THE DIVINE SERVICE: INTRODUCTION
From the Inside of our Blue Hymnal
Our Lord speaks and we listen. His Word bestows what it says. Faith that is born from what is heard acknowledges the gifts received with eager thankfulness and praise. Music is drawn into this thankfulness and praise, enlarging and elevating the adoration of our gracious giver God.
Saying back to him what he has said to us, we repeat what is most true and sure. Most true and sure is his name, which he put upon us with the water of our Baptism. We are his. This we acknowledge at the beginning of the Divine Service. Where his name is, there is he. Before him we acknowledge that we are sinners, and plead for forgiveness. His forgiveness is given us, and we, freed and forgiven, acclaim him ad out great and gracious God as we apply to ourselves the words he has used to make himself known to us.
The rhythm of our worship is from him to us, and then from us back to him. He gives his gifts, and together we receive and extol them. We build one another up as we speak to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Our Lord gives us his body to eat and his blood to drink. Finally his blessing moves us out into our calling, where his gifts have their fruition (Lutheran Worship, Page 6 CPH. 1982).
WORSHIP BEGINS WITH A “W”
Our Divine Service has a consistent movement of our Lord coming to us and us coming to our Lord. He comes to us with His presence, forgiveness, peace, wisdom, etc. We go to Him with our sin, troubles, prayers, praise, thanksgiving, etc. We can only go to Him because “18 through Christ we have access in one Spirit to the Father” (Ephesians 2). He can only come to us veiled as “man shall not see my face and live”(Exodus 33:20). Our Lord comes to us through His Word and in, with, and under the bread and wine, as Christ’s body and blood.
One pastor likes to say “Worship begins with a ‘W'” He means that as a “W” starts with a downward movement, continues with an upward movement, moves down once again, and finishes with an upward movement, so our worship begins with Father, Son, and Holy Spirit coming to us and continues with movement of us to God and us to God.
Word and Sacrament: God Comes to Us
Luke 24:13-37 & Acts 2:37-47 as the basic order of Word and Supper
Assumption that there is More Here than We See
2 Kings 6: 16 He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 17 Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
The Presence of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
Matthew 28:20 and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Exodus 20:24 – An altar of earth you shall make for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen. In every place where I cause my name to be remembered I will come to you and bless you.
Matthew 1:23 – “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).
Isaiah 41:10 – fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Ephesians 1:18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints
Matthew 11: 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Galatians 3:2Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?
John 6:63 – It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life
Romans 5: 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith[a] into this grace in which we stand, and we[b] rejoice[c] in hope of the glory of God.
Ephesians 2: 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.
Ephesians 3:12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him.
Gathered in Jesus’ Name.
Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
(1) God is the One who gathers – 1 Cor. 1:2 To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours
(2) Gathered in the name of Jesus. We proclaim His name and we are blessed with His name. We pray and praise in His name.
(3) Christ is present to bridge the gap between heaven and earth, the seen and unseen. Jesus is active. We are praying together with Jesus. We are praising together with Jesus. We are hearing Jesus. Jesus is feeding us.
(4) The context helps us see the binding and loosing. (a) Forgiveness is retained for those who are not repentant. Forgiveness is given to those who are sorry and want to do better (John 20:23). (b) Furthermore, Satan and the powers of darkness are bound and Christ’s people are set free.
Context: 18 Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed[f] in heaven.
The Word of God
Hebrews 4: 12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
The Service of Almighty God
Matthew 20:28 – even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Acts 1 In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.
Hebrews 4: 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Mystery
Colossians 3 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
1 Cor. 4: This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.
Colossians 1: 25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ among you, the hope of glory.
Heaven on Earth
Hebrews 10:19 Therefore, brothers,[a] since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
Hebrews 12:22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering,23 and to the assembly[a] of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
25 See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. 26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” 27 This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire.