Our 2021 Lenten Services Theme:
“Our Spiritual Vision Problems. and How They Can Be Corrected”
God’s Remedy for Spiritual Macular Degeneration
March 10, 2021 Fourth Midweek Lenten Service
Silent Prayer
Pre-service Music
The Service Introduction and Invitation to Worship
at the Pastor’s invitation, the Congregation will rise for
The Invocation
We make our beginning this evening, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Salutation
Pastor Jesus Christ is the Light of the world.
Congregation The Light no darkness can overcome
P: Stay with us, Lord, for it is evening,
C And the day is almost over.
P: Be our Light, and scatter the darkness
C: and hear our evening hymn of praise.
After which the Congregation will be seated for
The First Hymn Hymn 100
“A Lamb Goes Uncomplaining Forth”
- A Lamb goes uncomplaining forth, Our guilt and evil bearing;
And laden with the sins of earth, None else the burden sharing!
Goes patient on, grow weak and faint,
To slaughter led without complaint, That spotless life to offer;
Bears shame and stripes, and wounds and death,
Anguish and mockery, and says, “Willing all this I suffer.”
- This Lamb is Christ, the soul’s great Friend,
The Lamb of God, our Savior;
Him God the Father chose to send To gain for us His favor.
“Go forth, My Son,” the Father said,
“And free my children from their dread
Of guilt and condemnation.
The wrath and stripes are hard to bear,
But by your Passion they will share The fruit of Your salvation.”
- “Yes, Father, yes, most willingly I’ll bear what You command me;
My will conforms to Your decree, I do what You have asked me.
O wondrous Love, what have You done! The Father offers up His Son!
Desiring our salvation.
O Love, how strong You are to save! You make His bed within the grave Who built the earth’s foundation.
- From morn till eve in all I do, I’ll praise You, Christ, my Treasure;
To sacrifice myself for You Shall be my aim and pleasure.
My stream of life shall ever be A current flowing ceaselessly,
Your constant praise outpouring. I’ll treasure in my memory,
O Lord, all You have done for me, Your gracious love adoring. Amen
After which the Congregation will rise
We Confess Our Sins
Pastor: As we approach the Lord in worship this evening, let us all confess our sins and seek God’s forgiving mercy: O holy and merciful God, we confess with shame that we are unworthy to stand in Your
presence. Our hearts are corrupted by sin and we have broken Your law repeatedly through our sinful actions, thoughts, and words – doing the evil You forbid and failing to do the good which You command. We are guilty and deserve to be condemned eternally. But we rely on Your mercy, and we ask You to forgive us all our sins, for the sake of Jesus Christ Your Son, our Lord and Savior. In the words of Psalm 51 we pray:
Congregation: Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your unfailing love; + according to Your great
compassion blot out my transgressions. + Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. + For I know my transgressions, + and my sin is always before me. + Against You, You only, have I sinned + and done what is evil in Your sight, + so that Your are proved right when You speak + and justified when You judge.
Surely I was a sinner from birth, + sinful from the time my mother conceived me. + Surely You desire truth in the inner parts; + You teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; + wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. + Let me hear joy and gladness; + Let the bones You have crushed rejoice. + Hide Your face from my sins, + and blot out all my iniquity. + Create in me a pure heart, O God, + and renew a steadfast spirit within me. + Do not cast me from Your presence, + or take Your Holy Spirit from me. + Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, + and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me.
Pastor Upon this, your voluntary confession, and in accordance with the responsibilities entrusted to me as a called and ordained servant of the Living Word, I assure you that God, our heavenly Father, has forgiven
you all your sins. By the perfect life and innocent death of our Lord Jesus Christ, He has removed your guilt and condemnation forever. You are His own dear child – an heir of everlasting life through faith in Christ. May God now give you the strength of faith to live according to His will. Go in His grace and peace. Amen.
