A Summary of the Divine Service as Presented in the

Issues Etc. Series on the Historic Liturgy

What follows below are three summaries of the Divine Service.
And they are then followed by Luthers Questions and Answers in
narrative form.
Summary 1: A one line summary of each part of the Divine Service.
Preparation for the Divine Service
Pre-service: True worship is God giving and us receiving. Jesus is present to give us
precious gifts.
Invocation: The Triune God has claimed us as his own and gathered us and is now
present with us.
Confession: We say the same thing God says: we are sinners. And we ask for
mercy for Jesus sake.
Absolution: God removes the weight of sin & guilt from us because Jesus has taken
them upon himself.
The Service of the Word
Introit: This congregation joins the whole church at the throne of God and the Lamb
to receive his gifts.
Kyrie: In prayer the congregation cries out to God for mercy for itself, the Church,
and the whole world.
Hymn of Praise: Gods answer to our cry for mercy is to send Jesus in the flesh to
bring us blessings.
Salutation: The Lord Jesus is with us. Be ready to hear and receive Gods holy
word.
Collect: A biblical prayer to the Father, requesting something proper for this
Sunday in Jesus name.
OT Reading: The OT is Gods Word. It looks forward to Jesus and strengthens faith
in him.
Gradual: A two verse psalmody that helps us see Jesus in the psalms.
Epistle Reading: Letter written by an apostle depicting what it means to be a
Christian. Gods Word.
Alleluia: Praise the Lord. Confesses the real presence of Christ and is the joyful
response of faith.
Gospel Reading: Jesus himself speaks to us about himself. We are to hear, believe,
and keep his word.
The Creed: A faithful summary of what Christians believe. Standard to judge the
sermon and service by.
Sermon Hymn: A vehicle to deliver and teach Gods Word. The peoples preaching
of the Gospel.
Sermon: The preaching of scripture using law and gospel to convey the forgiveness
of sins to sinners.
The Prayers: We intercede to the Father thru Jesus for the needs of the world, the
Church, & individuals.
Offering: A joyful response to what God has given us physically & spiritually as a
token of our whole life.
Offertory: A song recognizing Gods good gifts to us and offering him praise and
thanksgiving.

A Summary of the Divine Service as Presented in the

Issues Etc. Series on the Historic Liturgy
The Service of the Sacrament
Salutation: The Lord Jesus is with us. Prepare to give thanks and receive the body
and blood of Christ.
Preface: Thanksgiving to the Father for the gift of the Son who is our treasure and
present with us.
Proper Preface: Our thanksgiving is shaped by different aspects of Jesus life
brought out by church year.
Sanctus: We join the angels in praising Jesus, the Holy One, who has come to us in
the flesh to save us.
Lords Prayer: Jesus, who is present with us, is the answer to everything we pray
for in the Lords Prayer.
Words of Institution: Jesus speaks words of Gospel that convey what they
promise forgiveness of sin.
The Peace: A kind of absolution in which Jesus, who is our Peace, offers us peace
with God and man.
Lamb of God: Jesus sacrificed his life that we might have life. We pray to the Lamb
for mercy and peace.
The Distribution: Christ present as Host giving us his true body and blood for the
forgiveness of our sins.
Distribution Hymns: In great joy and thanksgiving we adore the One who gives us
himself & forgiveness.
Song of Simeon: In the Supper weve held our Savior & received life. Not even
death can take that away.
Post-Communion Prayer: Thank God for holy and saving food and for strength to
live in faith and love.
Benediction: With his Triune name and blessing God sends forth his people in
unshakeable peace.
Final Hymn: We respond with one last hymn of praise & thanksgiving to the Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit.

A Summary of the Divine Service as Presented in the

Issues Etc. Series on the Historic Liturgy
Summary 2: A summary of the Divine Service in a personalized way.
Preparation for the Divine Service
Pre-service: God has invited me to come to his house to receive his gifts.
Invocation: Holy God is present with me, his child by baptism, at this place and
time.
Confession: I am a sinner asking for mercy for Jesus sake.
Absolution: God forgives all my sins for Jesus sake.
The Service of the Word
Introit: Having been forgiven, I approach the throne of grace with praise to receive
the gifts he offers.
Kyrie: As a mediator I cry out to God for mercy for myself, the Church, and the
whole world.
Hymn of Praise: God has answered my cry for mercy by sending Jesus in the flesh
to bring blessings.
Salutation: The Lord Jesus is with me. I should ready myself to hear and receive
Gods holy word.
Collect: My prayer request to the Father through the Son.
OT Reading: Jesus word to me about himself using the OT.
Gradual: A psalm verse that helps me see Jesus in the psalms.
Epistle Reading: Jesus, speaking through his apostles, tells me what it means to
be & live as a Christian.
Alleluia: My response to Jesus who is present and about to speak to me about
himself in the Gospel.
Gospel Reading: Jesus himself speaks to me about himself. I am to hear, believe,
and keep his word.
The Creed: A faithful summary of what I believe. My standard to judge the sermon
and service by.
Sermon Hymn: A vehicle that delivers Gods Word to me and also my preaching of
the Gospel to others.
Sermon: The preaching of scripture using law and gospel to convey to me the
forgiveness of sins.
The Prayers: I intercede to the Father thru Jesus for the needs of the world, the
Church, & individuals.
Offering: My joyful response to God for all he has given me as a token of my whole
life.
Offertory: A song recognizing Gods good gifts to me and offering him myself,
praise, and thanksgiving.
The Service of the Sacrament
Salutation: The Lord Jesus is with me. I should prepare to give thanks and receive
Christs body & blood.
Preface: My thanksgiving to the Father for the gift of the Son who is my treasure
and present with me.
Proper Preface: My thanksgiving is shaped by different aspects of Jesus life
brought out by church year.
Sanctus: I join the angels in praising Jesus, the Holy One, who has come to me in
the flesh to save me.

