Mid-Week Lenten Service - II

Transcription

1 Note on using this service in the home: It is recommended that each household (or each single person if living alone) set aside a day and a time to hear God s Word and to pray during Lent. Wednesday may be a good day as this is the traditional time for Lenten services. The Evening Prayer service is from Lutheran Service Book. The scripture passages have not been printed out allowing each household to read from their own Bible. (If you or someone you know needs a Bible, please contact me.) The head of the household may lead the service, speaking the L parts, with the rest of Mid-Week Lenten Service - II those present responding with the C parts. It is also suggested that a candle be lit at the beginning of the service, to help set aside the time for worship as well as to be reminded that Christ is the light of the world. The brief devotional messages for this Lenten season will be taken from the New Testament book of Hebrews. We are also studying Hebrews during the Adult Bible Class on Sundays, 9:30 a.m. Feel free to forward this on to friends and family. Pastor William D. Gassett, First Lutheran Church, Natchez, Mississippi ( Service of Light L Now is the time of God's favor; C now is the day of salvation. L Turn us again, O God of our salvation, Evening Prayer C that the light of Your face may shine on us. L May Your justice shine like the sun; C and may the poor be lifted up. Garden of Gethsemane (1995) by Dinah Roe Kendall Thanksgiving for Light LSB 245 L Blessed are You, O Lord, our God, king of the universe, who led Your people Israel by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. Enlighten our darkness by

2 Evening Prayer, page 2 the light of Your Christ; may His Word be a lamp to our feet and a light to our path; for You are merciful, and You love Your whole creation and we, Your creatures, glorify You, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. C Amen. PENITENTIAL PSALM: Psalm 32 Silence for reflection on God s Word and prayer. L Let us pray. Let the incense of our repentant prayer ascend before You, O Lord, and let Your loving-kindness descend on us that, with purified minds, we may sing Your praises with the Church on earth and the whole heavenly host and may glorify You forever. C Amen. The Passion According to Saint Mark 14:27-52 After the reading: L O Lord, have mercy on us. C Thanks be to God. Silence for reflection on God s Word and prayer. L In many and various ways, God spoke to His people of old by the prophets. C But now in these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son. Devotion: Access to God Hebrews 9:6-14: 6 These preparations having thus been made, the priests go regularly into the first section, performing their ritual duties, 7 but into the second only the high priest goes, and he but once a year, and not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people. 8 By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section is still standing 9 (which is symbolic for the present age). According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper, 10 but deal only with food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation. 11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) 12 he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh,

3 Evening Prayer, page 3 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. There is much in this pericope that warrants our meditation; more than can be accomplished in a brief devotion. (We will be discussing this passage in depth in our Sunday morning adult Bible class.) Let me focus on just one aspect of this passage: access to Almighty God for purification from sins. The Old Testament worship at the Tabernacle or Temple emphasized two things: 1) God is present among His people; but 2) He is separate from them and inaccessible to the people. There was limited access to God, restricted to the priest on duty who could get closest to God s presence in the Holy of Holies. But only the High Priest, once a year, could come into the actual presence of God in the Holy of Holies. The Old Testament priests could not go waltzing into the Holy of Holies in a t-shirt and sandals to have an informal chat with the Almighty. To do so would have brought him under the wrath of God because he is unclean and unholy. One must come in the way God prescribes: the right person (only the High Priest), in the right way (with blood from the sacrificed animal), at the right time (the Day of Atonement). The blood was brought into the Holy of Holies where it was made most holy (i.e. able to make holy) by the presence of God, and then brought out where it would be used to make holy the priests and the altars and the people. The Old Testament Day of Atonement wonderfully foreshadowed the work of Jesus on our behalf. Christ came as a high priest, and entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. Christ brought His human blood, shed on the cross, into the heavenly sanctuary where it is made most holy (i.e. able to make holy). Now He brings His blood to us, to make us holy, to purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. How? Where? Many look for access to God in various different ways. Many seek purification, cleansing of their consciences. These are universal needs. Some try meditation, cleansing the mind by trying to empty it. Others use purification rites of Native Americans, Hindus, or other religions. Still others turn religion into ritual, or nonreligious rituals into something perceived as spiritual in order to be cleansed from their own sins and the sins with which others have defiled them and to somehow find access to God. All to no avail. There is purification/atonement/forgiveness/access to God only in the way He has established. Christ has done it all for us. He takes His human blood into the heavenly sanctuary and then gives us His most holy blood: And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. And he said to them, This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many (St. Mark 14:23-24). In the Holy Supper, Christ continues to purify our conscience. We have unlimited access to our

