God gives us disciples many encouraging words about prayer.
Teach us how. Luke 11:1
Pray without ceasing. 1 Thes. 5:17 Acts 6:4
Go to the mountain top to pray Mk 6:46 Mt 6:6
Always to pray and not lose heart Luke 18:1
If someone is Suffering? Let him pray. Jas 5:13
The Biggie!
Matthew 6:7-8 King James Version (KJV)
“But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them:”
Christians don’t want to pray like Tibetan Buddhists, just spin a prayer wheel and for every turn the same prayer goes up to the gods. You want to talk to your Father. But the devil wants “much speaking” and little understanding, and you imagining that you have served God by reciting the liturgy. Not so Clyde! Using the Page 15 The Order of Holy Communion from The Lutheran Hymnal (also see Divine Service Setting Three in the Lutheran Book of Worship) as a pattern, think about what you are doing in the Divine Service so you can “Pray Rightly With Understanding.”
Let’s get this hot topic out of the way. Hymns in the Lutheran Church are prayers and instructions. Martin Luther liked your hymns to be doctrinally pure and easy to sing. You want to understand them, not merely “enjoy” them. They are fittingly scattered through our prayer times.
The “Invocation” – The Triune God who wants you to pray not only alone but together with others is “called on.” It is, therefore, in His Name and Command you begin your “together prayers.”
It is in the Divine Service that you mostly pray in a liturgical or structured way. You pray with other believers in responsive prayers and Psalms. But you are also praying individually as each word touches on your personal needs or blessings. When you come to that portion of the Preface where the pastor leads us in prayer saying “Therefore with angels and archangels and all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Thy glorious name, evermore praising thee and saying…,” do you thank Him for those parents, children, spouses and friends who have gone before you into heaven? Together we remember those of our own personal circle of faith. Or has this thought escaped you because you were never told what “company of heaven” means? These are those who together with “angels and archangels praise and glorify” the Triune God as you are doing.
There are many other places in the service that may need a fuller explanation so that you may pray “Rightly with Understanding” and not as “vain repetitions, as the heathen do.” Mainly focusing on the Divine Service – Oh, here we have to take a detour! What do you mean when you think about the Divine Service? That your prayers and hymns are serving God? He somehow “needs” what you are doing out of that imperfect man made hymnal? No! Divine Service means He is serving you in an orderly and biblical manner that pleases Him.
Much of the Divine Service is conducted while the Pastor is facing the congregation to indicate that as Christ’s servant he is serving you what God in His grace and mercy wants to give you. He faces you when absolving, preaching, blessing and administering the Sacraments. He faces the Altar when he is speaking to God on your behalf. He knows more of the flock who are sick or in some kind of trouble whom you would like to pray for, but just don’t know of their situation. This is really helpful, if his microphone or your hearing aids are working properly.
The “Confession” sets the tone for the entire Divine Service. It puts you in your place, forcing you to admit you don’t deserve to be speaking to the “almighty God, merciful Father.” You are not just a sinner, but “a poor, miserable sinner” who deserves to be cast into the fires of hell for the least of your sins. It is time to get on your knees and “beseech,” beg from fear of judgment, for forgiveness. When you ask, God gives. He absolves, but only on account of “the holy, innocent (life) and bitter sufferings and death” of Jesus, your Substitute.
You gotta be a Lutheran to put up with the Just God. He has called you a “dog” under the table, “such a worm” (Ps. 22:6, Job 25:6), wicked, damned and lost. A Methodist woman visiting Bible class once objected to the phrase “for such a worm as I” in the hymn we had sung. (Alas, And Did My Savior Die,” TLH 154:1 In contrast, the Lutherans just “took it on the chin” because they knew it was true. And you also remember: “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” Luke 5:32
The Absolution – For the penitent sinner Forgiveness flows from the heart of the Father. The Holy Spirit impacts the sinner’s soul with the Word of grace and the blood of Jesus exchanges your sin for His holiness as 2 Corinthians 5:21 proclaims, regarding you as worthy of heaven.
The Latin Names for parts of the Divine Service often confuse visitors. Lutherans may have forgotten what they mean, but we ignore them and concentrate on the Word contained therein.
Good for you praying Lutherans. “Introit” is “he (the pastor) enters” (the altar area). The “Gloria Patri” is a longer Amen to the Introit. (The Introits, Collects and Gradual [if used] for the day of the church year are found on Page 54ff of The Lutheran Hymnal or in the Pastor’s agenda which may be printed in a bulletin.) They are brief prayers and Scriptures fitting for the Bible Lessons of the church year. Knowing the Latin names won’t get you points with God for heaven, but they might help your understanding of the prayers.
“Kyrie” means “Lord have Mercy.” Ever wonder why you need to ask for mercy or forgiveness since you just finished hearing the Absolution? In ancient Greece people shouted this phrase for a victorious king laden with spoils of war and slaves. The people were asking the King to use his strength to protect and care for them now that the war is over. You too are praying for Christ’s protection from all evil as He serves you His body and blood, the spoils of His victory over sin, death and the devil.
The “Gloria in Excelsis” is a rendition of the angel’s hymn for the Shepherds at Jesus birth which praises of the Triune God whom you trust and honor as well as from whom you receive mercy and peace.
The “Salutation” greeting of mutual blessing between the pastor and congregation than a hearty “howdy.” It is a prayer for spiritual grace which leads to the “Collect.” The “Collect” (prayer that gathers the theme of the Scripture for the day) follows. The readings of the Old Testament, Epistle and Gospel and their responses come in order. The appropriate Creed may be confessed either before or after the “Sermon,” depending on which hymnal or service is being prayed. Are you checking your watch yet? The Elders are. They can’t resist!
