January 2025 – What Does This Mean?

Child and Pupil of the Catechism

Encore Post: The cornerstone of Lutheran Doctrine is Luther’s Small Catechism. In it the reformer summarized the teachings of Holy Scripture in simple terms, designed to help fathers and pastors teach their children. So successful was this work and its companion, the Large Catechism, it became the foundation of instruction in the faith for all Christians. For the last few years, What Does this Mean? has run this series each just before each Lent and into the Easter season. We’re getting a head start on it this year. [First is a series of posts on Martin Luther’s Small Catechism] Martin Luther was troubled. On a formal visit to the churches in Saxony, he discovered that Christian education in the faith was almost non-existent. Even the pastors could not recall the Lord’s Prayer or the Creed. For this reason, he wrote his Large Catechism and Small Catechism. A catechism is a book that explains the basic truths of the Scripture, typically by asking and answering questions. In the preface to his Large Catechism, Luther answered the common objections to memorizing and meditating on the catechism in this way:

“I am also a doctor and preacher … yet I do as a child who is being taught the Catechism, and ever morning, and whenever I have time, I read and say, word for word, the Ten Commandments, the Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, the Psalms, etc. And I must still read and study daily, and yet I cannot master it as I wish, but must remain a child and pupil of the Catechism, and am glad so to remain.” — Martin Luther, Large Catechism, Preface 7

If an athlete hopes to compete at the highest level and perform at the top of his game, he needs to work out daily. Most of his routines are basic skills performed over and over again. It is not that he has forgotten them or never learned them, but that they must be second nature to him and done in perfect form. Only then can he execute the most complicated of his moves well. The same thing is true for a musician. She will run through scales and warm-up exercises to be sure that she will produce the notes perfectly when she attempts the most beautiful and complex pieces.

For Luther and for us, daily meditation on the catechism works the same way. As we review the basics of the faith, we are able to understand better what God wants us to believe and how he wants us to live. Building on these things helps us to face whatever challenges come are way each day and to enjoy the blessings he gives to us.

Originally posted at What does this Mean? Blog: https://whatdoesthismean.blog

The posts in the blog What does this Mean? are now available at What does this Mean? | Rev. Robert E. Smith | Substack

Rev. Robert E. Smith

Pastor Emeritus

Fort Wayne, Indiana

A Walk Through the Liturgy: The Benediction

Encore Post: [Last post in a series on the Divine Service] With the Benediction, the service comes a close. It is the perfect closing to the Lord’s Service to His people. The Aaronic Benediction, the words given by the Lord to Aaron to speak over the assembly who waited at the services of the Tabernacle, is the bookend to the Invocation. There, the Name of the Lord was put upon the people. So now at the conclusion, the Lord’s name is placed upon His people once again before they leave the sanctuary and enter the world to live out their daily lives in their various vocations. Not only does the congregation leave with His Name, but they also leave with His Peace.

The Aaronic Benediction, used as the final words of the Liturgy, is uniquely Lutheran. Note the Tri-fold blessing that the congregation receives. They are to be kept by Him; They are having His face shine upon them, and they are to receive peace. It is the perfect blessing to receive that reminds us of our baptisms as we leave the sanctuary. God goes with us into the world, just as He promised He would. For He shall never leave us but will remain with us until the end of the age.

It is a peace which is only known via Jesus Christ, giving us this peace in Word and Sacrament. He serves us this peace by coming into the world to bear the burden of our sin and stand in our stead at the cross as our substitute. He acts as the great high priest who has atoned for our sin not via the blood of bull or goats, but has obtained our salvation by pouring out His own blood as payment for sin. By Christ we have been reconciled to God. As the Gloria in Excelsis says, “Glory be to God on high and on earth peace, goodwill toward men” we have that peace granted to us. God’s goodwill is shining upon us. He is gracious to us on the account of Christ. And Christ our Lord speaks this peace to His faithful even now through His chosen mouth pieces, the pastors He has placed into your congregations, so that we hear this good news and believe so that Christ’s peace be made your own.

And the congregation, upon receiving this blessing, sings the Triple Amen. Yes, yes, it shall be so. Yes, Lord let is be so, now and always.

