Roots of Lent, Roots of Life Ash Wednesday Worship Prayer Stations

Roots of Lent, Roots of Life Ash Wednesday Worship Prayer Stations

Participating in the Spiritual Disciplines that marked the Life of Jesus Welcome Friends! There are 9 stations what will take approximately 40 minutes in which to participate. The stations begin in the foyer of Bldg A and will go in a loop through the main floor of Bldg B, ending in the Sanctuary. The last station will be the imposition of ashes. This station will be in the back of the sanctuary, in the middle aisle. Please follow the arrows on the floor to the stations. If walking from station to station presents a problem for you, please feel free to enter the sanctuary now where you ll find a pre-packaged Roots of Lent, Roots of Life box. Inside of the box will be a prayer guide for you to use during the season of Lent. Stay as long as you like. May the Lord Jesus meet you as you engage your heart, mind, and senses. Remember that you are dust, and to dust you will return.

Fasting, Simplicity, & Solitude The art and practice of emptying ourselves and simplifying our schedules in order to allow more concentrated alone-time with the Lord and His voice and His word.

Matthew 4:1-11 Jesus Is Tested in the Wilderness 4 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted [a] by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread. 4 Jesus answered, It is written: Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. [b] 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 If you are the Son of God, he said, throw yourself down. For it is written: He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. [c] 7 Jesus answered him, It is also written: Do not put the Lord your God to the test. [d] 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 All this I will give you, he said, if you will bow down and worship me. 10 Jesus said to him, Away from me, Satan! For it is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only. [e] 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

Matthew 6:18-27 Fasting 16 When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Unlike other religions that promote emptying of oneself for the sake of being empty, followers of Jesus practice the disciplines of solitude, fasting, and simplicity to create space for God to fill their lives. We practice these disciplines to remind ourselves of our great need for One Greater than ourselves. Read the Scripture passages. Take an empty to-go box. Apply one sticker from the sheets provided. Though empty now, by the end of the evening, your box will contain elements of the various stations. Take those with you and use them through the weeks of Lent to help open your heart, mind, and senses to that which God has for you. As you hold the empty box in your hands, consider the space that is available within that small box. Consider the space that is available within yourself. What areas of your life are too full for God? Take a moment to invite the Holy Spirit to begin the business of emptying.

Scripture & Study Jesus told the leaders of the church in His day that their conclusions about life were in error because they did not know the Scriptures. Jesus knew the Scriptures and so should His followers.

Mark 12:18-27 Marriage at the Resurrection 18 Then the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question. 19 Teacher, they said, Moses wrote for us that if a man s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. 20 Now there were seven brothers. The first one married and died without leaving any children. 21 The second one married the widow, but he also died, leaving no child. It was the same with the third. 22 In fact, none of the seven left any children. Last of all, the woman died too. 23 At the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her? 24 Jesus replied, Are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God? 25 When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. 26 Now about the dead rising have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the account of the burning bush, how God said to him, I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob [b]? 27 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are badly mistaken!

The Word of God is the source of all TRUTH. The writer of Hebrews tells us that the Word of God is alive and active. The Psalmist tells us that the one who studies the Word of God will be like a tree planted by water, which yields its fruit in season, and whose leaf does not whither Read the Scripture passage. Consider the verses and passages of Scripture that you have studied over the years. Now with a marker, write out one of those verses/passages on the butcher paper. Look through the Scripture cards on the table. Choose one to add to your box. During this season of Lent, commit to memorizing this verse, allowing it to take root in your life.

Prayer, Meditation, & Confession We learn much about who we are and who God is through the voice of the Holy Spirit in prayer. All three of this week s disciplines focus on strengthening and deepening our communication with God.

Luke 5:12-16 Jesus Heals a Man With Leprosy 12 While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. [a] When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean. 13 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. I am willing, he said. Be clean! And immediately the leprosy left him. 14 Then Jesus ordered him, Don t tell anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them. 15 Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. 16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

When we pray, we have assurance that the One who made us, hears us. He hears our confessions, our praises, and our questions. What joy is found in being heard! Yet, prayer is more than only being heard. Prayer is a conversation between the pray-er and the One on Whom we Call. Read the Scripture passage. What would you like to confess to the Lord? Write it with your finger in the sand. Now gently, receiving His forgiveness, smooth out the sand once again. Take a small plastic bag. Carefully, place one scoop of sand within the bag (or take a pre-filled bag). Place the bag in your box. During this season of Lent, create space to enter the wilderness with the Father so that you can freely talk with Him.

Service & Community So much of the training in godliness that God wants to do in us He does through acts of service and in the context of other people. We all learn more thoroughly by doing than we do by watching or listening. As John Wesley said, there is no real religion without living and conversing with others.

John 13:1-17 Jesus Washes His Disciples Feet 13 It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, Lord, are you going to wash my feet? 7 Jesus replied, You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand. 8 No, said Peter, you shall never wash my feet. Jesus answered, Unless I wash you, you have no part with me. 9 Then, Lord, Simon Peter replied, not just my feet but my hands and my head as well! 10 Jesus answered, Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you. 11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean. 12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. Do you understand what I have done for you? he asked them. 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

Walking with Jesus, we will often find ourselves with opportunities to serve others. And within community, we find the courage and strength we need to serve on hard days. Read the Scripture passage. Considering how Jesus often did large and small things to encourage and show His love to His disciples as well as those He met, select a greeting card. Take a moment to write a note of encouragement to one of the following: Wilmore Fire, Wilmore Police, Jessamine Bus Garage, or Jessamine Co. Head Start. Place your completed note in the corresponding basket. If you choose to write to someone else, please take your note and deliver it personally. Now, place a Wet Nap in your box. During this season of Lent, consider whom God may be asking you to wash their feet.

