In case you ever wondered -- Sermon prep

This was part of my sermon prep this week, a walk through Meadowbrook Lakes subdivision just north of the church.

The bright sun, blue skies, and "warmer" weather were all nice.

 

YouTube -- 1st Sunday in Lent (February 21, 2021)

 Here is the service from February 21, 2021.  For the first time in a long time, the entire liturgy was observed in the regular service rather than delaying Holy Communion until after the live-stream.

Sermon -- 1st Sunday in Lent (February 21, 2021)

MARK 1:12-15

FOR US FIGHTS THE VALIANT ONE, ALONE.

 In the name + of Jesus.

     In our Old Testament lesson on Ash Wednesday, the prophet Isaiah had us reflect on our own hearts.  When we take a good look at ourselves under the light of God’s Law, we see our sin.  We are not proud of it.  We do not even like it.  But we are sinners—both by nature and by practice.  We all are victims of Adam’s fall and subjects under Satan’s rule.

     Isaiah also declared that one would come, fight for us, and rescue us.  “The Lord … saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no one to intercede; then his own arm brought him salvation, and his righteousness upheld him.” (Isaiah 59:16)  The Lord himself comes to fight for us.  He comes to set us free from the grip of the devil, to release us from the tyranny of sin, and to destroy death itself.  For us fights the Valiant One, and just as Isaiah foretold it, he fights alone.

     St. Mark gives us the shortest account of Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness, but he demonstrates how Jesus serves us as the second Adam.  The first Adam was created by God and placed in a lush garden.  The Garden of Eden was not only a place of splendid fruits and vegetables, it was also home to an abundance of animals.  The Lord “brought them to the man to see what he would call them.  And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name.” (Genesis 2:19)  In Eden, the wild animals posed no threat.  All creation was in perfect harmony, and the hearts and minds of Adam and Eve were in perfect agreement with God’s will.

     The first Adam, however, was targeted quickly by Satan.  Satan deceived Eve.  He convinced her that eating the one food which was off limits was her ticket to freedom.  Although Adam was with her, he did not counter Satan’s words or protect his bride.  With his bride, Adam believed the lie.  He ate the fruit.  As a result, he brought guilt and shame, death and decay into the world.  From Adam, every person on earth has descended.  Because of Adam, every person on earth is a sinner and will die.  All mankind fell in Adam’s fall.  One common sin infects us all.

     But Christ, the second Adam came.  Jesus is the second perfect man to walk the earth.  At his baptism, Jesus was publicly marked as the Christ who would save mankind.  As the second Adam, Jesus would triumph where Adam failed.  So, immediately after his baptism, Jesus was tempted by the devil.  It was not a coincidence; it was by design.  St. Mark wrote, “The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness.” (Mark 1:12)  It almost sounds like it was done harshly, but it was definitely done on purpose.  The Holy Spirit expelled Jesus into the wilderness to face our enemy, the devil, for us.  For us fights the Valiant One, alone.

     The temptation of the second Adam was a little different from the first Adam.  Adam was in a lush garden; Jesus was in the wilderness.  Adam was among the wild animals which came to him and submitted to him; Jesus was among the wild animals which were undomesticated and dangerous.  Whereas Adam had his bride with him, and they could have encouraged one another to be faithful to God’s word, Jesus was sent out alone.  Whereas Adam had at his disposal abundant food, Jesus fasted.  Thus, for us fought the Valiant One, and he fought alone.

     “He was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan.” (Mark 1:13)  Jesus’ battle in the wilderness lasted for almost six weeks.  And he faced it alone—not only single-handedly, but also in loneliness.  There was no one to offer encouragement, no one to pray with.  Jesus was cut off from loved ones, and the only voice that he heard was the seductive, deceptive words of the devil.  For us fought the Valiant One, alone.

     The devil still likes to get us alone, or at least to make us feel like we are alone.  He knows that if he can cut us off from the family of believers, it is much easier to devour us.  There is a good reason our Lord has joined us together as a congregation.  We get to be encouragers of one another.  It is much easier to pray for someone you see than for one you don’t.  We can watch over each other—giving admonition of someone is drifting from the path of righteousness, giving consolation if someone is grieving, supplying aid if someone is in need, and rejoicing together with those who have been blessed.  To be separated from that—or worse, to separate yourself from that—is to risk being estranged from the body of Christ.  And if you are cut off from the body of Christ, you are not far from losing Christ himself.

