Midweek Lenten Worship
Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church
Tucson, Arizona
March 19, 2025
Welcome to Grace!
Our mission at Grace is to teach the inspired and inerrant Word of God, to proclaim that Jesus Christ is the crucified and risen Savior of the world, and to nurture believers for lives of Christian service.
Check out the GRACE WEBSITE at www.GraceLutheranSAZ.org
SEASON OF LENT
The Lenten Season is observed during the six weeks prior to Easter. The traditional goal of Lent is to prepare believers for a proper celebration of the events of Holy Week, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The purple color of the altar paraments and vestments reminds us that Lent is also a season of repentance. The Bible tells us that repentance is always the divine work of the Holy Spirit through the Law and the Gospel. The Law crucifies the old Adam, the sinful nature within us, and the Gospel raises up the new man, the new creation in us. For us, the Lenten focus on the cross and suffering of Jesus is not aimed at an emotional response. It is a pointed proclamation and confession of the Law and the Gospel, a preaching of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Lent is properly a season of repentance when it brings the cross to sinners and sinners to the cross of Christ as the fountain and source of forgiveness, life, and salvation.
This Lenten season, the theme for our midweek services is “Reflections on Repentance.” This series of Lenten reflections explores the depths of our sinful depravity, the brokenness of our relationship with God, our dire need for rescue, and the good news of forgiveness, cleansing, and rejoicing in our restored relationship with God and the promise of eternal life through Jesus our Savior. The sermons use verses of David’s great penitential Psalm 51, penned following his affair with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah. The Lord is not slow to do what he promised….Instead, he is patient for your sakes, not wanting anyone to perish, but all to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)
WORSHIP NOTES
The order of worship we will follow is printed in this worship folder for you to follow along and participate. You’ll notice that the service is a dialogue between God and us, his people. The pastor speaks to God along with the congregation and also speaks the Word of God to the people. The hymns we are using come from the blue Christian Worship hymnal, which is found in the hymnal racks in each pew. LARGE PRINT worship folders are now available for those who desire one.
Those wishing to leave an offering can do so at either exit today or give online at GraceLutheranSAZ.org/give. (You can also scan the QR code to the right to access the online giving page.) We would greatly appreciate a record of your attendance in our worship today. Please take a moment to sign the Friendship Register located in the red folder at the end of each row. Thank you!
PARKING
There is no cost to park in our parking lot during worship services. If you receive a citation by mistake, please let our office staff know so it can be cleared.
ORDER OF WORSHIP
WELCOME
OPENING HYMN Come to Calvary’s Holy Mountain Christian Worship 394
Please stand
RESPONSIVE SENTENCES
Minister: In the name of the Father and of the Son (+) and of the Holy Spirit.
Congregation: Amen.
This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.
If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
CONFESSION OF SIN
We confess together:
1 John 1:5-8
Father, I have sinned against you and am no longer worthy to be called your child. Yet in mercy you sacrificed your only Son to purge away my guilt. For his sake, O God, be merciful to me, a sinner, and in the joy of your Holy Spirit let me serve you all my days.
Silence for personal examination and confession
DECLARATION OF FORGIVENESS
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. Upon this, your confession, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son (+) and of the Holy Spirit.
1 John 1:9 Thanks be to God. Amen.
PRAYER
Lord God, you are compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in love. Fill us with the peace of your forgiveness so that our hearts may be set to obey your commandments; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen. Please be seated
RESPONSIVE READING FROM 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. Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
PSALM PRAYER
Lord, we confess our sins to you and plead for your mercy. We acknowledge that sin runs too deep in our nature for us ever to rid ourselves of it, but we thank you that Jesus has done what we could not do, washing us clean of every stain. We plead that your Spirit would give us the strength to live a new life; through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
39Jesus left and went out to the Mount of Olives, as was his custom. His disciples followed him. 40When he reached the place, he told them, “Keep praying that you may not enter into temptation.”
41He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and prayed, 42“Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done.”
43An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. 44As he was in agony, he prayed more fervently. His sweat became like great drops of blood falling to the ground.
45When he rose from prayer, he went to the disciples and found them sleeping as a result of sorrow. 46He said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and keep praying so that you may not enter into temptation.”
47While he was still speaking, suddenly a crowd appeared, and the man called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He came near to Jesus to kiss him. 48But Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”
49When those who were around him saw what was about to happen, they said to him, “Lord, should we strike with a sword?” 50Then one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear.
51But Jesus responded, “Stop! No more of this!” Then he touched the servant’s ear and healed him. 52Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard, and the elders, who had come out against him, “Have you come out as you would against a robber, with swords and clubs? 53Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour when darkness rules.”
54Then they seized him, led him away, and brought him into the high priest’s house.
5 Certainly, I was guilty when I was born. I was sinful when my mother conceived me.
HYMN By Grace I’m Saved
CONFESSION OF FAITH
Luther's Explanation to the Second Article of the Apostles' Creed
I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, is my Lord.
He has redeemed me, a lost and condemned creature, purchased and won me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil, not with gold or silver but with his holy, precious blood, and with his innocent suffering and death.
All this he did that I should be his own, and live under him in his kingdom, and serve him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness, just as he has risen from death and lives and rules eternally.
This is most certainly true.
PRAYER
Almighty and merciful God, you never despise what you have made and always forgive those who turn to you. Create in us such new and contrite hearts that we may truly repent of our sins and obtain your full and gracious pardon; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
MORNING PRAYER (10:00 AM)
O Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, you have brought us safely to this new day. Defend us with your mighty power, and grant that this day we neither fall into sin nor run into any kind of danger; and in all we do, direct us to what is right in your sight, through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord. Amen.
EVENING PRAYER (7:00 PM)
Lord God, we thank you for this day of grace now drawing to a close. Stay with us and warm our hearts with your forgiving love in Christ. May your Word keep our faith burning brightly that we may walk in the light of your presence through the darkness of this world. In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen.
BLESSING
Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love. 2 John 3 Amen.
Please be seated
CLOSING HYMN—Just as I Am, without One Plea Christian Worship 814
THOSE ASSISTING IN WORSHIP TODAY
Minister...................................................................................................................Pastor Seth Scheuerlein
Accompanist.............................................................................................................................. Deb Bakken
Vocalist.................................................................................................................. Jeff Weinstein (7:00 PM)
Ushers...................................................................... Stanley Mead (10:00 AM) Dylan Guenther (7:00 PM)
Sound and Recording Technicians ...............Jeremy Snavely, Danny Koehler, Sam Kasulke (7:00 PM)
Acknowledgements:
Scripture readings are taken from The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version® (EHV®) © 2018 The Wartburg Project. All rights reserved. wartburgproject.org Created by Christian Worship: Service Builder © 2025 Concordia Publishing House. Software distributed in partnership with Northwestern Publishing House.