February 19, 2023 An Explanation of Lutheran Worship based upon “A Brief Explanation of Worship in the Lutheran Church” by Rev. Dr. Bryan J. King
P The word “liturgy” means “service.” Our whole life as Christians is to be our service (liturgy) to God. It is in the Worship Service, however, that the liturgy of our whole Christian life comes into a joyful focus. We gather together for an intimate communion with our Lord. He comes to us, speaks to us and blesses us through His Word and Sacrament. We come to Him and speak to Him in prayer and praise and thanksgiving. The Worship Service is the recurring moment of high splendor in our earthly lives, a God-given foretaste of the heavenly life to come.
THE OPENING HYMN
P The opening hymn reflects the season of the church year, or the theme of the day, highlighting the teachings of the lessons.
L We begin the worship service by singing to the Lord a hymn of praise.
Opening Hymn "Brightest and Best of the Stars of the Morning" LSB #400
Brightest and best of the stars of the morning, Dawn on our darkness and lend us thine aid; Star of the East, the horizon adorning, Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid.
Shall we not yield Him, in costly devotion, Fragrance of Edom and off’rings divine, Gems of the mountain and pearls of the ocean, Myrrh from the forest and gold from the mine?
Vainly we offer each ample oblation, Vainly with gifts would His favor secure. Richer by far is the heart’s adoration; Dearer to God are the prayers of the poor.
THE INVOCATION
P The beginning of the service is marked by God calling us together as He promises; “Where two or three are gathered in my name, I will be there also.” His name is the name in which we are baptized by His command – in Matthew 28:19-20; “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.
L By using the Trinitarian Invocation we give testimony that we worship the Triune God: Father, Son and Holy Ghost. We ask the Triune God to be with us and to bless us as we carry on our worship.
P In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. C Amen.
CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION
P After our opening hymn and Trinitarian invocation, we confess our sins. In the Confession, we are saying “Amen” or “Yes, yes, this is true” to God’s righteous judgement against our sin... In the Absolution, our Lord declares through the mouth of His servant, the Pastor, that by His grace and mercy our sins are forgiven. The pastor absolves the congregation, that is, forgives the sins of those who confess. “So Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.’ And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained. (John 20:21-23).
L Before we can draw near to worship our holy God we must first of all cast away our sins. So we come to Him in penitence and faith and confess our sins, whereupon we hear the Pastor, as God’s representative, speak to us the words of comfort and forgiveness through our Savior, Jesus Christ. That we may enter into the holy presence of Christ, let us confess our sins that we may be made the righteousness of God.
C We confess to You, almighty God, our blindness to Your glory and our reluctance to seek Your grace. We have sinned against You and our neighbors by our own fault in both our thoughtless actions as well as the good we have failed to do. For the sake of Your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, forgive us. Renew our hearts, enliven us in spirit, and let us see Your glorious mercy.
P “We have something more sure, the prophetic word, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.” In the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. C Amen.
INTROIT & GLORIA PATRI
P The Introit is normally sung or spoken by either the congregation or choir. The Introit is a collection of passages from the Psalms that set the tone for our worship and introduces the rest of the Divine Service in which Christ comes to us in His Word and Sacrament. The Gloria Patri at the end of the Introit is a time when we praise again the name of our Triune God: God the Father, our Creator; God the Son, our Redeemer; and God the Holy Ghost, our Sanctifier.
L The Book of Psalms was the Old Testament people’s song book. There were tunes used in the chanting/singing of the Psalms and these were a vital part of the worship life of the people of God. These inspired writings are still a valued part of our worship life today.
INTROIT/ PSALM Psalm 2:6–12; (The installation of the king)
L As for Me, I have set My King on Zion, My holy hill.”
C “As for Me, I have set My King on Zion, My holy hill.” I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to Me, “You are My Son; today I have begotten You. Ask of Me, and I will make the nations Your heritage, and the ends of the earth Your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” Now
therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, for His wrath is quickly kindled. Blessèd are all who take refuge in Him. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. “As for Me, I have set My King on Zion, My holy hill.”
