Ash Wednesday – February 18, 2026
“Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, ‘We are going up to Jerusalem, and every- thing that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will mock Him, insult Him, spit on Him, flog Him and kill Him. On the third day He will rise again.'” Luke 18:31-33
Welcome to the Season of Lent
Today we entered another 40 day season of Lent. Lent is a time of spiritual preparation (with a particular emphasis on personal penitence) in order for God’s people to properly observe Christ’s suffering and death, and to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection for our forgiveness and salvation. Incidentally, the six “Sundays in Lent” are, by custom, never counted as part “of” this season. Instead, those Sundays are treated as brief “reprieves” from the season’s heavy penitential emphasis. And so, on the Sundays in Lent churches that observe the traditional “Church Calendar” (as we do) celebrate the various victories that Jesus achieved for us, as our Savior, over sin, death and the power of the Devil. Nevertheless, the overall emphasis of the Lenten season calls on Christians to seriously reflect on our sins and our desperate need for a Savior from sin…..as well as our heartfelt repentance over all our sins. (This includes not only Godly sorrow over our transgressions, but a Gospel-motivated re-commitment to our Lord to live more faithfully for Him here until we live with Him in heaven.)
One of the most “common” emphases associated with Lent is the commitment that certain Christians make to “give up something” for Lent. Often what people promise to “give up” are various secular items and activities ( sweets, using social media, eating certain foods, or drinking caffeine). Some make the choice to give up a particular sinful behavior (swearing, drinking too much, losing ones temper, gossiping, etc). Unfortunately, too often whatever a person pledges to “give up for Lent,“ ends up being a temporary sacrifice. As soon as Lent is over, the affectation, or the bad behavior, is happily embraced again.
The Number 40 and the Season of Lent
Beyond merely its numeric value, the number 40 holds significant meaning throughout the Bible. It appears many times, typically pointing to important events and periods of time, as well as carrying with it an emphasis on penitence, or God’s impending judgement against sin. From the story of Noah and the great flood to the journey of Moses in the wilderness, from Jonah’s preaching excursion through Nineveh, to Jesus’ extended contest with temptation at the beginning of His ministry…..among other examples….. the number 40 has a prominent place in Biblical events and teaching.
Exclusive of this evening’s service (where we’ll turn our attention to Jesus’ prediction in Luke 18:31-34 of His impending sufferings, death and resurrection, as well as to our repentance of our sins….which is the over-riding emphasis of Lent)….in the other midweek services this year, we’ll dig into some of the Biblical examples and usages of the number 40, as well as the messages from God for us behind those examples.
Let’s start with the story of Noah and the great flood. The flood began with an unprecedented rainfall that spanned 40 days and 40 nights, and that flooded the entire world. In so doing, God destroyed, as an act of divine judgment, all life on earth….except for Noah’s family and the animals which He (the LORD) had brought to safety in the ark. That period of intense rainfall symbolizes a cleansing and purification, as well as a time where Noah’s faith and Spiritual endurance were tested. Clearly the 40 days of the flood serve as a reminder of God’s awesome power and perfect judgment, as well as His mercy in sparing Noah and his family.
Then there were Jesus’ 40 days of testing/temptation in the wilderness as He began His public ministry. Once the Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness, He spent 40 days and nights fasting, all the while successfully facing and rejecting one temptation after another from the Devil. Those 40 days represented a time of testing and preparation for Jesus. During that time He would also demonstrate His unwavering commitment to obeying the Law of God. In so doing He would highlight what we refer to as “Jesus’ active obedience” of God’s will for us. Namely, that Jesus not only came to die for our sins, He also came to live a holy life as our Perfect Substitute in Righteousness,….and God graciously gives us the “credit” of being regarded as “holy” on God’s sight for Jesus’ sake. As a result we will be able one day to enter God’s perfect heaven, also for Jesus sake. Jesus’ 40 days spent defeating Satan’s every effort to tempt Him to sin also serve as an example for us believers to emulate.
