Today is the 3rd Sunday of Lent. Lent is a period of forty days, not counting Sundays, which begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Saturday. “Lent” comes from the Anglo Saxon word lencten, meaning “lengthens,” and refers to the lengthening days of spring. The forty days represents the time Jesus spent in the wilderness, enduring the temptations of Satan and preparing for his ministry. Lent is a time of repentance, fasting, and preparation for the coming of Easter. It’s a time of self-examination and reflection. This year’s sermon series is called “The Seven Last Words of Jesus.” Each sermon will focus on one of the seven final utterances of Jesus from the cross as recorded by the Gospel writers. Today’s last word is “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” The main point is that feelings of abandonment by God betray the truth that God has not forsaken his children.
Welcome & Announcements
Prelude – “In the Shadow of the Cross” – By Brian Glyncannon
*Call to Worship (based on Psalm 22)
- L: Come to us even now, O Lord of Life,
- P: and fill this place with your presence!
- L: We praise your name and rejoice in your love;
- P: we stand in utter amazement of who you are!
- L: Everyone who calls upon you will find fulfillment;
- P:they will rejoice forever, because you are God!
- L: Rejoice and give thanks!
- P: Halleluiah! Amen!
*Hymn – “My Life Flows On” – FWS #2212
Refrain:
No storm can shake my inmost calm
while to that Rock I’m clinging.
Since love is Lord of heaven and earth,
how can I keep from singing?
- My life flows on in endless song, above earth’s lamentation.
I hear the clear, though faroff hymn that hails a new creation.
(Refrain) - Through all the tumult and the strife, I hear that music ringing.
It finds an echo in my soul. How can I keep from singing?
(Refrain) - What though my joys and comforts die? I know my Savior liveth.
What though the darkness gather round? Songs in the night he giveth.
(Refrain) - The peace of Christ makes fresh my heart, a fountain ever springing!
All things are mine since I am his! How can I keep from singing?
(Refrain)
Time with the Children
Anthem – “The Old Rugged Cross” – Arr. by Cynthia Dobrinski
Scripture Reading – Psalm 22
1My God! My God, why have you left me all alone?
Why are you so far from saving me— so far from my anguished groans?
2My God, I cry out during the day, but you don’t answer; even at nighttime I don’t
stop.
3You are the holy one, enthroned. You are Israel’s praise.
4Our ancestors trusted you— they trusted you and you rescued them;
5 they cried out to you and they were saved; they trusted you and they weren’t
ashamed.
6But I’m just a worm, less than human; insulted by one person, despised by another.
7All who see me make fun of me— they gape, shaking their heads:
8 “He committed himself to the LORD, so let God rescue him;
let God deliver him because God likes him so much.”
9But you are the one who pulled me from the womb, placing me safely at my mother’s breasts.
10I was thrown on you from birth; you’ve been my God since I was in my mother’s
womb.
11Please don’t be far from me, because trouble is near and there’s no one to help.
12Many bulls surround me; mighty bulls from Bashan encircle me.
13They open their mouths at me like a lion ripping and roaring!
14I’m poured out like water. All my bones have fallen apart.
My heart is like wax; it melts inside me.
15My strength is dried up like a piece of broken pottery.
My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you’ve set me down in the dirt of death.
16Dogs surround me; a pack of evil people circle me like a lion— oh, my poor hands
and feet!
17I can count all my bones! Meanwhile, they just stare at me, watching me.
18They divvy up my garments among themselves; they cast lots for my clothes.
19But you, LORD! Don’t be far away! You are my strength! Come quick and help me!
20Deliver me from the sword. Deliver my life from the power of the dog.
21 Save me from the mouth of the lion. From the horns of the wild oxen
you have answered me!
22I will declare your name to my brothers and sisters; I will praise you in the very
center of the congregation!
23All of you who revere the LORD—praise him! All of you who are Jacob’s descendants— honor him!
All of you who are all Israel’s offspring— stand in awe of him!
24Because he didn’t despise or detest the suffering of the one who suffered—
he didn’t hide his face from me. No, he listened when I cried out to him for help.
25I offer praise in the great congregation because of you;
I will fulfill my promises in the presence of those who honor God.
26Let all those who are suffering eat and be full!
Let all who seek the LORD praise him! I pray your hearts live forever!
27Every part of the earth will remember and come back to the LORD;
every family among all the nations will worship you.
28Because the right to rule belongs to the LORD, he rules all nations.
