Lenten Midweek Services are at Noon & 7pm beginning February 26th
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O come, let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Gradual for Lent, based on Hebrews 12:2)
When the characters in the Passion narrative look at Jesus, what do they see? In most cases, people misunderstood who He is and what He was doing. In some cases, by faith, people recognized Him aright. Our Lenten series this year, based on the Gospel according to St. Mark, will examine how the various people around Jesus viewed Him—and how we should view Him. We will “fix our eyes” on what Jesus has done to save us from our sins by His holy, precious blood and innocent sufferings and death, and celebrate what God sees on account of His work: our justification for His sake. Eyes on Jesus will continuously focus our eyes on Jesus Christ and Him crucified, buried, and risen for our justification. This is a vision that will never disappoint, for by trusting in Jesus, He promises that we will gaze upon His beautiful face now by faith and forever in heaven! |
Ash Wednesday (Feb 26) “Misjudging Eyes” (Mark 14:1–9)—In spite of Jesus’ repeated predictions about His upcoming Passion, the disciples fail to recognize that soon He will not be with them, and they cannot see the anonymous woman’s anointing of Jesus as preparation for His burial.
Midweek of Lent 1 (March 4) “Betraying Eyes” (Mark 14:10–21, 32, 41–46)—The motives and means of Judas’s betrayal of Jesus are examined. The alternate translation of paradidomi (“betrayal”) as “handing over” points to the fact that the Father ultimately is the One who handed over His Son to die for the life of the world.
Midweek of Lent 2 (March 11) “Sleepy Eyes” (14:32–42)—In Gethsemane, Jesus’ inner circle of Peter, James, and John cannot keep their eyes open to watch and pray with Jesus for even an hour, while Jesus comes to see that His Father’s will is that He drink the cup of God’s wrath.
Midweek of Lent 3 (March 18) “Denying Eyes” (Mark 14:26–31; 66–72)—First Peter and the other disciples cannot see how they could ever fall away from Jesus. Then when Peter is spotted by a servant girl and sees that his own neck is on the line, he sees fit to deny Jesus, which leads to his own eyes weeping in remorse. We sinners likewise deny our Lord in many ways, but Jesus denied Himself to take up the cross for our salvation.
Midweek of Lent 4 (March 25) “Murderous Eyes” (Mark 14:1–2; 53–65)—The chief priests and scribes saw Jesus as an obstacle to be rid of by violence. Yet during the Passover festival, they would unwittingly bring about the Father’s sacrifice of the ultimate Passover Lamb.
Midweek of Lent 5 (April 1) “Worldly Eyes” (Mark 15:1–20)—Pilate can only view matters in a worldly, pragmatic way, wishing to placate the Jewish leaders and crowd, so he consents to handing Jesus over for crucifixion. The soldiers see the opposite of a worldly king, but their ironic hailing of Him as “King of the Jews” proclaims who He really is. The world looks for power and glory; God’s way is suffering and the cross.
Midweek of Lent 1 (March 4) “Betraying Eyes” (Mark 14:10–21, 32, 41–46)—The motives and means of Judas’s betrayal of Jesus are examined. The alternate translation of paradidomi (“betrayal”) as “handing over” points to the fact that the Father ultimately is the One who handed over His Son to die for the life of the world.
Midweek of Lent 2 (March 11) “Sleepy Eyes” (14:32–42)—In Gethsemane, Jesus’ inner circle of Peter, James, and John cannot keep their eyes open to watch and pray with Jesus for even an hour, while Jesus comes to see that His Father’s will is that He drink the cup of God’s wrath.
Midweek of Lent 3 (March 18) “Denying Eyes” (Mark 14:26–31; 66–72)—First Peter and the other disciples cannot see how they could ever fall away from Jesus. Then when Peter is spotted by a servant girl and sees that his own neck is on the line, he sees fit to deny Jesus, which leads to his own eyes weeping in remorse. We sinners likewise deny our Lord in many ways, but Jesus denied Himself to take up the cross for our salvation.
Midweek of Lent 4 (March 25) “Murderous Eyes” (Mark 14:1–2; 53–65)—The chief priests and scribes saw Jesus as an obstacle to be rid of by violence. Yet during the Passover festival, they would unwittingly bring about the Father’s sacrifice of the ultimate Passover Lamb.
Midweek of Lent 5 (April 1) “Worldly Eyes” (Mark 15:1–20)—Pilate can only view matters in a worldly, pragmatic way, wishing to placate the Jewish leaders and crowd, so he consents to handing Jesus over for crucifixion. The soldiers see the opposite of a worldly king, but their ironic hailing of Him as “King of the Jews” proclaims who He really is. The world looks for power and glory; God’s way is suffering and the cross.
