The Lutheran Way - It Makes A Difference? (Series 6 of 9)

(Building and Liturgy, part 2)
 

So far, we have entered the church building, and we have looked and seen the cross. We are taught that the cross of Christ is the focal point of our Divine Service. We have been reminded of our Baptism and have confession of our sins and heard the most beautiful words we can ever hear, “Your sins are forgiven.” We know that, as the called and ordained pastor speaks those words, it is as if God Himself is speaking. We know God’s Word effects, that is, it does what it says. We know that through that Absolution our sins are forgiven, and with forgiveness is life and salvation.
 

We have chanted God’s Word back to Him through the Introit, and after greeting us, the pastor offers a prayer, the Collect for the Day, a prayer which “collects” the thoughts of the Scripture readings we will hear into one or two sentences.
 

Now the pastor moves to the pulpit which is a symbol of the Word of God being read, preached and taught in our midst. He proceeds to read an Old Testament Lesson, an Epistle Lesson and a Gospel Reading. These readings come from a Lectionary which is a book containing a series of readings so that over a three-year span, we are able to hear a lot of God’s Word. Here again, we are taught the Word of God is prominent and most important in the Divine Service because it is through the Word that God comes to us to give us the good gifts and blessings He has to give. And so we practice this belief by having the Word of God read.
 

After reading God’s Word, depending on the order of service, either the pastor preaches a message in his Sermon or we confess our faith through one of the three universal Creeds (Apostles’, Nicene, or Athanasian). Our confession of the creed is our confession of faith and encompasses and summarizes what we believe, teach and confess especially according to the trinity of our God. After the creed or after the readings, again depending on the service, we rejoice and sing a hymn as a response to the gift of God’s Word. Our Hymns also, then, reflect our faith as they have their roots in God’s Word.
 

Following the sermon we respond once more to the gifts we have been given to by God. We respond with our first fruits, tithes and offerings by singing an Offertory verse and then by offering our prayers and petitions to the Lord. Our response of first fruits is not a collection for the poor. It is not our bringing our left overs. It is our privilege and response of faith and thanksgiving to God who has first given everything to us. Our Offerings are a response of faith showing we believe everything we have has been first given to us by God, including our gifts, talents and abilities to work, as well as, a job to work. They are also a way of expressing our faith that as the Lord has blessed us and we are returning our first fruits, He will continue to bless us.
 

The Prayers we offer are prayers for those who have requested our prayers. They are also a response to God’s desire to hear our prayers and His promise to answer. Of course, we do understand God already knows our needs. Our prayers flow from our need to express our needs to Him. Also, we know He will answer our prayers according to what He knows is best for us and according His good and gracious will.
 

So once again we are being taught the importance of the Word of God, that is, God comes to us through His Word to give us the gifts He has to give. We are taught our response of faith is important and is just that, a response because God is the one who first gives to us. So our worship in Divine Service flows out of our belief of the importance and authority of God’s Word. And the building itself, with the pulpit prominent in the chancel, teaches us of the importance of God’s Word being read and preached.
 

Next time we move to the final Means of Grace and Gods giving us His gifts through His Holy Supper, the Sacrament of the Altar.