Broadway Christian Church · Columbia, Missouri
Ash Wednesday Service · February 25, 2009 – Noon
Worship Leaders: Larry Gallamore and Jacob Thorne
Prelude Beverly Kyriakos
I Call to Thee, Lord Jesus Christ
J.S. Bach
Call to Worship Joel 2:12-13
(In Unison)
“Yet even now,” says the Holy One, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.”
Rend your hearts and not your clothing. Return to the Lord your God, who is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and who relents from punishing.
Hymn Congregation
If You Will Trust in God to Guide You
If you will trust in God to guide you, and hope in God through all your ways,
God will give strength, whate’er betide you, and bear you through the evil days.
Who trusts in God’s unchanging love builds on the rock that will not move.
God will embrace your pain and weeping, your helpless anger and distress.
If you are in God’s care and keeping, in sorrow will God love you less?
For Christ, who took for you a cross, will bring you safe through every loss.
Sing, pray, and keep God’s ways unswerving; so do your own part faithfully,
And trust God’s word; though undeserving, you’ll find God’s promise true to be.
God never will forsake in need the soul that trusts in God indeed.
Prayer Congregation
(In Unison)
Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing that you have made and forgive the sins of all those who are penitent. Create and make in us, we pray, new and contrite hearts, that lamenting our sin, our separation, and acknowledge our wretchedness, we may receive from you, the God of all mercy, perfect forgiveness and peace, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Statement of purpose
Leader: Friends in Christ, we begin today a forty-day journey toward Easter.
People: We enter the Lenten season to prepare ourselves to welcome the risen Christ with lives renewed by the breath of his Living Spirit.
Leader: We assume a discipline of self-examination, confession, and penitence.
People: We dedicate ourselves to meditate upon the Scriptures and to converse with God in prayer.
Leader: We seek to be more faithful disciples of Christ whose lives are shaped by the One whom we confess to be Lord and Savior of the world.
People: To this end, let us worship God!
A Reading from the Hebrew Scripture Isaiah 58:1-11
Leader: Shout it aloud; do not hold back. Raise your voice like a trumpet. Declare to my people their rebellion and to the house of Jacob their sins.
People: For day after day they seek me out; they seem eager to know my ways, as if they were a nation that does what is right and has not forsaken the commands of its God. They ask me for just decisions and seem eager for God to come near them.
Leader: “Why have we fasted,” they say, “and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?” Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers.
People: Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high.
Leader: Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for a person to humble themselves? Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed and for lying on sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord?
People: Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cord of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?
Leader: Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter, when you see the naked to clothe them and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
People: Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
Leader: Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help and God will say, “Here am I.” If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
People: …And if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.
Duet Terry Overfelt and Judy Saliger
Here I Am, Lord
I, the Lord of sea and sky, I have heard my people cry,
All who dwell in deepest sin my hand will save.
I who made the stars of night, I will make their darkness bright.
Who will bear my light to them? Whom shall I send?
Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord? I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if you lead me. I will hold your people in my heart.
I, the Lord of snow and rain, I have borne my people’s pain.
I have wept for love of them, they turn away.
I will break their hearts of stone, give them hearts of love alone.
I will speak my word to them. Whom shall I send?
Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord? I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if you lead me. I will hold your people in my heart.
I, the Lord of wind and flame, I will tend the poor and lame.
I will set a feast for them, my hand will save.
Finest bread I will provide till their hearts be satisfied.
I will give my life to them. Whom shall I send?
Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord? I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if you lead me. I will hold your people in my heart.
Here I Am, Lord, by Daniel L. Schutte, Inspired from Isaiah 6:8.
Copyright ã 1981, Daniel L. Schutte and New Dawn Music. All Rights Reserved. Reprinted under OneLicense.net A705069.
A Reading from the New Testament Matthew 6:1-6;16-21 (The Message)
Leader: Be especially careful when you are trying to be good so that you don’t make a performance out of it. It might be good theater, but the God who made you won’t be applauding.
People: When you do something for someone else, don’t call attention to yourself… No, when you help someone out, don’t think about how it looks. Just do it—quietly and unobtrusively. That is the way your God, who conceived you in love, working behind the scenes, helps you out.
Leader: And when you come before God, don’t turn it into a production either…
People: Here is what I want you to do: find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense God’s grace.