I pray that this Walk Through the Liturgy has been a blessing to you. It certainly has been a joy to write this series as it has allowed me to see even more connections between the words of the Liturgy and Scripture. I pray that as you participate and receive God’s gifts for you in the Divine Service, you are able to see how beautiful each piece of the Divine Service truly is and why we Lutherans do what we do in the Liturgy. It’s God serving us, and what a beautiful service He does. He serves us Jesus, and the salvation won for us by Jesus all the way.

Originally posted at What does this Mean? Blog: https://whatdoesthismean.blog

The posts in the blog What does this Mean? are now available at What does this Mean? | Rev. Robert E. Smith | Substack

Rev. Jacob Hercamp
Christ Lutheran Church
Noblesville, Indiana

A Walk Through the Liturgy: The Benedicamus

Encore Post: [Twenty-Sixth post in a series on the Divine Service] Upon the post-communion collect, the liturgy is coming to a close. The pastor repeats the Salutation that he said prior to the Collect of the Day, “The Lord be with You.” The congregation responds in kind, “And with thy spirit.” Then the pastor says the phrase, “Let us bless the Lord.” This is what we call the Benedicamus, which is Latin for the phrase “Let us bless.” The hymnal gives us Psalm 103 as a biblical reference. This is great! For Psalm 103 takes us back to the reasons we should sing praise and bless the Lord. He forgives our iniquities! He redeems our lives from the pit! He crowns us with steadfast love and mercy! The congregation responds by singing “Thanks be to God!” It is a fitting way to end the Liturgy of the Divine Service.

Giving thanks for what our Lord has done for us is an every Sunday event— every time the Divine Liturgy is sung. While the hymnal references the Psalm, the phrase first appears in the Torah. Moses says to bless the Lord in Deuteronomy 8:10. There Moses is preaching to the Israelites who are just about to enter into the Promised Land.

In the Benedicamus, we hear the words of Moses and the Psalmist reminding us to bless the Lord, who is merciful and gracious to us, even when we fail to recognize it as such. Think through the Liturgy. We have been in gracious presence of God! We are hearing God’s Word of Law of Gospel.

Sometimes grace does not feel like grace to us, though. Being confronted with your sin and being brought to repentance hurts. But that is the grace of our Lord at work. He does not want people to die in their sin but wants to save sinners, so the Law is good for it shows you your sins and tells you the truth of your sinful state. While that does not look like a gracious thing on the surface, it is perhaps the most gracious thing our Lord can do. He loves you that much to discipline you that you might be saved and made alive again on account of Christ your Savior, who died on the cross to redeem you from the pit and forgive your iniquities and sins.

The entire Divine Service has been leading us to see how gracious our Lord is to us. He deals with our sins by sending His Son Jesus Christ to be our Savior. So yes, we shall “Bless the Lord” and also give thanks to our God.

Originally posted at What does this Mean? Blog: https://whatdoesthismean.blog

The posts in the blog What does this Mean? are now available at What does this Mean? | Rev. Robert E. Smith | Substack

Rev. Jacob Hercamp
Christ Lutheran Church
Noblesville, Indiana

A Walk Through the Liturgy: The Thanksgiving and Collect

Encore Post: [Twenty-Fifth post in a series on the Divine Service] Upon the completion of the beautiful Nunc Dimittis, the pastor or the assistant chants, “O give thanks unto the Lord for He is good,” and the congregation respond with the rest of verse one of Psalm 107, “and His mercy (ESV translates: steadfast love; the Hebrew is חֶסֶד transliterated CHESED) endureth forever.” However, the hymnal committee could have easily put Psalm 136, 2 Chronicles 20:21, or even Jeremiah 33:11 as the biblical reference. These later two bible references, 2 Chronicles and Jeremiah 33, both imply worship taking place with the singing of this verse.

And in the same manner of the worship of the people of God in the Old Testament and those whom Jeremiah prophesies, we sing our thanks to our Lord who has manifested his mercy and steadfast love toward us in this Sacrament which we just received. It is as if each time we receive the Sacrament, we are participating in the fulfillment of the Lord’s word to Jeremiah: “For I will restore the fortunes of the land as at first.” If you keep reading Jeremiah, you learn the fortunes are restored by the Righteous Branch, whose name is: The Lord is our righteousness.

