Catechesis – Page 8 – What Does This Mean?

A Walk Through the Liturgy: The Sanctus

Encore Post: [Fifteenth post in a series on the Divine Service] The closing words of the Proper Preface introduce the following piece of the beautiful Service of the Sacrament: The Sanctus.

The Sanctus: Latin for “Holy” comes from the vision of Isaiah in Isaiah chapter 6, where Isaiah “sees the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple” (Isa 6:1). The phrase Holy, Holy, Holy comes from the seraphim serving the Lord. Isaiah realizes his unworthiness and sin, yet for the sake of the sacrifice (Christ) atonement has been made and he is able to stand before the Holy God and live. Like Isaiah, we, too, are made holy for the sake of Christ and our sins are forgiven.

But there is more to the hymn than just the words of the angels. The Sanctus as printed in the Lutheran Service Book Divine Service Setting III, prepares us for the coming of the Lord. The words, “Hosanna in the Highest! Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord!” come from Christ’s entrance into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, see Matthew 21. But instead of riding a colt into our midst, in the Divine Service the Holy One of God, Jesus Christ, comes to us in his body and blood in the Sacrament of the Altar, for the forgiveness of our sins and the strengthening of our faith. Christ is here for our forgiveness life and salvation. Christ brings heaven down to earth within the Divine Service for us. And in coming in the Supper he in fact does save us now, which is what the word Hosanna means (according to LSB footnote).

In the vision of Isaiah, we see Isaiah receive on his mouth the burning coal from the altar. We in the Supper we receive the very body and blood of Christ, which was broken and poured out that we might be redeemed and made holy. It is good and right for us to sing the Sanctus in preparation for the Supper for the Holy God comes to save us by granting us sinner’s mercy, which is perhaps the greatest manifestation of our Lord’s glory. And we rightfully then praise the Lord, singing, “Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord! Hosanna in the Highest!” confessing our faith in Him who graciously feeds us now that we might endure until Christ calls us to Himself in the fullness of his glory.

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 Preface and Proper Preface

Encore Post: [Thirteenth post in a series on the Divine Service] In the course of the Liturgy of the Divine Service, we now fix our eyes upon the Altar, where Christ comes to us in His Body and Blood to feed us, forgiving our sins, and strengthening our faith. We are entering the “Service of the Sacrament.” But before the meal, we prepare ourselves further by hearing the words of both the Preface and Proper Preface.

The Preface is one of the oldest pieces of the entire Liturgy. According to my reading to prepare for writing this post, it seems plausible that the Preface could have been a part of the liturgy when the Apostle John was still alive (90 AD).

The words of the Preface are pretty simple. The celebrant (the pastor who is overseeing the Sacrament of the Altar), begins by saying the phrase: “The Lord be with you,” which happens to an echo from the Service of the Word when the pastor speaks or chants the Collect of the Day. The congregation then responds, “And with thy spirit.” Typically, the pastor has opened his hands toward the people in speaking this salutation and then he “receives” this blessing from the people as well.

We then hear the words, “Lift up your hearts.” The congregation: “We lift them to the Lord.” These words are interesting because of their origin. While it sounds great, it can be misunderstood. I remember from my seminary days, Dr. Masaki talking about these very words because of their “implied Calvinism.” In the Service of the Sacrament it is not really us who go up to heaven, but in actuality, it is Christ who comes down to us. And wherever Christ is, that is where Heaven is. So Heaven is on Earth in the Divine Service, and specifically in the Service of the Sacrament.

The beginning phrase and the ending of of the Proper Preface remains the same each and every time. It’s what is sandwiched in between that changes and contains the hard-hitting theology. For instance, listen to the preface of Good Friday, Easter Vigil, Easter Day, Pentecost, etc. You will see the themes of the day beautifully illustrated for us. Listen to these, ask your pastor for a copy of them to meditate upon for a devotion. In the Service, it leads us to the singing of the Sanctus in which we announce the “Coming of the Lord” for us to save us now in the giving of his body and blood.