Israel’s 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, after their Exodus from Egypt. God’s intent for the people of Israel was that they would proceed from Egypt to Mt. Sinai, where He would give them His Law. Then, after that, God intended to promptly bring the Israelites into the Promised Land of Canaan….the land He would conquer for them. However, the Israelites were intimidated by the formidable armies and fortifications of the Canaanites. As a result, they refused to trust in the LORD to give them victory over their enemies. Instead, they decided that they wanted to return to Egypt. As a divine discipline and consequence of their refusal to trust in God, and for their disobedience to His commands, God relegated the entire nation to wandering the Sinai wilderness for nearly 40 years. This extended period of discipline would serve to test their faith in and obedience to God. It also served as a time of refining and preparation, as the upcoming generations of Israelites were taught to trust in God alone for His provision and guidance. Ultimately, after those 40 years, God brought the Israelites into the Promised Land as the fulfillment of His gracious promises to Abraham and his descendants.
Early on in those 40 years of Israel’s post-Exodus wandering in the wilderness, Moses would spend 40 days and nights on Mount Sinai. There he received the Ten Commandments from God. During those 40 days Moses engaged in an intense communion with God, during which the LORD established His divine covenant with His chosen people and emphasized the absolute necessity of their (and our) obeying all His commandments.
Within hours of his dramatic, God-given victory over the prophets of Baal at Mount Carmel (in I Kings 18), and God’s affirmations that He was the only true God for Israel, and that he was the LORD’s approved prophet, Elijah faltered in His trust in the LORD. He ran for His life from the retaliatory death threats that wicked Queen Jezebel made against Him. Initially Elijah fled from northern Israel (where Mount Carmel was) all the way to Beersheba, the southernmost city in Judah. Thoroughly depressed and discouraged (and also – apparently, from the way Elijah spoke – upset with God over Jezbel’s threats and Israel’s general unfaithfulness), Elijah then journeyed through the Sinai wilderness for 40 days and nights until he finally reached Mount Horeb (Mt Sinai), the mountain of God. This arduous journey and the lessons Elijah would learn from the Lord once he reached the mountain represent for us the importance of spiritual repentance, renewal and transformation. Additionally it taught Elijah the same lesson that we need to learn…..the lesson of totally depending on God’s strength and guidance for our daily lives, as well as his (and our) commitment to fulfilling whatever purposes God has for us.
The number 40 also is utilized in the book of Jonah to teach us an important Spiritual lesson. The Assyrian empire was wicked beyond measure, as well as reprehensibly violent in its treatment of its neighboring nations. The Assyrians were eventually designated for destruction by our God. However, before that, He would use them to bring His divine judgment on the northern Kingdom of Israel which had forsaken Him and thoroughly embraced the worship of idols. Nevertheless, in His grace, God offered the Assyrians, particularly the residents of their capital, Nineveh, the opportunity to repent of their wickedness and believe in Him as the one, true God. To accomplish that God sent the prophet Jonah the prophet to the people of Nineveh to preach repentance and offer them God’s mercy. As part of his message to the city’s residents, Jonah proclaimed “40 more days and Nineveh will be destroyed.” That episode of divine grace – and its miraculous results (the largest “conversion” recorded in Scripture….) – showcase for us the necessity of repentance of ones sins and the gracious forgiveness of sins by the LORD. This story also demonstrates God’s willingness to relent from His judgment when people turn from their wicked ways and seek His mercy.
And so, we can summarize the ways that the number 40 is significant in Scripture.
First, 40 is often used as to represent a time of testing, as well as a time to become more prepared for God’s service by developing the Spiritual discipline necessary to withstand Satan’s, the sinful world’s and our own sinful nature’s assaults against ones’ faithfulness and obedience. In addition, it reminds us of the vital need for being Spiritually steadfast and of relying on God’s strength during times of testing.
Second, the number 40 is also associated with instances of divine intervention and revelation. During those 40 days that Moses spent on Mount Sinai, he received the Ten Commandments (and other elements of divine Law) from God. This highlights the blessing of God’s willingness to communicate with His people in order to establish His covenant of grace with us. In addition, this use of 40 emphasizes the importance of our gladly obeying God’s commandments and gratefully accepting the divine guidance He provides His children.