29Indeed, all the earth’s powerful will worship him;
all who are descending to the dust will kneel before him;
my being also lives for him.
30Future descendants will serve him; generations to come will be told about my Lord.
31They will proclaim God’s righteousness to those not yet born, telling them what God has done.
Mark 15:22-37
22They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha, which means Skull Place. 23They tried to give him wine mixed with myrrh, but he didn’t take it. 24They crucified him. They divided up his clothes, drawing lots for them to determine who would take what. 25It was nine in the morning when they crucified him. 26The notice of the formal charge against him was written, “The king of the Jews.” 27They crucified two outlaws with him, one on his right and one on his left.
29People walking by insulted him, shaking their heads and saying, “Ha! So you were going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, were you? 30Save yourself and come down from that cross!”
31In the same way, the chief priests were making fun of him among themselves,
together with the legal experts. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save
himself. 32Let the Christ, the king of Israel, come down from the cross. Then we’ll see
and believe.” Even those who had been crucified with Jesus insulted him.
33From noon until three in the afternoon the whole earth was dark. 34At three, Jesus
cried out with a loud shout, “Eloi, eloi, lama sabachthani,” which means, “My God, my
God, why have you left me?”
35After hearing him, some standing there said, “Look! He’s calling Elijah!” 36Someone
ran, filled a sponge with sour wine, and put it on a pole. He offered it to Jesus to drink,
saying, “Let’s see if Elijah will come to take him down.” 37But Jesus let out a loud cry
and died.
- L: The Word of God, the Word of Life.
- P: Thanks be to God!
*Hymn – “O Love, How Deep” – UMH #267(tune #357)
- O love, how deep, how broad, how high, it fills the heart with ecstasy,
that God, the Son of God, should take our mortal form for mortals’ sake! - For us baptized, for us he bore his holy fast and hungered sore,
for us temptation sharp he knew; for us the tempter overthrew. - For us he prayed; for us he taught; for us his daily works he wrought;
by words and signs and actions thus still seeking not himself, but us. - For us to evil power betrayed, scourged, mocked, in purple robe arrayed,
he bore the shameful cross and death, for us gave up his dying breath. - For us he rose from death again; for us he went on high to reign;
for us he sent his Spirit here, to guide, to strengthen, and to cheer. - All glory to our Lord and God for love so deep, so high, so broad:
the Trinity whom we adore, forever and forevermore.
Sermon – “My God, My God, Why Have You Forsaken Me?”
Pastoral Prayer & Lord’s Prayer
Anthem – “The Love Behind the Cross” – By James R. Rahtjen
Invitation to Give
Doxology and Prayer of Dedication
*Closing Song – “How Firm a Foundation” – UMH #529
- How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
is laid for your faith in his excellent word!
What more can he say than to you he hath said,
to you who for refuge to Jesus have fled? - “Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed,
for I am thy God and will still give thee aid;
I’ll strengthen and help thee, and cause thee to stand
upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand. - “When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
the rivers of woe shall not thee overflow;
for I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,
and sanctify to thee thy deepest distress. - “When through fiery trials thy pathways shall lie,
my grace, all-sufficient, shall be thy supply;
the flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine. - “The soul that on Jesus still leans for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to its foes;
that soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no, never, no, never forsake.”
*Benediction
*Postlude – “God Will Take Care of You” – Arr. by Robert J. Hughes
Lyrics to Special Music
The Love Behind the Cross
He left the throne of heaven for a place of pain and death; The One who’s robed in glory would be clothed in humbleness; and though He knew the danger, He would leave His heavenly throne, so the ones He called His children could have a heavenly home. The love behind the cross, I hardly understand how He gave His life for me there on Calvary. O help me see how much He sacrificed for me. Lord, help me see the love behind the cross. The God of strength was wearied, and the Judge of flesh condemned; The One whose name is Faithful was deserted by His friends; The One who knew the Father cried out in agony, “My God, why have You left Me?” as He hung upon the tree. The love behind the cross, I hardly understand how He gave His life for me there on Calvary. O help me see how much He sacrificed for me. Lord, help me see the love behind the cross. O help me see the love behind the cross. Lord, help me see.
Helping Lead Today’s Worship
- Pastor: Rev. Drew Hart
- Liturgist: Barb Postill
- Choir Director: Steve Grattan
- Organist: Kathy Cay
- Audio Tech: Bruce Hurd
- Streaming Tech: Brian Miller
- Computer Tech: Ellen Hoover