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 Prayer of the Church

Encore Post: [Twelfth post in a series on the Divine Service] Upon singing the Offertory, and presenting the offerings of the Church, the service enters somewhat of an intermission. The Service of the Word is wrapping, only the Prayer of the Church remains before the Service of the Sacrament begins with Preface and Proper Preface.

The Prayer of the Church is an expanded prayer, containing many and various petitions and thanksgivings. For many years, you might have called the Prayer of the Church an ordinary, because there were basically three “Prayers of the Church” that were printed inside of the Altar Book. However, in recent years the Prayers of the Church have become much more a proper, at least for the churches of the LCMS who utilize the Let Us Pray Series created by the LCMS Director of Worship and his team.

In my Congregation, I utilize the Prayer of the Church provided in the Altar Book because of its consistency in wording. I hope and pray that the continued hearing of the same words moves my people to use those words in their own prayers. However, there is great merit in using the new prayers too, because they are written for our present troubles in mind. Also, pastors should tailor these prayers to the circumstances of the Congregation. For instance, if one prayer offered in the Altar Book has no petition for pregnant women and there is one for women with child, adding a petition for mother and child would likely be appreciated, etc.

Another prayer that the Prayer of the Church is molded after is the great Litany, found on pages 288 and 289 of the Lutheran Service Book. The petitions found within that great prayer cover all facets of life. If a pastor desires to write his own prayer of the church, I would encourage us all to begin with the words of the Great Litany and expand from there.

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 Offertory

Encore Post: [Eleventh post in a series on the Divine Service] I pray that you are being spiritually fed by the Word and Sacrament of our Lord Jesus Christ. The last time I talked about the sermon and its importance, and so today, we are turning our attention to the Offertory.

Depending on the Divine Service Setting one uses (again, I am speaking of the Lutheran Service Book) you might see a couple different settings of Offertories. But they, at least in my mind, serve different purposes. The Offertory of Divine Service 3 appears to serve more as a response of the congregation to the sermon that was just preached as it follows directly on the sermon’s heels.

The Offertory of Divine Service 3 comes from Psalm 51:10-12. We know the history behind Psalm 51 because the superscript tells us. Psalm 51 was written, prayed by David when Nathan the prophet confronted him concerning the murder of Uriah the Hittite and taking Bathsheba for himself. Those events are well documented in 2 Samuel 11-12.

Psalm 51 is a psalm of acknowledging one’s sin and thus repenting, pleading with God to be merciful to the sinner. The first verse of the Psalm says as much, “Be mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.” What we sing as the Offertory comes later in the psalm, in a way a prayer that God again “create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”

The sermon should have confronted us with our sins. Yes, we have sinned and have fallen well short of the glory of God. Indeed, we deserve everlasting death for our offenses against Him. But also in that sermon, we should have heard the Gospel that God has shown us mercy in sending Jesus Christ, who has taken upon himself our sins.

David’s prayer and our own in Psalm 51 is answered in Christ Jesus’ atoning death on the cross and resurrection from the dead with that forgiveness and everlasting life being applied to us via the preaching of Christ’s Word and the Administration of His Sacraments. Joy, even in the midst of suffering, is restored for God’s mercy is made manifest among us by Jesus Christ, who upholds us, giving us the promised Holy Spirit, Who comforts us with things which are Christ’s and declares them to us and makes them our own.

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 Sermon

Encore Post: [Tenth Post in a series on the Divine Service] The preceding components of the Liturgy lead us to the sermon. As has been said in previous posts, particularly the post on the readings, the Holy Gospel is the central reading to which all the other readings for the day point. It is likely that the sermon will be based upon the reading of the Holy Gospel.