A Summary of the Divine Service as Presented in the

Issues Etc. Series on the Historic Liturgy
Lords Prayer: Jesus, who is present with me, is the answer to everything I pray for
in the Lords Prayer.
Words of Institution: Jesus speaks words of Gospel that convey for me the
forgiveness of my sin.
The Peace: A kind of absolution in which Jesus, who is my Peace, offers me peace
with God and man.
Lamb of God: The Lamb sacrificed his life so I might have life. Prayer to the Lamb
for mercy and peace.
The Distribution: Christ present as Host giving me his true body and blood for the
forgiveness of my sins.
Distribution Hymns: In great joy and thanksgiving I adore the One who gives me
the gift of forgiveness.
Song of Simeon: In the Supper Ive held my Savior & received Life. Not even death
can take that away.
Post-Communion Prayer: I thank God for holy and saving food and for strength to
live in faith and love.
Benediction: With his Triune Name and blessing God sends me forth in
unshakeable peace.
Final Hymn: I respond with one last hymn of praise & thanksgiving to the Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit.

Summary 3: Each part of the Divine Service in 5 words or less.

Preparation for the Divine Service
Pre-service: Prepare to focus on Christ.
Invocation: Triune-God present to bless us.
Confession: We are sinners.
Absolution: God forgives us.
The Service of the Word
Introit: Enter his courts with praise.
Kyrie: Beggars crying for mercy.
Hymn of Praise: Gods answer is Jesus.
Salutation: Jesus is present with us.
Collect: Our request to the Father.
OT Reading: Gods word foretelling Jesus.
Gradual: Jesus in the psalms.
Epistle Reading: Us living as Jesus followers.
Alleluia: Were excited to hear Jesus.
Gospel Reading: Jesus Good News about himself.
The Creed: What all Christians believe.
Sermon Hymn: Delivers Gods Word in music.
Sermon: God delivers forgiveness through preaching.
The Prayers: Church intercedes for the world.
Offering: Joyful response for Gods gifts.

A Summary of the Divine Service as Presented in the

Issues Etc. Series on the Historic Liturgy
Offertory: Thanksgiving song for gracious gifts.
The Service of the Sacrament
Salutation: Jesus is present with us.
Preface: Thanksgiving for Jesus our Treasure.
Proper Preface: Thankful for all Jesus did/does.
Sanctus: Praise Holy God who saves.
Lords Prayer: Jesus is Answer to petitions.
Words of Institution: Jesus real presence for forgiveness.
The Peace: Jesus work brings/gives peace.
Lamb of God: Song/prayer to Lamb for mercy/peace.
The Distribution: Christ as Host/Meal for forgiveness.
Distribution Hymns: Adore the Giver of forgiveness.
Song of Simeon: Held Savior, received Salvation, at-peace.
Post-Communion Prayer: Thankful for salvation, motivates life.
Benediction: Triune Name blesses with peace.
Final Hymn: Hymn of praise to Trinity.

Below are Luthers Questions and Answers before Holy Communion

put into narrative form and personalized for an individual. It is to be used
to examine ones self before going to Communion.
I believe I am a sinner. I know this because I have not kept the Ten
Commandments. I am sorry that I have sinned against God. Because of
my sins, I deserve Gods wrath and displeasure, temporal death, and
eternal damnation. Yet I still hope to be saved by placing my trust in my
dear Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Son of God, fully God and at the same
time fully man. As God, Jesus is part of the Trinity Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit. The reason I trust Christ is that He died for me and shed His blood
for me on the cross for the forgiveness of my sins. The other persons of
the Trinity the Father and the Holy Spirit did not die for me because
they are God alone and not man. I know that Jesus died for me from the
holy Gospel, from the words instituting the Sacrament, and by His body
and blood given to me as a pledge in the Sacrament. In the words of
institution Jesus invites me to eat his body and drink his blood (, which
was shed for the forgiveness of sins,) in remembrance of him. Because
Christ says, Take, eat, this is My body; drink of it, all of you, this is My
blood, I believe that the true body and blood of Christ are in the
Sacrament.

A Summary of the Divine Service as Presented in the

Issues Etc. Series on the Historic Liturgy
As I eat his body and drink his blood, I should remember and proclaim His
death and the shedding of His blood, as He taught us. The reason I should
remember and proclaim his death is three-fold. First, so that I may learn
to believe that no creature could make satisfaction for my sins. Only
Christ, who is true God and man, could do that. Second, so I may learn to
be horrified by my sins, and to regard them as very serious. Third, so I
may find joy and comfort in Christ alone, and through faith in Him be
saved. What motivated Christ to do this for me is his great love for His
Father and for me and other sinners. Finally I wish to go to the Sacrament
so that I may learn to believe that Christ, out of his great love me, died for
my sin, and also learn from Him to love God and my neighbor.
There are two things that should admonish and encourage a Christian to
receive the Sacrament frequently. First, both the command and the
promise of Christ the Lord. Second, my own pressing need, because of
which the command, encouragement, and promise are given. If a person
is not aware that he needs the Sacrament or has no hunger and thirst for
the Sacrament, I can give no better advice that this. First he should check
if he is alive in the flesh and if he is, he should believe what the Scriptures
say of the flesh, that is, the flesh is completely corrupt and serves sin.
Second he should look at the world around him and observe that there is
no lack of sin and trouble. Third, the devil is always around him and day
and night will not let him have any peace. Therefore take heed! You need
Christ! You need the Sacrament in which Christ and forgiveness are
offered and given to you.