God comes to us through Word and Sacrament (Baptism, Absolution, Lord’s Supper) and we respond with thanks and praise. In this sense, what takes place here is Divine Service, that is, God doing the work.
The form in which this takes has been handed down throughout the time of Jewish worship in the temple and the early Christian Church. Many portions of the service date back over 2000 years.
These forms have been compiled in Lutheran Service Book, which guides the worship life of the people of St. Paul’s. We use the various Divine Service settings on a church season basis to aid in familiarity and memorization.
According to the Scriptures encountering Christ and receiving His gifts are the whole reason Christians gather together as a Church and is a participation in and a foretaste of heaven itself.
Because worship is all about receiving Jesus, everything that happens in the service focuses on the places where Christ is present with His blessings (Word and Sacrament). Every part of the liturgy, every action, what you see and hear are intended to point us to Him.