What should a sermon do? The sermon and the preaching thereof should proclaim Christ’s person and his active work bringing about the salvation of humanity. That means the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross, or in other words, the atonement, should be on full display. Not only should the sermon bring Christ’s work to light, but it should shine a light on how Christ is active in bringing this salvation to bear in our lives today.

For example, on the 3rd Sunday in Lent, the 3 year lectionary has John 4 as the Gospel reading. Jesus meets the Samaritan woman, who has a less than spectacular past. The Old Testament lesson has the story of Israel complaining and testing. The Lord has Massah and Meribah. Both stories work together in bringing to light that no one has a perfect past, but indeed we are all sinful in many and various ways. Yet, our Lord Jesus is gracious and merciful, not destroying Israel or the woman for her past indiscretions. Instead, he brings to light the fact that she is a sinner in need of the water that gives eternal life. A drink that only he gives. Water (and blood) that is poured out for the world at cross.

How Jesus calls us out of out of the darkness of our sins and into his marvelous light to receive rightly the water that endures unto eternal life will likely be a major component of this sermon. Jesus uses his preachers to preach the Law and the Gospel. Bringing sins to light that they might be dealt with, and once they are, bringing the sweet news of the Gospel that Jesus has not only died for our sins but that “you are forgiven for Christ’s sake.”

The Gospel proclamation does not end there, but continues with how Jesus actively seeks us out still today, and grants to us grace through the very means of Grace, like Baptism and the Lord’s Supper which our eyes begin to turn in the sermon as the tangible Gospel, the flesh and blood of our Lord Jesus will be given to us to eat and to drink in short order. That we might continue to grow in the faith as well as fervent love towards our neighbors.

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 Hymn of the Day

Encore Post: [Ninth post in a series on the Divine Service] If we follow the “Common” Divine Service, after confessing the Creed, the congregation then will sing what is referred to the Hymn of the Day. For some it may just be thought of as an “intermission” or a “time for pastor to compose himself prior to the sermon”, but in actuality the Hymn of the Day continues to narrow down the themes that have been percolating throughout the Collect and Readings of the Day, preparing us to hear those themes ring loud and clear in the upcoming sermon.

It is much easier to speak about specific hymns of the Day when we look to the Historic Lectionary. Within that lectionary, one expects certain hymns on specific days. On the Last Sunday of the Church Year, the congregation would likely sing for the Hymn of the Day: Wake, awake, For Night is Flying. The Gospel lesson is Matthew 25:1-13, the parable of the virgins. The hymn brings the singer into the story and ultimately prepares the singer/congregation to receive the Supper to which Christ calls his faithful.

The hymn of the day can be understood as yet another opportunity for the congregation to hear both Law and Gospel and be a response to such a hearing. For instance, see Lord Thee I Love With All My Heart, the hymn of the day for Lent 2 in the 3 year lectionary offerings. This year, we hear John 3, God showed his love in this way: sending his only son, giving his as the ransom for the world, “that whoever believes in him may have eternal life” (John 3:16). And throughout the hymn, but particularly stanza 1, we respond to Him in kind.

We must also remember the season of the Church year when we look at hymns of the day, for that also affects the various themes that come to the forefront. So a piece of the hymn that likely will stick with the congregation in Lent is the picture of the price of our redemption: Christ’s blood, the prayer for the Lord not to forsake us. Also likely, the prayer for patience and strength to bear the cross that our Lord has placed upon us (See stanza 2).

The hymn of the Day continues the process of narrowing down the theme of the Day and should prepare us all for the words of the pastor who will likely be preaching his sermon on the themes espoused throughout the Collect, Readings, and Hymn.

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
St. Peter’s Lutheran Church
La Grange, MO

Life Everlasting

Encore Post: Three words in the creeds go by quickly when we confess them — but we talk about them very little. The closest we come is when we think about what happens when we die or when we comfort each other at the death of a Christian loved one. “She’s in heaven now,” we say. Or “my baby is now an angel.” There are a lot of misconceptions packed into these thoughts. Perhaps the greatest of these is that things cannot get any better for them. But that is far from true. Things are very good indeed for them, for they are with Jesus and at rest from their labors. But the best is yet to come.