Celebration Sadly, our memories of God s acts of mercy and grace in our lives are frustratingly short; that s why celebrations are so crucial to our spiritual life. The act of celebrating anchors us in a deeper story of God s faithfulness.

Mark 11:1-11 Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King 11 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, 2 saying to them, Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 3 If anyone asks you, Why are you doing this? say, The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly. 4 They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, 5 some people standing there asked, What are you doing, untying that colt? 6 They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. 7 When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. 8 Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. 9 Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! 10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest heaven! 11 Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

Celebration is central to all the Spiritual Disciplines. Without a joyful spirit of festivity the Disciplines become dull, death-breathing tools in the hands of modern Pharisees. The above quote is from Richard Foster s book, Celebration of Discipline. What do you think about that statement? Read the Scripture passage. As Empty Tomb Christians, we read this passage often an eye to the events that are about to unfold, the Last Supper, Jesus arrest, and His brutal execution. How things changed in just a few days! But for a moment, focus on the celebration that was happening on that day. Can you feel the energy? Do you see the crowd forming? What about the look on Jesus face, can you catch that? Can you hear the clip-clop clip-clop of the colt s hooves? Can you smell fresh-cut branches? Do you remember the day that Jesus entered your life? Was it in a single moment? Or are there many moments of His entering into your life? Take a some time now to celebrate His grand entrance into your life. Take a noise maker for your box. Through this season of Lent, use the noisemaker as an instrument of celebration, declaring the great and noisy joy that enters our lives when Jesus enters!

Sacraments We are a sacramental people...that is to say, we tend to make things sacred. The trick of this tendency is to make the right things sacred. In this, we follow the example of Jesus.

Mark 14:12-26 The Last Supper 12 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb, Jesus disciples asked him, Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover? 13 So he sent two of his disciples, telling them, Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him. 14 Say to the owner of the house he enters, The Teacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples? 15 He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there. 16 The disciples left, went into the city and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover. 17 When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve. 18 While they were reclining at the table eating, he said, Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me one who is eating with me. 19 They were saddened, and one by one they said to him, Surely you don t mean me? 20 It is one of the Twelve, he replied, one who dips bread into the bowl with me. 21 The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born. 22 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, Take it; this is my body. 23 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many, he said to them. 25 Truly I tell you, I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God. 26 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Do this in remembrance of me. Read the Scripture passage. We come to His table. He set it with His great and infinite love for you and for me. Just as He welcomed the Disciples at His table in that room all those years ago, He welcomes you here today. Take the wafer. Dip it in the cup. In deep gratitude, eat. This is the body of Jesus broken for you. And this is His blood poured out for you. Place a communion wafer and juice set in your box. During the Season of Lent, find a time to reflect upon His sacrifice. During that time of reflection, take the elements from your box and receive in celebration the Life that He has given you.

Submission The human obsession to demand that things always go as we choose is one of the greatest bondages in human society. The great benefit that comes from submission is the ability to lay down the terrible burden of always needing to get our own way.

Luke 22:39-46 Jesus Prays on the Mount of Olives 39 Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. 40 On reaching the place, he said to them, Pray that you will not fall into temptation. 41 He withdrew about a stone s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, 42 Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done. 43 An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. 44 And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. [a] 45 When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. 46 Why are you sleeping? he asked them. Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.

not my will, but yours be done Read the Scripture passage from Luke s Gospel. Consider the emotions that Jesus felt on that night. Do you remember a time when you were faced with a difficult decision. Where you able to respond in submission like Jesus? Did you find support in your closest circle of friends and family or did you find them sleeping? Or did you choose your own way? Pick up a nail. Press it into your palm. How does your body respond to that light pain? Submission is not optional. In this life you will either submit to the God of the Universe or the gods of this earth. Jesus chose His Father. And in His submission, He endured death. But death did not have the final word, LIFE did!! In Jesus submission, not only does He experience RESURRECTION LIFE, He offers it to all of us. No other god of this earth can give LIFE, the most it/they can offer is death. But the choice is yours. Place the nail in your box. In the weeks of Lent, face the easy and tough decisions with a heart of submission to the Only One who will give you LIFE.

Worship The discipline of worship is both an individual and a corporate act, offering praise and adoration to God. It s a response to God for the good things He s done in our lives.

Matthew 28:10-20 10 Then Jesus said to them, Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me. The Guards Report 11 While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. 12 When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, 13 telling them, You are to say, His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep. 14 If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble. 15 So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day. The Great Commission 16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God this is your true and proper worship. Romans 12:1 Read the Scripture passage. Pink and red hearts. Love. Flowers and chocolates. These items are everywhere on Valentine s Day. Today, on Ash Wednesday, we reflect on the sacrifice that Jesus made for us. The purposeful way He lived His life on earth. What a delightful way to celebrate love by remembering the TRUE LOVE of our Savior, Jesus! True worship comes from hearts that are truly devoted and purely perfected by the TRUE LOVE of the Father. Take a red heart. Place it in your box. As you enter this Lenten season, give your heart, your body, your whole being fully to the Savior, who gave His heart, His LIFE, for you. In giving yourself fully to Him, you will enter into the worship much like that of the Disciples on that mount all those days ago.