Third, in the story of Elijah’s journey to Mount Horeb, the 40-day period symbolizes a time of personal repentance for the discontented, discouraged prophet, along with his need (and God’s gift) for spiritual renewal and transformation. In this case the number 40 serves to remind us of the blessings that come when we rely on God’s strength, guidance and protection, as well as when we commit ourselves to fulfilling the purposes and plans He has for us.
Fourth, the number 40 is often used in the Bible to signify the completion, or fulfillment, of God’s plans for His people. For example, the Israelites spent 40 years of testing, purifying and development in the Sinai wilderness before God finally allowed them to enter the Promised Land. At the end of this 40 period it was evident that God had fulfilled His gracious promises to Abraham and his descendants to make them a great nation by completing Israel’s journey from slavery in Egypt to liberty as His chosen people in their new homeland. Here the number 40 also reminds us of God’s faithfulness in fulfilling the blessed plans He had for His people.
Fifth, through the story of Jonah and Nineveh, God –in His grace – gave an undeserving, wicked city 40 days to repent before it was destroyed in an act of divine justice and judgment. This story demonstrates God’s willingness to relent from judgment whenever people turn from their wicked ways in true repentance and seek His forgiving mercy.
In closing, from divine judgement to the testing of ones faith…..from Spiritual preparation to divine intervention…..from the fulfillment of divine promises to Spiritual transformation and the blessings of aligning ones life with God’s plans and purposes for us…..the number 40 is used throughout Scripture to remind us of the importance and blessings of faith, obedience and repentance. It also reminds us of the earthly consequences and eternal peril of rejecting God. Consequently, the number 40 is a powerful symbol of God’s gracious presence among His people, of His amazing blessings for those who put their trust Him, and of His divine guidance and purposes for all who believe in Him.
The Significance of Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, the Christian’s 40-day journey to Christ’s His cross and His tomb. These 40 days are reminiscent of several Biblical events: Jesus’ 40-day fast at the beginning of His ministry; Moses’ stay on Mt. Sinai at the giving of the law; and Elijah’s fast on his way to the mountain of God, among others.
Ash Wednesday begins the Christian’s Lenten journey with a reminder of our mortality and a call to repent of our sins. The traditional practice of imposing ashes on the foreheads of the faithful gives Ash Wednesday its name. The church father Tertullian (c160-215AD) wrote about the practice, referring to it as a public expression of our repentance and our human frailty that stands in need of Christ. The ashes graphically remind us of our need for God’s redeeming grace since they bring to mind these words from the liturgy for Christian burial: “…earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust…” – words that will someday be spoken over all of us. The imposition of ashes has never been an exclusively Roman Catholic practice (as some erroneously believe). In fact, it is a matter of adiaphora (things that are neither commanded nor forbidden in Scripture). Consequently, we Christians are free to embrace this practice, if we so choose, or to not utilize it if that is our preference.
Ash Wednesday, as a particular observance of the liturgical Christian church (it was originally called dies cinerum, or “day of ashes”), probably dates to at least the 8th century. It was mentioned in the earliest copies of the Gregorian Sacramentary, which originated during that period. Another early description of Ash Wednesday is found in the writings of the Anglo-Saxon abbot Aelfric (955-1020). In his Lives of the Saints, he writes, “We read in the books both in the Old Law and in the New that the men who repented of their sins bestrewed themselves with ashes and clothed their bodies with sackcloth. Now let us do this little thing at the beginning of our Lent that we strew ashes upon our heads to signify that we ought to repent of our sins during the Lenten fast.” Aelfric then proceeds to tell the tale of a man who refused to go to church for the ashes and who was accidentally killed several days later in a boar hunt! This quotation confirms what we know from other sources, that throughout the Middle Ages ashes were sprinkled on the head, rather than placed on the forehead as is typically done today.
