A “Virtual” midweek Lenten Service (March 25,2020)
A “Virtual” midweek Lenten Service
Suitable for home use
Overview
Week of Lent 4: Change of Heart
Jesus’ words to the Pharisees give us pause: “You honor me with your lips, but your hearts are far from me.” Jesus invites us to experience a change of heart that will in fact change every part of our lives.
Preparation
To ready yourself, consider any (or all) of these:
· Light a candle
· Sit quietly
· Let these ancient bells call you to worship (clicking the link takes you outside the service to a YouTube video)
Dialogue
Week 4 (Song of Sol. 8:6, Ps. 139:23-24)
Beloved, set me as a seal upon your heart,
as a seal upon your arm.
For love is strong as death;
passion fierce as the grave.
O God, search me and know my heart;
test me and know my thoughts.
See if there is any wicked way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.
Gathering Song:
Change My Heart O God
(clicking the link takes you outside the service to a YouTube video)
Change my heart, O God;
make it ever true.
Change my heart, O God;
may I be like you.
You are the potter;
I am the clay.
Mold me and make me;
this is what I pray.
Change my heart, O God;
make it ever true.
Change my heart, O God;
may I be like you.
Greeting
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God,
and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
And also with you.
Prayer
Week 4 (Eph. 3:14—4:1)
O God of our longing, strengthen us and dwell in our hearts, that we be rooted and grounded in your love. Help us to comprehend the breadth and length and height and depth of your mercy shown to us on the cross. Fill our hearts with your grace, that we lead lives that radiate your love to all. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Reading: Ezekiel 36:22–28
Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came. I will sanctify my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them; and the nations shall know that I am the LORD, says the Lord GOD, when through you I display my holiness before their eyes. I will take you from the nations, and gather you from all the countries, and bring you into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my spirit within you, and make you follow my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances. Then you shall live in the land that I gave to your ancestors; and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.
Gospel Reading: Mark 7:1–8, 14–15, 21–23 MESSAGE
The Pharisees, along with some religion scholars who had come from Jerusalem, gathered around him. They noticed that some of his disciples weren’t being careful with ritual washings before meals. The Pharisees—Jews in general, in fact—would never eat a meal without going through the motions of a ritual hand-washing, with an especially vigorous scrubbing if they had just come from the market (to say nothing of the scourings they’d give jugs and pots and pans).
The Pharisees and religion scholars asked, “Why do your disciples flout the rules, showing up at meals without washing their hands?”
Jesus answered, “Isaiah was right about frauds like you, hit the bull’s-eye in fact:
These people make a big show of saying the right thing,
but their heart isn’t in it.
They act like they are worshiping me,
but they don’t mean it. They just use me as a cover
for teaching whatever suits their fancy,
Ditching God’s command
and taking up the latest fads.”
Jesus called the crowd together again and said, “Listen now, all of you—take this to heart. It’s not what you swallow that pollutes your life; it’s what you vomit—that’s the real pollution.”
obscenities, lusts, thefts, murders, adulteries, greed, depravity, deceptive dealings, carousing, mean looks, slander, arrogance, foolishness— all these are vomit from the heart. There is the source of your pollution.”
Reflection: Change of Heart
· A text version of the message is here. (clicking the link takes you to the message's location elsewhere on the website)
· A video version of the message is here. (clicking the link takes you outside the service to a YouTube video)
Hymn of the Day:
Create In Me a Clean Heart
(clicking the link takes you outside the service to a YouTube video)
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from your presence,
and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with your free Spirit.
Prayers
O God our help,
you walk with us through all of life’s changes.
Grant us strength, patience, wisdom, and understanding.
O God our hope,
you come to us in the life, death, and resurrection of Christ.
Show us your salvation,
and lead us in the way of the cross.
O God our shelter,
you enfold us like a mother hen gathering her chicks.
Watch over all who are sick, grieving, lonely, and in need this day.
O God our home, you claim us as your beloved children.
Lord, remember us when you come into your kingdom.
Here other prayers may be offered.
All this we ask through the one who gave himself for us, Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen.
Lord’s Prayer
Let us pray together:
O triune God in heaven above,
your blessed name we hallow.
Your kingdom come,
your will be done
in this world as in heaven;
give bread for each new day begun;
our sins be all forgiven,
as we forgive what others do;
in every trial see us through;
from evil save us. Amen.
Offering
While you may, of course, mail your offering to the church, you can also make a contribution online by safely clicking here.
Anthem
Jesus Paid It All
Robert Prester and Adriana Samargia
(Click the link to hear this beautiful live audio recording made just for this service!)
Offering Prayer (Matt. 25:35)
Steadfast God, you bless us amid all the changes and chances of life. Grant us servant hearts, that we may feed the hungry and welcome the stranger in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
Blessing
Based on 2 Thessalonians 3:16
The Lord of peace give you peace at all times and in all ways.
In the name of the Father, ☩ Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Sending Song:
Rejoice Ye Pure in Heart
(clicking the link takes you outside the service to a YouTube video)
1 Rejoice, ye pure in heart!
Rejoice, give thanks, and sing;
your festal banner wave on high,
the cross of Christ your king.
Refrain
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Rejoice, give thanks, and sing!
2 With voice as full and strong
as ocean's surging praise,
send forth the sturdy hymns of old,
the psalms of ancient days. Refrain
Dismissal
Go now in peace, for nothing can separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus.
Thanks be to God.