Service

+ WEDNESDAY AFTER THE FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT +

FEBRUARY 25, 2026

(Stand)

440 JESUS, I WILL PONDER NOW

Jesus, I will ponder now
On Your holy passion;
With Your Spirit me endow
For such meditation.
Grant that I in love and faith
May the image cherish
Of Your suff’ring, pain, and death
That I may not perish.

Make me see Your great distress,
Anguish, and affliction,
Bonds and stripes and wretchedness
And Your crucifixion;
Make me see how scourge and rod,
Spear and nails did wound You,
How for them You died, O God,
Who with thorns had crowned You.

Yet, O Lord, not thus alone
Make me see Your passion,
But its cause to me make known
And its termination.
Ah! I also and my sin
Wrought Your deep affliction;
This indeed the cause has been
Of Your crucifixion.

Grant that I Your passion view
With repentant grieving.
Let me not bring shame to You
By unholy living.
How could I refuse to shun
Ev’ry sinful pleasure
Since for me God’s only Son
Suffered without measure?

If my sins give me alarm
And my conscience grieve me,
Let Your cross my fear disarm;
Peace of conscience give me.
Help me see forgiveness won
By Your holy passion.
If for me He slays His Son,
God must have compassion!

Graciously my faith renew;
Help me bear my crosses,
Learning humbleness from You,
Peace mid pain and losses.
May I give You love for love!
Hear me, O my Savior,
That I may in heav’n above
Sing Your praise forever.

Text: Sigismund von Birken, 1626–81; tr. August Crull, 1845–1923, alt.
Text: Public domain

(The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.)

INVOCATION

P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C Amen.

EXHORTATION LSB 184

P Beloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins unto God our Father, beseeching Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness.

P Our help is in the name of the Lord,

C who made heaven and earth.

P I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord,

C and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.

(Kneel/Stand)

(Silence for reflection on God’s Word and for self-examination.)

CONFESSION OF SINS LSB 184

P O almighty God, merciful Father,

C I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess unto You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You and justly deserved Your temporal and eternal punishment. But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of Your boundless mercy and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor, sinful being.

ABSOLUTION LSB 185

P Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office, as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God unto all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C Amen.

(Stand)

PSALM Psalm 119:17–24

Gimel

Glory be to the Father and | to the Son
and to the Holy | Spirit;
as it was in the be- | ginning,*
is now, and will be forever. | Amen.

KYRIE 186

C Lord, have mercy upon us.

Christ, have mercy upon us.

Lord, have mercy upon us.

SALUTATION AND COLLECT OF THE DAY

P The Lord be with you.

C And with thy spirit.

P Let us pray.

O Lord God, You led Your ancient people through the wilderness and brought them to the promised land. Guide the people of Your Church that following our Savior we may walk through the wilderness of this world toward the glory of the world to come; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C Amen.

(Sit)

PASSION READING: PART ONE

(Stand)

NICENE CREED

C I believe in one God,

the Father Almighty,

maker of heaven and earth

and of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ,

the only-begotten Son of God,

begotten of His Father before all worlds,

God of God, Light of Light,

very God of very God,

begotten, not made,

being of one substance with the Father,

by whom all things were made;

who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven

and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary

and was made man;

and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.

He suffered and was buried.

And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures

and ascended into heaven

and sits at the right hand of the Father.

And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead,

whose kingdom will have no end.

And I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the Lord and giver of life,

who proceeds from the Father and the Son,

who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified,

who spoke by the prophets.

And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church,

I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins,

and I look for the resurrection of the dead

and the life T of the world to come. Amen.

(Sit)

420 CHRIST, THE LIFE OF ALL THE LIVING

Christ, the life of all the living,
Christ, the death of death, our foe,
Who, Thyself for me once giving
To the darkest depths of woe:
Through Thy suff’rings, death, and merit
I eternal life inherit.
Thousand, thousand thanks shall be,
Dearest Jesus, unto Thee.

Thou, ah! Thou, hast taken on Thee
Bonds and stripes, a cruel rod;
Pain and scorn were heaped upon Thee,
O Thou sinless Son of God!
Thus didst Thou my soul deliver
From the bonds of sin forever.
Thousand, thousand thanks shall be,
Dearest Jesus, unto Thee.

Thou hast borne the smiting only
That my wounds might all be whole;
Thou hast suffered, sad and lonely,
Rest to give my weary soul;
Yea, the curse of God enduring,
Blessing unto me securing.
Thousand, thousand thanks shall be,
Dearest Jesus, unto Thee.

