm.org/lent/default.asp
Directions on using the devotional - https://www.lhm.org/lent/downloads/directions_full.pdf
Advent Devotional - .pdf or online
2016 podcasts - https://www.lhm.org/podcasts/
2015 archives - https://www.lhm.org/advent/audio.asp
Lent Devotional - .pdf or online
https://www.lhm.org/lent/downloads/lent16.pdf
https://www.lhm.org/lent/downloads/lent16.pdf
2016 podcasts - https://www.lhm.org/podcasts/
2015 archives - https://www.lhm.org/lent/audio.asp
What is Advent? - https://www.lhm.org/advent/advent.asp
The Church divides the year into different seasons that emphasize the life of Christ and the life of the Church. Beginning on Sunday November 27th, 2016, we will enter the season of the Church year called Advent. Advent is the season of preparation and anticipation leading up to Christmas, on December 25th, 2016 and continuing to Epiphany January 6th, 2017.
The focus of Advent is two-fold. On the one hand, we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who came into the world as both God and man so that our sins might be forgiven. On the other hand, we anticipate the day when Jesus will return to Earth and bring an end to this world. Those will be scary days, but we can look forward to the end of the world with hope because through faith in Jesus, the end of this world will mean the beginning of a new life with Christ for eternity.
Advent, then, is a time for us to repent and believe. Knowing that Jesus was born to forgive our sins, we repent (admit our failures to God) and believe that we are forgiven because of the death and resurrection of Jesus on our behalf. Also, knowing that Jesus is coming back, we repent and believe that when He returns, He will give us eternal life.
What is Lent? - http://www.stmarksunnyvale.org/lent_easter/what_is_lent.html
For most Christians, Lent is a season of soul-searching, reflection and repentance. Lent is defined as the 40 weekdays from Ash Wednesday to Easter observed by the Roman Catholic, Eastern, and some Protestant churches as a period of penitence and fasting. Lent originated in the very earliest days of the Church as a preparatory time for Easter, when the faithful rededicated themselves and when converts were instructed in the faith and prepared for baptism. By observing the forty days of Lent, the individual Christian imitates Jesus' withdrawal into the wilderness for forty days.
Special Days During Lent
Ash Wednesday
In the Western church, Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent and the seventh Wednesday before Easter. Its name comes from the practice of placing ashes on the foreheads of worshipers to symbolize death and sorrow for sin. In the Orthodox Church, Lent begins on a Monday rather than on Ash Wednesday.
Holy Week (the week before Easter):
Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday is the Sunday before Easter Sunday. It recalls Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem one week before His execution, when people celebrated His coming by throwing palm branches in His path.
Holy Monday
Commemorates Jesus' cleansing of the temple, when He assaulted money changers and overturned their tables, proclaiming the temple to be a house of prayer. Some believe that this triggered His arrest and crucifixion.
Holy Tuesday
Recalls Jesus' prediction made to His disciples on the Mount of Olives, of the destruction of Jerusalem.
Holy Wednesday
Recalls Judas' decision to betray Jesus in exchange for 30 pieces of silver (once called Spy Wednesday).
Maundy Thursday
Commemorates the Last Supper, Jesus agony in the garden and His arrest. "Maundy" is derived from the Latin "mandatum" (commandment of God in John 13:34-35) For centuries, people in authority have washed the feet of their followers on this day.
Good Friday
Recalls Jesus death on the cross. The origin of the word "good" has been lost. Some claim that it is a corruption of "God" and that the early Christian called this day "God's Friday." Others claim that "good" refers to the blessings of humanity that arose as a result of Jesus' execution.
Holy Saturday
The final day of Holy Week and of Lent, a day of sorrowful remembrance of Jesus' time in the tomb.
Easter Sunday
Celebrates Jesus Christ's resurrection. In the early church, converts were baptized into church membership on this day after a lengthy period of instruction. This tradition continues today in some churches.