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“For Us” is not simply a pithy line to use because it’s easy to repeat. It’s a confession of who God is and what He brings in giving us His Son. It helps us understand why God would send His Son to die for us. “For us” also captures much of the Reformation’s theological emphasis—and Luther’s understanding of Scripture in particular. Luther went from searching for a righteous, stern God to find one who became one of us for us so that we might become like Him. Our Lenten preaching series hymn “O Love, How Deep” (LSB 544) was originally a twenty-three-stanza poem written in the fifteenth century by an unknown author. In the Nineteenth century, an  Anglican cleric named Benjamin Webb translated the hymn into English and then chose six stanzas for use in English hymnody. The doxological stanza was added later. Some hymns tell a story, others teach, and still others create pictures in our minds of the great works of God. Some hymns do all three, weaving together a tapestry that is beautiful yet simple, wondrous yet easy to understand. “O Love, How Deep” is that kind of hymn. Although it does not appear in the first stanza, the most pointed and beautiful language in the hymn is expressed in the phrase “for us.” The phrase is reminiscent of the language of the Nicene Creed: “Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven.” “For us” is this years Lenten series sermon theme. At each mid-week service, we will hear and focus on how our Lord and Savor came “for us”.

ASH WEDNESDAY
On Ash Wednesday, we introduce our Lent sermon series, which is based on the ancient hymn “O Love, How Deep” (LSB 544). This hymn, written in the fifteenth century, contemplates the love of God in becoming man, taking on our life, dying our death, and rising again, all for us.
But for us to understand and appreciate this love, we must first examine ourselves and our lives to see how we have failed in thought, word, and deed. While we may try to get credit for our so-called good works, we all still die with nothing to show.  But God’s love is not like
 our love. Our love is self-centered and fickle. God’s love is steady, deep, and beyond all understanding (Ephesians 3:14–19). This love of God will have no end.

MIDWEEK OF LENT 1
Why did Jesus have to come among us as a human being? Why didn’t He come as an angel or some other kind of being that is stronger and more powerful than us?  While angels are a source of endless fascination to the Christian and to the world, they have no power to save us. In this week’s sermon, we will hear why taking on the “robe of [our] human frame” was not only a good idea but also necessary for our salvation. Angels are wonderful, but they are not Jesus. He came as one of us so that He could redeem us as His own.

MIDWEEK OF LENT 2
God’s character, His nature, is self-giving love. Everything Jesus does, He does ”for us.” This phrase will be introduced this week in the series hymn. Pro nobis, or “for us,” appears again and again in the series hymn. Jesus is baptized, fasts, is tempted, overcomes temptation, in doing so, begins His work of undoing the power of the devil (Mk 1:9–13). It is especially worth noting that because Jesus suffered when tempted, He can “help those who are being tempted” (Heb 2:18). He not only helps us in our weakness, but His love for us extends into the grave.

MIDWEEK OF LENT 3
Jesus talks all about seeking us in our texts this week. He does not wait passively until we get up the gumption to ask Him for help. Nor does He act out of selfish gain. Jesus seeks us out and looks for ways to help us. This work is often overlooked because it’s so ordinary. Water, bread and wine, the folly of preaching. In all these ordinary works, Jesus continues His ministry among us. This ministry of forgiveness means that Jesus continues to strengthen and help us.

MIDWEEK OF LENT 4
We looked at angels during Midweek of Lent 1. This night, we uncover the darker side of the story, demons. Demons are fallen angels who rebelled against God and His giving of Himself to us. Demons, with satan chief among them, seek to undermine everything God is and does, even today. We will hear how Jesus heals a man with a demon (Mk 5:1–13) and how that work of healing continues today.

MIDWEEK OF LENT 5
Jesus foretells His own betrayal, death, and resurrection (Mk 8:31–9:1). He shows us that the way of salvation only comes through the path of suffering (Heb 2:10). Jesus’ suffering, His Passion, does not simply mean that He sympathizes with us. Rather, it means that He participates in our suffering, and we in His. His betrayal, The crown of thorns, the shameful cross—all of these lead to how Jesus “gave His dying breath,” as we sing in the series hymn. In the Passion reading, we will also hear how He dies (Mk 15:33–47) and what that means for us today.

HOLY (MAUNDY) THURSDAY
We’ve reflected a great deal on the phrase “for us.” This evening, we hear the phrase “for many,” as Jesus gives His own body and blood for the forgiveness of sins (Matt. 26:26–28). Jesus and the disciples are celebrating the Passover, but Jesus does something new. We hear echoes of how Moses and the elders saw God (Ex. 24:3–11), recognizing that the sacrifices of old will not satisfy (Heb. 9:11–22). When Jesus says the phrase “for many,” He is clearly pointing the disciples to the fact that His death was not only for them alone, but for the sins of the world.
Because you are a part of the many, “for us” still holds true.

GOOD FRIDAY
Jesus is betrayed into the hands of sinners. He’s mocked while wearing a purple robe and a crown of thorns. He must carry His own cross to Golgotha, the Place of a Skull. All of this happens until the last, when “for us He gave His dying breath” (LSB 544:5). It is completed. Salvation has been won for us. It is finished; He has loved us to the end.

EASTER VIGIL
Jesus Christ is risen from the dead! This simple, incontrovertible fact changes everything. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised up for our justification (Rom. 4:25). This night, we reflect on the sweeping story of God’s salvation throughout history, all of it will come into sharp focus as we learn how we are now justified by faith through Jesus’ death and resurrection. satan is defeated, sin is forgiven, and death is overthrown on this wondrous, glorious night. It is all done “for us,” His children, His Bride, His church, His everything.

THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD
Sin brings separation and death. That sin separates us from God and divides us from one another. Yet, in Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, we are united to God once again. As we hear in Jeremiah, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued My faithfulness to you” (31:3). Nothing will separate you from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord (Rom. 8:39). Thanks be to God for the victory in Jesus Christ!

Until next month…Blessings, Pastor