The ancient pratices of pouring ashes on one’s body, and dressing in sackcloth, (which is a very rough, uncomfortable material) are outward manifestations of inner repentance. They are mentioned several times in the Old Testament. Probably the earliest occurrence is found at the very end of the book of Job. Job, having been rebuked by God, confesses, “Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:6). Other examples are found in 2 Samuel 13:19, Esther 4:1,3, Isaiah 61:3, Jeremiah 6:26, Ezekiel 27:30, and Daniel 9:3. In the New Testament, Jesus alludes to the practice in Matthew 11:21: “Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.”
In a very traditional Ash Wednesday observance, worshipers are invited to come to the altar to receive the imposition of ashes, prior to receiving the Holy Supper. The Pastor applies ashes in the shape of the cross on the forehead of each person, while speaking the words, “For dust you are and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19). Of course, these are the words God spoke to Adam and Eve after they had eaten the forbidden fruit and fallen into sin. These words reveal the primary effect of our first parents’ sin on them and their descendants (us, included), namely physical and eternal death. Thus, the Ash Wednesday imposition of ashes is yet another means of reminding worshipers of their sinfulness and mortality, and – obviously – their need to wholeheartedly repent of all their sins. The sign of the cross serves as a symbol of the Good News that through Christ perfect, crucified and risen….we have full and free forgiveness from our guilt, our sins, and God’s condemnation of our sins.
The ashes used in the imposition traditionally come from the palms of the previous year’s Palm Sunday procession. The dried palms – having been kept for this purpose – are burned, and their ashes are sifted and mixed with a small amount of olive oil – not water. This allows them to better adhere to the forehead. Drawing the ashes from a shallow bowl, the minister, using his thumb and forefinger, makes the mark of a cross in ashes on each person’s forehead, after which the individual returns to his/her seat.
Ash Wednesday, as well as the season of Lent, are never mentioned in Scripture and so they are not worship requirements that God has commanded us to observe. In our Christian freedom we may either observe them, or not observe them. Black paraments are typically utilized to emphasize the solemnity of Ash Wednesday, although the traditional penitential color of purple, used throughout Lent, may also be employed.
Silent Prayer & Pre-service Music
We Approach The Lord With Praise And Prayer
The Service Introduction and Invitation to Worship
at the Pastor’s invitation, the Congregation will rise for
The Invocation
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Opening Psalm: Psalm 51
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.
After which the Congregation may be seated for
The Opening Hymn Hymn 98 “Jesus, I Will Ponder Now”
1 Jesus, I will ponder now On your holy passion;
With your Spirit me endow For such meditation.
Grant that I in love and faith May the image cherish
Of your suff’ring, pain, and death That I may not perish.
2 Make me see your great distress, Anguish, and affliction,
Bonds and stripes and wretchedness And your crucifixion;
Make me see how scourge and rod, Spear and nails did wound you,
How for them you died, O God, Who with thorns had crowned you.
3 Yet, O Lord, not thus alone Make me see your passion,
But its cause to me make known And its termination.
Ah! I also and my sin Wrought your deep affliction;
This indeed the cause has been Of your crucifixion.
4 If my sins give me alarm And my conscience grieve me,
Let your cross my fear disarm; Peace of conscience give me.
Help me see forgiveness won By your holy passion.
If for me he slays his Son, God must have compassion!
5 Grant that I your passion view With repentant grieving.
Let me not bring shame to you By unholy living.
How could I refuse to shun Ev’ry sinful pleasure
Since for me God’s only Son Suffered without measure?
6 Graciously my faith renew; Help me bear my crosses,
Learning humbleness from you, Peace mid pain and losses.
May I give you love for love! Hear me, O my Savior,
That I may in heav’n above Sing your praise forever.
