Jacob Hercamp – What Does This Mean?

Thy Kingdom Come

Encore Post: [Forty-Two in a series of posts on Martin Luther’s Small Catechism] When we pray the Lord’s Prayer, we state our hope and belief that God’s Kingdom is different from the kingdoms of the world. As Jesus says to Pontius Pilate, “My Kingdom is not of this world.” But certainly it has entered this world now and the world will see it in all its fullness when Jesus returns to judge both the living and the dead.

God’s Kingdom comes to us a couple of ways. God’s Kingdom comes to us through the Proclamation of the Word and Faith. Another way to say it is that God’s Kingdom comes to us when and where Jesus promises to be for the forgiveness of our sins in the divine service. Finally, what we see currently only by faith will be unveiled to the world, and God’s Kingdom will be fully known.

God’s kingdom is not like the kingdoms of the world. God’s kingdom is a spiritual kingdom and it must be distinguished from the civil realm. God works in terms of the Gospel, that in Jesus Christ’s death on the cross atones for the sins of the world. Currently God’s Kingdom looks quite humble. Even the King rides to his throne on a donkey, not some regal warhorse. His crown in this world was one of thorns. He governs not with an iron fist, but through his ministers who are called to preach His Gospel and administer his gifts- namely Baptism, Bread and Wine, His body and Blood- to his faithful.

The civil realm works in terms of fear and power, certainly not the Gospel, but rather Law. Of course, as we pray this petition, we also express the desire for the Lord to bless our civil kingdoms (governments) with His mercy and grace that we might live in peace. And we should obey the laws of the government as long as obeying the laws does not cause us to sin. We also acknowledge rightly that God does not intend to use the Gospel to overthrow secular government and public order. We reject that before the resurrection of the dead, saints and righteous people will possess a secular kingdom.

So, we, as Christians, see ourselves in two kingdoms. And we continue to pray this petition as fervently as ever in anticipation when the Lord will return to usher and reveal His Kingdom fully.

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

And He Suffered Under Pontius Pilate

Encore Post: [Twenty-Seventh in a series of posts on Martin Luther’s Small Catechism] You say it every time you confess the Apostles’ Creed, “And He suffered under Pontius Pilate,” but what does saying it convey?

Pontius Pilate was the Roman governor who had authority over the use of the death penalty. That is a historical fact. And it is important to show that faith in Jesus Christ, as recorded in Holy Scripture, is historical. We can look at the historical record and see a governor named Pilate who served in Judea, and it was this man who gave the Jews the go ahead to crucify Jesus. This is extremely important to acknowledge, but there are some important theological implications of reciting Pilate’s name as well in the Creed.

We remember from Holy Scripture that Pilate desired to release Jesus because Jesus had done nothing wrong. Certainly Jesus did nothing that required the judgement of death by crucifixion. Pilate judged rightly that the Jews were bringing Jesus to him because they were jealous of him and how the people chased after him.

However, Jesus was before him, and he had to pass judgment. Because of his position as governor, his judgment was as if God spoke the judgement: “I find no fault in him at all.” And that right there is of great theological importance. Pilate, as governor, goes on record to say that an innocent man dies for the sins of the people. That is the Gospel proclamation. The innocent man receives the punishment of death while the sinner goes free. While Pilate wanted to release Jesus, he was getting nowhere with the people. The priests and the scribes had caused a riot to begin. Pilate, being afraid, gave Jesus over to them that they might crucify Jesus.

And in so doing, Pilate allowed the Chief Priests and the Scribes of the Jews to actually fulfill their duties as those who would sacrifice the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” Yet, Christ is the Victim and the Priest on this Good Friday at the altar of the Cross.

Jesus suffered under Pontius Pilate. He was handed over to the ruthless Priests and Scribes for crucifixion, but facing the cross, Jesus did not blink nor did he complain. But rather suffered under Pontius Pilate that we might be set free from the punishment of our sins and live with Him in everlasting life.

