23 March 2025
Third Sunday in Lent
Ringing of the Bell
– The bell rings as the call to worship, reminding us to discontinue conversation and reverently prepare for worship.
Prelude
Lutheran Service Book Divine Service Setting Three
Stand
837 Lift High the Cross LSB 837 sts. ref–6
ref
Lift
high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim
Till
all the world adore His sacred name.
1
Come,
Christians, follow where our Captain trod,
Our
king victorious, Christ, the Son of God. Refrain
2
Led
on their way by this triumphant sign,
The
hosts of God in conqu’ring
ranks combine. Refrain
3
All
newborn soldiers of the Crucified
Bear
on their brows the seal of Him who died. Refrain
4
O
Lord, once lifted on the glorious tree,
As
Thou hast promised, draw us all to Thee. Refrain
5
Let
ev’ry
race and ev’ry
language tell
Of
Him who saves our lives from death and hell. Refrain
6
So
shall our song of triumph ever be:
Praise
to the Crucified for victory! Refrain
Text:
George W. Kitchin, 1827–1912;
rev. Michael R. Newbolt, 1874–1956,
alt.
Text: © 1974
Hope Publishing Co. Used by permission: LSB Hymn
License no.
110004199
CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION
The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.
Invocation
P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
Exhortation LSB 184
P Beloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins unto God our Father, beseeching Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness.
P Our help is in the name of the Lord,
C who made heaven and earth.
P I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord,
C and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.
Silence for reflection on God’s Word and for self-examination.
Confession of Sins LSB 184
P O almighty God, merciful Father,
C I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess unto You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You and justly deserved Your temporal and eternal punishment. But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of Your boundless mercy and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor, sinful being.
Absolution LSB 185
P Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office, as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God unto all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
Kyrie
C Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
SERVICE OF THE WORD
Salutation and Collect of the Day
P The Lord be with you.
C And with thy spirit.
P Let us pray.
O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy, be gracious to all who have gone astray from Your ways and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of Your Word; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
Sit
Psalm Psalm 85
Lord,
you were favorable to your land;
you
restored the fortunes of Jacob.
You
forgave the iniquity of your people;
you
covered all their sin.
You
withdrew all your wrath;
you
turned from your hot anger.
Restore
us again, O God of our salvation,
and
put away your indignation toward us!
Will
you be angry with us forever?
Will
you prolong your anger to all generations?
Will
you not revive us again,
that
your people may rejoice in you?
Show
us your steadfast love, O Lord,
and
grant us your salvation.
Let
me hear what God the Lord
will speak,
for
he will speak peace to his people, to his saints;
but
let them not turn back to folly.
Surely
his salvation is near to those who fear him,
that
glory may dwell in our land.
Steadfast
love and faithfulness meet;
righteousness
and peace kiss each other.
Faithfulness
springs
up from the ground,
and
righteousness looks down from the sky.
Yes,
the Lord
will give what is good,
and
our land will yield its increase.
Righteousness
will
go before him
and
make his footsteps a way.
Old Testament Reading Ezekiel 33:7–20
“So you, son of man, I have made a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. If I say to the wicked, O wicked one, you shall surely die, and you do not speak to warn the wicked to turn from his way, that wicked person shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. But if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, that person shall die in his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul.
“And you, son of man, say to the house of Israel, Thus have you said: ‘Surely our transgressions and our sins are upon us, and we rot away because of them. How then can we live?’ Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?
“And you, son of man, say to your people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him when he transgresses, and as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall by it when he turns from his wickedness, and the righteous shall not be able to live by his righteousness when he sins. Though I say to the righteous that he shall surely live, yet if he trusts in his righteousness and does injustice, none of his righteous deeds shall be remembered, but in his injustice that he has done he shall die. Again, though I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ yet if he turns from his sin and does what is just and right, if the wicked restores the pledge, gives back what he has taken by robbery, and walks in the statutes of life, not doing injustice, he shall surely live; he shall not die. None of the sins that he has committed shall be remembered against him. He has done what is just and right; he shall surely live.
“Yet your people say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just,’ when it is their own way that is not just. When the righteous turns from his righteousness and does injustice, he shall die for it. And when the wicked turns from his wickedness and does what is just and right, he shall live by them. Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ O house of Israel, I will judge each of you according to his ways.”
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Epistle 1 Corinthians 10:1–13
I want you to know, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did. Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.” We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer. Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Stand
Verse LSB 157
C Return to the Lord, your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and abounding in steadfast love.