You may be given an opportunity to give a voluntary “Offering” of Thanksgiving. This is not a “tip” to the church or pastor for an emotional, feel-good sermon. This is an offering to God for the purpose of the church’s mission in the world. Matthew 28: 18-20 The “Offertory” prays for a clean heart and to keep you on the right path the Scriptures and sermon have guided you to. “The “General Prayer” asks for a variety of spiritual and earthly needs, as well as specific requested petitions.
The Preface is an introduction to the highlight of God’s service to you and contains various seasonal praises and petitions that are “meet, right and salutary.” “Meet” means “proper;” “right” is “correct;” and “salutary” is “health giving” (good for you). Salud!
Sanctus, meaning “holy,” is the title of the next short hymn singing praise to the Lord God of “Sabaoth.” “Sabaoth.” is not misspelled, but a transliteration from the Hebrew for “an angelic crowd or army.” A synonym is heavenly “host.” “Sabbath” is the seventh day of Creation.
The Lord’s Prayer – The prayer Jesus Himself taught comes immediately before the Institution. This prayer covers all of the general needs you have to honor and worship God (The first three petitions.) Then He teaches you to pray for the things you need to get through the trials and temptations of daily life. You sing the Conclusion as an expanded “Amen,” meaning “this is my prayer, too, Lord.” It requires much concentration to pray this prayer since it is so familiar. Minds wander. In my first parish, I always had an itch in the middle of my back at “Forgive us our trespasses…” I confessed to my “mother confessor,” my wife, that Satan was distracting me. She said, “Get over it.” And I did. Forgive me, Lord.
The Pastor proclaims the Words of Institution aloud so you will know what you will receive in the Supper. These words are the center of the Service of the Sacrament that begins with the Preface. Jesus is the Host, not the meal. These words proclaim what Jesus the Christ is serving you from the sacred Cross of His suffering and death for your sins. The pastor communes the assistant pastor, elder and the acolyte. The elder then communes the pastor after which the Pastor leads in serving the congregation. The manner of distribution varies greatly. Most communicants kneel at the altar rail if able. Visitors, watch and see.
The Divine Service is rolling along: At the “Pax Domine,” is the next Latin title and the meaning is “Peace of the Lord.” (You are catching on now, eh?) The pastor may hold the chalice and a wafer up before the congregation and bless you with God’s peace, but there is no rubric or direction for this. You return the blessing with “Amen.” Lutherans offer various explanations of the elevation, but no agreement except a negative one. Roman Catholic priests elevate the consecrated host and chalice as a “Sacrifice of the Mass” to pay for sins. Lutherans reject this absolutely. After the Reformation Lutherans largely dispensed with the practice, (Elevation article in Christian Cyclopedia on line.) but a recent interest in Liturgical Renewal has brought a resurgence of this Roman Catholic observance as well as other practices that “look more Catholic” than the liturgy and practices of centuries gone by.
If you are sitting in the back pews, you can’t see what is taking place as well as if you are on one of the front “sinner’s benches” where we all belong (even the crying baby). The Pastor uncovers the earthly elements of bread and wine and the vessels that hold them. The bread may be an easy-to-handle wafer of unleavened bread, usually of wheat. It is in a ciborium or on a plate called a platen. The host may be given on the tongue or in the hand. Some churches have a ciborium that matches the Biblical and historic chalice used throughout history. The wine is in a flagon, or pitcher, and is poured into the chalice as needed. The novel Protestant individual cups may be offered. The vessels may be simple ceramic or some precious metal adorned with jewels. Paul reminds you that eating the bread and drinking from the Cup are testimonies to unity of faith and love.
The Agnus Dei – Now you praise the Lord with a three-fold prayer for His “mercy” and “peace.”“The Agnus Dei” is “Lamb of God.” The Latin pronunciation is not “AG NEWS’,” but “AN’ YOUSE Dei.” Agnus Dei means Lamb of God.
After the distribution, the pastor dismisses those at the rail to return to their pews with word from Simeon at the Temple when he saw Jesus. “Lord, now let Your servant die in peace.” This is more than a dismissal to return to you pew, but a reminder of the fundamental purpose of Christ’s sacrifice: giving you confidence to live and even die in the peace of your justification. Many make a sign of the cross or bow in thanksgiving.
Nunc Dimittis – We sing this temporal and eternal affirmation in the words of Simeon’s hymn, the as he held the new born world’s Messiah in his arms as God had promised he would. He could now die in peace, as can you, having received Jesus’ body and blood in the bread and wine: Forgiveness and Righteousness.
Thanksgiving – You join the saints of Old Testament days singing thanksgiving to God for His gifts of mercy, forgiveness and peace in the words of Psalm 107:1 and in many other places in the Psalms. The Pastor asks God to strengthen you in love for Christ and for those united in faith with you. The Lord is with you so you bless the Lord in return.
The Benediction is the final blessing in the Divine Service. The pastor faces you and lifts his hand above you for the threefold blessing of happiness and rest (actually, everything that Shalom means”), grace and peace. You joyfully respond with a hearty threefold “Amen.” Unworthy as you are, you desire to have all Your good gifts from Lord Jesus! May the Lord provide you with many days of proper prayer with understanding.
Rev. A. J. Loeschman, Em.
Bastrop, Texas
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