THE KYRIE
P Kyrie Eleison is Greek for Lord Have Mercy. The Kyrie is the first prayer of the whole congregation as we worship with all the company of heaven. It is a cry for mercy that our Lord and King hear us and help us in our needs and troubles. The Gospel of Mark records; “Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’” (10:46-48). It is still fitting today for God’s needy children to cry out Jesus, “Lord have mercy.”
L The Kyrie is an expression of our emptiness without God and of our need to have Him come and fill us with His grace.
C “Lord, have mercy upon us. Christ, have mercy upon us. Lord, have mercy upon us.”
THE HYMN OF PRAISE
P God calls us to sing. In our hymnals we sing various hymns of praise, reflecting great Biblical truths. Like those expressed at Jesus’ birth – the Gloria in Excelsis “Glory to God in the highest. And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” (Luke 2:14) and John the Baptizer’s precious words, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!” (John 1:29). Another hymn of praise, This is the Feast – has its roots in the book of Revelation (5:12-13 & 19:5-9).
Hymn of Praise "This Is the Feast" LSB #155
This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Worthy is Christ, the Lamb who was slain, Whose blood set us free to be people of God.
This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Power, riches, wisdom, and strength, and honor, blessing, and glory are His.
This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Sing with all the people of God, and join in the hymn of all creation: Blessing, honor, glory, and might be to God and the Lamb forever. Amen.
This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. For the Lamb who was slain has begun His reign. Alleluia. This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
PROPERS OF THE DAY
P Readings, collects, etc., are those parts of the service that change with every service. They are selected to correspond with the season of the church year, and to give us a broad exposure to the Word of God.
THE SALUTATION AND COLLECT OF THE DAY
P The Salutation is a reference to 2 Timothy 4:22 wherein Paul closes his letter by saying, “The Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.” The Collect is a short prayer that is meant to gather (collect) the thoughts of the readings, and the theme of the day into one concise short prayer.
L The Pastor prays that the Holy Spirit may bless the congregation as they offer their petitions to God and give attention to His Word: “The Lord be with you.” The congregation answers by invoking upon the Pastor the same Holy Spirit, that he might give voice to the heartfelt petitions of the people and preach God’s Word with power: “And with thy spirit.” (“And also with you, Pastor.”)
P The Lord be with you. C And with thy spirit.
P Let us pray. Lord God, almighty Father, in many and various ways You spoke to our fathers by the prophets and now in these last days You have spoken to us by Your Son. By Your Word and Spirit, make us all the more certain that You are present with us and that here we see You face-to-face, touch and handle things unseen, grasp with firmer hand Your eternal grace, and all our weariness upon You lean; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C Amen.
THE READINGS
P We follow a lectionary (which is a reading schedule) to ensure that we cover as much as possible of the ‘whole counsel of God’ in our worship services. We continue to read and hear from the Old Testament as well as the New Testament. For in the Old Testament Jesus is active, helping His beloved people as they await His coming and in the New Testament we learn the specifics of the Messiah’s birth, life, death, resurrection, ascension, and continued work among His people.
L Now we have reached the high point in our service. So far we have opened our lips in prayer and praise to God. Now we fall silent, for our Lord Himself will now speak to us. He will reveal Himself and His will in a special way: in the reading and preaching of His Word. God has made Himself known to us in the Bible. This is how He speaks to us. This is the source of all that we believe and teach. Without the Word of God our worship, as well as our faith, would wither and die.
OLD TEST. (The covenant that the Lord made is confirmed.) Exodus 24:8–18
L This section of the Bible contains 39 Books that comprise the Old Testament – the Bible that Jesus and his direct followers used.
R This is the Word of the Lord C Thanks be to God.
