Manuscript for the Wednesday of Lent 2

 436 GO TO DARK GETHSEMANE

1 Go to dark Gethsemane,
    All who feel the tempter’s pow’r;
Your Redeemer’s conflict see,
    Watch with Him one bitter hour;
Turn not from His griefs away;
Learn from Jesus Christ to pray.

2 Follow to the judgment hall,
    View the Lord of life arraigned;
Oh, the wormwood and the gall!
    Oh, the pangs His soul sustained!
Shun not suff’ring, shame, or loss;
Learn from Him to bear the cross.

3 Calv’ry’s mournful mountain climb;
    There, adoring at His feet,
Mark that miracle of time,
    God’s own sacrifice complete.
“It is finished!” hear Him cry;
Learn from Jesus Christ to die.

4 Early hasten to the tomb
    Where they laid His breathless clay;
All is solitude and gloom.
    Who has taken Him away?
Christ is ris’n! He meets our eyes.
Savior, teach us so to rise.

Text: Public domain

 

PSALM 50

¹The Mighty One, God the Lord,
speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting.
²Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth.

³Our God comes; he does not keep silence;
before him is a devouring fire, around him a mighty tempest.
⁴He calls to the heavens above and to the earth, that he may judge his people:
⁵“Gather to me my faithful ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!”
⁶The heavens declare his righteousness, for God himself is judge!

⁷“Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, I will testify against you. I am God, your God. ⁸Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you; your burnt offerings are continually before me.
⁹I will not accept a bull from your house or goats from your folds.
¹⁰For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills.
¹¹I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine.

¹²“If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness are mine.
¹³Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?
¹⁴Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and perform your vows to the Most High,
¹⁵and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”

 

READING Luke 22:39–53

³⁹And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. ⁴⁰And when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” ⁴¹And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, ⁴²saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” ⁴³And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. ⁴⁴And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. ⁴⁵And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, ⁴⁶and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”

⁴⁷While he was still speaking, there came a crowd, and the man called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He drew near to Jesus to kiss him, ⁴⁸but Jesus said to him, “Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?” ⁴⁹And when those who were around him saw what would follow, they said, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” ⁵⁰And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. ⁵¹But Jesus said, “No more of this!” And he touched his ear and healed him. ⁵²Then Jesus said to the chief priests and officers of the temple and elders, who had come out against him, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs? ⁵³When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.”

 

CATECHISM REVIEW

Lord’s Prayer, The Introduction

Our Father who art in heaven.

What does this mean? With these words God tenderly invites us to believe that He is our true Father and that we are His true children, so that with all boldness and confidence we may ask Him as dear children ask their dear father.

The First Petition

Hallowed be Thy name.

What does this mean? God’s name is certainly holy in itself, but we pray in this petition that it may be kept holy among us also.

How is God’s name kept holy? God’s name is kept holy when the Word of God is taught in its truth and purity, and we, as the children of God, also lead holy lives according to it. Help us to do this, dear Father in heaven! But anyone who teaches or lives contrary to God’s Word profanes the name of God among us. Protect us from this, heavenly Father!

SERMON

1. Prayer is commanded.

God requires it of you. Do it. “Call upon me in the day of trouble.” If you have trouble and you don’t pray about it, you are negligent. You have sinned. Now I’ve had several conversations with people over the years who recognize this and have some uncomfortable guilt about their paltry pattern of prayer. I suppose most here listening can relate. Throughout these days of Lent, I encourage you to examine your guilt, take notice of what causes your guilt, and see to it that it’s addressed. Guilt is a destructive thing to your health and well-being. But with God’s ever-present help, guilt leads to confessing sin and seeking forgiveness from your Lord, and that is a beneficial thing to your health and well-being, a cure for guilt-ridden souls.

2. Prayer is an invitation.

On these Wednesday nights in Lent we are following in order the readings from Luke on the passion of our Lord Jesus. We are also taking a section of the catechism each Wednesday night, but not in order. The catechism has a certain order and we are not following that order, but instead considering the part of the catechism that seems fit best the scene of Christ’s passion. So tonight, Jesus praying in the garden, prompts us to think about our prayers and the third chief part of the catechism, the Lord’s Prayer. But let’s take note that there is a meaningful order to the chief parts of the catechism. The Lord’s Prayer follows the Creed. Prayer follows and flows from the faith we confess. Prayer attempted without faith is merely babbling. Prayer with a hesitant faith, is hesitant itself, uncertain and unrewarding.

God the Father, creator of heaven and earth, God the Son, redeemer of the World, God the Holy Spirit, sanctifier and comforter has invited you to pray and promised to hear and help. God tenderly invites us to believe He is who He says He is our Dear Father who wants to hear from His children and give them all good things. He says, “call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me” Psalm 50:15.

3. Prayer is following the example of Christ.

After that last supper in the upper room with his disciples, it says, “And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him.” This was his custom, to go up on a hill or out away from the noisy city, someplace quiet where he could pray. It was his custom and habit.  Prayer should be habitual. It should be spontaneous, as the moment calls for it. In the day of trouble, speak up to the Lord quickly. Pray as soon as you need to. But prayer should be regular, as was our Lord’s custom. Don’t wait until you need to. Pray those regular prays you have learned from childhood. Bedtime prayers, table prayers. Perhaps this Lent and Easter season might be a good time to add a habit of regular prayer. If you haven’t yet, start using Luther’s morning and evening prayer. Or the mealtime verse and prayer included in the Catechism. If you can’t find it easily, I’ve posted these prayers on the Church’s blog.

4. Prayer lifts up our hearts.

I like these lines from our communion liturgy that go, “Lift up your hearts. We lift them up unto the Lord.” I hope you like those, too. Two ways, to think of that: First, when you are sad and discouraged, your eyes are downcast. We who are invited to come to the Lord and receive good things from him have all the reason in the world to lift up our heads, smiling. The second and similar meaning to Lift up your hearts, is to get your heart and your love off of the earthly stuff here below and love the treasures that are yours in heaven, particular the treasure of forgiveness of sins and salvation that the Son of God came down from heaven to bring you.

Our Lord teaches us so to pray for His Hallowed Name, His Coming Kingdom, His good, wise, and gracious will. When we seek those things first we are taking our care and attention away from those little things and pesky worries of this life. These troubles and worries seem so big, so much bigger than we ourselves.

As Jesus prayed in the garden, he seemed to be learning that his present suffering could be endured with the help of His Father and the holy angels attending him. His suffering must come, but God’s will was good, was best. His prayer shows his intention that although He must suffer an agonizing death, it was His Father’s will and Jesus agreed, that was best. He agreed because He loves you and God’s will was your good, your salvation.

So likewise, with your prayers in the day of trouble or any day. Prayer coming forth from faith, will be your blessed action of lifting up your hearts. Amen.

COLLECT FOR PEACE

L 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

L Taught by our Lord and trusting His promises, we are bold to pray:

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.

 

BENEDICAMUS

L Let us bless the Lord.

C Thanks be to God.

 

BENEDICTION

P The almighty and merciful Lord, the Father, the T Son, and the Holy Spirit, bless and preserve you.

C Amen.