On a day we do not know, Jesus will return from heaven. He will bring an end to sin, suffering, grief and pain. He will raise them and us from the dead, reuniting their spirits with their bodies and transforming them to be like his. We will be reunited with them in the sky. After the last judgement, the real joy begins. It is so far beyond our comprehension that words cannot describe it. So God’s Word tells us bits and pieces, in symbol, metaphor and image. The bottom line: we will see Jesus and there can be no greater joy. God will have restored his creation to the state he intended from the very beginning. He will again call it “very good.”

The announcement in the Book of Revelation says it best:

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” (Revelation 21:1-5)

Rev. Robert E. Smith

Pastor Emeritus

Fort Wayne, Indiana

Worship is About God’s Gifts to You

Encore Post: In most churches, worship is about what Christians do to glorify God. It is about praying, giving contributions to support the work of the Church, singing your song, and dedicating yourself to follow Jesus. Lutherans understand worship as all about what God gives to us — Absolution, God’s Word read, sung by us and preached to us, and the Sacraments, especially the Lord’s Supper, where Jesus gives us his body to eat with bread and his blood to drink with wine. In these gifts, his means of grace, mysteriously, God places and strengthens faith in our hearts, gives us the forgiveness of sins, life and salvation. We sing his praises, pray to him at his invitation, and offer the sacrifice of our lives to thank him for these gifts.

So, worship really is not about us — it is about God’s gifts. God invites us to gather together the same way that our mothers and fathers gathered for dinner. When we call us to eat a well-prepared, delicious feast, we don’t say “Do I have to eat it?” or “But we just had a big dinner last week!” We get up and hurry to receive this wonderful gift of our host’s love and enjoy the time together with those we love.

So, the question we should ask ourselves and each other is not: “Do we have to go to church?” but really is “Do we get to go to church?” The Lord and Creator of the Universe is coming to church. He is the same Jesus who loved us so much that he became one of us, suffered, died and rose again so that he could give us his gifts, forgiveness of sins, life and salvation. So, let’s go and unwrap them!

Rev. Robert E. Smith

Pastor Emeritus

Fort Wayne, Indiana

©2018-2024 Robert E. Smith. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy, share and display freely for non-commercial purposes. Direct all other rights and permissions inquiries to cosmithb@gmail.com

A Walk Through the Liturgy: The Offering

Encore Post: With the conclusion of the singing of the Offertory, the offerings of the church are collected. While we do not often see this in our churches anymore, it was at this time that the bread and wine used for the Sacrament of the Altar would come forward as well. Churches in the Roman Catholic Church and similar traditions have the option to bring up the bread and wine at this time.

Dr. Arthur Just, Jr. in his fine book Heaven on Earth: The Gifts of Christ in the Divine Service talks more about it. He adds, “The bringing forward of the bread and wine is part of the sacrificial part of the liturgy where we offer our gifts to God, including our tithes and offerings. These gifts are given in response to hearing the very words of Jesus in the Gospel and are given in thanksgiving for the gift about to be received…”(Just, 209-210).

We should not think that we are giving to God to earn favor. No, these gives should be given out of the thankfulness of our hearts for the salvation which we have received from Christ. Even if we thought that we could earn God’s favor and blessing by our gifts, our gifts are far too small and minuscule. They are humble things, some money, some bread and wine.

Another way I have been thinking about these gifts is in terms of the feeding of the 5,000. There the people were hungry and only a few loaves and fish were around. They were a humble collection of food, as is bread and wine, but be given into the Lord’s hands, this humble offering He can make it the very food from heaven that satisfies us for everlasting life.