     The devil wants us separated, and he gives us reasons to do so.  None of them are good, but he convinces us they are.  When you are associating with members of any congregation, you are associating with sinners.  You may get your feelings hurt.  You may be insulted or snubbed.  You may be the subject of gossip or jealousy.  What does the devil do with this?  He convinces you that you are better off without these people.  He convinces you that patience and forgiveness are unreasonable.  The result is that you cut yourself off from word and sacrament, as if that teaches someone else a lesson.  The devil will tell you that this is a good thing, just as he convinced Adam that eating the fruit was a good thing.

     It is not good for man to be alone.  It is not good for God’s people to live without each other.  The devil preys on you more intently when you do.  His temptations seem much more attractive when you are alone, because you are convinced you can get away with them.  This also means that you also bear your shame alone.  You become convinced that your sins are unique, that you are worse than everyone else, and that you don’t belong here.  But you are not alone.  The Apostle Paul reminds you: “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man” (1 Corinthians 10:13)  So you’ve sinned?  So has everyone else.  What grieves you probably grieves other people too.  The devil convinces you that it is better to hide your shame and suffer your guilt alone than to confess it.  Is it really?

     The devil is a cruel and relentless enemy.  He seeks to devour you.  If he drives you to despair, he will not be merciful to you.  The Lord, however, is most merciful.  He does not leave you as prey or property of the devil.  For us fights the Valiant One, and he fights alone for us.  St. Mark kept the details of the battle brief.  “The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness.  And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan.  And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.” (Mark 1:12-13)  Jesus endured the devil’s temptation for forty days, and overcame.  The second Adam remained perfect and obedient.

     For us fights the Valiant One, alone.  And in truth, he had to fight alone.  No one else could do what he has done for us.  The temptations Jesus faced were not limited to forty days in the wilderness.  The Bible reminds us that “in every respect [he] has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15)  Just as the devil does not leave you alone, so also he did not leave Jesus alone.  But Jesus fought off all these temptations, keeping himself free from sin.  He did this so that he could offer himself up as a holy, unblemished sacrifice to deliver you from all your sin.  Therefore, Jesus overcame the devil in his life and through his death.

     While the battle against the devil was evident in the wilderness, it was most intense in Gethsemane and at the cross.  The temptation Jesus, no doubt, continually faced was this: “Why would you suffer hell and torment for people who are going to keep on sinning?  For people who will perpetually fail you?  Even for people who will never care?”  It sounds like a valid question, doesn’t it?  We cut out of our lives people who sin against us.  We have our limits.  But the love of God has no bounds.  His mercy endures forever.  So, the second Adam went to the cross to rescue all of Adam’s children.

     Jesus was taunted by people as he died.  They challenged his claims.  They mocked his identity.  They thought it was laughable that he could save others but not himself.  Jesus endured the taunting and the scorn alone.  He bore the sins of the world alone.  He alone was forsaken for you, for your sins, whether they are public or private, whether they were done in the heat of the moment, intentionally planned, or have become habits  He who overcame every temptation gave himself into death for us who have not.  By giving himself into death, Jesus overcame the devil once and for all.  For us fights the Valiant One, alone.

     The devil thought by putting to death the second Adam, he would forever hold captive all of Adam’s children.  But death could not contain Jesus.  On the third day, he burst out of the grave.  He now lives to pardon all your sin.  He lives as victor over death.  He lives to crush every claim, every lie, and every plot of the devil.  He is your Valiant One who has fought to win you, and so now you are his. 

     And now, you are no longer alone.  Jesus sends his Holy Spirit to dwell in you.  The Holy Spirit keeps you connected to Jesus so that you are preserved in the faith.  When you find temptations seductive—and you will, you also find the Holy Spirit works with your spirit to recognize them as wicked and to renounce them.  When you fall into sin—and you will, you have the Holy Spirit who produces in you a heart repulsed and repentant over your sins.  And when the Holy Spirit stirs in you so that you confess your sin, you will discover that your God is not disappointed in you.  He does not harbor resentment against the penitent, and he does not regret the payment he made for you.  Rather, he applies forgiveness to you.  For, he fought the good fight to win you.  He says you are worth it.  And he is not willing to give you back to sin, death, and the devil.

     To further aid you in your battles and struggles, the Lord has been pleased to unite you to fellow Christians.  These people who worship and serve with you know what it is to be tempted, to be deceived, and to fall.  They crave the same mercy you do, and they long for you to have the same comfort they do.  And so, we gather where our Valiant Savior continues to serve, strengthen, and save us.  Rather than leave us to fast in the wilderness and face our hardships alone, Jesus summons us to kneel side by side and feast on the body and blood which have ransomed us from our enemy and which preserve us from his grasp.  For us fights the Valiant One.  He alone has won the victory, but he gives it freely to all.

