ASH WEDNESDAY
Worship
LECTIONARY WORSHIP AIDS
REVISED FOR USE WITH THE COMMON [CONSENSUS] LECTIONARY
Theme:
Return to the Lord
Call to Worship
Pastor:
The Lord is serious when reminding us that sin brings spiritual death.
People:
We know sin is against God's will, but we cannot seem to escape its grip.
Pastor:
God is forgiving if we will repent and return to follow God's will.
People: We give thanks for God's patient mercy. We come in sincere penitence to begin a new life.
Collect
Merciful Lord, who is willing to forgive our sins if we will return to you: Move us to sincere repentance that we may have the joy of being in a right relationship with you and serve our Lord and Savior with faithful dedication. In his name we pray. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
Forgive us, Lord, when our religious ritual has been a performance instead of a change of heart. Hear our confessions and cleanse us of sin to live righteous lives to your honor and glory. May the worship we profess in liturgy be verified by the dedication We demonstrate in life. In our Savior's name we pray. Amen.
Hymns
"I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say"
"Jesus Calls Us O'er the Tumult"
"Just As I Am, Without One Plea"
"Sinners, Turn: Why Will You Die"
ASH WEDNESDAY
Second Lesson: 2 Corinthians 5:20b--6:2 (3-10)
Theme:
Reconciled with God by Christ's death
Call to Worship
Pastor:
We are reconciled with God, not because of any religious achievements of our own, but because of the righteousness of Christ.
People:
We depend on Christ, who died for us, for any righteousness we can claim.
Pastor:
Even while sinning, God's love is poured out for us. That was the kind of love Jesus expressed when he died for us on the cross.
People:
We rejoice in our Lord, Jesus Christ, who has brought us back into fellowship with God!
Collect
Our Lord in heaven: You have looked upon us in our sin; and instead of rejecting us, you have expressed your love through your Son, in hopes of bringing us back into fellowship with you. Grant us this reconciliation as we put our confidence in Christ who died for us, even though we deserve to be cast aside. For his sake, we pray. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
We are far from being righteous, Lord, but at the same time we do not want to be outside of your love. We confess we can come to you only as sinners, claiming the reconciliation that Christ has made possible for us by his death on the cross. Forgive us for our sinful nature that separates us from you. Accept us, sinful as we are, and save us to a renewed fellowship with you. We pray through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Hymns
"Arise, My Soul, Arise"
"Depth of Mercy"
"Jesus, Thy Blood and Righteousness"
" 'Tis Finished! The Messiah Dies"
ASH WEDNESDAY
Gospel:
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21
Theme:
Our piety is God's secret
Call to Worship
Pastor:
Come humbly and make your confessions in the assurance God hears and forgives.
People:
We are unworthy of the love shown to us in Christ; yet God calls, and so we come in the faith.
Pastor:
God accepts us and wants our living to be as holy as possible without artificial display.
People:
From the depths of our hearts we expose ourselves to God for what we truly are and pray that we may be cleansed for faithful discipleship.
Collect
O Lord our God, who rejects the superficial public demonstrations of our piety: Search our hearts and cleanse us from within that we may enjoy a personal relationship with Christ our Savior and give service that is in obedience to your will. In the name of Christ we pray. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
We don't fast very often, O Lord, but we do pray, and we do use envelopes. Forgive us when these overt acts have created any religious pride on our behalf. Help us to be honest in our corporate worship and diligent in our personal devotions that the worship we give may never be for the praise of people. Hear us for Christ's sake. Amen.
Hymns
"Be Thou My Vision"
"Dear Master in Whose Life I See"
"I Need Thee Every Hour"
"Take Time to Be Holy"
Return to the Lord
Call to Worship
Pastor:
The Lord is serious when reminding us that sin brings spiritual death.
People:
We know sin is against God's will, but we cannot seem to escape its grip.
Pastor:
God is forgiving if we will repent and return to follow God's will.
People: We give thanks for God's patient mercy. We come in sincere penitence to begin a new life.
Collect
Merciful Lord, who is willing to forgive our sins if we will return to you: Move us to sincere repentance that we may have the joy of being in a right relationship with you and serve our Lord and Savior with faithful dedication. In his name we pray. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
Forgive us, Lord, when our religious ritual has been a performance instead of a change of heart. Hear our confessions and cleanse us of sin to live righteous lives to your honor and glory. May the worship we profess in liturgy be verified by the dedication We demonstrate in life. In our Savior's name we pray. Amen.
Hymns
"I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say"
"Jesus Calls Us O'er the Tumult"
"Just As I Am, Without One Plea"
"Sinners, Turn: Why Will You Die"
ASH WEDNESDAY
Second Lesson: 2 Corinthians 5:20b--6:2 (3-10)
Theme:
Reconciled with God by Christ's death
Call to Worship
Pastor:
We are reconciled with God, not because of any religious achievements of our own, but because of the righteousness of Christ.
People:
We depend on Christ, who died for us, for any righteousness we can claim.
Pastor:
Even while sinning, God's love is poured out for us. That was the kind of love Jesus expressed when he died for us on the cross.
People:
We rejoice in our Lord, Jesus Christ, who has brought us back into fellowship with God!
Collect
Our Lord in heaven: You have looked upon us in our sin; and instead of rejecting us, you have expressed your love through your Son, in hopes of bringing us back into fellowship with you. Grant us this reconciliation as we put our confidence in Christ who died for us, even though we deserve to be cast aside. For his sake, we pray. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
We are far from being righteous, Lord, but at the same time we do not want to be outside of your love. We confess we can come to you only as sinners, claiming the reconciliation that Christ has made possible for us by his death on the cross. Forgive us for our sinful nature that separates us from you. Accept us, sinful as we are, and save us to a renewed fellowship with you. We pray through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Hymns
"Arise, My Soul, Arise"
"Depth of Mercy"
"Jesus, Thy Blood and Righteousness"
" 'Tis Finished! The Messiah Dies"
ASH WEDNESDAY
Gospel:
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21
Theme:
Our piety is God's secret
Call to Worship
Pastor:
Come humbly and make your confessions in the assurance God hears and forgives.
People:
We are unworthy of the love shown to us in Christ; yet God calls, and so we come in the faith.
Pastor:
God accepts us and wants our living to be as holy as possible without artificial display.
People:
From the depths of our hearts we expose ourselves to God for what we truly are and pray that we may be cleansed for faithful discipleship.
Collect
O Lord our God, who rejects the superficial public demonstrations of our piety: Search our hearts and cleanse us from within that we may enjoy a personal relationship with Christ our Savior and give service that is in obedience to your will. In the name of Christ we pray. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
We don't fast very often, O Lord, but we do pray, and we do use envelopes. Forgive us when these overt acts have created any religious pride on our behalf. Help us to be honest in our corporate worship and diligent in our personal devotions that the worship we give may never be for the praise of people. Hear us for Christ's sake. Amen.
Hymns
"Be Thou My Vision"
"Dear Master in Whose Life I See"
"I Need Thee Every Hour"
"Take Time to Be Holy"