EPISTLE (Eyewitness news) 2 Peter 1:16–21
L The word epistle is the Greek word for letter or correspondence, so we are hearing from a ‘letter’ written almost two thousand years ago for the benefit of Christians, both then and now.
R This is the Word of the Lord C Thanks be to God.
THE GRADUAL OR ALLELUIA AND VERSE
P One of the Biblical references that we often sing is from John 6:68 – Jesus had just asked His disciples if they wanted to leave as others had just done, Peter responds to Him with, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” – the Alleluias (meaning praise) are quite fitting as we prepare to hear the Gospel – the Good News of and from Jesus
L The Gradual serves as a transition from the Epistle to the thought of the Gospel. Like the Introit, it is usually taken from the Psalms. The Hallelujah (p.20): The “Hallelujah,” which means “Praise the Lord!” is part of the Gradual. It is a cry of rejoicing that we are allowed to be so near to our Lord.
Alleluia and Verse LSB #156
C Alleluia. Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Alleluia, alleluia.
THE GOSPEL (The transfiguration) Matthew 17:1–9
P The Gospel has a grander introduction than the other readings in our worship services, which is quite fitting as we prepare to hear Jesus’ words. (We stand out of respect for our Lord as we listen to Him speak to us). The Gospel reading always contains the very words or deeds of Jesus. The Gospel is the summit of the Service of the Word.
L The Gospel reading centers about the life and words of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is often the key to the theme for the day, the main event or lesson which we are commemorating.
P The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the seventeenth chapter. C Glory be to Thee, O Lord.
P This is the Gospel of the Lord. C Praise be to Thee, O Christ.
THE SERMON HYMN
P The sermon hymn or the hymn of the day reflects the theme of the day and augments the thought of the sermon, lessons, and prayers and gives us time to reflect on the readings as we prepare to hear an exposition of what we have just heard.
L We sing another hymn to prepare our hearts for the seed of the Word which will now be sown in the sermon.
Hymn "Tis Good Lord to Be Here" LSB #156
’Tis good, Lord, to be here! Thy glory fills the night; Thy face and garments, like the sun, Shine with unborrowed light.
’Tis good, Lord, to be here, Thy beauty to behold Where Moses and Elijah stand, Thy messengers of old.
Fulfiller of the past And hope of things to be, We hail Thy body glorified And our redemption see.
’Tis good, Lord, to be here! Yet we may not remain; But since Thou bidst us leave the mount, Come with us to the plain.
THE SERMON TEXT
P The text is the basis of the sermon. The sermon grows out of God’s Word, crafted with the goal of explaining and proclaiming Jesus as the only Savior for this dying world. The Word of God is properly preached when Law and Gospel are rightly divided. The Law shows us our sin, the Gospel shows us God’s love. The law tells us what we are to do and what we are not to do. The Gospel tells us what Jesus has done for us. The law works to drive us to the Cross for forgiveness so that we can live as forgiven people, redeemed by Christ the crucified. That is the heart of every Christian sermon – Christ crucified for a dying world.
THE SERMON THEME
P The title or theme conveys the central thought, or idea behind the sermon and helps us focus on that while listening. The sermon gives the preacher the opportunity to tie the Word of God to the everyday lives of the people that he serves. Sermons are designed to teach, exhort, comfort, and convey the great truths about God which we so desperately need to live our life of faith, Paul writes, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” A powerful sermon proclaims God’s Word.
L God speaks to us through His called servant. The Pastor’s sermon is not just a number of offhand remarks, but a prayerfully prepared proclamation of God’s message of repentance, salvation, and growth in faith. Upon entering the pulpit, the Pastor greets us with the Salutation which the Apostle Paul used so often in his letters. At the conclusion of the sermon the Pastor speaks the “Votum”. With these words from Philippians 4:7 he invokes the blessings of God’s peace upon all who have here received God’s Word. “7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
NICENE CREED
P The Nicene Creed is traditionally used during communion services, the Apostles’ Creed during other services and the Athanasian Creed is used on Trinity Sunday as well as at other times. These creeds are called ecumenical because all Christians adhere to what these creeds confess.
