Sermon Tone Analysis
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Prelude: YouTube / Ash Wednesday Entrance Reflection
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AP89gMtJO7c
Greeting and Opening Prayer......................... Pastor Lauri
Welcome and thank you for joining our Ash Wednesday service.
Ash Wednesday is most commonly a Catholic tradition, however, has become more popular among the protestant traditions in more recent years.
Though Ash Wednesday is not specifically mentioned in the Bible, sprinkling oneself with ashes has been a mark of sorrow for sin from Bible times.
In the Protestant tradition, it is important to regularly examine our lives and take time to repent.
Ash Wednesday is by no means an obligation; however, it is a special way of preparing ourselves for the Lent season.
In taking time to kick off Lent with Ash Wednesday, we slow down and take note of what this season represents.
It can bring a greater experience and appreciation of Easter without it slipping by us too quickly.
There is more on the meaning of sackcloth and ashes on the back of your program.
Once again, thank you for joining us and may your Lent be more meaningful through the experience of this special service.
{Prayer for the service}
Songs .................................................................... Pam Hardy
"Here In Your Presence"
"Lead Me to the Cross"
Scripture Reading.............................................. Pam Hardy
Joel 2:1-2, 12-17a [MSG]
Our first scripture reading tonight is from the Old Testament.
Hear the words of the prophet Joel:
Blow the ram’s horn trumpet in Zion!
Trumpet the alarm on my holy mountain!
Shake the country up!
God’s Judgment’s on its way—the Day’s almost here!
A black day!
A Doomsday!
Clouds with no silver lining.
Like dawn light moving over the mountains,
A huge army is coming.
There’s never been anything like it
And never will be again.
Change your life…it’s not too late—
God’s personal Message!—
“Come back to me and really mean it!
Come fasting and weeping, sorry for your sins!”
Change your life, not just your clothes.
Come back to God, your God.
And here’s why: God is kind and merciful.
He takes a deep breath, puts up with a lot,
This most patient God, extravagant in love,
Always ready to cancel catastrophe.
Who knows?
Maybe he’ll do it now,
Maybe he’ll turn around and show pity.
Maybe, when all’s said and done,
There’ll be blessings full and robust for your God!
Blow the ram’s horn trumpet in Zion!
Declare a day of repentance, a holy fast day.
Call a public meeting.
Get everyone there.
Consecrate the congregation.
Make sure the elders come,
But bring in the children, too, even the nursing babies,
Even men and women on their honeymoon—
Interrupt them and get them there.
Between Sanctuary entrance and altar,
Let the priests, God’s servants, weep tears of repentance.
Let them intercede: “Have mercy, God, on your people!
Don’t abandon your heritage to contempt.”
{a brief pause}
This is the word of the Lord.
Gospel Reading................................................. Pastor Lauri
Isaiah 58 [MSG]
Our second reading tonight is from the prophet Isaiah.
Listen carefully to his admonition to the returning exiles that we do not make the same mistakes.
“Shout!
A full-throated shout!
Hold nothing back—a trumpet-blast shout!
Tell my people what’s wrong with their lives,
face my family Jacob with their sins!
They’re busy, busy, busy at worship,
and love studying all about me.
To all appearances they’re a nation of right-living people—
law-abiding, God-honoring.
They ask me, ‘What’s the right thing to do?’
and love having me on their side.
But they also complain,
‘Why do we fast and you don’t look our way?
Why do we humble ourselves and you don’t even notice?’
“Well, here’s why:
“The bottom line on your ‘fast days’ is profit.
You drive your employees much too hard.
You fast, but at the same time you bicker and fight.
You fast, but you swing a mean fist.
The kind of fasting you do
won’t get your prayers off the ground.
Do you think this is the kind of fast day I’m after:
a day to show off humility?
To put on a pious long face
and parade around solemnly in black?
Do you call that fasting,
a fast day that I, God, would like?
“This is the kind of fast day I’m after:
to break the chains of injustice,
get rid of exploitation in the workplace,
free the oppressed,
cancel debts.
What I’m interested in seeing you do is:
sharing your food with the hungry,
inviting the homeless poor into your homes,
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