Lenten Worship 2021

The Hands of the Passion – February 24, 2021

Order of Service: Prayer at the Close of Day Compline Service

P: The Lord Almighty grant us a quiet night and peace at the last.

C: (sing) Amen.

P: It is good to give thanks to the Lord,

C: (sing) To sing praise to your name, O Most High;

P: To herald your love in the morning,

C: (sing) Your truth at the close of day.

P: Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.

C: (sing) Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.

 

Evening Hymn 106 Come to Calvary’s Holy Mountain

1  Come to Calv’ry’s holy mountain, Sinners, ruined by the fall;

Here a pure and healing fountain Flows to you, to me, to all,

In a full, perpetual tide, Opened when our Savior died.

 

2  Come in poverty and meanness, Come defiled, without, within;

From infection and uncleanness, From the leprosy of sin,

Wash your robes and make them white; You shall walk with God in light.

 

3  Come in sorrow and contrition, Wounded, paralyzed, and blind;

Here the guilty, free remission, Here the troubled, peace may find.

Health this fountain will restore; He that drinks shall thirst no more.

 

4  He that drinks shall live forever; ’Tis a soul-renewing flood.

God is faithful; God will never Break his covenant of blood,

Signed when our Redeemer died, Sealed when he was glorified.

 

Text: James Montgomery, 1771-1854, alt.

 

Confession of Sins

P: Our help is in the name of the Lord,

C: who made heaven and earth.

P: Let us confess our sins in the presence of God and of one another.

 

Silence for self-examination

 

P: I confess to God Almighty, before the whole company of heaven, and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have sinned in thought, word, and deed by my fault,

by my own fault, by my own grievous fault; wherefore I pray God Almighty to have mercy on me, forgive me all my sins, and bring me to everlasting life.

C: The almighty and merciful Lord grant you pardon, forgiveness, and remission of all your sins.

P: Amen.

C: I confess to God Almighty, before the whole company of heaven, and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have sinned in thought, word, and deed by my fault,

by my own fault, by my own grievous fault; wherefore I pray God Almighty to have mercy on me, forgive me all my sins, and bring me to everlasting life.

P: The almighty and merciful Lord grant you pardon, forgiveness, and remission of all your sins.

C: Amen.

 

Psalm 91

The shelter of the love of God is my refuge and my light:

I trust in him to guide my days and protect me through the night

Because I come to him in love and trust him in all things

He answers when I call his name: he shelters me with his wings.

 

My faith is in the Lord alone, his Word my help and shield.

When thousand stumble by my side, his faithfulness is revealed.

Because I come to him in love and trust him in all things

He answers when I call his name: he shelters me with his wings.

 

Ever safe within his love I'll be secure through all my days,

The wonder of his mighty love always fills my heart with praise.

Because I come to him in love and trust him in all things

He answers when I call his name: he shelters me with his wings.

 

Lesson (passion history)

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.”         

While they were reclining and eating, Jesus said, “Amen I tell you: One of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.” They were very sad and began to say to him one after another, “Surely, not I, Lord?”

He said to them, “It is one of the Twelve, one who is dipping bread with me in the dish. Indeed, the Son of Man is going to go just as it has been written about him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”

After saying this, Jesus was troubled in his spirit and testified, “Amen, Amen, I tell you: One of you will betray me.”

The disciples were looking at each other, uncertain which of them he meant.

One of his disciples, the one Jesus loved, was reclining at Jesus’ side. Simon Peter motioned to him to find out which one Jesus was talking about.

So leaning back against Jesus’ side, he asked, “Lord, who is it?”

Jesus replied, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread, after I have dipped it in the dish.” Then he dipped the piece of bread and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.

So Jesus told him, “What you are about to do, do more quickly.”

None of those reclining at the table understood why Jesus said this to him. Because Judas kept the money box, some thought that Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the Festival,” or to give something to the poor. As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night.

After Judas left, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify the Son in himself and will glorify him at once.”

 

P: Into your hands I commend my spirit.

C: (sing) Into your hands I commend my spirit.

P: You have redeemed me, O Lord, God of truth

C: (sing) Into your hands I commend my spirit.