L We have heard God’s Word to us. Now we respond by confessing what we believe. By this we show that the seed of the Word has fallen on good soil and that we have rightly heard and understood, not only today’s readings but all of them through the year, which can be summed up in this statement of faith.
Nicene Creed
C I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of His Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made; who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried. And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures and ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father. And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead, whose kingdom will have no end. And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets. And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church, I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins, and I look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.
THE OFFERING & OFFERTORY
P One of the ways that we respond to God’s love is to present our offerings before Him. We give to Him out of a thankful, renewed heart, not desiring a reward or trying to earn His favour with our offerings, but out of thankfulness. During the offering, the altar is also prepared for the celebration of Hoy Communion. Following the offering we may sing an offertory, both are our responses to our Gracious God who has blessed us .
L We bring our offerings to God’s altar. These gifts can be meaningful only if we recognize them as tokens of our entire selves, given in worship and service to our Lord.
Offering/Offertory "We Give Thee but Thine Own" LSB #781
We give Thee but Thine own, Whate’er the gift may be; All that we have is Thine alone,
A trust, O Lord, from Thee.
THE PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH
P One of the greatest privileges that we have as God’s children is approaching His throne of Grace through prayer. We are able to pray at home and at worship. Prayers are crafted to reflect the theme of the day, specific needs of the church as well as the needs of the world around us. St. Paul, writing to Timothy, encourages us, “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (2 Timothy 2:1-4).
L We pray God to fulfill our needs, the needs of the Church, and the needs of all people. In these prayers we express our belief in the Priesthood of all believers, for here the Pastor does not pray in our behalf as we listen, but rather his words are the prayers we each in our own hearts are individually bringing to God in Jesus’ name.
P Let us pray. Almighty and merciful God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we give You thanks for revealing to the world Your goodness and mercy in the gift of Your beloved Son. Being of one substance with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, He has revealed Your glory chiefly in His sacrifice on the cross for the life of the world. Make us certain that because He died and lives again, we and all who trust in Him are now given eternal life in the forgiveness of our sin. Lord, in Your mercy, C hear our prayer.
L By Your Word and Spirit, rule and govern Your holy Church throughout the world and her pastors and ministers in order that we may be preserved in the pure doctrine of Your saving Word and may be strengthened in faith and love. Send forth laborers into Your harvest that Your kingdom be extended to all nations. Lord, in Your mercy, C hear our prayer.
P Comfort with Your Holy Spirit all who are in trouble, want, sickness, or any adversity, especially…that they may receive healing of body and mind and peace in their souls. Bless all medical professionals and emergency workers and all who supply the needy in any way. Lord, in Your mercy, C hear our prayer.
L We give thanks for all Your prophets and apostles who have faithfully delivered Your Word through the ages, and for all Your witnesses who have gone before us and are now with You in Your divine presence. Keep us in the sure faith and hope of Your Word that we may one day look upon our Savior face-to-face in the glory of eternal life. Lord, in Your mercy,
C hear our prayer.
P Into Your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in Your mercy,
through Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. C Amen.
THE SERVICE OF THE SACRAMENT
P The service of the Sacrament begins with the Preface – starting with a rendition of 2 Timothy 4:22 wherein Paul writes, “The Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.” Finishing his second letter to Timothy – we greet one another, Pastor & People, in remembrance of our renewed relation in Christ, Who invites us to His Precious Supper. The Proper Preface concludes the Preface – this part of the Preface changes according to the church season – different for Advent, Lent, Christmas, Easter, Epiphany, Pentecost, etc., hence the title Proper – meaning that it is specific to that day or season in the church year, like the propers of the day.