Holy Gospel Luke 13:1–9
P The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the thirteenth chapter.
C Glory be to Thee, O Lord.
There were some present at that very time who told [Jesus] about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”
And he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?’ And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”
P This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C Praise be to Thee, O Christ.
Sit
761 Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me LSB 761
1
Rock
of Ages, cleft for me,
Let
me hide myself in Thee;
Let
the water and the blood,
From
Thy riven side which flowed,
Be
of sin the double cure:
Cleanse
me from its guilt and pow’r.
2
Not
the labors of my hands
Can
fulfill Thy Law’s
demands;
Could
my zeal no respite know,
Could
my tears forever flow,
All
for sin could not atone;
Thou
must save, and Thou alone.
3
Nothing
in my hand I bring;
Simply
to Thy cross I cling.
Naked,
come to Thee for dress;
Helpless,
look to Thee for grace;
Foul,
I to the fountain fly;
Wash
me, Savior, or I die.
4
While
I draw this fleeting breath,
When
mine eyelids close in death,
When
I soar to worlds unknown,
See
Thee on Thy judgment throne,
Rock
of Ages, cleft for me,
Let
me hide myself in Thee.
Text:
Augustus
M. Toplady, 1740–78
Text:
Public domain
Sermon - Pastor Eric Ash
Lent 3 C March 23, 2025 Matt. 27:46
Eli, Eli Lama Sabachthani?
Have you seen any of the Shrek movies? They have been a Disney franchise for more than 20 years. Shrek 5 will be coming out next year. Shrek is an ogre. I wonder if the name Shrek comes from the German schrectlict which means terrible. For an ogre, Shrek is not all that terrible. Still, I didn’t think I would be using him as a sermon illustration in the sober, solemn season of Lent.
In a scene from the first movie, Shrek is explaining to his animal sidekick, a donkey, that there is more depth to ogres than people may think. Shrek says ogres are like onions. “You mean they stink?” says the donkey. “No,” Shrek says. “You mean they make people cry?” the donkey asks. “No, Shrek says, “they have layers.”
There are also layers to Holy Scripture, layer upon layer of truth. As we peel away the layers of a Biblical passage, we may find deeper meaning and revelations that never occurred to us before. Often, we find that the same scripture may have messages that speak to us in different seasons of our lives. That’s why reading the Bible is never boring or redundant, there is always something new there, a detail we didn’t notice before or a nuance we didn’t appreciate previously.
For instance, consider Jesus’ cry from the cross recorded in Matthew 27:46, “Eli, Eli lama sabachthani”, which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me”? This has been called The Cry of Dereliction. As a noun, derelict means a person without a job, home or property. We sometimes refer to poor, homeless people on the street with substance abuse problems as derelicts. Here derelict is an adjective meaning abandoned and neglected. On the cross, Jesus was neglected by his friends and abandoned even by God his Father.
On the cross, Jesus is in solidarity with all the suffering people in all times and all places who feel like God has forsaken them. That is the first layer. Are you sick, in pain, disabled? Jesus knows exactly how you feel. Have you been rejected by someone you love, betrayed by a friend, punished for something you did not do? Jesus has been there and done that. Has life treated you unfairly and you have suffered for no good reason, like the Galileans Pilate slaughtered or the people the tower fell on? Jesus understands.
In our preaching and teaching we speak often of the real presence of Christ in the sacraments. We proclaim that God is present in His Word, and that we are temples of the Holy Spirit. God is present within us and around us for our benefit. But if we are going to talk about the true presence of God, we also have to acknowledge that sometimes we experience the real absence of God. Not that God is ever really absent from his people; God is present everywhere and he is all knowing. But there are times when God is hidden, and we feel God forsaken, as Jesus was on the cross. It’s okay to admit that.
A time when we may feel God forsaken is when a loved one dies. An old story, one that I have used in sermons, is about when a mother and father’s son died, and they asked their pastor, “Where was God when our son died?” The pastor answered, “The same place He was when His son died.” That’s true, but it may seem like cold comfort. When his wife died, the great author C.S. Lewis wrote is his diary that the problem with that answer is that it might lead us to conclude that God was not loving or caring toward His Son and is not loving and caring toward us.