P: Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

C: (sing)  Into your hands I commend my spirit.

 

Hymn 117 vv. 1-3,6 &7 O Dearest Jesus

1  O dearest Jesus, what law have you broken

That such sharp sentence should on you be spoken?

Of what great crime have you to make confession-What dark transgression?

 

2  They crown your head with thorns, they smite, they scourge you;

With cruel mockings to the cross they urge you;

They give you gall to drink, they still decry you; They crucify you.

 

3  Whence come these sorrows, whence this mortal anguish?

It is my sins for which you, Lord, must languish;

Yes, all the wrath, the woe that you inherit, This I do merit.

 

6  I’ll think upon your mercy without ceasing,

That earth’s vain joys to me no more be pleasing;

To do your will shall be my sole endeavor Henceforth forever.

 

7  And when, dear Lord, before your throne in heaven

To me the crown of joy at last is given,

Where sweetest hymns your saints forever raise you, I too shall praise you.

 

Text: Johann Heermann, 1585-1647, abr.; tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1827-78, st. 1-4, 6-7, alt.; The Lutheran Hymnal, St. Louis, 1941, st. 5, alt.

 

Sermon: Hands of Betrayal (Judas) John 13:21-30

21 After saying this, Jesus was troubled in his spirit and testified, “Amen, Amen, I tell you: One of you will betray me.”

22 The disciples were looking at each other, uncertain which of them he meant.

23 One of his disciples, the one Jesus loved, was reclining at Jesus’ side. 24 So Simon Peter motioned to him to find out which one he was talking about.

25 So leaning back against Jesus’ side, he asked, “Lord, who is it?”

26 Jesus replied, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread, after I have dipped it in the dish.” Then he dipped the piece of bread and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.

So Jesus told him, “What you are about to do, do more quickly.”

28 None of those reclining at the table understood why Jesus said this to him. 29 Because Judas kept the money box, some thought that Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the Festival,” or to give something to the poor. 30 As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night.

 

 

 

Prayer

P: Hear my prayer, O Lord.

C: (sing) Listen to my cry.

P: Keep me as the apple of your eye.

C: (sing) Hide me in the shadow of your wings.

P: In righteousness I shall see you.

C: (sing) When I awake, your presence will give me joy.

 

Prayer of the Church

Lord’s Prayer

C: (sing) 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.   

Hymn 121 Jesus, Grant that Balm and Healing

1  Jesus, grant that balm and healing In your holy wounds I find,

Ev’ry hour that I am feeling Pains of body and of mind.

Should some evil thought within Tempt my treach’rous heart to sin,

Show the peril, and from sinning Keep me from its first beginning.

 

2  Should some lust or sharp temptation Fascinate my sinful mind,

Let me think about your passion, And new courage I shall find.

Or should Satan press me hard, Let me then be on my guard,

Saying, “Christ for me was wounded,” That the tempter flee confounded.

 

3  If the world my heart entices With the broad and easy road,

With seductive, sinful vices, Let me think about the load

You were willing to endure; Then I’ll flee all thoughts impure,

Mastering each wild temptation, Calm in prayer and meditation.

 

4  Ev’ry wound that pains or grieves me By your wounds, Lord, is made whole;

When I’m weak, your cross revives me, Granting new life to my soul.

Yes, your comfort renders sweet Ev’ry bitter cup I meet;

For your all-atoning passion Has procured my soul’s salvation.

 

5  O my God, my Rock and Tower, Grant that in your death I trust,

Knowing death has lost his power Since you crushed him in the dust.

Savior, let your agony Ever help and comfort me;

When I die be my protection, Light and life and resurrection.

 

Text: Johann Heermann, 1585-1647, abr.; tr. composite.

 

 

Gospel Canticle

P: Guide us waking, O Lord,

C: (sing) And guard us sleeping:

P: That awake we may watch with Christ,

C: (sing) And asleep we may rest in peace.

C: (sing) In peace, Lord, in peace you let your servant now depart according to your word.  For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for  every people, a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of your people Israel.  In peace, in peace.

 

Blessing

P: The almighty and merciful Lord - the Father, the Son,† and the Holy Spirit - bless us and keep us.

C: Amen.