Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church

09/06/2026

Explanation of the Common Service, #30
What is the Exhortation before Communion?
The Exhortation is a sermon in miniature on the nature and purpose of the Lord’s Supper. It marks the beginning of the Service of the Sacrament and urges the hearers to prepare for the Supper by repentance and faith.
1 Corinthians 11:28–29: “Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.”
Apology of the Augsburg Confession, article 24: “The people use it [the Lord’s Supper], but after having first been instructed and examined. For men are taught concerning the true use of the sacrament, that it was instituted for the purpose of being a seal and testimony of the free remission of sins, and that it accordingly ought to admonish alarmed consciences to be truly confident and believe that their sins are freely remitted.”

What is the outline of the Exhortation?
1. Invitation
a. That we should examine ourselves.
b. That the Sacrament was instituted for our comfort.
2. Examination
a. There is nothing in us but sin and death.
b. The Son of God became man to suffer what our sins deserve.
c. He has instituted the Sacrament for our comfort, strengthening, and encouragement.
d. That He truly feeds us with His body and gives us His blood to drink.
3. Promise
a. Whoever eats and drinks, believing the words of Christ, dwells in Christ and Christ in him.
4. Result
a. We confess His death and resurrection.
b. We give thanks.
c. We bear our crosses, obey His commands, and love one another.
d. For we are one body, in Christ.

09/06/2026

Sermon for the 14th Sunday after Trinity (9/6/2026):

Lesson: Jeremiah 17:13–14Epistle: Galatians 5:16–24Gospel: Luke 1...

08/30/2026

Explanation of the Common Service, #29

What are the three parts of the Common Service?
1. The Preparatory Service (or the Confession of Sins)
2. The Service of the Word
3. The Service of the Sacrament

Are the Service of the Word and the Service of the Sacrament two different Divine Services?
No, they are the main parts of the one Common Service. One contains the preaching of the Gospel, one the administration of the Lord’s Supper. So the whole Common Service contains all the Means of Grace.

Why is the Service of the Sacrament a separate part?
Because of the ancient practice of Closed Communion, this is the part of the Service when the catechumens and those outside the fellowship would depart, and the doors would be closed—hence the name “Closed Communion”. Although we no longer practice this closing of the doors, we do maintain Closed Communion as the Biblical and ancient practice.
1 Corinthians 10:21: “You cannot partake of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons.”
Apology of the Augsburg Confession, article XXIV: “The Sacrament is offered to those who wish to use it, after they have been examined and absolved.”

What are the main divisions of the Service of the Sacrament?
1. The Exhortation
2. The Preface and Proper Preface
3. The Administration
4. The Post Communion

08/30/2026

Sermon for the 13th Sunday after Trinity (8/30/2026):

Lesson: Leviticus 18:1–5Epistle: Galatians 3:15–22Gospel: Luke 10...

08/23/2026

Explanation of the Common Service, #28

How does the General Prayer conclude?
With the Lord’s Prayer.

Why is the Lord’s Prayer used in addition to the General Prayer?
No act or service of prayer is complete without it, since Christ commanded it to be prayed: “When ye pray, say, Our Father,” etc. (Luke 11:2). Luther writes, “It is a prayer of prayers, wherein our Lord has comprised all spiritual and bodily need.”

Why are the prayers of the Common Service preferable to free prayers?
Because these are not the prayers of the Minister, but of the Church; not of a single congregation, but of the Holy Christian and Apostolic Church.
The needs of God’s people are ever the same, and the forms which the Church as developed in applying Scripture through the ages give full expression to the believer’s wants at all times.

What comes after the Prayers?
According to the rubrics, a hymn may be sung at this point. After this, the Service of the Word is ended.

08/23/2026

Sermon for the 12th Sunday after Trinity (8/23/2026):

08/16/2026

Explanation of the Common Service, #27

What is the General Prayer?
It is that prayer of the entire Church, in which is contained everything for which our Lord has commanded us to pray, recognized by the writers of the Common Service to be one of the essential parts of the Lutheran Liturgy.

How long has this prayer been in use?
It was used in almost its present form in 1553. Its origin may be found in the Apostolic injunction that supplications, prayers intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men. 1 Tim. 2:1–2.

Outline the contents of the General Prayer.
The Address, to God, as our Father in Christ.
A General Thanksgiving for all blessings.
A Special thanksgiving for the gift of Christ and the Word.
A Petition that the Word may be fruitful in us.
For the Church.
Pastors and People.
Purity of Doctrine.
Strengthening of Faith.
Increase of Love.
For the State.
Rulers, Legislators and Judges.
Good Government and Social Order.
For Enemies.
Reconciliation.
For the Afflicted.
All Sufferers.
Especially those who suffer for Righteousness’ sake.
That all may recognize God’s Providence in their afflictions.
For the Forgiveness of all Sins, preservation against all evil—spiritual, moral, and bodily.
For the products of nature, Christian education, every proper occupation, pure arts, and useful knowledge.
Then, special petitions and everything else God would have us ask, all through Jesus Christ our Savior.

08/16/2026

Sermon for the 11th Sunday after Trinity (8/16/2026):

Old Testament: 2 Samuel 22:21–29Epistle: 1 Corinthians 15:1–10Gos...

08/09/2026

Explanation of the Common Service, #26

What comes after the Sermon?
The Offertory.

What is the Offertory?
“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Thy presence and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation, and uphold me with Thy free Spirit.”

Where does the Offertory come from?
From Psalm 51:10–12.

What is the purpose of the Offertory?
The Offertory serves three purposes:
1) A response to the Sermon: in it, we pray that the Sermon will have a good effect on us—that is, that the Holy Spirit will cleanse, renew, restore, and uphold us in the Word.
2) A preparation for receiving the Lord’s Supper; that the Holy Spirit would, by the same Word, cause us to rightly believe the Christ’s Words concerning His body and blood in the Supper.
3) Introduces the third part of the Service of the Word: the Offerings.

What is included in the Offerings?
The Offerings include the Offertory, the literal tithes and offerings (if they are collected during the Service), and the General Prayer. By these things we offer to God ourselves, our property, and our prayers.

Why do we offer anything to God?
Not to atone for sins, for only Christ’s death has ever done that. But 1) out of thanksgiving, 2) to confess that all good things come from God, and 3) to support the work of the Church.

How do we offer ourselves to God in the Offertory?
Not as gifts worthy of His attention, but as broken sinners whom only He can heal.

08/09/2026

Sermon for the 10th Sunday after Trinity (8/9/2026): https://youtu.be/gEvg1RtgBT0