The fortunes which we see restored is God’s mercy upon sinners. He forgives us, for Christ’s sake. He has made abundantly clear to us by the giving of His Son at the cross for the sin of the world in order that the world might be saved through Him. So we give thanks to our gracious Lord, and then address Him with the prayer that follows.

The typical prayer said is Luther’s collect, which he penned for his German Mass. This prayer is beautiful in its simplicity as it gets to the point of the Sacrament we just received from Christ. However, it might serve the congregation well if the pastor expand the prayer for catechetical purposes, or if he takes time in bible or confirmation class to explain the petitions embedded in this simple prayer.

The salutary gift for which we give thanks is the very body and blood of Jesus Christ. Then we literally ask the Lord that having received into our bodies the body and blood of Christ, we be made to trust in the Triune God. In other words, we are praying that we be made holy, sanctified by the eating and the drinking of Christ’s body and blood. We do not just ask that we fulfill the first table of the Law in this prayer but we also pray that by the same body and blood, we also love our neighbor in ways that are pleasing to our Lord.

Originally posted at What does this Mean? Blog: https://whatdoesthismean.blog

The posts in the blog What does this Mean? are now available at What does this Mean? | Rev. Robert E. Smith | Substack

Rev. Jacob Hercamp
Christ Lutheran Church
Noblesville, Indiana

A Walk Through the Liturgy: The Nunc Dimittis

Encore Post: [Twenty-Fourth post in a series on the Divine Service] During the time of Distribution the congregation will more than likely sing hymns and spend time contemplating the tangible grace of their Lord Jesus Christ that they just received or will receive in the near future. Once the members of the congregation receive the Body and Blood of Christ, the pastor likely will consume whatever remains of the Sacrament. At that time, the congregation will rise to sing the beautiful song known as the Nunc Dimittis or the Song of Simeon.

St. Simeon originally sang these words when he saw the Lord Jesus Christ in the Temple forty days after his birth. For the year 2025, the 40th day after Christmas fell on a Sunday, and the church celebrated the festival known as the Purification of Mary and Presentation of our Lord. The event is recorded for us by St. Luke and is the final canticle of the Divine Service.

We should not miss the richness of the event when Simeon first uttered these words, which we now sing after receiving the Sacrament. Simeon had been promised he would see the Lord’s Christ before he would die. We don’t know how long he had to wait for this to happen, but if was anything like the Old Testament, Simeon had been expecting Jesus for a good long while. And finally, he finds Jesus right where He ought to be found, in His Father’s house! And it is with joy that Simeon sings, “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.”

And with what joy you also can sing the same words! For you (in the congregation) have been waiting for this moment. In the Service of the Sacrament we are preparing for the coming of the Lord’s anointed. We sing of his coming in the Sanctus. “Blessed is He who comes!” We sing of seeing him at the altar, In His Father’s House, doing His Father’s Work, as the Lamb of God, in the Agnus Dei. And now we rejoice, for we have not only seen Him and the salvation He brings for all people, but we have received and we are ready to depart in peace.

Luther does a masterful job in his hymn based off the Nunc Dimittis (LSB 938 In Peace and Joy I Now Depart). The Sacrament prepares us to die well. For in the Sacrament we have been granted forgiveness of our sins, which leads us to have confidence in Christ. “Serene and confident, my heart; Stillness fills it. For the Lord has promised me that death is but a slumber.” There is also the tradition of singing this hymn at the deathbed, and if the saint dies, the verbs are then said in the past tense. Let us sing the Nunc Dimittis with confidence and joy upon receiving the Body and Blood of Christ as well as all our lives in Christ, for our salvation has been hand delivered by Christ Himself! Depart in peace!

Originally posted at What does this Mean? Blog: https://whatdoesthismean.blog

The posts in the blog What does this Mean? are now available at What does this Mean? | Rev. Robert E. Smith | Substack

Rev. Jacob Hercamp
Christ Lutheran Church
Noblesville, Indiana

To Block Post Series

A Walk Through the Liturgy: The Distribution

Encore Post: [Twenty-Third post in a series on the Divine Service] As the congregation sings the beautiful Agnus Dei, the pastor likely takes his place at the rail or near the altar to welcome up members of the congregation to take part in the foretaste of the feast to come. But before that, it is customary for the pastor and his assistants (if he has any), to receive the body and blood of our Lord before distributing to the congregation. There is some debate whether the pastor can “commune” himself or if an elder of the congregation should “commune” him. Generally, this is best left up to each individual congregation. In the days of Covid-19, you might actually see the pastor wait until the very end of the distribution to commune, since he might be wearing a mask, etc.

