Midweek Lenten Worship
6:30pm
Prelude
Greeting and Welcome
Lighting of the Candles
Hymn of Invocation – When I Survey the Wondrous Cross (LSB 425)
When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of Glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss
And pour contempt on all my pride.
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast
Save in the death of Christ, my God;
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.
See, from His head, His hands, His feet
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a tribute far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all!
Invocation
P: In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.
Opening Sentences
P: Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon His name; make known His deeds among the peoples!
C: Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; tell of all His wondrous works!
P: Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!
C: Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His presence continually!
P: Remember the wondrous works that He has done, His miracles, and the judgments He uttered,
C: O offspring of Abraham, His servant, children of Jacob, His chosen ones!
Confession and Absolution
P: As we come before the Lord, in Lenten reflection and in humble faith, we bring before Him our sins and sorrows, our faults and failings.
C: I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess unto You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You and justly deserved Your temporal and eternal punishment. But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of Your boundless mercy and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor, sinful being.
P: Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you, and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.
First Reading – Isaiah 55:1–13
“Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David. Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples. Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know, and a nation that did not know you shall run to you, because of the Lord your God, and of the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you.
“Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
“For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall make a name for the Lord, an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”
P: This is the Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
Second Reading – 2 John 1-13
The elder to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all who know the truth, because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever:
Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father’s Son, in truth and love.
I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father. And now I ask you, dear lady—not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another. And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it. For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward. Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.
Though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink. Instead I hope to come to you and talk face to face, so that our joy may be complete.
The children of your elect sister greet you.
P: This is the Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
Hymn – Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me (LSB 761)
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy riven side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure:
Cleanse me from its guilt and pow’r.
Not the labors of my hands
Can fulfill Thy Law’s demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and Thou alone.
Nothing in my hand I bring;
Simply to Thy cross I cling.
Naked, come to Thee for dress;
Helpless, look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
Wash me, Savior, or I die.
While I draw this fleeting breath,
When mine eyelids close in death,
When I soar to worlds unknown,
See Thee on Thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.
Sermon
Offering
Offertory
Apostles' Creed
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life + everlasting. Amen.
Prayers
P: Let us pray for the whole people of God in Christ Jesus, and for all people according to their needs. Heavenly Father, we see what a guilty conscience does to selves and relationships. As we look to the cross of Christ through it all, we thank You for the invitation to confess our sins and through Your Son to receive forgiveness and grace. Create in me a clean heart, O God,
C: and renew a right spirit within me.
P: Bless us in this Lenten season in all we do, serving You in our respective vocations, families, homes, and relationships with others. Give us strength and courage as we live as Your witnesses and speak Your truth in love. Create in me a clean heart, O God,
C: and renew a right spirit within me.
P: Be with those whose hearts are far from You, that their guilt be relieved, doubts be conquered, fears be given peace, dread given joy, and hopelessness given faith and trust in You. Be especially with those who request our prayers, and all who face struggles in their earthly journeys. Create in me a clean heart, O God,
C: and renew a right spirit within me.
P: Into Your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in Your mercy, through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
C: Amen.
Lord’s Prayer
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Benediction
P: The almighty and merciful Lord, the Father, the + Son, and the Holy Spirit, bless and preserve you.
C: Amen.
Hymn – Lord, Take My Hand and Lead Me (LSB 722)
Lord, take my hand and lead me upon life’s way;
Direct, protect, and feed me from day to day.
Without Your grace and favor I go astray;
So take my hand, O Savior, and lead the way.
Lord, when the tempest rages, I need not fear,
For You, the Rock of Ages, are always near.
Close by Your side abiding, I fear no foe,
For when Your hand is guiding, in peace I go.
Lord, when the shadows lengthen and night has come,
I know that You will strengthen my steps toward home.
Then nothing can impede me, O blessèd Friend;
So take my hand and lead me unto the end.
Postlude
+ WORSHIP LEADERS +
Preacher/Liturgist – Pastor Scott Jonas
Organist – Jim Thielker
Sound/Video – John Steele