In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

 

Issues, Etc. -- Introducing the Books of the Bible

Here is a valuable resource for an overview of the books of the Bible.  Issues, Etc. had a series with Pastor Bryan Wolfmueller in which he gives an overview of each book.  Pastor Wolfmueller, who is equally engaging and knowledgeable, will benefit your understanding of the Scriptures as they continue to reveal God's mercy and salvation for sinners.  

You can find Pastor Wolfmueller's "Introducing the Books of the Bible" at this link: Introducing the Books of the Bible (issuesetc.org)

You will also find much more of value to listen at Issues, Etc., hosted by Pastor Todd Wilken, a confessional pastor in the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.

Update from Good Shepherd (February 18, 2021)

  Greetings!

REGULAR SCHEDULE

Divine Services are at 10:00 AM on Sundays, in person and on Facebook Live.  Share our services and invite friends to tune in.

Sunday School is on Sundays at 8:45 AM.

Adult Bible Class is on Sundays at 8:45 AM.  We are continuing our series on Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  The schedule can be found at this link.  Beginning in mid-March, we will begin a new series entitled, "Elephants in the Room: Evolution vs. the Message of Scripture."

Lenten Vespers -- Wednesdays at 7:00 PM (through March 24).  You can see the schedule here.

OFFICE HOURS

          Office hours are Monday-Thursday, 9:00 AM – Noon.  

          The pastor will be in his office unless a meeting has been scheduled elsewhere (consult the weekly schedule).  The pastor is also available by appointment.  Call or text (248-719-5218).  You may also email (welsnovi@aol.com), but the response may be slower.

Good Shepherd 40th Anniversary Photo Compilation 
          This year is the 40th anniversary of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church! To commemorate the occasion we would like to put together a compilation of photos to develop into a video. If you're interested, please find up to 6 photos of your time with the congregation that you would like to share and email them to Brian Wilder, Pastor, or Dan LeFevre so we can compile them into a video. Also, if anyone has experience developing a video for this type of project and would like to assist in the creation any help would be greatly appreciated! Please submit your photos no later than March 17 (Ash Wednesday).

EASTER FOR KIDS PREP
            Easter for Kids will be a do-it-yourself event, after participants pick up their materials from Good Shepherd. The pick-up date will be Saturday, March 27 (9:00-11:00 AM). Registration forms (in paper and online) will be available soon.
            In order for this to be a worthwhile event for participants, we will have a lot of preparations to make so that children who are involved in Easter for Kids will still feel a connection to Good Shepherd.
            Here is what we need: Recording the lesson; Recording instructions for the craft; Posting those recordings to YouTube (setting up the link); Packet assembly (late March); Set up and manning the drive-through booth (Saturday, March 27, 9:00-11:00 AM); Publicizing Easter for Kids in the community. If you are willing to help with the preparation, publication, and/or distribution of materials, please speak to Pastor Schroeder.

CHANGES TO THE SERVICE
            With a reasonable amount of precautions already in place, we have returned more elements to the service. We are following The Common Service (p 15) with Holy Communion as a regular part of the service rather than separately after the live-stream. Those who worship online will still be able to sing a hymn during the distribution of the sacrament. The hymns and the Psalm will be in the hymnal, but the liturgy will be printed out in the bulletin.

ANNUAL MEETING / OPEN FORUM / VOTERS’ MEETING
            On Sunday, February 21, we will have our Annual Meeting after church. This will be done in person and over Zoom. The links were sent out in a letter that all members should have received by now. If you prefer them to be sent via email, please contact Pastor Schroeder. Registration will be necessary for Zoom.
The Annual Meeting is where we report what has been accomplished in this past year, but more importantly what we want to do this year and in the longer term. Some plans have already been made, but other plans need people to help. We can set goals and strive to achieve them based on how much our own members are invested in them. All of us can play a part, and this meeting is where we all get to see what can be done.
            After the Open Forum, the Voters’ Meeting will be held. All confirmed men in the congregation are urged to participate. Men, God called you to be leaders. We need you to lead, which is both honorable and necessary. If you are new to the Voters’ Assembly, then come and get familiar with what we are doing.

