Worship for Lent 3

Wednesday after the Second Sunday in Lent
March 3, 2010

The Lord be with you

This coming Sunday is the Third Sunday in Lent. At Lamb of God Lutheran (LCMS) we will be using the Service of Prayer and Preaching, which begins on page 260 of our hymnal. We will use the Lent options. This means we will be using a different New Testament Canticle, one without Alleluias. The Hymnal Review Committee indicated that “My Soul Now Magnifies the Lord” (LSB 934), a setting of the Magnificat, was well known, so we will use it. We will also be singing “My Song is Love Unknown” (LSB 430), “O God of God, O Light of Light” (LSB 810), and “Go, My Children, with My Blessing” (LSB 922). You can hear the music for each of these hymns at Better Noise, except 430. I have no videos for you this week.

The appointed lessons are Ezekiel 33:7-20, 1 Corinthians 10:1-13, and Luke 13:1-9. The sermon is titled “Examples” The sermon text will be 1 Corinthians 10:6.

Preview of the Lessons

Ezekiel 33:7-20: If I was to sum up these verses it would have to be that the repentant sinner finds a forgiving and merciful God, but the unrepentant sinner finds the opposite. The closing paragraph (verses 17-20) gives the typical sinners response to God’s mercy, “The way of the Lord is not just.” They turn from God’s mercy to their own hard hearts, and in the end they will find a God of justice. How sad, for a God of justice will condemn all sinners. How wonderful that in Christ we have a God of mercy.

1 Corinthians 10:1-13: Paul draws on several examples from the Old Testament to demonstrate God’s continuing mercy in Christ Jesus. However there are also examples of those who rejected God’s mercy, desiring to follow their own fallen sinful hearts. Without Christ their end was destruction. We are to learn from these examples and cling to Christ, trusting in him as we face all kinds of trials and temptations.

Luke 13:1-9: Jesus comments on some “current” events, where people died. (It reminds me of the recent earthquakes.) He assured his hearers (and us) that these disasters didn’t befall the victims because they were somehow worse sinners that the rest of us (a common sinful assumption). All sinners deserve to die, both temporally and eternally. The way to escape death is by trusting in the mercies of God in Christ Jesus. Yes, the believer will die temporally. But that is only a temporary death. On the Last Day the believer will be raised physically to live eternally with all the saints in Glory.

Sunday’s Collect

O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy, be gracious to all who have gone astray from your ways and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of Your Word; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Gradual (Hebrews 12:2)

O come, let us fix our eyes on Jesus,
the founder and perfecter of our faith,
who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame,
and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Verse (2 Peter 3:9b, c)

The Lord is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

Introit

For the LORD knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.
For you are not a God who delights in wickedness;
evil may not dwell with you.
The boastful shall not stand before your eyes;
you hate all evil-doers.
You destroy those who speak lies;
the LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.
But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your house.
I will bow down toward your holy temple in the fear of you.
Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies;
make your way straight before me.
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.
For the LORD knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.

NOTE: After the worship service there will be a meeting of those who are planning our upcoming Passover Meal.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert