The Service in PDF format is at: 03-21-2018 Lent service
Midweek of Lent 6
March 21, 2018
Vespers
The Trial: A Place of God’s Will
Our Lord knows how changeable our wills are and how vast are the forces that fight against us as His people; therefore, He teaches us to pray, “Thy will be done.”
As Luther explains in the Large Catechism, “Just as God’s name is holy in itself, and we still pray that it be holy among us, so also His kingdom comes of itself, without our prayer. Yet we still pray that it may come to us, that is, triumph among us and with us, so that we may be a part of those people among whom His name is hallowed and His kingdom prospers” (Part III, The Second Petition, p. 414).
This evening, we meditate upon the trial of Jesus, seeing in this place the trials of the world that fight against God’s will and yet also seeing the work of God, bringing salvation to the world and making the place of trial a place of His eternal will.
P: O Lord, open my lips,
C: and my mouth will declare Your praise.
P: Make haste, O God, to deliver me;
C: make haste to help me, O Lord.
ALL: 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.
Praise to You, O Christ, Lamb of our salvation.
OFFICE HYMN Red Book 55 “Great is Thy Faithfulness”
“Great is Thy faithfulness,” O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not,
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.
“Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!”
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath pro vided
“Great is Thy faithfulness,” Lord unto me!
Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above,
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness mercy and love.
“Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!”
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath pro vided
“Great is Thy faithfulness,” Lord unto me!
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thy own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!
“Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!”
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath pro vided
“Great is Thy faithfulness,” Lord unto me!
+ Readings +
14For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. 15For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. 17So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.
21So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, 23but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 24Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.
P: O Lord, have mercy on us.
C: Thanks be to God.
22:63Now the men who were holding Jesus in custody were mocking Him as they beat Him. 64They also blindfolded Him and kept asking Him, “Prophesy! Who is it that struck You?” 65And they said many other things against Him, blaspheming Him.
66When day came, the assembly of the elders of the people gathered together, both chief priests and scribes. And they led Him away to their council, and they said, 67“If You are the Christ, tell us.” But He said to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe, 68and if I ask you, you will not answer. 69But from now on the Son of Man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” 70So they all said, “Are You the Son of God, then?” And He said to them, “You say that I am.” 71Then they said, “What further testimony do we need? We have heard it ourselves from His own lips.”
23:1Then the whole company of them arose and brought Him before Pilate. 2And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that He Himself is Christ, a king.” 3And Pilate asked Him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And He answered him, “You have said so.” 4Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no guilt in this man.” 5But they were urgent, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee even to this place.”
6When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. 7And when he learned that He belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him over to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time. 8When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long desired to see Him, because he had heard about Him, and he was hoping to see some sign done by Him. 9So he questioned Him at some length, but He made no answer. 10The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing Him. 11And Herod with his soldiers treated Him with contempt and mocked Him. Then, arraying Him in splendid clothing, he sent Him back to Pilate. 12And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before this they had been at enmity with each other.
13Pilate then called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, 14and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was misleading the people. And after examining Him before you, behold, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against Him. 15Neither did Herod, for he sent Him back to us. Look, nothing deserving death has been done by Him. 16I will therefore punish and release Him.”
18But they all cried out together, “Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas”—19a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city and for murder. 20Pilate addressed them once more, desiring to release Jesus, 21but they kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify Him!” 22A third time he said to them, “Why, what evil has He done? I have found in Him no guilt deserving death. I will therefore punish and release Him.” 23But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that He should be crucified. And their voices prevailed. 24So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted. 25He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, for whom they asked, but he delivered Jesus over to their will.
P: O Lord, have mercy on us.
C: Thanks be to God
SERMON HYMN “In the Cross of Christ I Glory”
In the cross of Christ I glory,
Tow’r ing o’er the wrecks of time.
All the light of sacred story
Gathers round is head sublime.
When the woes of life o’er tale me,
Hopes deceive, and fears annoy,
Never shall the cross forsake me;
Lo, it glows with peace and joy.
When the sun of bliss is beaming
Light and love upon my way,
From the cross the radiance streaming
Adds more luster to the day.
Bane and blessing, pain and pleasure,
By the cross are sanctified;
Peace is there that knows no measure,
Joys that through all time abide.
SERMON “The Trial: A Place of God’s Will” (Luke 22:63–23:25)
+ Prayer +
P: O Lord, hear my prayer.
C: And let my cry come to You.
COLLECT OF THE DAY
P: Almighty God, Your faithfulness endures throughout all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth or the sea was formed or the earth was filled with all Your creatures, from everlasting to everlasting, You are God. You had pity upon Your world, fallen and filled with people of changing wills, and sent Your Son to accomplish Your will and bring salvation to the ends of the earth.
Comfort us with Your eternal love, forgiving us for our changing wills and filling us with unchanging love of You and willing obedience to Your commands that Your will might be done among us also and the message of salvation be brought to the ends of the earth.
Through Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and ever. Amen.
C: Amen.
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING TO GOD
P: Heavenly Father, God of all grace, govern our hearts that we may never forget Your blessings but steadfastly thank and praise You for all Your goodness in this life until, with all Your saints, we praise You eternally in Your heavenly kingdom; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
C: Amen.
COLLECT FOR PEACE
P: O God, from whom come all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works, give to us, Your servants, that peace which the world cannot give, that our hearts may be set to obey Your commandments and also that we, being defended from the fear of our enemies, may live in peace and quietness; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C: Amen.
LORD’S PRAYER
C: Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven;
give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
P: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
C: Amen.
CLOSING HYMN Green Book 272 “Abide with Me”
Abide with me, fast falls the even tide
The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, oh, abide with me.
I need thy presence ev’ry passing hour;
What but thy grace can foil the tempter’s pow’r?
Who like thyself my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, oh, abide with me.
Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
Earth’s joys grow dim, its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see;
O thou who changest not, abide with me.
I fear no foe, with thee at hand to bless;
Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness.
Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if thou abide with me!
Hold thou thy cross before my closing eyes,
Shine through the gloom, and point me to the skies;
Heav’n’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee
In life, in death, O lord abide with me.