3/19/2025: Midweek Lent 2
LORD, HAVE MERCY
It is one of the most common prayers of God’s child. “Lord, have mercy!” Mercy is the withholding of punishment or negative consequences that a guilty person deserves. Thus, when we pray, “Lord, have mercy,” 1) we are acknowledging that we have lived in ways deserving of God’s condemnation and punishment, and 2) we are begging God to not condemn or punish us. How important is that prayer? If you cannot say it with sincerity, you cannot be saved. For if you cannot speak that prayer, you cannot possibly believe you need a Savior. Therefore, God gave us his law, in part, so that we would see our need for mercy. St. Paul writes, “I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law” (Romans 7:7). And God gave us the gospel that we might know he has shown us mercy.
Thus, it is good and right that in this solemn season of Lent, we would review God’s law as revealed in the Ten Commandments and connect it with Christ’s passion. We will how we have shattered all the Commandments and are deserving of punishment. However, will we also see how Jesus took the suffering we deserved upon himself. Seeing both, may the Spirit empower us to pray, “Lord, have mercy!” and confidently believe that in Christ, we have God’s mercy in inexhaustible abundance.
FOR DEMONSTRATING IRREVERENCE AND DESPISING YOUR REST
The Second and Third Commandment both relate to how our merciful God saves us. The Second Commandment deals with God’s name. God’s “name” is more than words we use to refer to him: the Lord, Jehovah, Jesus. God’s name includes his reputation, i.e., everything the Word tells us about God. The Third Commandment deals with the Sabbath rest God wants his children to enjoy: resting from fear of condemnation, resting in his promise of mercy.
When we use God’s name flippantly. . . when we take God’s reputation lightly. . . when we are apathetic about his Word. . . when we have little interest in the spiritual rest he offers. . . we demolish these Commandments. That hurts us way more than it hurts God. Disobedience of these Commandments are attempted acts of spiritual suicide. If we continue in this rebellion, we are guaranteeing that hell is our eternal home. So, this week, we ask the Spirit to give us the ability to sincerely pray, “Lord, have mercy, for demonstrating irreverence for your name and despising your Sabbath rest.”
Our worship follows this pattern.
Midweek 1 ...............................For Our Incessant Idolatry
Midweek 2 ...............................For Demonstrating Irreverence and Despising Your Rest
Midweek 3 ...............................For Treating Others Like Trash, Not Treasure
Midweek 4 ...............................For Failing to Live With Integrity
Midweek 5 ...............................For Abusing Your Commandments
PastorJohn Hartmann preaches on Hebrews 4:1-12
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View or download this week's service folder.