LENT @ SAINT LUKE
A Season of Reflection, Preparation & Renewal
THE SEASON OF LENT
Begins in February or March
Lent: The word “lent” has its origin in the same root as one of the German words for “spring,” Lenz. As nature awakens from the death of winter, so the Christian finds newness of life in Christ, rising from sin’s death.
During the 40 days of Lent, God’s baptized people cleanse their hearts through the discipline of Lent: repentance, prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Lent is a time in which God’s people prepare with joy for the paschal feast (Easter). It is a time to prepare our hearts for the celebration of Christ’s resurrection from the tomb. The Early church used this time to usually fast and focus more on Christ in their lives. In a sense cleansing and purify oneself in order to fully focus and remove any hindrance for Easter worship.
Calendar: Ash Wednesday may fall as early as February 6 or as late as March 10. The dates for Lent depend on the date of Easter. Ash Wednesday is always 46 days before Easter.
Customs: Lent begins with Ash Wednesday, when ashes are placed on the forehead to symbolize repentance. The color for this service is black or purple. The color for the rest of Lent is purple. The hymns and services of Lent do not include the joyful word, “Alleluia.” Consider fasting during daylight hours. Spend your regular mealtime in prayer and devotional reading. If you cannot abstain from food for health reasons, abstain from something else (e.g. television or another leisure activity). Do not fast on Sundays which are not part of the 40 days of Lent. Read Bible stories with children each day.
[The Lord Will Answer: A Daily Prayer Catechism. St. Louis, MO: CPH, 2004 pg. 147]
In “You Meant it for Evil, but God Meant it for Good,” Lenten sermon series, we will be exploring the uniqueness of Luke’s account of Jesus’ suffering, death and resurrection.
Lenten Resources Available
A Lenten daily devotional is available on the table in the back of the church for you to pick-up and study during this Lenten journey. We hope that this devotional helps support your worship experience.
Weekly Themes
Ash Wednesday
That is the title of the Lenten series we will be following this year. This series written by Concordia Seminary professor Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Gibbs takes the words of the Patriarch Joseph from Genesis 50:20 and captures something of the uniqueness of Luke’s account of Jesus’s suffering, death, and resurrection. Enemies, faithless disciples, hapless crowds, pragmatic powerbrokers, and Satan himself are all arrayed against the perfectly innocent Son of God. Through them, one evil purpose comes to pass: Jesus’s destruction. God the Father, however, puts their plan to use and then overturns it in the victory that no one expected. Our Lenten series begins on Ash Wednesday and continues on through Holy Week to Easter.
March 12, 2023 (Week 3)
When we read the story of Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion, we may be tempted to say, “I would never do such a thing!” Is that true? Or is it simply blind arrogance? Over and over again, Jesus seeks to destroy the arrogance that compares. In his presence, there are no distinctions. This is nothing more or less than utter grace. But they hated him for that. And by nature—so would I. And so would you. So, when we read of the evil, blind ignorance of the men who handed Jesus over to Pilate, don’t give in to arrogance. Instead, I invite you to think this: “There but for the grace of God go I.” Let there be in your heart a godly fear that remembers that we don’t get the credit for our faith. Let us then say, “To God alone be the glory. “
February 26, 2023 (Week 1)
Think with me for a second about what these words could mean: “I didn’t mean to do that!” If you say it a certain way: “I didn’t mean to do that,” something bad happened, and you didn’t mean to do that—but you realize that you could have stopped it from happening, or maybe worse—you really should have known better. “I didn’t mean to do that ... But I did it anyway.” When that happens, remember: “You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good.” And pray that God will take your folly and your pride and turn it into a sign, a huge, bright arrow that points us—away from ourselves, and points us to Jesus. He was numbered among the transgressors. He is here, among us for good. In Jesus, God meant it all for good.
March 19, 2023 (Week 4)
The world is a complicated place. There are so many things that we feel we can handle and then there are the things we have no clue what we should do. As we walk alongside people who are suffering, we feel inclined to offer words of encouragement as if we have all things figured out. But little catch phrases sometimes sound trite and almost unfeeling. In our text we find that God at times is hidden even in the midst of suffering. As we continue our Lenten series we find God working behind the scenes as Jesus encounters three different characters. In each circumstance we see God working behind the scenes with Jesus accomplishing His purpose even in the midst of evil. God also works behind the scenes in our lives accomplishing His purposes for us in the midst of suffering and evil. Through it all Jesus says “I am here for you.” Baptized in Him we cling to the king as we face an evil and complicated world.
March 5, 2023 (Week 2)
As we continue our Lenten series from Luke we see, Judas, the chief priests and their allies. There’s also the apostles. But Satan is directing, influencing, attacking all of them. He’s behind it all. And so, in a way, there are really only two figures, two “persons” who matter. Satan ... and Jesus.
And Jesus knows that. He knows it. He’s the one who warns the apostles in the garden that night, he warns them: “Pray.” “Pray,” he says. “Temptation is coming against you; the tempter is coming against you; Satan is coming against you. Pray so that you won’t enter into it. Because if you do, you won’t be able to stand. You’re not solid enough, you’re not strong enough; you’ll blow away like chaff.” Satan know how to get to us also. As we continue our journey this Lenten season, how can we stand firm and be the wheat and not the chaff. Standing firm our faith in Christ is the only way to resist the temptations of the devil.
