3-22-23 Grace-Tucson Lenten Worship Folder

Midweek Lenten Worship

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 “His Final Steps.” Under this theme we are walking with our Savior on the final steps of his journey to the cross. How humbling and comforting to learn that Jesus knew exactly what lay ahead. Yet Jesus took his final steps to the cross for you and for me!

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 www.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.

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:

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

OPENING HYMN Jesus, I Will Ponder Now

Christian Worship 420, stanzas 1, 2, 3, and 5

1 John 1:5-8

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 29

Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is majestic.

The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars. And in his temple all cry, “Glory!”

The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord is enthroned as king forever.

The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace.

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.

Lord, let your Word thunder to the ends of the earth. Let the waters of Baptism cover all peoples, so that all the nations of the earth may shout your glory and proclaim your marvelous deeds; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and rules with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen.

PASSION HISTORY ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW’S GOSPEL Matthew 27:1

1 Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people reached the decision to put Jesus to death. 2They bound him, led him away, and handed him over to Pontius Pilate, the governor.

3Then 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 4and said, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” But they said, “What is that to us? That’s your problem.”

5He threw the pieces of silver into the temple and left. Then he went out and hanged himself. 6The chief priests took the pieces of silver and said, “It is not lawful to put these into the treasury, since it is blood money.” 7They reached a decision to buy the potter’s field with the money, as a burial place for foreigners. 8So that field has been called The Field of Blood to this day. 9Then what was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled:

They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price the sons of Israel had set for him, 10and they gave them for the potter’s field, just as the Lord commanded me.

11When Jesus stood in the presence of the governor, the governor asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?”

Jesus said to him, “It is as you say.”

12When he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. 13Then Pilate said to him, “Don’t you hear how many things they are testifying against you?”

14But he did not answer him not even one word, so that the governor was very surprised.

15At the time of the Festival the governor had a custom to release to the crowd any one prisoner they wanted. 16At that time they were holding a notorious prisoner named Barabbas. 17So when they were assembled, Pilate said to them, “Which one do you want me to release to you? Barabbas or Jesus, who is called Christ?” 18For Pilate knew that they had handed Jesus over to him because of envy.

19While he was sitting on the judgment seat, Pilate’s wife sent him a message. “Have nothing to do with that righteous man,” she said, “since I have suffered many things today in a dream because of him.” 20But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus put to death. 21The governor asked them, “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?”

“Barabbas!” they said.

Pilate said to them, “Then what should I do with Jesus, who is called Christ?”

They all said to him, “Crucify him!”

23But the governor said, “Why? What has he done wrong?”

But they kept shouting even louder: “Crucify him!”

24When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing and that instead it was turning into a riot, he took water, washed his hands in front of the crowd, and said, “I am innocent of this righteous man’s blood. It is your responsibility.”

25And all the people answered, “Let his blood be on us and on our children!”

26Then he released Barabbas to them, but he had Jesus flogged and handed him over to be crucified.

HYMN—What Grace Is This

20 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Festival.

21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we want to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went to tell Andrew. Andrew came with Philip and told Jesus.

23 Jesus answered them, “The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Amen, Amen, I tell you: Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it continues to be one kernel. But if it dies, it produces much grain. 25 Anyone who loves his life destroys it. And the one who hates his life in this world will hold on to it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves me, let him follow me. And where I am, there my servant will be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

27 “Now my soul is troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, this is the reason I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name!”

A voice came from heaven: “I have glorified my name, and I will glorify it again.”

29 The crowd standing there heard it and said it thundered. Others said an angel talked to him. 30 Jesus answered, “This voice was not for my sake but for yours.

31 “Now is the judgment of this world. Now the ruler of this world will be thrown out.

32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 He said this to indicate what kind of death he was going to die.

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 God, you have given us your only Son that he may be for us both a sacrifice for sin and an example of godly living. Give us grace that we may always receive the priceless gift of his redemption with sincere thankfulness and daily strive to walk in the blessed steps of his most holy life. 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.

LORD’S PRAYER

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.

Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love.

John 3 Amen.

Please be seated