It is tempting sometimes to think of God as being an ogre: He stinks and he makes us cry. If you’ve ever felt that way – and honestly, who hasn’t in a time of pain or loss – you are in good company. You’re in Jesus’ company. Jesus suffered the abandonment of God, so he can relate to our human experience in every way, even our feelings of dereliction. Our Savior knows what he is saving us from. Jesus knows how easy it is for us to nearly lose our faith. That’s one layer of meaning from this word from the cross. Jesus empathizes with what you are going through. You are not alone; you’re never alone.
Here’s another layer. Perhaps you noticed that when Jesus said, “Eli, Eli lama sabacthani” he was quoting scripture. “My god, my God, why have you forsaken me?” is the first verse of Psalm 22. If you have been to our Maundy Thursday service, you know that Psalm is what we read at the end of the service, as the altar and chancel are stripped. That symbolizes our movement from our joy at the institution of the Lord’s Supper, to our sorrow over Christ’s betrayal and arrest, the beginning of Christ’s Passion and dereliction.
Isn’t it amazing that even in the physical and emotional agony of the crucifixion, Jesus had the presence of mind to recall Scripture. There, under extreme pressure, Jesus could think of a scriptural passage that gave perfect expression to the dereliction he was feeling, and, as we will see, real comfort. This raises a question for us: How well do we know our Bible? In times of crisis do we have verse we have memorized that gives us guidance and consolation? I’m usually not a pastor that stresses rote memorization. I believe it’s more important to know what the Bible means than to be able to tick off chapter and verse. However, there is great value in having some important verse committed to memory so that we can recall them in times of need or when we witness to others about our faith.
Another layer of Jesus quoting Psalm 22 from the cross is about the way the Psalm ends. Psalm 22 was a prayer a pious Jew, like Jesus, would have recited every evening as part of his prayers before going to bed. In this dire situation, with Jesus about to enter the big sleep, saying the first verse was much the same as saying the whole psalm for him. Around verse 21 of Psalm 22, the theme turns from lament to praise. God’s past dramatic saving acts are recalled and His promises for the future are proclaimed as certain. The rescue of God’s servant – prophetically pointing to Jesus – is reported as a fact and God’s name is glorified.
So, Jesus’ statement of dereliction is also a declaration of steadfast faith and hope. It’s a kind of paradox, as are many things in scripture. Someone said the mark of great intelligence is the ability to hold two contradictory thoughts in mind, both as true, at the same time. In John’s gospel, Jesus goes to the cross with supreme confidence. In Matthew, Mark, and Luke, we see more trepidation in Jesus. Both are true. He felt both. We know how we can feel both positive and negative about an exam or surgery or some other crucial event that could go well or badly. Despite the apparent risk, and even when feeling God-forsaken as no else ever has – Jesus took the leap of faith and bore the cross, trusting in His Father’s ultimate goodness.
We are called to do the same thing Jesus did – to live and die trusting in God our Father. We can only do that because the Crucified One has gone before us into to death and returned to tell us about eternal life. Jesus was abandoned to the depths of dereliction so that we might never be God-forsaken. Christ is always with us; we are never alone. When we are put to the test, his mercy upholds us.
We have examined now the first four words from the cross, and found each to be a different layer, revealing more and more the depth of Jesus’ love for us. Like a multi-faceted gem, Jesus’ wisdom and faith shine through his dying utterances. Even a cry of despair becomes a declaration of hope. We will find further revelations in Jesus’ words, and in God’s acts in our lives. May the grace of God find us receptive to Him and bring us safely through all our trials. And may the peace of God that passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Votum
P The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
C Amen.
Stand
Nicene Creed
C I believe in one God,
the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth
and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the only-begotten Son of God,
begotten of His Father before all worlds,
God of God, Light of Light,
very God of very God,
begotten, not made,
being of one substance with the Father,
by whom all things were made;
who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven
and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary
and was made man;
and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.
He suffered and was buried.
And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures
and ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of the Father.
And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead,
whose kingdom will have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord and giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified,
who spoke by the prophets.
And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church,
I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins,
and I look for the resurrection of the dead
and the life T of the world to come. Amen.
Prayers
In peace, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For repentance and faith in Christ, that God would guard us from doubt and deliver us to life and salvation, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For protection against sexual immorality, that God would make our homes havens of chastity and godly instruction, filling marriages with fidelity and love, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For those in authority, that God who establishes justice by His Law, which is for all, would enlighten them to rule justly for true good, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For protection when we are tempted, that God in His faithfulness would guard us from pride that justifies sin and from doubting that He will provide the way of escape; and that He would strengthen us with penitent hearts to endure until He delivers, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For all who cry to the Lord for mercy in a world where towers fall and sinners work evil, [especially _____________,] that the Lord would deliver and heal them, strengthening their faith to look to Him for help, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
Lord of life, You have brought us into Your vineyard and appointed us to bear good fruit. Receive our thanks for Your patience, and grant that we would show Your love and grace in all that we say and do; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Pax Domini LSB 197
P The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C Amen.