Heartless scoffers did surround Thee,
Treating Thee with shameful scorn
And with piercing thorns they crowned Thee.
All disgrace Thou, Lord, hast borne,
That as Thine Thou mightest own me
And with heav’nly glory crown me.
Thousand, thousand thanks shall be,
Dearest Jesus, unto Thee.

Thou hast suffered men to bruise Thee,
That from pain I might be free;
Falsely did Thy foes accuse Thee:
Thence I gain security;
Comfortless Thy soul did languish
Me to comfort in my anguish.
Thousand, thousand thanks shall be,
Dearest Jesus, unto Thee.

Thou hast suffered great affliction
And hast borne it patiently,
Even death by crucifixion,
Fully to atone for me;
Thou didst choose to be tormented
That my doom should be prevented.
Thousand, thousand thanks shall be,
Dearest Jesus, unto Thee.

Then, for all that wrought my pardon,
For Thy sorrows deep and sore,
For Thine anguish in the Garden,
I will thank Thee evermore,
Thank Thee for Thy groaning, sighing,
For Thy bleeding and Thy dying,
For that last triumphant cry,
And shall praise Thee, Lord, on high.

Text: Ernst Christoph Homburg, 1605–81; (sts. 1–2, 5, 7): tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1827–78, alt.; (sts. 3–4, 6): tr. Evangelical Lutheran Hymn-Book, 1912, St. Louis
Text: Public domain

SERMON

(Stand)

OFFERTORY 192

C Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from Thy presence, and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.

Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation, and uphold me with Thy free spirit. Amen.

(Sit)

OFFERING

(Kneel/Stand)

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

PREFACE 194

P The Lord be with you.

C And with thy spirit.

P Lift up your hearts.

C We lift them up unto the Lord.

P Let us give thanks unto the Lord, our God.

C It is meet and right so to do.

PROPER PREFACE (FULL)

P It is truly meet, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who overcame the assaults of the devil and gave His life as a ransom for many that with cleansed hearts we might be prepared joyfully to celebrate the paschal feast in sincerity and truth. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying:

SANCTUS 195

C Holy, holy, holy Lord God of Sabaoth;

heav’n and earth are full of Thy glory.

Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is He, blessed is He, blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord.

Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.

LORD’S PRAYER

C Our Father who art in heaven,

hallowed be Thy name,

Thy kingdom come,

Thy will be done on earth

as it is in heaven;

give us this day our daily bread;

and forgive us our trespasses

as we forgive those

who trespass against us;

and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For Thine is the kingdom

and the power and the glory

forever and ever. Amen.

THE WORDS OF OUR LORD 197

P Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is My T body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.”

In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying: “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My T blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

PAX DOMINI 197

P The peace of the Lord be with you always.

C Amen.

AGNUS DEI 198

C O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us.

O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us.

O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world, grant us Thy peace. Amen.

(Sit)

DISTRIBUTION

640 THEE WE ADORE, O HIDDEN SAVIOR

Thee we adore, O hidden Savior, Thee,
Who in Thy Sacrament art pleased to be;
Both flesh and spirit in Thy presence fail,
Yet here Thy presence we devoutly hail.

In this memorial of Thy death, O Lord,
Thou dost Thy body and Thy blood afford:
Oh, may our souls forever feed on Thee,
And Thou, O Christ, forever precious be.

Thou, like the pelican to feed her brood,
Didst pierce Thyself to give us living food;
Thy blood, O Lord, one drop has pow’r to win
Forgiveness for our world and all its sin.

Fountain of goodness, Jesus, Lord and God:
Cleanse us, unclean, with Thy most cleansing blood;
Increase our faith and love, that we may know
The hope and peace which from Thy presence flow.

O Christ, whom now beneath a veil we see,
May what we thirst for soon our portion be:
To gaze on Thee unveiled and see Thy face,
The vision of Thy glory, and Thy grace.
Amen.

Text: Thomas Aquinas, c. 1225–1274; (sts. 1–2, 4–5): tr. James R. Woodford, 1820–85, alt.; (sts. 2–3): tr. Stephen P. Starke, 1955
Text (sts. 1, 4–5): Public domain
Text (sts. 2–3): © 1998 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110004997

“Thee We Adore O Hidden Savior” arr. Matthew Corl

446 JESUS, GREATEST AT THE TABLE

Jesus, greatest at the table,
The almighty Son of Man,
Laid aside His outer clothing,
Poured some water in a pan;
As the Twelve lay, hushed in silence,
He the servant’s task began.