After which the Congregation will rise for
The Opening Exhortation
Pastor: Brothers and sisters: God created us to know joy in communion with Him, to love all humanity, and to live in harmony with all creation. But sin separates us from God, our neighbors, and creation. Consequently we cannot not enjoy the life our Creator intended for us. Also, by our sin we grieve our Father, Who does not desire us to come under His judgment, but to turn to Him and live. Therefore, our gracious God in His mercy has sent our Lord Jesus Christ to take our place under the law – living the righteous lives we do not live; to suffer for our sins and to die the death of hell that we deserve. God made Jesus, Who had no sin, to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
During these forty days of Lent we fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, Who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and who then sat down at the right hand of God. This season of Lent reminds us that, in order to know Christ and the power of His resurrection, we must also know the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death. As disciples of our Lord Jesus we are called to struggle against everything that leads us away from our love for God and for our neighbor. I invite you, therefore, to re-commit yourselves to this struggle and to join me in confessing our sins to our Father in heaven, asking Him for His forgiveness of all our sins as well as for the strength of faith to properly serve Him and enjoy His blessings. Now, let us be silent and still. Let us pause for a moment of Spiritual reflection and self-examination.
Silence for reflection and self-examination
We Confess our Sins Before the Lord
P: Most holy and merciful Father:
C: We confess to You and to one another that it is our fault that we have sinned in our thoughts, words, and deeds….not only by what we have done, but also by what we have left undone.
P: We have not loved You with our whole heart and mind and strength. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We have not forgiven others as we have been forgiven.
C: Have mercy on us, Lord.
P: We have been deaf to Your call to serve as Christ selflessly served us. We have not been true to the mind of Christ. We have grieved the Holy Spirit.
C: Have mercy on us, Lord.
P: We confess to You, Lord, all our past unfaithfulness. The pride, hypocrisy, and impatience in our lives:
C: We confess these sins to You, O Lord.
P: Our self-indulgent appetites and ways, our manipulation of other people:
C: Forgive us, O Lord.
P: Our anger when our selfish aims are denied, and our envy of those more fortunate than ourselves:
C: We confess to You, O Lord, our disobedience.
P: Our love of worldly goods and comforts, and our dishonesty in daily life and work:
C: Forgive us, Lord, for our many transgressions.
P: Our negligence in worship and prayer, and our failure to show the faith that is in us:
C: Lord, we admit that we have sinned against You.
P: Forgive us, Lord, for the wrongs we have done. For our blindness to human need and suffering, and our indifference to injustice and cruelty:
C: Have mercy upon us, gracious O Lord.
P: For all false judgments, for uncharitable thoughts toward others, and for our prejudice and contempt for those who differ from us:
C: Forgive us, O Lord, for we have sinned against You.
P: For what we think or say or do that is at variance with Your will:
C: We confess our repeated failures to be righteous in Your sight, O Lord.
P: Restore us, good Lord, and remove Your anger from us.
C: Hear us, Lord, for Your mercy is great. Amen.
P: Accomplish in us, O God, the work of Your salvation,
C: that we may show forth Your glory in the world.
P: As we meditate upon the cross and passion of Your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ,
C: O Lord bring us, with all Your saints, to the celebration of His resurrection and the certainty of our salvation. Amen.
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 had mercy upon you and 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.
The Imposition of Ashes
Pastor: Dear friends in Christ, I invite you to receive these ashes as a sign of the spirit of penitence with which we shall keep this season of Lent. God our Father, You create us from the dust of the earth: grant that these ashes may be for us a sign of our penitence and a symbol of our mortality; for it is by Your grace alone that we receive eternal life in Jesus Christ our Savior.
Congregation: Amen.
Every individual who is so inclined (and this is optional) may now come forward to receive the imposition of ashes. The ashes symbolize an individual’s repentance and contrition, serving as a reminder that God is gracious and merciful to those who call on Him with repentant hearts. The imposition also serves as a sign of our mortality, reminding us of the physical death that our bodies already carry and that awaits us all one day at the end of our earthly lives.
At the imposition the pastor will say to each person:
Remember that you are dust, and to dust you will
return. Now turn away from sin and be faithful to Christ.
We Meditate On God’s Word
The account of Jesus’ Passion as it is recorded for us through a
harmony of the Gospels of St. Matthew, St. Mark, St. Luke, and St. John.
This reading is from the Evangelical Heritage Version of the Bible.
