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Ash Wednesday
MARCH 2, 2022
John the Baptist
+ AS WE GATHER +
This year’s series paints a stunning portrait of Jesus through the eyes of those whose interactions with Jesus lead us to meditate on His Passion as recorded by St. John in his Gospel. Our overall theme is “Witnesses to Christ: People From His Passion.”
John tells us he wrote his Gospel: “so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:30–31).
This Lent, our life in Christ will be strengthened as we hear the witness of those who were present as part of Jesus’ journey to the cross. Along the way, we’ll meet villains, such as Barabbas and Pontius Pilate; sinners, such as Peter (who denied Jesus three times), Mary Magdalene (who was possessed by seven demons), and Judas Iscariot (who betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver); as well as others.
We begin our Lenten journey with John the Baptist, a man on a mission. “There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him” (John 1:6–7). John the Baptist’s mission is “to bear witness about the light.” In fact, fourteen times in John’s Gospel, the word witness is connected with John the Baptist. “He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world” (John 1:8–9). John points us to Jesus, who takes away our sin, our guilt, and our shame at the cross.
+ PREPARATION +
INVOCATION
Pastor: In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen.
OPENING SENTENCES
Pastor: Today we begin our Lenten journey, recognizing the witnesses who point us to Christ,
People: testifying to His words and actions for us.
Pastor: John the Baptist directs us to Jesus, proclaiming:
People: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION
Pastor: John’s words remind us that we need forgiveness. We cannot escape our sin, guilt, or shame on our own. Though we may try to hide our sin, our heavenly Father knows all things. He invites us to turn to Him so that our sin, guilt, and shame might be taken away. Together we confess:
People: Lord, we come before You filled with regrets of things we should not have done, words we wish we could take back, and thoughts we cannot bear to remember. Our sins have infected our relationships with others and our relationship with You, Lord. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so the joy of Your salvation might be restored to us.
Pastor: John’s words remind us that forgiveness comes to us from Jesus. Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world by His death and resurrection. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, the Lamb of God, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen. Behold, we are forgiven by Christ!
IMPOSITION OF ASHES
Pastor: We are indeed forgiven in Christ. Still, in this world, we suffer the wages of sin, which is death. We endure pain, disease, and grief. Today we receive the mark of the cross upon us in the form of ashes. These ashes remind us that we are merely dust and ashes, that when we die, our bodies will return to dust and ashes. But the sign of the cross reminds us that dust and ashes are not the end for us. When Jesus returns, He will raise us from the dead, and we will live forever with Him in the new creation.
People: Amen. We will be free from sin, death, and Satan when Jesus returns.
Pastor: Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.
HYMN: #419 – Savior When in Dust to Thee
+ Word +
KYRIE
People: Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
SALUTATION and COLLECT OF THE DAY
Pastor: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Pastor: Let us pray.
Dear heavenly Father, You sent Your Son to be the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. Embolden us to follow Him on the journey to the cross, learning as we go from those witnesses who point us to Jesus, our forgiveness and life; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
People: Amen.
PSALM – Psalm 51:1–12
Pastor: Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your steadfast love; according to Your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.
People: Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!
Pastor: For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.
People: Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You may be justified in Your words and blameless in Your judgment.
Pastor: Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.
People: Behold, You delight in truth in the inward being, and You teach me wisdom in the secret heart.
Pastor: Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
People: Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that You have broken rejoice.
Pastor: Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.
People: Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Pastor: Cast me not away from Your presence, and take not Your Holy Spirit from me.
People: Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.
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.
OLD TESTAMENT READING – Joel 2:12–19
Pastor: The Old Testament Reading is from Joel, the second chapter.
12“Yet even now,” declares the Lord,
“return to Me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
13and rend your hearts and not your garments.”
Return to the Lord, your God,
for He is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love;
and He relents over disaster.
14Who knows whether He will not turn and relent,
and leave a blessing behind Him,
a grain offering and a drink offering
for the Lord your God?
15Blow the trumpet in Zion;
consecrate a fast;
call a solemn assembly;
16gather the people.
Consecrate the congregation;
assemble the elders;
gather the children,
even nursing infants.
Let the bridegroom leave his room,
and the bride her chamber.
17Between the vestibule and the altar
let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep
and say, “Spare Your people, O Lord,
and make not Your heritage a reproach,
a byword among the nations.
Why should they say among the peoples,
‘Where is their God?’ ”
18Then the Lord became jealous for His land
and had pity on His people.
19The Lord answered and said to His people,
“Behold, I am sending to you
grain, wine, and oil,
and you will be satisfied;
and I will no more make you
a reproach among the nations.”
Pastor: This is the Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
EPISTLE – 2 Corinthians 5:20b—6:10
Pastor: The Epistle is from Second Corinthians, the fifth and sixth chapters.
20bWe implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
1Working together with Him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2For He says,
“In a favorable time I listened to you,
and in a day of salvation I have helped you.”
Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 3We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, 4but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, 5beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; 6by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; 7by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; 8through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; 9as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; 10as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.
Pastor: This is the Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
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.
HOLY GOSPEL – John 1:29–34
Pastor: The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the first chapter.
People: Glory to You, O Lord.
29The next day [John] saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
30“This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because He was before me.’ 31I myself did not know Him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that He might be revealed to Israel.” 32And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on Him. 33I myself did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”
Pastor: This is the Gospel of the Lord.
People: Praise to You, O Christ.
HYMN: #344 – On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist’s Cry
SERMON: Defensive, Defeated or Delivered?
APOSTLES’ CREED
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Christian Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life + everlasting. Amen.
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH
After each petition :
Pastor: let us pray to the Lord
People: Lord, have mercy.
The prayers conclude:
Pastor: … You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
People: Amen.
LORD’S PRAYER
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.
CLOSING COLLECT
Pastor: Let us pray.
Almighty and everlasting God, You despise nothing You have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent. Create in us new and contrite hearts that lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness we may receive from You full pardon and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
People: Amen.
Luther’s Evening Prayer
I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have graciously kept me this day; and I pray that You would forgive me all my sins where I have done wrong, and graciously keep me this night. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.
BENEDICAMUS and BENEDICTION
Pastor: Let us bless the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
Pastor: The almighty and merciful Lord, the Father, the + Son, and the Holy Spirit, bless and preserve you.
People: Amen.
CLOSING HYMN: #435 – Come to Calvary’s Holy Mountain
Creative Worship for the Lutheran Parish, Series C, Quarter 1. Copyright © 2021 Concordia Publishing House. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