We Meditate On God’s Word
The Scripture Reading:
The story of Christ’s Passion
recorded in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John
Tonight’s Reading: On Trial Before Pilate
As soon as it was day, the council of the elders of the people met together, both chief priests and experts in the law. They brought Jesus into their Sanhedrin and said, “If You are the Christ, tell us.” But he said to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe, and if I ask you, you will not answer Me or release Me. But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” They all said, “Are You then the Son of God?” He said to them, “I am what you are saying.” Then they said, “Why do we need any more testimony? For we ourselves have heard it from His own mouth!” Then the chief priests with the elders and experts in the law, together with the whole Sanhedrin, reached a decision. They bound Jesus, led Him away, and handed Him over to Pontius Pilate, the governor.
Then when Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he felt remorse. He brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders and said, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” But they said, “What is that to us? That’s your problem.” He threw the pieces of silver into the temple and left. Then he went out and hanged himself. The chief priests took the pieces of silver and said, “It is not lawful to put these into the treasury, since it is blood money.” They reached a decision to buy the potter’s field with the money, as a burial place for foreigners. So that field has been called The Field of Blood to this day. Then what was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price th e sons of Israel had set for Him, and they gave them for the potter’s field, just as the Lord commanded me.
Early in the morning, the Jews led Jesus from Caiaphas to the Praetorium. They did not enter the Praetorium themselves, so that they would not become ceremonially unclean. (They wanted to be able to eat the Passover meal.) So Pilate went out to them and said, “What charge do you bring against this Man?” They answered him, “If this Man were not a criminal, we would not have handed Him over to you.” Pilate told them, “Take Him yourselves and judge Him according to your law.” The Jews said, “It’s not legal for us to put anyone to death.” This happened so that the statement Jesus had spoken indicating what kind of death He was going to die would be fulfilled.
They began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this fellow misleading our nation, forbidding the payment of taxes to Caesar, and saying that He Himself is Christ, a king.” Pilate asked Him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” “It is as you say,” Jesus replied. The chief priests accused Him of many things. When He was accused by the chief priests and elders, He answered nothing. Pilate questioned Him again, “Are You not going to answer anything? See how many charges they are bringing against You!” But Jesus still did not answer anything, so Pilate was amazed.
Pilate went back into the Praetorium and summoned Jesus. He asked him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Are you saying this on your own, or did others tell you about Me?” Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own people and chief priests handed You over to me. What have You done?” Jesus replied, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight so that I would not be handed over to the Jews. But now My kingdom is not from here.” “You are a king then?” Pilate asked. Jesus answered, “I am, as you say, a King. For this reason I was born, and for this reason I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to My voice.” “What is truth?” Pilate said to Him. After he said this, he went out again to the Jews and told them, “I find no basis for a charge against Him.” But they kept insisting, “He stirs up the people, teaching all through Judea, beginning from Galilee all the way here.” When Pilate heard this, he asked if the Man was a Galilean. When he learned that He was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem during those days.
When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad. For a long time he had wanted to see Him, because he had heard many things about Him. He hoped to see some miracle performed by Him. He questioned Him with many words, but Jesus gave him no answer. The chief priests and the experts in the law stood there, vehemently accusing Him. Herod, along with his soldiers, treated Him with contempt and ridiculed Him. Dressing Him in bright clothing, Herod sent Jesus back to Pilate. Herod and Pilate became friends with each other on that day. Before this they had been enemies of each other.
The Sermon Hymn: Hymn 114 “Christ, the Life of All the Living”
verses 1, 2, 6 & 7
1 Christ, the Life of all the living, Christ, the Death of death, our foe,
Who, Thyself for me once giving To the darkest depths of woe —
Through Thy suff’rings, death, and merit I eternal life inherit.
Thousand, thousand thanks shall be, Dearest Jesus, unto Thee.
2 Thou, ah, Thou hast taken on Thee Bonds and stripes, a cruel rod;
Pain and scorn were heaped upon Thee, O Thou sinless Son of God!
Thus didst Thou my soul deliver From the bonds of sin forever.