CONCERNING PASTORAL CARE

        Pastor Schroeder is available for private devotions, Holy Absolution, and Holy Communion to members in small groups or to individuals.  You may call to set up an appointment at any time.  Visits by appointment can be done either at church or at your home.

        If you want to ask for intercessions for loved ones, we will certainly remember them in our prayers, too.  If your loved one has no pastor, ask if they would like Pastor Schroeder to visit them.  

GOOD SHEPHERD ON YOUTUBE

         Feel free to share the videos.  For other services, do a search for "Good Shepherd Novi."  The service from February 14 is here:  Good Shephard Novi, Divine Service - Feb. 14, 2021 - YouTube

         Bulletins for services can be downloaded from here (scroll down): 

http://goodshepherdnovi.org/worship

OFFERINGS

While we may not be meeting for worship, we do have financial obligations to meet.  You may either mail your offering into Good Shepherd, or you can set up your offering to be transferred electronically from your bank.  If you are interested in the automatic transfer of funds for your offering, please contact the church at (248) 349-0565 or welsnovi@aol.com.

DO YOU LIKE US?

Look for Good Shepherd on Facebook.  Then “LIKE” us for updates and other postings.  Be sure to share posts with friends.

SHARE THIS POST!
We desire as many as possible to rejoice in the Gospel which we proclaim and confess.  Share the information from our weekly email blast, links to our web page, and even to the pastor's blog to let others know that we have a space in our congregation for them!

BAD WEATHER POLICY FOR SERVICES AT GOOD SHEPHERD 
        We will always have services as scheduled at Good Shepherd. Since I live across the parking lot, I can get to the church no matter how bad the weather gets. Even if the service is just me and my family, we will be here. For everyone else, please use your God-given common sense to determine whether or not you will get on the road to attend any service when the weather is bad. We don't want anyone to risk his or her life to be here. But if you do venture out, the scheduled service will take place. It may be only a handful with a cappella singing and/or spoken liturgy, but we will be here. 
        Bible Classes and meetings may be canceled due to weather. Check your email regarding announcements to see if any of those scheduled events is canceled. If there is no email about it, it is not canceled. But again, use common sense to determine if you can make it, and call the pastor to let him know if you will not be coming.

In Christ,

Pastor Schroeder

==============================

REGULAR SCHEDULE

DIVINE SERVICES -- Sundays at 10:00 AM  (We also stream on Facebook Live )

SUNDAY SCHOOL & ADULT BIBLE CLASS on Sundays at 8:45 AM.

LENTEN VESPERS, Wednesdays at 7:00 PM (through March 24).

GOOD SHEPHERD’S WEBSITE

www.GoodShepherdNovi.org

PASTOR SCHROEDER’S BLOG

www.LutheranSubject.blogspot.com  

Sermon -- Lenten Vespers (February 17, 2021)

JOHN 18:4-11

THE HANDS OF THE PASSION.

Hands of Misguided Zeal (Simon Peter)

 In the name + of Jesus.

      Everything done in conjunction with the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ was in good hands.  The Father had sent Jesus into the world to do the work to save us from sin, death, and the devil.  The Father’s plan had been in place already before the Creation of the world.  It was executed according to his promises, by his design, and at his timing.  The Father committed this plan to Jesus to fulfill.  With Jesus, it was in good hands.  Jesus had lived a holy life in obedience to God’s Commandments to supply the holy life God demands of people.  But instead of a reward, the Father gave Jesus a bitter cup to drink.  Jesus obediently received the cup of God’s wrath for sins he had no part of.  And then Jesus consumed it for you.  None of this was done by surprise.  It was executed according to the promises, by his design, and at his timing.  To the disciples, it all looked chaotic and scary.  With Jesus, it was in good hands.

     Even though Jesus had foretold that one of the apostles would betray him, it still surprised them to see Judas with the soldiers.  Judas had arranged the capture of Jesus under the cover of darkness and in the privacy of the Garden of Gethsemane.  It was a controlled setting so that there would be no riot among the populace.  Still, Jesus demonstrated that Judas did not have the control he thought he did—not with the authority of the high priest, not with a centurion in his company, and not with dozens of armed soldiers.  The squadron of soldiers were carrying lanterns and torches from the gate of Jerusalem, down the Kidron Valley, and up the hill to the Mount of Olives.  They would have been easy to track on this half mile march.  Escape would have been easy enough.  But Jesus did not pray for escape.  Jesus prayed for the strength to take the cup the Father was going to give him.  In answer to his prayer, the Father sent angels to minister to Jesus in his distress.  Jesus would not shrink, and he would not run.  He was guided by righteous zeal for your good.  Your salvation was in good hands.