March 26, 2023 (Week 5)
Evil is often louder than good. Criticism and negative comments tend to be more powerful to us than compliments or positive comments. What sticks with us longer is the complaint or the criticism or the insult. We keep hearing those things long after the kindness or the affirmation has faded. This is why so many people carry around in their heads and hearts a whole truckload of negative commentary. When evil speaks, it is loud and long in its sin. In the midst of these harsh and hurtful words, let us hear the words of Jesus as he speaks to the criminal on the cross. “Today you will be with me in paradise.” Jesus will remember him when he comes into his kingdom. Jesus will remember you too. But Jesus gives a gift, already now: “Today you will be with me in the presence of my Father, in paradise.”
Virtual Mid-Week Lenten Devotions
Every Wednesday following Ash Wednesday we will release a special video service designed to be experienced with a discussion among those in your household, and we suggest doing it around the dinner table in the evening. A virtual space to gather together and reflect on our journey through Lent, inviting reflections and/or comments. Click the side button to watch video. It will be available to watch in our YouTube channel as well.
Holy Week Worship Schedule
The services on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday are really one worship service. Called “The Triduum” (TRIDD-oo-um; “three days”), this “service” refers to the time from the evening liturgy on Maundy Thursday until the liturgy of the Great Vigil of Easter. Once we begin our worship on Maundy Thursday we do not leave it until Easter, although we leave the sanctuary to go about our daily lives between services. Notice on Maundy Thursday there is no traditional dismissal and blessing. Good Friday’s service has no greeting or dismissal. Worshipers leave the sanctuary in darkness and silence, ready and anticipating the next chapter in the story of God’s act of salvation. The idea is that once worship begins on Maundy Thursday, the church remains together in spirit to see it to its conclusion.
Maundy Thursday
Good Friday
Easter Sunday
March 28, 2024 | 7:15 pm
March 29, 2024 | 12:00 pm (Noon) & 7:15 pm (Tenebrae)
March 31, 2024 | 6:00 am (Sunrise), 8:00 am & 10:30 am
FAQs
Maundy Thursday - Thursday, March 28 at 7:15 pm
In the middle of the year’s quietest week, Holy Week, comes a major festival: the institution of the sacrament of Holy Communion. It was on this night that Jesus gave his Church a special meal through which he strengthens our faith by giving us his very body and blood in, with, and under the bread and wine of the Passover meal. Our Maundy Thursday worship includes Holy Communion. At the end of the service the paraments are removed from the altar, the sanctuary is darkened, and we leave in silence to recall how Jesus and his disciples left the upper room to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Good Friday Noon - Friday, March 29 at 12:00 pm
On that evil Friday we call Good Jesus suffered and died on a cross. Since the earliest days of its history, the Church has reserved its deepest solemnities for this day—and especially for the three hours, from noon to 3:00, when darkness covered the earth and the Savior endured the deepest agony. Our worship at Noon focuses on the reading of the Passion Story.
Good Friday Tenebrae - Friday, March 29 at 7:15 pm
Tenebrae means “darkness” or “shadows”. It is a Holy Week devotion that dates back to the seventh or eighth century A.D. and is characterized by the successive extinguishing of candles as the service progresses, to point to the darkness that came to earth on that Friday afternoon when Christ died. Tenebrae is an emotionally powerful worship experience that will help you to focus on the great sacrifice Christ made on our behalf.
Easter Vigil - Saturday, March 30 at 7:14 pm - Sunset
The Easter Vigil is really the first celebration of the resurrection of Jesus. In the ancient Christian Church, worshipers would gather at midnight and spend the entire night before Easter waiting and watching for the sunrise, at which time they would celebrate the first Eucharist of the Easter celebration. As Christians have done from the earliest days of the Church, we gather this night to keep vigil, watching and waiting for the Lord of the Resurrection, Jesus Christ. The service begins in the Narthex and includes a candlelight procession into church, a re-telling of some of the Old Testament stories of God’s mighty saving acts, a remembrance of our baptism, the first reading of the Easter story, and the celebration of Holy Communion.
Easter Sunrise Worship - Sunday, March 31 at 6:30 am
Early Easter morning starts in hushed silence and fear, but the early morning gloom was turned to joy in the light of the resurrection. Let your life be touched ... and changed ... by the resurrection story. Sing your resurrection praises with the brass, choir, and bells of Saint Luke.
Easter Festival Worship - Sunday, March 31 8:00 am
Alleluia, Christ is risen! He is risen indeed, Alleluia! Let the trumpets sound and the bells ring out! Our joy cannot be contained as we worship the Risen King, accompanied by brass, choirs, and bells. I Know that my Redeemer Lives!
Easter Contemporary Worship - Sunday, March 31 10:30 am
Hallelujah! Jesus is alive! The timeless message of the Resurrection and the contemporary beat of today’s music. Join the celebration. My Redeemer Lives!
Worship Online - Live Stream Available
You are invited to come to church and worship with us in person Saturdays at 5:30 pm & Sundays at 8:00 & 10:30 am. Face masks are optional. If you wish to wear a mask and maintain social distance, you may do so. We urge all to be respectful of individual choice regarding the wearing of masks.
You can also join us online, all our services are live-streamed. Click the bottom below to worship online
