Wednesday, April 19, 2017
Baptism - Erich Michael Anderson - April 15
Tuesday, April 18, 2017
LCMS Reporter Movie Review "The Case for Christ"
Check out LCMS Reporter movie review for "The Case of Christ." Here it is:
Movie review: ‘The Case for Christ’
Mike Vogel portrays Chicago Tribune reporter and avowed atheist Lee Strobel in “The Case for Christ” — a docudrama detailing the story of Strobel’s attempt to disprove Christianity after his wife becomes a Christian.
(Rated: G [Canada] and PG [MPAA] for thematic elements including medical descriptions of crucifixion, and incidental smoking; directed by Jon Gunn; stars Mike Vogel, Erika Christensen, Robert Forster, L. Scott Caldwell, Mike Pniewski, Tom Nowicki, Renell Gibbs, Haley Rosenwasser, Brett Rice and Faye Dunaway; run time: 112 min.)
A compelling film with a positive message
By Ted Giese
“The Case for Christ” is a docudrama detailing the story of a Chicago Tribune reporter, Lee Strobel (Mike Vogel), who attempts to disprove Christianity after his wife, Leslie (Erika Christensen), becomes a Christian following a “chance” encounter with a nurse (L. Scott Caldwell) who saves the life of their daughter (Haley Rosenwasser).
Sensing something more than coincidence at work — the right person (a nurse) in the right place (the restaurant) at the right time (a choking incident) — Leslie eventually accepts an invitation to go to church with the nurse. At church, she hears God’s Word and believes in Jesus.
Strobel, an award-winning journalist and avowed atheist, is beside himself at the news of his wife’s conversion to Christianity. The rest of the movie revolves around his work as an investigative journalist and his attempt to disprove Christianity so that his life can go back to the way it was before his wife’s conversion.
The film’s dramatic tension comes in the interplay between his bitter, alcohol-laden, downward spiral and his wife’s steadfast, yet tested, love for him.
Strobel’s investigation of Christianity hinges on one question: Did Jesus really die and then rise from the dead? If Jesus didn’t die, then there’s no reason to believe in a resurrection.
He wants to prove that Jesus’ death and resurrection are nothing more than legend, a really old lie, or maybe mass lunacy. As he begins working, he doesn’t consider that through his investigation he could end up making “The Case for Christ” as Lord and Savior.
Leslie Strobel’s coming to faith is more focused in her heart and personal experiences, whereas her husband’s old-school journalistic approach to every investigation — including his investigation into Jesus — focuses on the facts, while harboring deep suspicions.
He’s part of the “If your mother says she loves you, you’d better find another source to corroborate that story before it goes to print” school of journalism.
“The Case for Christ” quickly becomes a compelling story about a couple at odds over faith. It rings true because many couples experience the same tensions and stresses regarding faith and skepticism, even if a spouse isn’t a Chicago Tribune journalist.
As the film unfolds, a question emerges: Can the marriage weather this conflict, or is separation — or even divorce — on the horizon?
Christian viewers may be reminded of 1 Cor. 7:13-14, “If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce him. For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband.”
In this case the unbelieving husband seriously contemplates divorce, but while he is frequently angry, unkind and drunk, he continues living with his wife and, much to his chagrin, begins noticing positive changes in her due to her Christian faith.
Some of the producers of “The Case for Christ” also worked on “God’s Not Dead 2” (2016) and some, like Elizabeth Hatcher-Travis and David A.R. White, also worked on “God’s Not Dead” (2014). But in this case, their efforts result in a better film.
A major complaint with the “God’s Not Dead” films was the poor treatment and development of the atheist characters. The screenwriters seemed to forget what St. Peter says when it comes to the task of apologetics (the reasoned defense of the Christian faith).
He says Christians should “always [be] prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15).
While director Jon Gunn doesn’t sugarcoat Strobel’s faults and character defects in “The Case for Christ,” he presents a man who loves his daughter, struggles to love his wife, and even personally struggles to come to terms with his estranged father (Robert Forster).
Strobel also is portrayed as an honest journalist who, while good at his work, is willing to eat crow if he fails in his reporting. Essentially what viewers see is a fleshed-out character — not a flat, two-dimensional, cardboard cut-out or stereotype of an atheist.