     In the shadows of Gethsemane, there were twelve men who could have been seized.  The target, however, was Jesus.  Jesus made it easy.  He identified himself freely.  “Jesus … came forward and said to them, ‘Whom do you seek?’  They answered him, ‘Jesus of Nazareth.’  Jesus said to them, ‘I am he.’” (John 18:4-5)  Most have translated that phrase by adding a word.  In English, it makes good sense for Jesus to identify himself by saying, “I am he.”  In the Greek, however, Jesus identified himself more vividly.  He said, “I am.”  If he said this in Aramaic, which is most likely, the word he used was “Yahweh.”  He identified himself as the God who created heaven and earth, who divided the Red Sea, and who delivered Israel to the Promised Land.  “Whom are you seeking?  I AM.  I am not a helpless victim.  I am not a pawn in your power play.  I am not some poor schlep who is in the wrong place at the wrong time.  I AM.” 

     “When Jesus said to them, ‘I AM,’ they drew back and fell to the ground.  So he asked them again, ‘Whom do you seek?’  And they said, ‘Jesus of Nazareth.’  Jesus answered, ‘I told you that I AM.  So, if you seek me, let these men go.’” (John 18:6-8)  At the name of the Lord, the soldiers were thrown back.  Jesus’ authority was demonstrated.  Still, he sought no escape.  He secured the release of the apostles.  They would go on to be his witnesses.  But he would go on to die for the sins of the world.  He was guided by righteous zeal for your good.  Your salvation was in good hands.

     But then Simon Peter stepped in.  Simon had boasted of his loyalty to Jesus.  Simon declared a willingness to stick to Jesus and to die with Jesus if needed.  He would not have his zeal questioned.  In the Garden of Gethsemane, Simon saw his chance to prove himself.  He would be a hero—a fisherman with a dagger fighting off a squad of soldiers.  Simon Peter’s hands were devoted to misguided zeal—zealous to fight for Jesus, willing to fight off authority, eager to set Jesus free.

     It was not the first time Peter thought he knew better.  Earlier when Jesus said that it was necessary for the Son of Man to go to Jerusalem to suffer, die, and rise on the third day, Peter rebuked Jesus.  He pleaded that God would be merciful to Jesus and that God would never allow this to happen to Jesus.  Peter was zealous for Jesus’ glory, but it was misguided.  Peter’s big words were converted into bold actions in the Garden of Gethsemane.  With hands of misguided zeal, Simon Peter unsheathed his dagger and started swinging.  If Jesus had let things unfold, Peter and probably all the apostles would have been massacred.  Therefore, Jesus put a stop to it before everything got out of hand.  Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?” (John 18:11)  Although Jesus had the power to wipe out the band of soldiers, as was demonstrated by knocking them backward with just a word, he did not.  Jesus rebuked Simon Peter and curbed his misguided zeal.

     The problem with misguided zeal is not the zeal.  Zeal can be a noble trait, but only as long as it is guided by what is good and right.  Simon Peter was zealous for Jesus’ glory, but only in the way Peter thought would be glorious.  Peter had failed to listen to Jesus’ prophecies about himself.  He refused to believe that Jesus’ sufferings and death could be good, much less result in glory.  Whether Peter’s interest was for Jesus’ glory or his own is hard to say.  Peter wanted to craft glory according to his own thinking, and he was prepared to fight for it.  But the kingdom of God does not inflict violence; it suffers violence.  Thus, Peter’s hand was driven by misguided zeal.

     We also are deceived by misguided zeal.  We want our lives, our country, our fellow man, and even the kingdom of God to conform to our thinking.  Our zeal for the right politician has us insult people with different ideas.  Our zeal for our own reputation has us corrupt our stories so that we can either be the hero who saved the day or the victim who was mercilessly attacked—depending upon whether we want our audience to stand in awe of us or have pity upon us.  Even our zeal for morality can cause problems.  We recognize the benefit of moral and decent living.  We may be proud that we uphold morality so boldly.  But does our pride mean that we pile shame upon people rather than extend mercy or offer them hope?  When someone’s poor choices result in a hard life, do we respond with aid or with haughty mockery?  Misguided zeal usually builds up no one but ourselves.  We end up making an idol of ourselves, flaunting our own glory.  Repent.

