Lent By Candlelight
February 11, 2018
Lent By Candlelight
We welcome you and thank you for joining us in preparing for this Lenten season. Tonight we will listen to some of the quiet voices of Lent. These small voices, these minor characters of Lent, are often overlooked, although they have a lot to share with us. In these busy times, in times of struggle, we can all use a little perspective from God’s Word. We pray that through this service, and throughout this Lenten season, you will be edified by the quiet voices of Scripture.
Opening Prayer: (spoken together)
Lord God, you have brought us safely to this hour of evening prayer. We thank you for providing all that we need for body and life. Bless us who have gathered in your name. Forgive our sins. Speak to our hearts. Dispel our sorrows with the comfort of your Word, and receive our hymns of thanks and praise, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Opening Hymn: How Great Thou Art
(Extinguish one candle)
1 O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the works thy hand hath made,
I see the stars, I hear the mighty thunder,
Thy pow’r throughout the universe displayed.
Refrain:
Then sings my soul, my Savior-God, to thee,
“How great thou art! How great thou art!”
Then sings my soul, my Savior-God to thee,
“How great thou art! How great thou art!”
2 When through the woods and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees;
When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur
And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze, [Refrain]
3 And when I think that God, his Son not sparing,
Sent him to die, I scarce can take it in,
That on the cross my burden gladly bearing
He bled and died to take away my sin. [Refrain]
4 When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow in humble adoration
And there proclaim: “My God, how great thou art!” [Refrain]
The Owners of the Colt
Luke 19: 29-38
Spoken together:
Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
Hymn: Ride On, Ride On in Majesty (CW 133)
1 Ride on, ride on in majesty!
Hark! all the tribes hosanna cry.
O Savior meek, pursue your road,
With palms and scattered garments strowed.
2 Ride on, ride on in majesty!
In lowly pomp ride on to die.
O Christ, your triumphs now begin
O’er captive death and conquered sin.
3 Ride on, ride on in majesty!
The angel armies of the sky
Look down with sad and wond’ring eyes
To see th’ approaching sacrifice.
4 Ride on, ride on in majesty!
Your last and fiercest strife is nigh.
The Father on his sapphire throne
Awaits his own anointed Son.
5 Ride on, ride on in majesty!
In lowly pomp ride on to die.
Bow your meek head to mortal pain,
Then take, O Christ, your power and reign.
Malchus
John 18: 2-11 & Luke 22: 51-53
Hymn: Come on to Calvary’s Holy Mountain (CW 106)
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.
Simon of Cyrene
Mark 15:21-24
Hymn: Come, Follow Me, the Savior Spoke (CW 453)
1 “Come, follow me,” the Savior spoke,
“All in my way abiding.
Deny yourselves; the world forsake;
Obey my call and guiding.
Oh, bear the cross, whate’er betide;
Take my example for your guide.
2 “I am the light; I light the way,
A godly life displaying.
I bid you walk as in the day;
I keep your feet from straying.
I am the way, and well I show
How you should journey here below.
3 “My heart abounds in lowliness,
My soul with love is glowing,
And gracious words my lips express,
With meekness overflowing.
My heart, my mind, my strength, my all
To God I yield; on him I call.
4 “I teach you how to shun and flee
What harms your souls’ salvation,
Your hearts from ev’ry guile to free,
From sin and its temptation.
I am the refuge of the soul
And lead you to your heav’nly goal.”
5 Then let us follow Christ our Lord
And take the cross appointed
And, firmly clinging to his Word,
In suff’ring be undaunted.
For those who bear the battle’s strain
The crown of heav’nly life obtain.
The Criminal on the Cross
Luke 23: 32, 39-43
Hymn: Lord, When Your Glory I Shall See (CW 219)
Lord, when your glory I shall see
And taste your kingdom’s pleasure,
Your blood my royal robe shall be,
My joy beyond all measure!
When I appear before your throne,
Your righteousness shall be my crown;
With these I need not hide me.
And there, in garments richly wrought,
As your own bride I shall be brought
To stand in joy beside you.
Joseph of Arimathea
Matthew 27: 57-60
Hymn: Abide With Me verses 1,2,6, 7 (CW 588)
1 Abide with me; fast falls the eventide.
The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, oh, abide with me!
2 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!
6 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.
7 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!
Mary Magdalene
John 19: 11-18
Hymn: O Sons and Daughters of the King verses 1-3, 8 (CW 165)
1 O sons and daughters of the King,
Whom heav’nly hosts in glory sing,
Today the grave has lost its sting!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
2 On that first morning of the week,
Before the day began to break,
The Marys went their Lord to seek.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
3 An angel bade their sorrow flee,
For thus he spoke unto the three,
“Your Lord will go to Galilee.”
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
8 Blessed are they that have not seen
And yet whose faith has constant been;
In life eternal they shall reign.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Closing Hymn: Jesus Refuge of the Weary (CW 108)
1 Jesus, Refuge of the weary,
Blest Redeemer, whom we love,
Fountain in life’s desert dreary,
Savior from the world above,
Oh, how oft your eyes, offended,
Gaze upon a sinner’s fall!
Yet, upon the cross extended,
You endured the pain of all.
2 Dare we pass that cross unheeding,
Breathing no repentant vow,
As we see you wounded, bleeding,
See your thorn-encircled brow?
Since your sinless death has brought us
Life eternal, peace, and rest,
Only what your grace has taught us
Calms the sinner’s deep distress.
3 Jesus, may our hearts be burning
With more fervent love for you!
May our eyes be ever turning
To behold your cross anew,
Till in glory, parted never
From the blessed Savior’s side,
Graven in our hearts forever,
Dwell the cross, the Crucified!+
Thank you for taking the time to focus on the passion of Christ as seen by ordinary people. We pray that this evening has helped prepare your heart of Lent and allowed you to stop the hustle and bustle around you… if only for a little while. May you take the time to be quiet, listen, and reflect on what our Lord endured because of his love for you and me. May God bless you during the season of Lent and throughout the year.