This is also seen in our tithes and offerings of money too. What little offerings we gather in this since also are brought before our Lord and He uses our gold and silver and whatever else we might have to sustain the mission of the local congregation as well as those abroad furthering his Kingdom, that others might know the grace and mercy He has for us for the sake of His beloved Son, Jesus Christ.

Rev. Jacob Hercamp
Christ Lutheran Church
Noblesville, Indiana

The Eighth Day

In a previous post, We talked about the significance of the sixth and seventh days, the day of preparation and the Sabbath, reinforcing the calculus of Jesus death and resurrection on the third day. The third day is also the eighth day. In Christianity, we make a big deal out of the eighth day as the day of resurrection. It’s the day of the proof of our salvation. Jesus paid for our sins through His death on the cross on Friday, the sixth day. His resurrection on the first day of the week, the eighth day, proves His victory over death and the grave.

1st Century Christians quickly began gathering together on the first day of the week. The shift from the Sabbath, seventh day to the first day, the eighth day, reflected our understanding from faith in a promise yet to be revealed to a promise of salvation delivered in Christ. The Resurrection happens on the “first day of the week.” (Matthew 28:1-6; Mark 16:1-6; Luke 24:1-7; John 20:1-18). We now call the first day of the week Sunday. That’s also the eighth day.

This less than exhaustive look at Old Testament eighth day theology reveals quite of few of these. The fall and protoevangelion (first Gospel), can be understood as eighth day events. We fall way, corrupting creation. And, God promises to restore us by the seed of the Woman. (Genesis 3)

God’s covenant with Abraham was sealed by eighth day activity too. As a sign of the covenant between God and Abraham’s offspring. Circumcision was to be performed on the eighth day. (Genesis 17:9-13) It’s prob’ly no accident that the Lord puts the sign of His promise on the eighth day. It’s as if we’re to be on the lookout for an eighth day event sometime soon.

Even the critters of the Jews are reflecting eighth day significance. The firstborn of all livestock are to be given to the Lord. Care to guess which day? Seven days with its mother, and it’s given to the Lord on the eighth day. (Exodus 22:29-30)

When Aaron and His sons or ordained for service in the tabernacle. The atonement for them and the altar is appointed for seven days. Beginning on the eighth day, they may serve in the tabernacle the offering for the sins of the people. (Exodus 29:35-37)

There are several rites within the Jewish Levitical code, which peculiar eighth day events. Leprosy was determined by two seven-day seclusions. (Leviticus 13:4-6) The cleansing of lepers revolves around the eighth day. (Leviticus 14) The feast of booths begins and ends with a sabbath convocation. The second on is called the eighth day. (Leviticus 23:36, 39)

Ezekiel prophesied in his vision of the new temple and the return of the glory of the Lord. The altar is to be erected and consecrated to the Lord. Seven days are appoint for the atonement of the altar. On the eighth day and following, the Lord will accept sacrifices for the people. (Ezekiel 43:18-27)

In the New Testament, Baptism becomes the fulfillment of the eighth day promise of circumcision. “In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.” (Colossians 2:11-14)

The eighth day is the day of Christianity. It’s the day of resurrection. It’s the day of new birth in Jesus. The eighth day is now and not yet. Forgiven in Christ by grace through faith given in Baptism, we await the fulfillment on the last day, the final eight day.

We surround ourselves with eight-sided figures. Our baptismal fonts are often eight sided. The quadifoils surrounding gospel moments and characters in stained glass and vestments are even eight sided comprised of four arcs and four angles. The old European coffins were eight sided with six edges, a top, and a bottom. Church columns were often eight-sided. Other architectural features in the church may also assume an octagonal catechesis. They are a constant reminder of the promise of new birth, forgiveness, restoration, and resurrection to immortal life in Christ.

Jesus was raised on the eighth day.

Rev. Jason M. Kaspar
Sole Pastor
Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church & Preschool
La Grange, TX
and
Mission planting pastoral team:
Epiphany Lutheran Church
Bastrop, TX