Sit
Offertory Invitation
The Psalmist wrote, "Ascribe to the Lord the honor due his Name; bring offerings and come into this courts." Therefore, we now make our offerings to God.
The Choir sings as the offerings are collected
Stand
Offertory LSB 192
C Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from Thy presence, and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation, and uphold me with Thy free spirit. Amen.
Offertory Prayer
Holy God, accept and bless these gifts which you have given us to honor your name. In this Eucharist, take away our sins and prepare us for the celebration of the Death and Resurrection of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
SERVICE OF THE SACRAMENT
Preface LSB 194
P The Lord be with you.
C And with thy spirit.
P Lift up your hearts.
C We lift them up unto the Lord.
P Let us give thanks unto the Lord, our God.
C It is meet and right so to do.
Proper Preface
P It is indeed right and salutary that we should at all times and in all places offer thanks and praise to you, O Lord, holy Father, through Christ our Lord. You bid your people cleanse their hearts and prepare with joy for the paschal feast. Renew our zeal in faith and life, and bring us to the fullness of grace that belongs to the children of God. And so with the Church on earth and the hosts of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn:
Sanctus LSB 195
C Holy, holy, holy Lord God of Sabaoth;
heav’n and earth are full of Thy glory.
Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is He, blessed is He, blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.
The Words of Our Lord
P On the night, in which he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples saying, take, eat; this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me. In the same also, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them saying, this cup is the New Testament in my blood, shed for you and for many, for the forgiveness of sins. Do this as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.
Lord's Prayer Invitation
Lord, remember us in your kingdom and teach us to pray. . .
Lord’s Prayer
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.
Fraction
P This is the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Happy are they who are called to His feast.
C O Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I will be healed. Amen.
Agnus Dei
C O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us.
O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us.
O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world, grant us Thy peace. Amen.
Sit
Jesus, Remember Me Taize
Jesus, remember me
when you come into your kingdom.
Jesus, remember me
when you come into your kingdom.
Distribution
The pastor and those who assist him receive the body and blood of Christ first and then distribute them to those who come to receive, saying:
Take, eat; this is the true body of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, given into death for your sins.
Amen.
Take, drink; this is the true blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, shed for the forgiveness of your sins.
Amen.
Stand
In dismissing the communicants, the following is said:
The Dismissal LSB 199
P The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen and preserve you in body and soul to life everlasting. Depart T in peace.
C Amen.
Nunc Dimittis LSB 199
C Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace according to Thy word,
for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people,
a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of Thy people Israel.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Thanksgiving 200
A O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good,
C and His mercy endureth forever.
Salutation LSB 201
P The Lord be with you.
C And with thy spirit.
Post-Communion Prayer
P Almighty God, you gave your Son both as a sacrifice for sin and a model of the godly life. Enable us to receive him always with thanksgiving and to conform our lives to his; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.
C Amen
Benediction LSB 202
P The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious unto you.
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and T give you peace.
C Amen, amen, amen.
718 Jesus, Lead Thou On LSB 718
1
Jesus,
lead Thou on
Till
our rest is won;
And
although the way be cheerless,
We will
follow calm
and fearless.
Guide
us by Thy hand
To
our fatherland.
2
If
the way be drear,
If
the foe be near,
Let
not faithless fears o’ertake
us;
Let
not faith and hope forsake us;
For
through many_a woe
To
our home we go.
3
When
we seek relief
From
a long-felt grief,
When
temptations come alluring,
Make us
patient and
enduring.
Show
us that bright shore
Where
we weep no more.
4
Jesus,
lead Thou on
Till
our rest is won.
Heav’nly
leader,
still direct us,
Still
support, console,
protect us,
Till
we safely stand
In
our fatherland.
Text:
Nicolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf, 1700–60;
tr.
Jane L. Borthwick, 1813–97,
alt.
Text:
Public
domain
CLOSING RESPONSE
P Go in Peace! Serve the Lord!
C Praise be to God!
Acknowledgments
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2025 Concordia Publishing House.