Leader: And when you practice some appetite-denying discipline to better concentrate on God, don’t make a production out of it…
People: Act normal outwardly. Shampoo and comb your hair, brush your teeth, wash your face. God doesn’t require attention-getting devises. God won’t overlook what you are doing. God will reward you well.
Leader: Don’t hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten, corroded, or worse, stolen.
People: Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it is safe. It is obvious, isn’t it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being.
Meditation Larry Gallamore
As we gather here on this wonderful day, we thank God for this opportunity to be here. As we look at this Ash Wednesday, we recognize it as a wonderful time when we can come together and begin this great season of Lent. We recognize the season of Lent as one that begins a very holy type of season for every one of us. It is when we go through a process of self examination and a process whereby we can find that we have the opportunity to improve ourselves, our lives, make ourselves more available to the people who are around us, and to improve our Christian service.
There can be a host of all other things that happen during this time of year. It is something that, not only better prepares us to live the rest of the year, but also prepares us for that great experience that comes on Easter morning when we see the wonderful resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
When we look at the Jewish-Hasidic tradition, we find some wonderful things in that old tradition, from the Old Testament. One of the things that has always caught me eye is the wonderful tradition of having two pockets in every Jewish coat. In those two pockets, they have little slips of paper. On one slip is written, “We are dust and ashes.” It is kept in one pocket. It is in recognition that we are created from dust and ashes. In the second pocket is another slip of paper with a remarkable saying, “The whole universe was created for us.”
When I think about those two pockets in that great tradition of the coat and the people who wore them, I think that we, in the Church, have done a fairly good job on the first pocket when we talk about how wonderful it is to be able to experience the fact that we were made from dust and ashes. We know we will return to dust and ashes. We have made of that a wonderful tradition of Ash Wednesday.
But I think sometimes we neglect the other tradition. That is the tradition that the whole universe was created for all of God’s people – for every one of us. That symbolizes, to me, that we are here today to actually recognize that God is present, that we are God’s children, and that we can do remarkable things in this world for God.
Now, the first part is so important, because unless we recognize that we are in total dependence on God – unless we realize we are dust and ashes - then we cannot move to the place where we can recognize that the whole universe is ours. Not only for us but it belongs to all of God’s children.
I know also this is a time we sometimes focus on fasting. I’m always surprised that the Church so often has made fasting to mean denying ourselves from something that might be good. We see that in the Scriptures. We seem to put a great emphasis on fasting when it comes to food. Of course, we like to eat, and that’s probably why we have put the emphasis there over the years.
Fasting, however, is a more than that. It has a broader context. When we are fasting, we are preparing ourselves to enter into fellowship with God in a unique way – a way that will get us in the position where we can be closer and closer to God spiritually. We might say that fasting does include not having that extra piece of chocolate, or this extra piece of pie or cake. But that is just one way we fast. That is to show us we are a more than the body, and sometimes we have to find ways to cleanse ourselves. Fasting is a way of doing that.
You practice that, not only during the Lenten season, but any time you go for surgery. You are usually practicing fasting before surgery. Remember the night before when they tell you not to eat or drink anything after some specified time. We are very familiar with that kind of fasting. However, fasting goes way beyond that.
When I look at the Scriptures, I can see fasting in the broader concept of the time when a man came to Jesus. He had an epileptic son. He said to Jesus, “I’ve taken my son to your disciples. They couldn’t heal him. So, I’m bringing him to you.”
Out of frustration and disappointment, he’s bringing his son for healing to Jesus. Jesus, of course, is able to heal the young man. The disciples come to Jesus afterward and inquire, “Lord, why couldn’t we heal this young man?”
Jesus makes a very appropriate statement. He says something very appropriate: “This kind of healing cannot not occur except by much prayer and fasting.” Now, obviously, Jesus is talking about more than food.
Then, we find Jesus, on occasion speaking about food, saying, “Well, it’s not what goes into the mouth that defiles the body. It is what comes out of the mouth that defiles it.”
So, when we think about fasting today, I hope we will look at fasting in a broader concept than what we commonly have. I think fasting means something more like this. It means we are preparing ourselves – whether bodily, or spiritually, or mentally – to get into the presence of God, and to be closer to God. We do that by disciplining ourselves in certain ways. That involves the physical, and the mind, and the spirit.
