Ash Wednesday - A

For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it?  Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it will begin to ridicule him…. (vv. 28-29)

Object: A pair of heavy gloves you might use to protect your hands when you are working or gardening.

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Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story today? (Let them respond.) Great! But I need to warn you that this story can be really tough to understand, so let’s see if we can figure it out.

Call to Worship:

Jesus said that we must be utterly committed to him, even to facing danger and pain, if we want to follow him. In our worship today, let us ask him for help in this formidable task.



Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, sometimes we are scared to stand up for you.

Lord, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes we love other things more than you.

Christ, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes we are more concerned with our own image than with you.

O Lord, you have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from far away.
-- Psalm 139:1-2

It would be an easy thing to read through this psalm and nod in assent before moving on to the next. It all seems pretty obvious. "Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread...." It is tantamount to what the young people refer to as a "no-brainer." Much of this bad advice could be avoided by turning off our televisions. And the sinner's well-worn walkways? They too seem fairly apparent. Yet somehow they continue to be well worn.

Another world, another day, another time. The bright sun cast its long dark shadows along streets filled with carts and animals, never once falling on automobile, trolley or McDonald's litter in the gutter.

What would you do if you opened your mailbox one day to find a letter from the city or county announcing that you have to move? That land your grandparents worked so hard to till, or for which you struggled so long to purchase is deemed the best land available for a new shopping mall. The appraisers will soon be checking out your home to determine its fair market value and you are expected to vacate.

I remember as I was growing up, before gas became more precious than gold, that our family would go on buggy rides, as we called them, on Sunday afternoons after church and dinner. It was a great time for the entire family to be together, to wander back roads aimlessly, and to talk about just about anything you could imagine.

The old man is about to retire for the evening. Closely he clutches a collection of correspondence as he replaces the worn letter he had read back into the bundle. It is the most treasured possession that he owns. As he hits his knees, he shakes his head in wonder and amazement at what God had done in his life. Only God could have taken him from where once he was to where he is now. And his prayer is one of gratitude.