ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICE
OPENING SONG: Build My Life
Worthy of every song we could ever sing / Worthy of all the praise we could ever bring / Worthy of every breath we could ever breathe / We live for You
Jesus, the name above every other name / Jesus, the only one who could ever save / Worthy of every breath we could ever breathe / We live for You / We live for You
Holy, there is no one like You / There is none beside You / Open up my eyes in wonder / And show me who You are / And fill me with Your heart / And lead me in Your love to those around me
I will build my life upon Your love / It is a firm foundation / And I will put my trust in You alone / And I will not be shaken
WELCOME & EXPLANATION OF THE EVENING
What is Ash Wednesday?
Ash Wednesday begins the season of Lent. This first day of Lent and the following days are marked with a soberness as believers reflect on their mortality, sinfulness, and the dying to ourselves that should accompany new life in Jesus.
While there is no mention of Ash Wednesday in the Bible, the Old Testament records acts of repentance or mourning accompanied by symbolic ash and sackcloth. Recall stories of David, Esther, Job, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Daniel. In many ways, this is tradition in which we are walking.
What is Lent?
Lent is the six-week period leading up to Easter. It is one of the most important times of year for many Christians around the world. Lent is a time of spiritual renewal and preparation during the 40 days and six Sundays before Easter. As part of that Spiritual renewal, many people choose to Fast.
What is fasting?
Fasting is not a shortcut or something that is “demanded.” Rather, it is an invitation to redirect our thoughts to Jesus when we would normally be directing them to something else. During that time of redirection, we hope people will listen and talk to God to hear what he is addressing in their lives.
Why do we put ashes on our foreheads?
The spreading of ashes on foreheads is a visible reminder of our mortality. “You are dust, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19). As well, the ashes represent sorrow and repentance for sin.
Ash Wednesday serves to remind us of our need to be in a genuine life of repentance while calling us to the new way of life only available through Jesus.
What will we do this evening?
We are going to walk through a liturgy or an order which reminds us of our situation without Jesus. Yet, at the same time we will begin this season of Lent purposefully focusing on what God wants to show us. – WELCOME!
SONG: Lord Have Mercy, Christ Have Mercy
Leader: Kyrie eleison, Kyrie eleison
All: Kyrie eleison, Kyrie eleison
Leader: Christe eleison, Christe eleison
All: Christe eleison, Christe eleison
Leader: Kyrie eleison, Kyrie eleison
All: Kyrie eleison, Kyrie eleison
CALL TO WORSHIP
“Almighty and Everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are repentant: Create and make in us new and apologetic hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our inadequacy, may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.”
SONG: Everlasting God
Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord / Wait upon the Lord, we will wait upon the Lord / Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord / Wait upon the Lord, we will wait upon the Lord
Our God, You reign forever / Our hope, our strong Deliverer
You are the everlasting God / The everlasting God You do not faint /You won’t grow weary / You’re the defender of the weak / You comfort those in need / You lift us up on the wings like eagles
PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION
Lord, of life, pour out your Holy Spirit upon us that as we hear these words of Scripture and may they not be just words but may they become alive in us calling us to the goodness of God and to live out our lives to his glory. Amen.
SONG: Holy Spirit
There’s nothing worth more / That could ever come close / No thing can compare / Your our living hope / Your presence, Lord
I’ve tasted and seen / Of the sweetest of loves / Where my heart becomes free / And my shame is undone / Your presence, Lord
Holy Spirit, You are welcome here / Come flood this place and fill the atmosphere / Your glory, God is what our hearts belong for / To be overcome by Your presence, Lord
Let us become more aware of Your presence / Let us experience the glory of Your goodness
SCRIPTURE READING
Isaiah 58:1–12 (ESV)
“Cry aloud; do not hold back; lift up your voice like a trumpet; declare to my people their transgression, to the house of Jacob their sins.
Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that did righteousness and did not forsake the judgment of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments; they delight to draw near to God.
‘Why have we fasted, and you see it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?’
Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers. Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with a wicked fist. Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard on high.
Is such the fast that I choose, a day for a person to humble himself? Is it to bow down his head like a reed, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast, and a day acceptable to the Lord?
“Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?
Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’ If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,
if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday.
And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.
And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in.”
SONG: Come Alive (Dry Bones)
Through the eyes of men / It seems there’s so much we have lost / As we look down the road / Where all the prodigals have walked / One by one, the enemy has whispered lies / And led them off as slaves
But we know that You are God / Yours is the victory / We know there is more to come / That we may not yet see / So with the faith You’ve given us / We’ll step into the valley unafraid
We call out to dry bones / Come alive, come alive / We call out to dead hearts / Come alive, come alive / Up out of the ashes, let us see an army rise / We call out to dry bones, come alive
God of endless mercy / God of unrelenting love / Rescue every daughter / Bring us back the wayward son / And by Your spirit, breathe upon them / Show the world that You alone can save / You alone can save
So breathe, oh, breath of God / Now breathe, oh, breath of God / Breathe, oh, breath of God / Now breathe
SCRIPTURE READING
Psalm 103:8–14
“The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever.
He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.
For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.”
SONG: Wonderful, Merciful Savior
Precious Redeemer and Friend / Who would have thought that a Lamb / Could rescue the souls of men / Oh, You rescue the souls of men / Counselor, Comforter, Keeper / Spirit we long to embrace / You offer hope when our hearts have / Hopelessly lost our way / Oh, we’ve hopelessly lost the way
You are the One that we praise / You are the One we adore / You give the healing and grace / Our hearts always hunger for / Oh, our hearts always hunger for
Almighty, infinite Father / Faithfully loving Your own / Here in our weakness You find us / Falling before Your throne / Oh, we’re falling before Your throne
SCRIPTURE READING
Matt 6:1-6
“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
Matt 6:16-21
“And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal
but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
SONG: Breathe
This is the air I breathe / This is the air I breathe / Your holy presence living in me / This is my daily bread / This is my daily bread / Your very word spoken to me
And I, I’m desperate for you / And I, I’m lost without you / I’m desperate for you
PRAYER FOR IMPOSITION OF ASHES
Almighty God, you have created us out of the dust of the earth: Grant that these ashes may be to us a sign of our mortality and repentance, so we remember it is only by your grace that we are given everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
IMPOSITION OF ASHES
SONG: How Can It Be?
I am guilty / Ashamed of what I’ve done, what I’ve become / These hands are dirty / I dare not lift them up to the Holy One
I’ve been hiding / Afraid I’ve let you down, inside I doubt / That You still love me / But in Your eyes there’s only grace now
You plead my cause, You right my wrongs / You break my chains, You overcome / You gave Your life to give me mine / You say that I am free, How can it be? / How can it be?
Though I fall, You can make me new / From this death I will rise with You / Oh, the grace reaching out for me / How can it be? / How can it be?
SCRIPTURE READING:
Psalm 51
“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!
For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.
Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.
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 to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.
Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you.
Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.
O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.
For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem; then will you delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar.”
SONG: The Goodness of God
I love You, Lord / Oh, Your mercy never fails me / All my days, I’ve been held in Your hands / From the moment that I wake up / until I lay my head / Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God
And all my life You have been faithful / And all my life / You have been so, so good / With every breath that I am able / Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God
I love Your voice / You have led me through the fire / And in darkest night You are close like no other / I’ve known You as a Father / I’ve known You as a Friend / And I have lived in the goodness of God, yeah!
Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me / Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me / With my life laid down, I’m surrendered now / I give You everything / Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me
CLOSING PRAYER & BLESSING
Thank you for coming!
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