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 Purification of Mary, the Presentation of our Lord and Epiphany

This Epiphany season is a little different because of how the dates fall. This first Sunday of February falls on February 2nd. And your church follows the Church Year closely, you might notice that Feb 2nd is a Feast Day within the Church. It may sound like a replay of the first Sunday after Christmas, if your congregation uses the one year lectionary. You see, the events of Jesus being in the temple as a baby took place exactly forty days after his birth. It had to be that way to fulfill the Law prescribed by Moses for mothers (Leviticus 12). Jesus is there in the Temple with his mother and presumed father because Mary had to offer a sacrifice that she be purified after giving birth. February 2^nd is the Festival of the Purification of Mary and the Presentation of Jesus (Luke 2:22-38). Simeon’s song comes to be because of Mary and Joseph’s faithfulness to keeping the Law.

But Jesus fulfills a different Old Testament law, a law that had been forgotten, but a law on the books, nevertheless (Exodus 13:1-2, 11-16). Jesus, though not a son of the tribe of Levi (Jesus is of the tribe of Judah, a son of David), is presented to the Lord like He was to serve Him as a priest. Jesus is the great high priest who comes in the order of Melchizedek (Psalm 110). He is not of the line of the High Priest Aaron, but He is the faithful High Priest promised to come in 1 Samuel 2:35. The Lord God raises up His very own Son, whom He sent into the World, in the flesh to be the High Priest who is also the sacrifice for the sin of the world.

This is why Simeon can sing to God about departing in peace. This child, before his very eyes, will secure peace for Him and the entire world by the shedding of His own blood at the cross. What joy we have in our great high priest who has worked atonement for our sins, covering our sins with His own blood! This is just like the words of Exodus 24. There, Moses stands before the people with the blood of the covenant, which the Lord God made with Israel. Moses sprinkles the blood on the people, and then there is the interesting story of the elders of Israel along with Moses, Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, going up on Mount Sinai, seeing God and eating and drinking with Him. Moses tells us, “He (God) did not lay His hand on them.” Sinful men cannot stand before the Lord and live (Psalm 5:4, but see all of Psalm 5). However, when the blood of the covenant covers them, they can. It is just like the blood of the Passover Lamb in Egypt (Exodus 12). It is with Simeon, you, and I. The blood of Jesus, the blood of the new covenant (also translated as New Testament), covers us. We have peace granted to us. We have forgiveness, thus salvation, as we participate in Christ’s New Covenant in His Blood (Small Catechism, The Sacrament of the Altar, “What is the benefit of this eating and drinking?”). Rejoice and be glad. Be at peace in the presence of God, your Savior who has been revealed to you!

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

Why Memorize the Catechism?

Encore Post: [Second is a series of posts on Martin Luther’s Small Catechism] The Catechism contains the chief parts of the faith. At the heart of it are the big three pieces: the 10 Commandments, Apostles’ Creed, and Lord’s Prayer. Dr. Luther also attached Confession, the Sacrament of Holy Baptism, and the Sacrament of the Altar. Luther wanted his students to know the catechism by heart.

The Catechism ought to be learned out loud for memory’s sake. It should be memorized by the hearers as it is used in the divine service. Four pieces of the catechism are mainstays within the liturgy (Apostles Creed, Lord’s Prayer, Confession, and Sacrament of the Altar). The Ten Commandments are effectively understood to be in play as they are considered when confessing our sins to God. Luther gives us that instruction in his explanation when asking, “What sins should we confess?” The Sacrament of Baptism still occurs within the confines of the Divine Service as well, but unfortunately, baptisms appear to be fewer and farther between. However, we should not downplay baptisms, as in every moment of the Divine Service, we are reminded of the gifts that gives to us through our Baptisms into Christ Jesus.

We memorize the catechism because the catechism is really nothing other than the Words of Christ. The Ten Commandments and the Lord’s Prayer are specifically taken right out of Scripture. The Creed is effectively the entire story of the bible distilled down to 3 articles of faith, the confession of Creation, Redemption, and Sanctification in and through the work of the blessed Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We are granted faith as we hear the word of God revealed to us in the Catechism. The Catechism then is perhaps the greatest place to begin when teaching the faith to the littlest among us as well as the young in the faith.

The Word of God is important, and we ought to be in the Word as often as possible. The Catechism ought to be memorized and used by the faithful so that it becomes embedded in our hearts. If it is not used in our daily devotional life, the words of the catechism will quickly leave us. But if the words of the catechism are memorized or learned by heart, the vocabulary of the catechism informs our faith and entire life. It is after the words of our Lord for the instruction in the faith.

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 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

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