Good Friday: Service of Darkness (Tenebrae)

All of human history hinges on this day. Humbling himself before the will of the Father and the blood-thirst of men, the Son of God is slaughtered. Even worse than an ignomible death, the Father must reject his own Son since he bears the sin of the world. But all this served God’s saving purpose, and so we call this Friday…Good.

Good Friday is not a “funeral” for Jesus, but an austere celebration of the Lamb and his sacrifice. The bare altar, symbolic of Christ, is the focus along with a large, rough-finished wood cross that is placed before it. The Service of Darkness developed from the early morning monastic prayer services of Matins and Lauds but has come to be used as an evening service on Good Friday. The service centers on a series of lessons, psalms, and liturgical texts that reflect on the Lord’s crucifixion and our repentance.

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Holy (Maundy) Thursday: Your Savior Comes to Serve You

No matter what the mess we might make in our lives, God doesn't wait to see if we're worth it before offering a helping hand. Instead, he reaches right into the mess with his grace and forgiveness. On Maundy Thursday we celebrate the fact that Jesus brought an end to the old and ushered in the new. The old covenant was a two-sided agreement between God and his people. His blessing depended on their obedience. Jesus established the new covenant in which forgiveness and salvation are offered freely. Tonight we celebrate the new covenant—and the new meal that delivers it to us!

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Palm / Passion Sunday: The Messiah Has Come!

Here is the culmination of our Lenten journey of repentance and renewal. The journey of Lent has prepared our hearts to ponder anew the Passion of our Lord and his glorious triumph over death and grave. With repentant hearts we join our Lord’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem, confident in his everlasting rule, hailing him as our Eternal King. At the same time, we are mindful that he is our King because he is the Messiah, the promised Son of David sent as the sacrificial Lamb of God. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!

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Paradox: Life in the Grave

A paradox is a statement or problem that either appears to produce two entirely contradictory (yet possible) outcomes, or provides proof for something that goes against what we intuitively expect.  During the Sundays in Lent we will look at apparent paradoxes in the life and person of Jesus and in our own lives.  This week we see that the problem within is death itself. When God surveys our condition he sees people doomed to death because of the corruption of sin. But God intervenes by sending his Son to be the power of resurrection from the dead and the bringer of life everlasting. God has intervened with a paradox—life in the grave!

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Paradox: Sight in Blindness

A paradox is a statement or problem that either appears to produce two entirely contradictory (yet possible) outcomes, or provides proof for something that goes against what we intuitively expect.  During the Sundays in Lent we will look at apparent paradoxes in the life and person of Jesus and in our own lives.  This week we see that when God surveys our condition he sees people groping in the darkness even as they boast of their ability to see. But God intervenes by sending his Son as the true light that reveals the only path to seeing God’s grace and mercy for our good. God has intervened by giving us sight in blindness!

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Lent Midweek Meditation: Holy Baptism

Beginning in March, the Christian church enters the season of Lent. To prepare for the celebration of the Resurrection of Our Lord on Easter Sunday, we take a season of 40 days to focus on our need to repent of our sins and our need for a Savior from sin.  This season of repentance and preparation is called Lent.  The six weeks of theLenten season is a time to meditate deeply on the meaning of Christ’s suffering and death for our salvation as well as a time in which to concentrate on the continuing importance of amending our sinful lives. 

During the season of Lent, we will have 2 special midweek services. The focus of the services these services will be on the Sacrament of Holy Baptism—its blessings, it’s connection to our daily life, and the comfort in brings in our daily repentance.

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Paradox: Water in Thirst

A paradox is a statement or problem that either appears to produce two entirely contradictory (yet possible) outcomes, or provides proof for something that goes against what we intuitively expect.  During the Sundays in Lent we will look at apparent paradoxes in the life and person of Jesus and in our own lives.  This week we see the paradox of how when God surveys our condition he sees people trying to quench their thirst with water than brings only bondage and death. But God intervenes by offering his Son as living water to slake our spiritual thirst with freedom and grace. Jesus intervenes to satisfy our spiritual thirst and gives us life!

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Paradox: Faith in Religion - Second Sunday in Lent

A paradox is a statement or problem that either appears to produce two entirely contradictory (yet possible) outcomes, or provides proof for something that goes against what we intuitively expect.  During the Sundays in Lent we will look at apparent paradoxes in the life and person of Jesus and in our own lives.  This week we see the paradox is our desire to justify ourselves. When God surveys our condition he sees people creating religions in which they try to pursue righteousness through works. But God intervenes by lifting up his Son so that we might be righteous before him through faith rather than through works. God has intervened in our manmade religion of works and established a religion that is by faith from first to last!

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Paradox: Righteousness in Temptation - The First Sunday in Lent

A paradox is a statement or problem that either appears to produce two entirely contradictory (yet possible) outcomes, or provides proof for something that goes against what we intuitively expect.  During the Sundays in Lent we will look at apparent paradoxes in the life and person of Jesus and in our own lives.  Today, we see a paradox in these words: victory in temptation.  When God surveys our condition he sees that we are utterly fallen in body and soul with no power to heal ourselves. But God intervenes by sending his Son to take humanity as his own and achieve final victory where sinners have been defeated time and time again. God has intervened with righteousness in the face of our sin!

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Ash Wednesday: Return to the Lord!

Ash Wednesday calls us to a forty-day journey of repentance and renewal. The forty days of Lent are set aside as a time to take a look at our walk with God.  Our attention is especially directed to the holy sufferings and death of our Lord Jesus Christ.  From ancient times the season of Lent has been kept as a time of special devotion, self-denial, instruction, and humble repentance born of a faithful heart that dwells confidently on His Word and draws life and hope from it.  In our service today as a reminder of our mortality and our sin, ashes are imposed on the foreheads of believers. Note the sweet Gospel phrases that dominate: Return to the Lord, for he is gracious. Having obtained his pardon, we seek a renewal of our faith and life that we might live as baptized children of God. 

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uncommon sense: exhibit a - The Transfiguration of our Lord

Most people would agree that the world would be a better place if people used a little more common sense. But Jesus came to introduce a way of life that wasn't an improvement or addition to what's considered common sense. It was a complete reversal. This week we see that common sense says glory is for personal gain, but Jesus hides his glory to accomplish salvation for the world. Common sense says you must gain power and prestige to accomplish your ends, but Jesus says even the greatest power is nothing if not used in service to another. We live in the uncommon sense of the gospel that Jesus Christ veiled his divine glory for a time to achieve for us glory that will last forever.

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uncommon sense: rights

Most people would agree that the world would be a better place if people used a little more common sense. But Jesus came to introduce a way of life that wasn't an improvement or addition to what's considered common sense. It was a complete reversal. This week we see that common sense says get revenge, but Jesus says love your enemies. Common sense says that every action must have an equal and opposite reaction, but Jesus calls for a radically different reaction to every action—he calls for love. We live in the uncommon sense of the gospel that removes from us the wrathful reaction of God and replaces it with his boundless love.

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