Tonight’s Reading:
Jesus’ Readiness to Suffer and Die
The Festival of Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover, was approaching. Jesus said to His
disciples, “You know that after two days it will be the Passover, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.” Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas. They plotted together how to arrest Jesus in some deceitful way and kill Him. But they said, “Not during the Festival, or else there might be a riot among the people.”
Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, who was one of the Twelve. He went away and spoke with the chief priests and officers of the temple guard about how he could betray Jesus to them. They were glad and agreed to give him money. He promised to do it and was looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus to them away from the crowd.
On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, His disciples asked Him, “Where do You want us to go and prepare for You to eat the Passover?” He sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the city, and there a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him. Wherever he enters, tell the owner of the house that the Teacher says, ‘Where is My guest room, where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?’ He will show you a large upper room, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.” They went and found things just as He had told them, and they prepared the Passover.
When the hour had come, Jesus reclined at the table with the twelve apostles. He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer, for I tell you, I will not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” A dispute arose among the disciples about which of them was considered to be greatest. But He told them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who have authority over them are called Benefactors. But it is not to be that way with you. Instead, let the greatest among you become like the youngest, and the one who leads like the one who serves. For who is greater, one who reclines at the table or one who serves? Isn’t it the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as One Who serves. You are those who have remained with Me in My trials. I am going to grant a kingdom to you, just as My Father granted to Me, so that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom. And you will sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Before the Passover Festival, Jesus knew that the time had come for Him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved those who were His own in the world, He loved them to the end. By the time the supper took place, the Devil had already put the idea into the heart of Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.
Jesus knew that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going back to God. He got up from the supper and laid aside His outer garment. He took a towel and tied it around His waist. Then He poured water into a basin and began to wash His disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around Him. He came to Simon Peter, who asked Him, “Lord, are You going to wash my feet?” Jesus answered him, “You do not understand what I am doing now, but later you will understand.” Peter told Him, “You will never, ever, wash my feet!” Jesus replied, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” “Lord, not just my feet,” Simon Peter replied, “but also my hands and my head!” Jesus told him, “A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet, but his body is completely clean. And you are clean, but not all of you.” Indeed, He knew who was going to betray Him. That is why He said, “Not all of you are clean.”
After Jesus had washed their feet and put on His outer garment, He reclined at the table again. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” He asked them. “You call Me Teacher and Lord. You are right, because I am. Now if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. Yes, I have given you an example so that you also would do just as I have done for you. Amen, Amen, I tell you: A servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.”
He took a cup, gave thanks, and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves, for I tell you, from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”
Sermon Hymn: Hymn 124 “Savior, When In Dust To You”
1 Savior, when in dust to you Low we bow in homage due,
When, repentant, to the skies Scarce we lift our weeping eyes;
Oh, by all your pains and woe Suffered once for us below,
Bending from your throne on high, Hear our penitential cry!
2 By your helpless infant years, By your life of want and tears,
By your days of deep distress In the savage wilderness,
By the dread, mysterious hour Of th’ insulting tempter’s pow’r,
Turn, oh, turn a fav’ring eye, Hear our penitential cry!
3 By your hour of dire despair, By your agony of prayer,
By the cross, the nail, the thorn, Piercing spear, and torturing scorn,
By the gloom that veiled the skies O’er the dreadful sacrifice,
Listen to our humble sigh, Hear our penitential cry!
4 By your deep expiring groan, By the sad sepulchral stone,
By the vault whose dark abode Held in vain the rising God,
Oh, from earth to heav’n restored, Mighty, reascended Lord,
Bending from your throne on high, Hear our penitential cry!
The Evening’s Meditation based on Luke 18:31-34
31 He took the Twelve aside and said to them, “Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written through the prophets about the Son of Man will be accomplished. 32 Indeed, He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will mock Him, mistreat Him, spit on Him, 33 flog Him, and kill Him. On the third day, He will rise again.” 34 They did not understand any of these things. What He said was hidden from them, and they did not understand what was said.
What Good Is Dust?
We Offer Our Gifts And Prayers To The Lord
Our Offerings of Love to our Lord
Offerings will be received this evening through offering plates passed among those who have gathered here for worship.