I would like for you to look at fasting today as more than just refraining from eating. I want us to look at it in terms in refraining from certain things that happen to us mentally. If this could be a period of time when we could fast from anger, resentment, bitterness, all those kinds of things that tend to keep us away from the presence of God, or out of the presence of God, it would be a very good fast. Since God is continuously all good, we cannot enter fully into God’s presence when we find bitterness, resentment, and so forth in our own hearts. God has to help us get that out. I would hope we could see fasting as a time when we prepare ourselves to come right into the presence of God. That would mean we would do that, not only physically and bodily, but we would also do it spiritually and mentally as we come into the presence of God.
That might mean something like this. I might say, “Well, I’m going to fast from complacency, and I’m going to look at my life in terms of saying, ‘What can I appreciate that God has given to me?’ I’m going to fast in this way and feast on something else.”
When I fast from complacency, or from complaining, I am going to feast on the graciousness of God and the appreciation that comes into my life. I know other people appreciate me. I know that my family appreciates me. I know the church appreciates me. I’m going to really feast on that. I know that comes directly from God.
I might fast from bitterness and feast on kindness. A lot of times things happen in your lives, and we get mad and angry. Sometimes there is some bitterness that begins to work its way in. But I am fasting from bitterness this season, and I am only going to allow thoughts of kindness to enter my mind.
Some would say, “You can’t do that, because that stuff just comes into your mind.” Why, sure you can. When it comes in, you can kick it out. If it comes in as bitterness, you kick it out and say, “I’m not going to be bitter about this. I’m going to show kindness toward him or her.” That’s what Jesus did with people.
I’m going to fast from judging and start forgiving people. Any time anybody does something negative to me, instead of judging them, I’ll forgive them. In doing that you are doing exactly what the Lord’s Prayer says – the most important prayer in all of our lives. The Lord’s Prayer says we are forgiven as we forgive others. You can’t be forgiven unless you forgive others. We fast from judging and feast on forgiveness.
You’re beginning to get the message of what I’m saying. If you choose to do this and choose to allow your life to unfold in this way, some remarkable things begin to happen. When you choose to do this, you get closer and closer to God. When you get closer and closer to God, more and more of the benefits of God come into your life. When you practice more kindness in your life, more kindness comes to you. When you practice more appreciation in your life, more appreciation comes to you. When you practice more forgiveness in your life, more forgiveness comes to you. You recognize we’re all God’s children. We’re all in this together. Sometimes we do good things. Sometimes we do bad things. Consequently, we are all in need of forgiveness. So, everyone becomes more forgiving.
If you choose this way of life, you begin to see that you are preparing yourself for the most exciting event in all of history. That is the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, because you are preparing yourself to be resurrected as Christ was resurrected. I think that is an exciting thing. It has certainly been exciting in my life. Every time I would work to improve anything in my life, I would always find that the improvement would come at a rapid pace. I would always find that kindness, and goodness, and mercy coming from other people was there all around me. It was every day of my life. If you say to yourself, “I’m going to work on myself during this time of Lent,” then you are really doing the right thing in terms of fasting and working toward a better life.
Now, here is what I want you to do. This is going to sound a little awkward and a little odd, but hear me out. I want you to take a vacation from yourself. You say, “How do I do that? I just can’t leave this body here and go someplace else.”
No. You can’t. But what you can do is you can imagine you are on the outside of yourself. Imagine that you are looking inside. Imagine that you are able to look and see what you need. You are looking inside of your mind. You are saying, “What’s in there that I need to take out?”
You are looking inside of yourself and saying, “What is it I need to do in terms of having a better physical body?” You are looking at yourself and saying, “What habits do I have that I need to deal with?” You see… You are looking at yourself. You are taking a vacation from yourself. You are allowing God to help you make the changes that can occur in yourself.
Allow me to give you a few simple suggestions. This can really change your entire life. God always offers life-changing experiences. This Lenten season is one of the best seasons in which to change.