     Have you ever wondered why Jesus doesn’t just step out of the way and let us destroy ourselves with our foolish pride and misguided zeal?  Why doesn’t Jesus let us devour each other?  Why doesn’t Jesus let us suffer the judgment we deserve?  Why didn’t Jesus let Simon Peter suffer the consequences of his misguided zeal and find out what the blade felt like when it was thrust into his body?  After all, he earned it.  And we have earned our share of disdain and dishonor, too.  Our confession is correct: We deserve God’s punishment both now and in eternity.

     The Lord Jesus did not leave matters in your hands.  Filthy hands cannot clean themselves.  Misguided hands will not mend things and make them right.  Therefore, he who is pure acted to cleanse us.  He who possesses a holy zeal labored to make things right.  Although Peter’s zeal was misguided, Jesus’ zeal was not.  Although our zeal is devoted to our own good, Jesus’ zeal was not focused on himself.  He clearly could have escaped his arrest, but he did not.  He could have knocked the army to the ground and walked away clean.  Instead, Jesus was guided by a pure zeal for your salvation.  He said to Peter, “Shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?” (John 18:11)  Jesus’ zeal was for the forgiveness of our sins, for the cleansing of our consciences, and for our deliverance from death.

     The cup is what God gives to us.  Both Isaiah and Jeremiah were told to make the rebellious people drunk on the cup of God’s wrath.  That cup brought a curse and condemnation for all who did not keep his word.  But now, that cup was going to be given to Jesus.  He would consume it for all mankind, for our sins, and to gain our salvation.  Jesus had given himself into the hands of wicked men who were zealous for his crucifixion.  By their wickedness, they orchestrated the sacrifice that would be made for us.  And while Jesus hung from that cross, he consumed every last drop of God’s wrath, every ounce of condemnation for our sins.  No matter how misguided or self-centered your zeal has been, Jesus’ zeal for your forgiveness is greater.  He has taken all wrath and judgment from you.  If all wrath is gone, there is only God’s good pleasure.  If all condemnation is gone, there is only God’s salvation.

     You have not been excused from receiving the cup of the Lord.  The cup is what God gives you.  But now, the cup of blessing which we bless is the means by which we receive the holy blood which was shed for us.  By partaking in this holy, precious blood, we receive what it has won for us—the forgiveness of all sins.  Therefore, we join in the Psalm and sing, “I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord.” (Psalm 116:13) 

     The Lord has been most gracious to you.  The Father crafted his plan to save you, and Jesus has carried it out.  You don’t need to boast or to fight your way into the kingdom of grace.  God gives it freely.  Be zealous for that.  God has guided the events of history to secure your salvation though the sufferings and death of Jesus.  The Holy Spirit guides you in your life through his word so that you strive for God’s will to be done with your hands, in your mind, and in your heart.  The Lord is zealous for your salvation and with him, you are in good hands.

In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Worship Notes -- The Imposition of Ashes

 Remember that you are dust, and to dust you will return.

             These words paraphrase Genesis 3:19 where the Lord proclaimed a curse upon man when he had first sinned.  St. Paul repeated that thought in his letter to the Romans: “Sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned.” (Romans 5:12)

            Ashes to ashes.  Dust to dust.  This is the harsh reality of sin.  The use of ashes long pre-dates the New Testament Church.  In the era of the Patriarchs, Job confessed his sin and declared, “I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:6)  The Imposition of Ashes teaches a dual lesson. 

            1)  It is a mark of penitence.  We demonstrate outwardly the sorrow for sin that we have inwardly.  

            2)  It is a mark of death.  It is a reminder that we are all dust, and to dust we will return.  The ashes remind us that we are helpless in our sinful condition.  Our only hope is a Savior.  We repent of our works.  We cling to Jesus for his.

            No one should feel obligated to receive the ashes on the forehead.  If you do not want to do it, the ushers will simply pass you by and go to the next row.  Children may participate at the discretion of their parents.

            We will begin the service with the rite.  Where the bulletin indicates, the ushers will begin to invite people by row to come to the communion railing to receive the ashes.  The penitent will stand at the railing this year to limit touch points, and wait as the pastor applies the ashes to the forehead in the shape of a cross.  Please resist all temptations to scratch or smear the ashes.  (The ashes will easily be washed off with soapy water.)

            This ceremony truly sets the tone for Lenten season.  We are marked as sinners.  We are marked for death.  We are marked as the penitent whose only hope is Jesus Christ. 

            Our comfort comes from Jesus who takes our sin.  He dies our death.  He marks us as his own who have been baptized into his name.  That is where the penitent find comfort.  That is where the dying find life.