However, for those viewing this service online, we offer you the following suggestions for providing God with Your thank-offerings through our ministry:
1) You can mail a check (no cash) to the church address
(415 N. 6th Place, Lowell, AR 72745)
2) You can donate on our website: www.gracelutherannwa.com
the Congregation will please rise as the offerings are brought to the altar
The Prayer for Ash Wednesday – offered by the Pastor
The 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.
We Celebrate the Lord’s Supper
The Words of Institution – Spoken by the Pastor
Our Self-Examination Before Receiving The Lord’s Supper
Pastor – Let us now examine ourselves in preparation for receiving this Sacrament of our Lord, as the inspired Apostle Paul so instructs us in I Corinthians 11, where he writes, “…whoever eats and the bread and drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgement upon himself.”
Pastor – Accordingly, are you sincerely sorry for your sins and determined, with God’s help, to change your sinful ways?
Congregation Yes, I am sorry for my sins and desire to serve Jesus and not a sinful lifestyle.
Pastor – Do you believe that here in the Lord’s Supper you will receive, along with the bread and wine, the true body and blood of your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ?
Congregation Yes, I believe that I will be receiving the true body and blood of my Lord and Savior, which was given into death for my sins.
Pastor – Are you coming to the Lord’s table as one in the faith with this Christian congregation, as the Scriptures teach?
Congregation Yes I have studied the teachings of this congregation concerning God’s Word; I agree with
them; And am one in faith with them, as the Scriptures command me to be before I come to the Lord’s table with anyone.
Pastor – Finally, do you recognize your need for forgiveness and do you believe that you will receive through the Lord’s Supper the full and free forgiveness of all your sins?
Congregation Yes, I have examined my life, see the need for God’s forgiveness and believe that I will receive complete forgiveness for all my sins, as my Savior has promised.
Pastor – Having examined yourselves and confessed your sins, come now with confidence and joy to your Lord’s table and receive here, through His body and blood, the guarantee that your ins are all forgiven, and that eternal life and salvation are surely yours.
(Please read the following if you have not spoken with
our Pastor about taking communion. Thank you.)
TO OUR GUESTS AND FRIENDS
We ask that only “Confirmed, Communicant” members of this congregation, or of one of our Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod congregations come forward to receive the Lord’s Supper at this time. To us the Lord’s Supper is both an expression of our common faith in Christ (which we share with all our fellow Christian worshipers this evening) and also a public expression of our complete doctrinal agreement as a congregation and church body (as I Corinthians 1:10 and 10:17, as well as Romans 16:17 and I John 4:1 require of us).
Accordingly if you are not a communicant member of Grace Lutheran Church or our Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, we are not, in any way, judging your Christian faith by respectfully asking you not to join us in the Lord’s Supper this evening. Rather, we pray that our Scripture-based practice of “Close Communion” will encourage all those Christians who are not presently in full fellowship with us to seriously examine the teachings and practices of their church in order to determine if those teachings and practices are really in full agreement with God’s Word. It is our earnest desire that you might become familiar with the doctrines of our congregation, so that you might one day join with us at the Lord’s altar in this public expression of full unity of doctrine and practice. Until then, please know that we are most grateful for your participation as a fellow Christian in this worship service, and that we appreciate your patience and understanding of our Communion practice. Finally, if you do have any questions or concerns about our “Close Communion” practice, please speak with our Pastor following this evening’s worship service, or at your convenience.
The Distribution of the Elements
After which the congregation will rise as
We Conclude Tonight’s Worship Service
The Closing Prayer
Almighty God, to Whom all hearts are open, + all desires known, + and from Whom no secrets are hid, + cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the power of Your Holy Spirit, + that we may love You more completely, + praise You more joyously, + and serve You more faithfully. + These requests we make + in the name of Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, + Who lives and rules with You and the Holy Spirit, + as the one, true God, both now and forever. + Amen.
The Benediction
P: May 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 I’ve done wrong today.
Make me ever more 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 your 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 Ah, my best and kindest Friend, You will love me to the end.
Let me love you more and more, Always better than before.
silent prayer,
announcements,
post-service music