Worship

The various forms of Holy Communion liturgy we are familiar with usually place a hymn of praise immediately after the Lord, have mercy. While traditionally this has been the Glory to God in the highest, “The Service – Alternative Form” uses This is the Feast of Victory. Even without the accompanying music, one can hardly miss the note of triumphant joy resounding through this h ...

“Hello”. “How are you going?” “G’day”. These are different ways that we greet each other in daily life. A greeting enables us to recognise and welcome the other person, and to re-establish our common relationship. The liturgy of the church also provides God’s people with a greeting:  The Lord be with you: And also with you. However, this “salutation”, as it is known, is more th ...

Gloria in Excelsis is the traditional Latin title of this very ancient hymn which originated in the Greek speaking church of the 3rd or 4th century.  If the Lord, have mercy is our cry as beggars before God, the Gloria in Excelsis lifts us up to heaven. In its very first lines we join with the angels by singing with them the song they sung at the birth of Christ: “Glory to God ...

We have previously noted that the “Lord, have mercy” is essentially a beggar’s cry for mercy and help of any kind. It is not only a prayer for forgiveness, but a prayer covering any conceivable need.  Nor is it prayed only for ourselves, but for the whole world. This wider scope of the “Lord, have mercy” becomes apparent in “The Service – Alternative Form”.  There the “Lord, ha ...

After Martin Luther had just died, a piece of paper was found in his pocket. On it were scribbled the words, “We are beggars, that’s the truth”. The fact that we are utter beggars before God is expressed in our liturgy every week with the words, “Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy”. This is nothing else but a beggars cry for mercy, help, assistance, pity and ...

We have noted previously that we worship for the sake of the world. Among other things, our liturgy is “public service” for the well-being of our society.  This important public duty is what “the priesthood of believers” is all about. In the Old Testament the role of the priest was to stand between God and the Israelites. They would bring God’s grace and his word to the people. ...

Being a “public servant” is perhaps not the most fulfilling and exciting job in the world, but it is nevertheless a very important and necessary part of our society’s functioning. Without a public service, many things we take for granted (e.g., Medicare refunds) simply would not happen. To some the liturgy is even duller than the public service - but it is infinitely more impor ...

This is the first of a series discussing the nature of the church’s liturgy. May the reflections in this series help us all engage in the liturgy more fruitfully, for the glory of God, for our edification, and for the well-being of the world. One of the most important ways to understand and appreciate our divine service better is to ask ourselves the very important question: fo ...

Many Christians believe that worship is what happens when the church gathers to praise, give thanks, and glorify God - because of faith that grasps the gifts of God in Jesus Christ. But Lutherans do not see worship like that as this makes worship primarily our service & sacrifice to God. Rather, Lutherans understand that worship is God serving us; That in worship, as we rec ...