L Now we approach the second high point of the Liturgy, the Sacrament in which the Lord comes to bless us with His very body and blood. We move toward the Sacrament with prayers of thanksgiving and songs of adoration. Once again, the Pastor and congregation pray for and assure each other of the Lord’s presence. Then comes the invitation to “lift up your hearts” and to “give thanks to the Lord, our God.” This reminds us that our entire Communion Service is a service of thanksgiving.
PREFACE
P The Lord be with you. C And also with you.
P Lift up your hearts. C We lift them to the Lord.
P Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. C It is right to give Him thanks and praise.
PROPER PREFACE
P It is truly meet, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who at His transfiguration revealed His glory to His disciples that they might be strengthened to proclaim His cross and resurrection and with all the faithful look forward to the glory of life everlasting. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You.
THE SANCTUS
P Sanctus means Holy – God is Holy as the Biblical reference of Isaiah 6:3 clearly states, “And one cried to another and said, ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts: The whole earth is full of His glory!’” – this repetition of ‘Holy’ combined with the Hosannas from Palm Sunday – Matthew 21:9 – makes a wonderful hymn of praise.
L In this exalted hymn we join our voices to the angels who sing “Holy, Holy, Holy” round about the Lord’s throne and we welcome Him with the Palm Sunday multitude who sang “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the Highest!”
Sanctus LSB #161
Holy, holy, holy Lord God of pow’r and might: Heaven and earth are full of Your glory. Hosanna. Hosanna. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
THE PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
P The Prayer of Thanksgiving focuses our attention on what we are about to receive, as we marvel at God’s gracious activity toward us undeserving sinners – and give Him our thanks in prayer. Blessed are You, Lord of heaven and earth, for You have had mercy on those whom You created and sent Your only-begotten Son into our flesh to bear our sin and be our Savior. With repentant joy we receive the salvation accomplished for us by the all-availing sacrifice of His body and His blood on the cross. Gathered in the name and the remembrance of Jesus, we beg You, O Lord, to forgive, renew, and strengthen us with Your Word and Spirit. Grant us faithfully to eat His body and drink His blood as He bids us do in His own testament. Gather us together, we pray, from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end. Graciously receive our prayers; deliver and preserve us. To You alone, O Father, be all glory, honor, and worship, with the Son and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C Amen.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
P Jesus has given us a wonderful prayer to use each and every day. We pray this prayer either before or after the Words of Institution realizing that it is a perfect prayer that Jesus has given us.
L Now we pray the prayer which the Lord Himself taught us. The Lord’s Prayer is the distinctive property of Christians. We are here reminded that we are together in the family of God, that at this Communion table we are not many individuals, but one body, brothers and sisters in the faith, whose spiritual welfare is closely linked together.
Lord’s Prayer
C Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen
THE WORDS OF INSTITUTION
P The pastor speaks the Words of Institution, over the bread and wine. The Word of God is powerful and effective, and hence we believe what Jesus has said, “Take eat, this is My body.” and “Take drink, this is My blood.”
L These are the words which our Lord spoke on the night He was betrayed. They make the celebration of the Lord’s Supper not just a pious custom but a Sacrament instituted by Christ Himself. Our Savior assurees us that He is bodily present to give us forgiveness and fellowship with Him. With these words the Pastor consecrates the bread and wine, setting them apart for holy use.
P Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is My body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.”
In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying: “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
PAX DOMINI
P The Peace of the Lord is shared the Old Testament Greeting, used by Jesus in John 20:19 after His resurrection, relates to salvation that is Peace with God, through the death of Jesus, we now have peace with.
L The Pastor prays that God may bless the congregation with His peace.
P The peace of the Lord be with you always. C Amen.
AGNUS DEI
P The Agnus Dei (Lamb of God) is sung for what we are about to receive is indeed the Lamb of God Himself, Jesus’ body given for us, His blood shed for us. In the Old Testament, priests sacrificed a lamb to God to pay for the sins of His people. Jesus sacrificed Himself for our sins and is therefore the Lamb of God. The Agnus Dei contains the words from John 1:29, “The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” – this is our testimony also – Jesus takes away our sins.
