concrete

The rubble

The cornerstone
Present what you and your group talked about: (If you
weren’t part of a group, make sure you ask questions).
 • Trial (Luke 22:54-23:25) – What is important about
the way that Jesus was handed over to the cross?
What does it tell us about ourselves?
• Death (Luke 23:26-56) – Jesus’ death sends ripple-
like waves into the world. How are we still feeling
those today?
• Resurrection (Luke 24:1-35) – Paul says that the
fact that Jesus rises from the dead is the lynchpin of
our faith. Why is the resurrection important?

The rubble
Next week is Ash Wednesday, and I want you to help me
with the sermon.

One of the major themes of Ash Wednesday is our mortality

that came about because of our sin. We will be reading the
following verses that night:
• Genesis 3:1-7; 14-19
• 2 Corinthians 5:11-21
• Luke 13:1-9

Prayer
Lord God, help us to find our center in You. In order that we
might better understand eternal life, show us our mortality.
In order that we might better understand righteousness,
show us our sins. Cause us to be awoken from the rubble
and rebuild us as Your people, chosen, forgiven, renewed.
Amen.
groups
Three groups, same question.Your group is charged with the
job of coming up with specific things that let you know:

“I am mortal”
These specific things may be a story (i.e. when I was in 5th
grade…[please keep under 5 minutes] ), a line of Scripture
(“the wages of sin is death”), a reoccurring event (“everytime
I put on my seatbelt”). What lets you know that you’re going
to die?

Try to come up with 3-5 answers. Choose a spokesperson

or decide you will all speak one or more answer next week
during the Ash Wednesday service sermon.
Lent out loud
Throughout the season of Lent, we will be holding midweek
services. This means that +Vespers+ will be a little different.
It means we will have some different people with us, and that
we will do things differently. That’s ok.

But we have something great that we do every week here,

sharing with one another about our faith, our journey, our
struggles and our ideas. I want to share that with others,
and invite them to share as well. Throughout the
Wednesdays in Lent, we’ll be looking at similar statements
and how those things intersect with our lives:
• 2/24 – “I am tempted”
• 3/3 – “I am commanded by God”
• 3/10 – “I am a sinner”
• 3/17 – “I have strayed”
• 3/24 – “I can sacrifice”
You will have an opportunity to let your voice be heard
during all of these services.
prayer
Lent is a season without the word “Alleluia” which literally means
“Yahweh be praised”. Tonight we pray using this word that we
won’t speak again corporately after next week.

Alleluia Lord, You made all of creation. You made humans

and loved them enough to send your Son. Alleluia!
Alleluia Lord, You give us the church as the place where we
come to know about You, where we receive grace and love
others. Alleluia!

Alleluia Lord, You give us a world outside that needs us. You
call us into Your purposes so that we might not live without
meaning. Alleluia!

Alleluia Lord, You rose from the tomb after You suffered and
died. Our sins are forgiven in You and we do not fear death.
Alleluia!

Alleluia Lord, You heal the sick and are gracious to the poor.
Heal those that we name…. Give us faith to believe they will
be healed. Alleluia!

Alleluia Lord, You sent Your Holy Spirit into the church to
make us who we are, this church, this gathering, these saints.
Keep us faithful as we approach Lent. Alleluia!

In the name of Jesus Christ, Alleluia, Amen.

Please don’t throw this away. If you’re not going to use it, leave it for
someone else to use.