Marvel how their Lord and teacher
Gently taught them not to vie
As He humbly knelt before them,
Dusty feet to wash and dry,
By His tender touch expressing
True compassion from on high.

Jesus took the role of servant
When upon that gruesome span,
For all human sin He suffered
As a vile and loathsome man;
On the cross poured out like water
To fulfill the Father’s plan.

Can we fathom such deep mercy?
Do we see what God has done?
Who can grasp this great reversal:
Love that gives His only Son?
Christ, the sinless for the sinners,
For the many dies the One.

Jesus gave to His disciples
A commandment that was new:
“Show My love to one another,
Do as I have done for you;
All the world will know you love Me
As you love each other too.”

Text: Stephen P. Starke, 1955
Text: © 2001 Stephen P. Starke, admin. Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110004997

634 THE DEATH OF JESUS CHRIST, OUR LORD

The death of Jesus Christ, our Lord,
We celebrate with one accord;
It is our comfort in distress,
Our heart’s sweet joy and happiness.

He blotted out with His own blood
The judgment that against us stood;
For us He full atonement made,
And all our debt He fully paid.

That this forever true shall be
He gives a solemn guarantee:
In this His holy Supper here
We taste His love so sweet, so near.

His Word proclaims and we believe
That in this Supper we receive
His very body, as He said,
His very blood for sinners shed.

We dare not ask how this can be,
But simply hold the mystery
And trust this word where life begins:
“Given and shed for all your sins.”

They who this word do not believe
This food unworthily receive,
Salvation here will never find—
May we this warning keep in mind!

But blest is each believing guest
Who in these promises finds rest;
For Jesus shall in love remain
With all who here His grace obtain.

Help us sincerely to believe
That we may worthily receive
Your Supper and in You find rest.
Amen! They who believe are blest.

Text (sts. 1–4, 6–8): Haquin Spegel, 1645–1714; (sts. 1–4, 6–8): tr. Olof Olsson, 1841–1900, alt.; (st. 5): composite
Text: Public domain

526 YOU ARE THE WAY; THROUGH YOU ALONE

You are the way; through You alone
Can we the Father find;
In You, O Christ, has God revealed
His heart and will and mind.

You are the truth; Your Word alone
True wisdom can impart;
You only can inform the mind
And purify the heart.

You are the life; the empty tomb
Proclaims Your conqu’ring arm,
And those who put their trust in You
Not death nor hell shall harm.

You are the way, the truth, the life;
Grant us that way to know,
That truth to keep, that life to win
Whose joys eternal flow.

Text: George W. Doane, 1799–1859, alt.
Text: Public domain

(Stand)

NUNC DIMITTIS 199

C Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace according to Thy word,

for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people,

a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of Thy people Israel.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost;

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

THANKSGIVING 200

A O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good,

C and His mercy endureth forever.

POST-COMMUNION COLLECT

A Let us pray.

We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have refreshed us through this salutary gift, and we implore You that of Your mercy You would strengthen us through the same in faith toward You and in fervent love toward one another; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C Amen.

SALUTATION 201

P The Lord be with you.

C And with thy spirit.

BENEDICAMUS 202

A Bless we the Lord.

C Thanks be to God.

BENEDICTION 202

P The Lord bless you and keep you.

The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious unto you.

The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and T give you peace.

C Amen, amen, amen.

884 LORD, SUPPORT US ALL DAY LONG

Lord, support us all day long,
Guide and strengthen.
Evening comes, the world is hushed,
Shadows lengthen,
Work is done, life’s fevered pace
Now has ended;
Christ, to You, our final rest
Is commended.

Be our light in darkness, Lord,
Our defender;
In Your presence perils all
Must surrender.
Drive all dark satanic snares
From each dwelling;
Then, at peace, our hearts Your praise
Will be telling.

With Your presence, Lord, draw near
Those who labor
Through the nighttime on behalf
Of their neighbor.
Grant them courage for each fear,
Faithful caring:
Your compassion and Your love
Truly sharing.

Gracious Lord, we give You thanks,
Praise and bless You,
As the giver of all good
We confess You.
This past day we now commit
To Your keeping
And entrust to You the hours
Of our sleeping.

Text: Stephen P. Starke, 1955
Text: © 1998 Stephen P. Starke, admin. Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110004997

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.