In some congregations, there is a communion rail where congregation members kneel to receive the body and blood of their Lord. In others, members come forward and stand in a semi-circle “table”. In others, you might see a more continuous flow of people and less of a “table” experience.

However, the church “does” distribution, the pastor is given the direction (rubric) to speak very specific words concerning the body and blood. Likely, some pastors conflate the two and maybe say a bit more. LSB recommends two options: “Take, eat, this the true body of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, given into death for your sins.” “Take, drink, this is the true blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, shed for the forgiveness of your sins.”

There also has been debate from time to time about how one should receive the Body of the Lord. Should one hold out their hand and take the host to their own mouth? Should the recipient allow the pastor to place the Body of Christ into their mouth? Both are fine ways to receive the Body of Christ. Some early church fathers actually wrote rather long theological treatises on how one is preferred over the other. Some said that it was better for the pastor or priest to place the Host on the tongue, as this was the best picture of pure reception. For the other side, some argued your hands became the throne on which the Lord Jesus sat and so they offered directions on how to make your hands ready to receive such a gift.

The same can be said concerning receiving the Blood of Christ. In today’s age, many people use the individual cup rather than taking a drink from the common cup. However, the reasons for using individual cups seem less theologically based. Some churches actually have a chalice in which there is a spout to allow for a person to receive into an individual cup the blood from the “common” cup.

However, one receives the Body and Blood of the Lord, may it be done in all reverence, acknowledging the fact that the Lamb of God, Who Comes to Save, is what we receive in the bread and wine given to us by the Pastor at the Distribution.

Rev. Jacob Hercamp
Christ Lutheran Church
Noblesville, Indiana

Originally posted at What does this Mean? Blog: https://whatdoesthismean.blog

The posts in the blog What does this Mean? are now available at What does this Mean? | Rev. Robert E. Smith | Substack

St. Titus, Pastor and Bishop

Encore Post: Titus was a gentile who came to faith through the preaching of St. Paul early in the apostle’s ministry. He accompanied Paul and Barnabas on several trips to Jerusalem and with Paul on his missionary journeys. He was presented to the apostles in Jerusalem as a test case. Did he have to be circumcised to be a Christian or would faith in Christ be all he needed? They decided he did not need to perform the rite.

Titus was a skilled mediator and trusted by Paul to bear his letters to the Corinthian Church, where he brought peace and reconciliation with the Apostle. Later he would be entrusted with bringing order to the church in Crete, where he would serve as bishop into his old age.

The Lutheran Church remembers this faithful pastor and bishop on January 26.

Rev. Robert E. Smith

Pastor Emeritus

Fort Wayne, Indiana

Originally posted at What does this Mean? Blog: https://whatdoesthismean.blog

The posts in the blog What does this Mean? are now available at What does this Mean? | Rev. Robert E. Smith | Substack

A Walk Through the Liturgy: The Agnus Dei

Encore Post: [The Twenty-second post in a series on the Divine Service] In early posts, we talked a little bit about the terms Ordinary and Proper in terms of the Divine Service. Today we come to the final Ordinary hymn: the Agnus Dei. The hymn itself came into the Liturgy around the beginning of the 8th Century.

In light of the Sacrament of the Altar which the congregation is preparing to receive we get to actually “look upon the Lamb of God”, Jesus Christ, present in his body and blood on the altar, calling us to eat and drink it for the forgiveness of our sins. The hymn also picks up nearly all the other themes of the Divine Service liturgy.

The title “Lamb of God” comes from the statement by John the Baptist in John 1:29. However, the image of the Lamb of God is something that is everywhere in the Old Testament. The work of atonement is prominent. The Lamb led to the slaughter now has now been slain and been sacrificed at the cross. Christ, says Paul, is our Passover Lamb. Now alive again, He gives us the very things that were a sacrifice. The Lamb stands at the throne and gives his faithful people His gifts, namely forgiveness of sins and his peace.