L We petition Christ to show us His mercy.
LSB #163
Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world; grant us peace.
THE DISTRIBUTION
P We receive Christ’s body and blood, in, with, and under the bread and wine. The Lord’s Supper is described in 1 Corinthians 11:23-32 as a most precious medicine for the soul. Like all medicines, it must be used at the right time for the right purpose by the right person, lest it do more harm than good.
L Reverently we come before the altar of God, humbly to receive Christ into our lives. As He once gave Himself for us on the altar of the cross, so He now gives Himself to us on the altar of the Sacrament. In this way He assures me personally that the blessings He won for all sinners on the cross (forgiveness, life, and salvation) are most certainly also mine.
THE NUNC DIMITTIS / THE POST COMMUNION CANTICLE
P Once again God calls us to sing His praise for His grace and mercy. As with other parts of the service these canticles are prayers set to music. Since we have received Christ’s body and blood for our salvation we sing our thanks to God. One example is the Nunc Dimittis – (Song of Simeon) which is from Luke 2:29-32 and is Simeon’s song of praise after being privileged to see and to hold the long awaited Christ.
L Simeon’s song is our way of rejoicing and our eyes to have seen God’s Salvation, for we have received Christ through His Word and Sacrament. Like Simeon we are now ready to “depart in peace.”
“Thank the Lord” LSB #164
Thank the Lord and sing His praise; tell ev’ryone what He has done. Let all who seek the Lord rejoice and proudly bear His name. He recalls His promises and leads His people forth in joy with shouts of thanksgiving. Alleluia, alleluia.
THE POST COMMUNION COLLECT
P Remember a Collect is a prayer that collects thoughts into one brief prayer. We have options in our hymnals for these prayers - each prayer has a different emphasis, but all center on the gift we have received through the meal which Christ has given us.
L We offer out joyous and prayerful thanks to God.
P Let us pray. We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have refreshed us through this salutary gift, and we implore You that of Your mercy You would strengthen us through the same in faith toward You and in fervent love toward one another; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C Amen.
THE BENEDICTION
P The Aaronic benediction was to be said over the people of Israel – God’s people. “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them, The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.”(Numbers 6:23-26).
L With the Benediction of God, used in the Church since the days of Moses, the Pastor closes the Service. The last word we hear from his lips is “peace.” With the sign of the cross he them reminds us that all of this is ours through the cross and merits of Jesus Christ, our Lord, in whom we trust and for whom we live.
P The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord look upon you with favor and give you peace. C Amen.
FAREWELL TO ALLELUIA and THE CLOSING HYMN
L On this day, alleluias are sung for the last time in the Church until the resurrection of our Lord. Alleluia is not heard during Lent as we turn in penitence to the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ to be renewed in our baptismal faith. Though every Sunday is a “little Easter,” we restrain our praise until Easter Sunday, when all of Christendom joins in singing alleluias to our King. Let us now raise our voices in song as we anticipate not only our coming Easter celebration, but that ultimate feast of victory when we shall all sing “alleluia” with saints and
angels, cherubim and seraphim, Moses and Elijah, apostles, martyrs, prophets, and all the company of heaven before the Lamb on His throne.
P We close our worship with a Hymn, often a hymn of praise, as we thank God for all He has done for us through His Divine Service, for here we have been served by Him in a marvelous way. To God alone be the glory.
Closing Hymn “Alleluia! Sing to Jesus” LSB #821
Alleluia! Sing to Jesus; His the scepter, His the throne; Alleluia! His the triumph, His the victory alone. Hark! The songs of peaceful Zion Thunder like a mighty flood: “Jesus out of ev’ry nation Has redeemed us by His blood.”
Alleluia! Not as orphans Are we left in sorrow now; Alleluia! He is near us; Faith believes, nor questions how. Though the cloud from sight received Him When the forty days were o’er,
Shall our hearts forget His promise: “I am with you evermore”?