Thousand, thousand thanks shall be, Dearest Jesus, unto Thee.
6 Thou has suffered great affliction And hast borne it patiently,
Even death by crucifixion, Fully to atone for me.
Thou didst choose to be tormented That my doom should be prevented.
Thousand, thousand thanks shall be, Dearest Jesus, unto Thee.
7 Then, for all that wrought my pardon,
For Thy sorrows deep and sore,
For Thine anguish in the garden, I will thank Thee evermore,
Thank Thee for Thy groaning, sighing, For Thy bleeding and Thy dying,
For that last triumphant cry And shall praise Thee, Lord, on high. Amen
The Evening’s Meditation based on John 11:45-53
45 Therefore many of the Jews who came to Mary and saw what Jesus did believed in Him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. They asked, “What are we going to do, because this Man is doing many miraculous signs? 48 If we let Him go on like this, everyone will believe in Him. Then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” 49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. 50 You do not even consider that it is better for us that one Man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.” 51 He did not say this on his own, but, as high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, 52 and not only for that nation, but also in order to gather into one the scattered children of God. 53 So from that day on they plotted to kill Him.
Spiritual Macular Degeneration….
and How to Remedy It
We Offer Our Gifts To The Lord
Because we aren’t able to pass an offering plate during tonight’s worship service those in attendance may leave their offerings in the offering plates by the exit door at the close of our service this evening.
For those watching this service online, we offer you the following suggestions for providing God with Your offerings through our ministry:
1) You can send a check (no cash) in the mail to the church address
(415 N. 6th Place, Lowell, AR 72745)
2) You can go online to our website (www.gracelutherannwa.com)
and use the giving option there.
We Offer our Evening Prayers
P: Heavenly Father, You loved the world and gave Your Son to liberate us from sin and death by His obedient death on the cross.
C: We confess that without Your love we are lost.
P: Lord of the Church, we thank You for the treasure of the Gospel. By Your Spirit, keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith.
C: Strengthen our determination to do what pleases You, + no matter what the danger or cost.
P: Let us pray for those who carry a cross in the name of Christ and face ridicule and persecution for the sake of the kingdom: Missionaries and chaplains, young people who stand up for what is right in the face of pressure to do what is wrong, and all who pay a high price for their faith and their values as Christians.
C: By Your Spirit, O Lord, grant them patience and endurance.
P: Let us pray for those who carry burdens in life: the sick and chronically ill, the depressed and the lonely, those torn by conflict in personal relationships, those victimized by war and injustice, and all who face the terrors of life with a heavy heart.
C: Grant them peace, O Lord, in Your mercy, be their guardian and friend, their comfort and hope.
P: Let us pray for those who care for others: pastors and counselors; health care workers; social workers and caring friends; all who feed the hungry, comfort the hurting, who teach our young Your truths, and who stand beside the dying.
C: Strengthen them in their work, O Lord, and do not let them become weary in doing good.
Time for Any Special Prayer Requests
P: Hear us, O Lord, as we also bring You our silent, personal petitions:
A Few Moments For Silent Prayer
P: Help us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Keep us faithful even to the point of death, that we may receive the crown of life, through Jesus Christ our Lord, in Whose name we offer this prayer and also join now in praying:
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.
We Conclude Tonight’s Worship Service
The Benediction
P: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen.
The Closing Hymn Hymn 593
“Now the Light Has Gone Away”
1 Now the light has gone away; Father, listen while I pray,
Asking You to watch and keep And to send me quiet sleep.
2 Jesus, Savior, wash away All that has been wrong today.
Make me evermore like You. Good and gentle, kind and true.
3 Let my near and dear ones be Safe with You eternally.
Oh, bring me and all I love To Thy happy home above.
4 Now my evening praise I give; You once died that I might live.
All Your precious gifts are free; Oh, how good You are to me!
5 You, my best and kindest Friend, You will love me to the end.
Let me love You more and more Always better than before. Amen.
Silent Prayer
Announcements
Post-Service Music