The hymn typically has 3 stanzas, three petitions, where the congregation asks for Christ to have mercy on them in the first two stanzas. In the third, the congregation asks for the peace of Christ, which they just heard in the Pax Domini. Again, like the Lord’s Prayer, the prayer is answered in receiving the Sacrament of the Altar.

In some churches, the congregation sings this hymn while kneeling. In others congregations, they stand. As a pastor, I look directly at the chalice and paten, adoring and pondering the very mystery over which I am a steward. Christ’s body is there and His blood is there. We all get to set our eyes on the “Lamb of God, who has come!” The petition of the Sanctus is fulfilled. The One who comes in the Name of the Lord is with us and we not only get to behold Him, but we get to now come forward to His table to be fed His body and His Blood. Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

Originally posted at What does this Mean? Blog: https://whatdoesthismean.blog

The posts in the blog What does this Mean? are now available at What does this Mean? | Rev. Robert E. Smith | Substack

Rev. Jacob Hercamp
Christ Lutheran Church
Noblesville, Indiana

The Conversion of St. Paul

Encore Post: On January 25th, the week after the celebration of the Confession of St. Peter, the Lutheran Church gives thanks for the Conversion of St. Paul. This miracle brought to faith one of the most important missionaries, theologians, and pastors in church history.

Saul of Tarsus was born to a well-to-do Jewish craftsman. His father made leather and canvas goods such as sails and tents. His father was a Roman citizen, a status inherited by his children. His home city had a good reputation, which served him well. His father was a faithful Pharisee and provided his son with both a first-rate classical Greek education and the best training for eventually becoming a rabbi. Like many of his educated countrymen, he had both a Hebrew name — Saul and a Greek name — Paul.

Paul became a disciple of one of the greatest rabbis in the history of Judaism, — Gamaliel. He excelled in these studied and may well have served in the Sanhedrin. He was so zealous for his religion that he became a persecutor of the followers of Jesus and a witness of the stoning of Stephen, the first martyr.

Intent on arresting every Christian in Damascus, Saul set out with a warrant from the Chief Priest. Along the way, Jesus appeared to him in a light so bright it knocked him off his mount and blinded him. Jesus identified himself and commissioned Paul to go to the Gentiles. He directed Paul to Ananias, who forgave his sins and baptized him. Paul’s sight was restored.

The Holy Spirit would inspire Paul to write 1/4 of the New Testament. He would take the gospel to the ends of the Roman world, including Spain. The Apostle to the Gentiles fulfilled his mission well.

Originally posted at What does this Mean? Blog: https://whatdoesthismean.blog

The posts in the blog What does this Mean? are now available at What does this Mean? | Rev. Robert E. Smith | Substack

Rev. Robert E. Smith

Pastor Emeritus

Fort Wayne, Indiana

St. Timothy, Pastor, Bishop, Friend of St. Paul

Encore Post: Timothy of Lystra had a blessed childhood. His grandmother and mother were Jews who came to Christ. Even in the womb, he heard the Holy Scriptures, and was raised loving God, even though his father was a Gentile. He may have been already a Christian when he first met St. Paul, or came to faith through his preaching of the Gospel. A kind, mature and reserved young man, he impressed everyone — including St. Paul. So, Paul had him circumcised and bought him on his missionary journeys. Called as a pastor, he soon became Paul’s trusted and effective assistant. When Paul was near martyrdom, he called for Timothy to come to be with him. After Paul’s death, Timothy served as the Bishop of Ephesus. Church tradition reports that he was martyred in his old age.

On January 24th, the Lutheran Church gives thanks to God for St. Timothy and all pastors. God sent them to proclaim the Gospel, to care for his children, to bring to them the gifts of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, to forgive their sins when they repent and to be present with them in all the days of their lives. The Scriptures urge us to study their lives, learn from them and imitate their faith. We do this not because they are holier than us. They are not. It is because they are just like us. Since they lived trusting in Jesus, we, too, can live trusting in him. After all, Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. (Hebrew 13:7-8)

Rev. Robert E. Smith

Pastor Emeritus

Fort Wayne, Indiana

to: The Confession of St. Peter | Conversion of St. Paul

Originally posted at What does this Mean? Blog: https://whatdoesthismean.blog

The posts in the blog What does this Mean? are now available at What does this Mean? | Rev. Robert E. Smith | Substack