Some people think that when they have come to Christ, that is the salvation experience, and that changes their life. Well, that is true, but Christ continuously changes us. As we grow older, we are continuously working to become better and better people through Christ Jesus. That’s a wonderful thing to behold. I see it happening in the church all the time. I’ve seen it happen here at Broadway. People are getting better, because Christ is working with people. I’m getting better, because Christ is working with me. We are all getting better, because Christ is working with us.
Now, if you choose this kind of living, you have to choose your own thoughts, first of all. If the thoughts coming into your mid are resentment, criticism, condemnation, whatever it might be, kick those things out and say, “I want God’s love in my life.” You’ll be really surprised at the love people will have for you as more love starts pouring into your life.
The second thing I would suggest is to keep your prayers simple, fresh, and new. In other words, just speak directly to God during this season. That’s all you have to do – simple, direct prayers are always best. Let me tell you… God does have an answer to all of your problems. God will give you some answers in your life. You will feel like you have never felt before.
Third, rearrange your work if possible. If you have any grievances at work or not getting along with some people at work, you be the big person. Go to those individuals and find some way to settle those old grievances. Get beyond that. You don’t need that everyday in your life. Be forgiving as you move forward.
Fourth, add some new practices and pastimes to your life. Get rid of some of the old things that you have been doing. For instance, read some new books. Read some new papers and magazines. Add to those older good ones you are reading and help to make yourself new as you move along. You will give God the opportunity to do an abundance of good things in your life.
Fifth, drop all the cares and worries, especially about these things, because we have just been through a most difficult time – about politics, about business, about foreign situations. Drop these things and wait for God to give us some solutions to those things that trouble us and stir us. Constantly worrying about those situations will not bring solutions. But, when you find yourself with a peace of mind and a certain self-fulfillment in what you are doing, God will then be able to bring into your mind some solutions to the problems in your life.
I think if you do these things for just a short period of time this Lenten season, you will find and will be surprised how your life will be changed. You will be surprised at what God can do in your life. It is surely and truly one of the most rewarding experiences in the Christian year – this time when you look at yourself and say, “I know, through God’s help, I can improve in this area and this area.”
When you do, you will feel great about it, because we know God has done a miracle in your life. I’ve experienced it. You have experienced it, again and again. This year, let’s be intentional about it. Let’ see if God can provide a way to make changes in our lives that will be permanent changes we can live with forever, because we will want them to stay in our lives.
God bless you. So be it. Amen.
The Sign of Ashes
Those present are invited to come forward, where the leader will impose the ashes by making the sign of the cross on the forehead or hand of each person. When completed, please return to your seat in a spirit of prayer.
Jacob Thorne: At this time we invite all who are present to come forward and receive the sign of the ashes. The ashes, taken from the palm branches of last year’s Palm Sunday Service, are a sign to ourselves and to the world that we sin, that we are mortal, and that we are absolutely dependent upon God’s graciousness and forgiveness as seen through and demonstrated in the death of Christ on the cross. I invite you to come forward and receive the sign of the ashes in the form of a cross either on your forehead or on your hand.
Prayer Congregation
(In Unison)
Merciful God, the ashes are our pledge to take up the cross of life. We came from the earth, and we will go back to it. In the meantime, continuing on as we have for years, or beginning for the first time these forty days, we will try to live here and make it a better home for everybody. Through Christ our Lord. Amen!
Passing of the Peace Congregation
“May the peace of the Lord be with you.”
“And also with you.”
Hymn Congregation
Beneath the Cross of Jesus
Beneath the cross of Jesus I fain would take my stand,
The shadow of a mighty rock within a weary land;
A home within the wilderness, a rest upon the way,
From the burning of the noontide heat, and the burden of the day.
Upon that cross of Jesus mine eye at times can see
The very dying form of one who suffered there for me;
And from my stricken heart with tears two wonders I confess:
The wonders of redeeming love and my unworthiness.
I take, O cross, thy shadow for my abiding place;
I ask no other sunshine than the sunshine of his face;
Content to let the world go by, to know no gain nor loss,
My sinful self my only shame, my glory all the cross.
Benediction Congregation
(In Unison)
Holy God, through the discipline of these forty days, make your Spirit’s cleansing fire burn within us. Lift us from the dying embers of our inattention. Mark us with the sign of your holy passion. Make us ready to respond to the call of Jesus Christ! Amen!
Postlude Beverly Kyriakos
