The ABCs of Christian Living

By Rev. Jim Roemke

Rev. Jim Roemke nails some theses on worship to the church door—a quick reminder and tutorial on what is happening in worship—and how our orders of worship come right out of Scripture. Is God at work there to give you good stuff or what? -- Ed.

Service of Confession

A. The Invocation

There is one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and He has marked me as His own by the cross of Christ in Holy Baptism (Matthew 28:19). What He first gave me at the font, He continues to give me in this Divine Service.

B. Confession

I am sinful and deserve nothing from God except His wrath and punishment (Ephesians 2:1–3). If I don’t believe and confess this, I am a liar (I John 1:8–10).

C. Absolution

Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for me and for Christ’s sake, He forgives me all of my sins (1 John 1:7). So that I would believe that more completely, God has called and ordained certain men to assure me of my temporal and eternal forgiveness (John 20:21–23).

Service of the Word

D. Psalm/Introit, Kyrie, Hymn of Praise, Salutation, and Collect of the Day

As a forgiven child of God, I am invited and commanded to offer Him my prayer and praise. I may come into His divine and glorious presence for He has had mercy on me (Psalm 100; Luke 2:14).

E. Readings and Responses

Holy Scripture is the Word of the Lord. It does not contain some of the Word of the Lord, but is wholly, without doubt the complete Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16). For this reason, I give God thanks.

F. Alleluia and Verse

The Holy Gospel is Christ speaking. Where else can I go to find eternal life? Because of this, the Church raises up her alleluias of praise.

G. The Creed

I believe in God the Father Almighty, and in One Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Spirit. My faith is my own, but it is the same as the faith of the Church throughout time. I cannot rely on anyone else’s faith for my eternal salvation (John 3:16).

H. The Sermon

God’s love for me is so great that He has given me a trained and ordained pastor and preacher: that His Word may be delivered to me in its truth and purity, that I may be convicted by God’s Law and learn to live under it, and that I may see with new sweetness and thanksgiving the life-giving and freeing Gospel of Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 4:1–5).

I. The Prayer of the Church

God calls me again to come directly to Him in prayer; He wants to hear my prayers. There is one Mediator between God and man, the one man, Jesus Christ. In His name, I join with the Church, offering up prayers and petitions and thanksgiving for all things (Luke 11:9–13).

J. Offering and Offertory

I am blessed to give God’s Church a part of the blessings God has given me so that the work of the Gospel, namely the ministry of Word and Sacrament, may continue through His called and ordained servants (1 Timothy 5:17–18).

Service of Holy Communion

K. Preface, Sanctus, and Proper Preface

The Lord is with us so we lift our hearts and give thanks, singing Him songs of praise, the very angelic hymn, which confesses our Holy Triune God to be almighty and with salvation in His wings (Isaiah 6:1–3).

L. Lord’s Prayer

God loves me so much that He has graciously taught me to pray (Luke 11:1–4).

M. Words of Institution

Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the Son of Mary, has given me His own body and blood as He says in His Gospel, which is the true and complete Word of God. The bread and wine that we receive as a testament of the Lord’s death are truly what He says they are, that is, body and blood given for our forgiveness (1 Corinthians 11:23–26).

N. Pax Domini

The peace of the Lord is found in His Eucharist that gives us Christ and the forgiveness of sins (John 20:19–23).

O. Agnus Dei

I recognize Christ in the Sacrament by the words of St. John the Baptizer and Forerunner: Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world (John 1:29).

P. Distribution

Again, God in His all-availing love, has not left me to my own reason and experience to know that He comes to us in the body and blood but has called and ordained certain men to give us and assure us that we receive the body and blood of Christ for the forgiveness of sins (1 Corinthians 4:1).

Q. Post-Communion Canticle and Collect

My response to God’s mercy and kindness is a canticle of praise, either thanking our Lord and singing His praise, or asking Him to bless us with peace for the gift of His salvation and coming before Him in prayer (Psalm 9:1–2; Luke 2:29–32).

R. Benediction

I leave this beautiful presence of the Lord, again reminded that it is in the name of the Triune God that I received and continue to receive all blessings, namely the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation (Numbers 6:24–26).

S. Amen

That is, it shall be done.

Rev. Jim Roemke is the pastor of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Middleville, Michigan. His e-mail address is pastorroemke@yahoo.com