4 Evening Prayer, page 4 heavenly Father through Christ in the Holy Communion. One need not seek any other way. Rather, in faith, let us then, with thankful hearts made pure and holy in Christ, rejoice in this blessed access to God. Hymn (may be sung or read): # 563 Jesus, Thy Blood and Righteousness (st. 1,3) 1. Jesus, Thy blood and righteousness My beauty are, my glorious dress; Midst flaming worlds, in these arrayed, With joy shall I lift up my head. 3. Lord, I believe Thy precious blood, Which at the mercy-seat of God Pleads for the captives liberty, Was also shed in love for me. Prayer Litany LSB 249 L In peace let us pray to the Lord: C Lord, have mercy. L For the peace from above and for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord: C Lord, have mercy. L For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the Church of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord: C Lord, have mercy. L For this holy house and for all who offer here their worship and praise, let us pray to the Lord: C Lord, have mercy. L For Matthew our synodical president and Kurtis our district presidents, for all pastors in Christ, for all servants of the Church, and for all the people, let us pray to the Lord: C Lord, have mercy. L For President Obama, for all public servants, for the government and those who protect us, that they may be upheld and strengthened in every good deed, let us pray to the Lord: C Lord, have mercy. L For those who work to bring peace, justice, health, and protection in this and every place, let us pray to the Lord: C Lord, have mercy. L For those who bring offerings, those who do good works in this congregation, those who toil, those who sing, and all the people here present who await from the Lord great and abundant mercy, let us pray to the Lord: CLord, have mercy. L For favorable weather, for an abundance of the fruits of the earth, and for peaceful times, let us pray to the Lord: C Lord, have mercy.

5 Evening Prayer, page 5 L For our deliverance from all affliction, wrath, danger, and need, let us pray to the Lord: C Lord, have mercy. L For... [additional bids for prayer may be inserted here]... let us pray to the Lord: C Lord, have mercy. The prayers then continue: L For the faithful who have gone before us and are with Christ, let us give thanks to the Lord: C Thanks be to God. L Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord. Silence for individual prayer may follow. L Rejoicing in the fellowship of the saints, let us commend ourselves, one another, and our whole life to Christ, our Lord: C To You, O Lord. Collect For Peace L O God, from whom come all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works, give to us, Your servants, that peace which the world cannot give, that our hearts may be set to obey Your commandments and also that we, being defended from the fear of our enemies, may live in peace and quietness; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C Amen. Lord's Prayer LSB 251 L Taught by our Lord and trusting in His promises, we are bold to pray: C 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. Benedicamus LSB 252 L Let us bless the Lord. C Thanks be to God.

6 Evening Prayer, page 6 Benediction LSB 252 P The almighty and merciful Lord, the Father, the T Son, and the Holy Spirit, bless and preserve us. C Amen. CLOSING HYMN (may be sung or read): # 421 Jesus, Grant that Balm and Healing (st. 1, 4, 5) 1. Jesus, grant that balm and healing In Your holy wounds I find, Ev ry hour that I am feeling Pains of body and of mind. Should some evil thought within Tempt my treach rous heart to sin, Show the peril, and from sinning Keep me from its first beginning. 4. Ev ry wound that pains or grieves me By Your wounds, Lord, is made whole; When I m faint, Your cross revives me, Granting new life to my soul. Yes, Your comfort renders sweet Ev ry bitter cup I meet; For Your all-atoning passion Has procured my soul s salvation. 5 O my God, my rock and tower, Grant that in Your death I trust, Knowing death has lost its power Since You crushed it in the dust. Savior, let Your agony Ever help and comfort me; When I die be my protection, Light and life and resurrection. Acknowledgments Evening Prayer from Lutheran Service Book Created by Lutheran Service Builder 2006 Concordia Publishing House.