SERVICE FOR ASH WEDNEDAY
IMPOSITION OF ASHES
OPENING VERSICLES
Pastor: Holy God, holy and most gracious Father,
People: Have mercy and hear us
**PSALM 51
Pastor: Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love;
People: according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.
Pastor: Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
People: and cleanse me from my sin!
Pastor: For I know my transgressions,
People: and my sin is ever before me.
Pastor: Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight,
People: so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.
Pastor: Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
People: and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Pastor: Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,
People: and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.
Pastor: Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
People: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Pastor: Let me hear joy and gladness;
People: let the bones that you have broken rejoice.
Pastor: Hide your face from my sins,
People: and blot out all my iniquities.
Pastor: Create in me a clean heart, O God,
People: and renew a right spirit within me.
Pastor: Cast me not away from your presence,
People: and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
Pastor: Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
People: and uphold me with a willing spirit.
Pastor: Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
People: and sinners will return to you.
**SERVICE OF CORPORATE CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION
Pastor: Having heard and spoken the Word of God, let us confess our sins to our Father, imploring Him for the sake of His Son Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness.
All: I, a poor sinner, plead guilty before God of all sins. I have lived as if God did not matter and as if I mattered most. My Lord’s name I have not honored as I should; my worship and prayers have faltered. I have not let His love have its way with me, and so my love for others has failed. There are those whom I have hurt, and those whom I have failed to help. My thoughts and desires have been soiled with sin. I am sorry for all of this and ask for grace. I want to do better. Amen.
Pastor: God be merciful to you and strengthen your faith.
All: Amen.
Pastor: Do you believe that the forgiveness I speak is not my forgiveness but God’s?
All: Yes.
Pastor: Let it be done for you as you believe. In the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
All: Amen.
Pastor: Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it. Go + in peace.
All: Amen.
(Sit)
HYMN ~ Alas! And Did My Savior Bleed, TFBF#71
1 Alas! And did my Savior bleed,
And did my sov’reign die?
Would He devote that sacred head
For such a worm as I?
At the cross, at the cross, where I first saw the light;
And the burden of my heart rolled away.
It was there by faith, I received my sight.
And now I am happy all the day
2 Was it for crimes that I had done
He groaned upon the tree?
Amazing pity, grace unknown,
And love beyond degree!
3 Well might the sun in darkness hide
And shut his glories in
When God, the mighty maker, died
For His own creatures’ sin.
4Thus might I hide my blushing face
While His dear cross appears,
Dissolve my heart in thankfulness,
And melt mine eyes to tears.
5 But drops of grief can ne’er repay
The debt of love I owe;
Here, Lord, I give myself away:
’Tis all that I can do.
READING – Matthew 26:1-25
RESPONSE
Pastor: O Lord, have mercy on us.
People: Thanks be to God.
Pastor: Return to the Lord, your God, for He is gracious and merciful
People: Slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.
Pastor: O come, let us fix our eyes on Jesus
People: the founder and perfecter of our faith
Pastor: who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame,
People: and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God
HYMN ~ “Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross”
1 Jesus, keep me near the cross,
There a precious fountain;
Free to all, a healing stream,
Flows from Calv’ry’s mountain.
Refrain:
In the cross, in the cross
Be my glory ever,
Till my ransomed soul shall find
Rest beyond the river.
2 Near the cross, a trembling soul,
Love and mercy found me;
There the Bright and Morning Star
Shed His beams around me. [Refrain]
3 Near the cross! O lamb of God,
Bring its scenes before me;
Help me walk from day to day
With its shadow o’er me. [Refrain]
4 Near the cross! I’ll watch and wait,
Hoping, trusting ever;
Till I reach the golden strand,
Just beyond the river. [Refrain]
SERMON ~ “A Beautiful Thing”
(Please rise)
PRAYER OF THE DAY & PRAYER
Pastor: 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.
L: O Lord, C: have mercy. L: O Christ, C: have mercy. L: O Lord, C: have mercy.
L: O Christ, C: hear us.
L: God the Father in heaven, C: have mercy.
L: God the Son, Redeemer of the world, C: have mercy.
L: God the Holy Spirit, C: have mercy.
Jesus, Son of the living God, Have mercy.
From all evil, O Jesus, deliver us.
From sudden, unprepared, or evil death; From the snares of the devil; From anger, hatred, or ill-will; From everlasting death, O Jesus, deliver us.
By the mystery of Your incarnation; By Your most holy life and conversation; By Your most bitter Passion and death; By Your agony and bloody sweat; By Your thrice-repeated prayer; By Your bonds and stripes; By Your sacred body, buffeted and smitten; By the spitting upon Your adorable face; By the false judgment pronounced by Caiaphas; By Herod’s disdain of You; By the shameful stripping of Your garments; By Your painful crown of thorns; By Your purple robe of mockery; By Your most unjust condemnation; By Your bearing Your own cross; By Your footprints to the place of death; By the tearing off of Your garments; By the cruel straining of Your sacred limbs; By Your dread crucifixion; By the anguish You did suffer; By Your prayers and tears; By the insults You endured; By the shedding of Your most precious blood; By Your patience and humility; By the love with which You loved us to the end: O Jesus, deliver us.
We poor sinners implore You to hear us: O most loving Jesus.
That being dead to sin, we may live unto righteousness; That we may take up our cross daily and follow You; That Your blood may cleanse us from dead works to serve the living God; That looking on Your example, we may follow Your steps; That being partakers of Your sufferings, we may be also partakers of Your glory: We implore You to hear us, O Jesus.
To give comfort and relief to all who have asked for our prayers [especially ______________]: We implore You to hear us, O Jesus.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, Have mercy.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, Have mercy.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, Grant us Your peace.
**THE LORD’S PRAYER & THE BENEDICTION