This is a leap ahead when it comes to the way other faith-based films present nonbeliever characters.
As a film, “The Case for Christ” deals with its atheist characters fairly, one could even say with “gentleness and respect.” This is refreshing.
Lutheran viewers will want to be aware of the film’s strong, repeated emphasis on “decision theology” — that a person is saved when he makes a decision to accept and follow Jesus Christ.
That said, careful viewers will pick up on some elements that downplay making a personal decision for Jesus and better reflect the Small Catechism when it says in the explanation to the Third Article of the Apostles’ Creed: “I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith.”
Leslie becomes a Christian after hearing God’s Word. Receiving faith in this way echoes St. Paul: “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Rom. 10:17).
Another significant detail in this regard is the film’s use of an Old Testament verse from Ezekiel: “And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.”
After Leslie encounters this verse, she makes it her prayer for her husband.
Ultimately, while Lee Strobel wrestles against God with all his reason, strength and investigative drive, the film shows it is God who changes the investigator.
Ironically, just as he can’t investigate his wife’s way out of the faith, he can’t investigate his way into the Christian faith.
Overall, the film shows it was God who “called, gathered and enlightened” Strobel, and Strobel is portrayed as a man with the gift of a repentant heart.
Most Christian viewers familiar with popular apologetics won’t be surprised by the film’s ending: Lee Strobel is now a popular Christian apologist and author.
Although this film is a cut above other films in the faith-based genre (better script, acting, cinematography and design), it still hits a couple of snags.
First, because “The Case for Christ” is professed to be a “true story” and deals with questions and answers rooted in apologetics which center on a search for and a proclamation of what is true, viewers might expect a high level of accuracy in telling Strobel’s story.
A quick surf over to YouTube will find a number of videos of Strobel telling his story. When they are compared to the 2017 film, it will become apparent that some details have been altered and/or added for dramatic effect.
Depending on the purpose of “The Case for Christ,” this could easily become a major flaw.
By injecting Strobel’s true story with factually inaccurate details, skeptical viewers may be tempted to distrust the important truths concerning the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. That could be a problem if the purpose of the film is reaching agnostic, skeptical and atheist viewers with a personal story about a man who was where they are now.
If, however, “The Case for Christ” is intended only to encourage people who already believe — who, it is assumed, will not have their faith in Christ rocked by some dramatization of Strobel’s life — then perhaps adding fictional elements will not be an issue.
A really great film for everyone — believer and nonbeliever — would present both an unvarnished account of Strobel’s journey and a strong apologetic for Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. If viewers dig into the details of “The Case for Christ,” they will find it to be a strong film on the latter point and a good-but-weaker film on the former.
Viewers — both Christian and non-Christian — will have to come to terms with whether it’s important that the film’s details about Strobel’s life are accurate. Hopefully, this won’t be a distraction from the core message of God’s love for the world in Jesus Christ.
While overly sentimental and sappy in spots, “The Case for Christ” is a step in the right direction.
Aspiring Lutheran scriptwriters and directors can be encouraged by a film like this, even if they are critical of its flaws. It shows that the door continues to open wider and wider for telling new stories on film.
What would a similar, modern Lutheran entry into the faith-based genre look like? Better yet, what would it look like if it was not even categorized as “faith-based,” but mainstream?
Could someone make such a film successfully for both Christians and non-Christians?
Good questions to ponder after seeing “The Case for Christ.”
Unlike “The Shack,” which muddles up the Holy Trinity in an unchristian way, “The Case for Christ” is a Christian film with a positive message that clearly points to Christ Jesus while emphasizing that it is God who ultimately changes hearts.
Watch the trailer
The Rev. Ted Giese (pastorted@sasktel.net) is lead pastor of Mount Olive Lutheran Church, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada; a contributor to the Canadian Lutheran, Reporter Online and KFUO.org; and movie reviewer for the “Issues, Etc.” radio program. Follow Pastor Giese on Twitter @RevTedGiese.
Saturday, April 15, 2017
Easter Service Schedule
Grace Lutheran Neligh is offering two services on Easter Morning, April 16:
Easter Sunrise Service with Holy Communion at 7:00AM
Easter Breakfast Served by the Lutheran Laymen's League following the Service
Easter Service with Holy Communion at Elgin at 9:00AM
Easter Service with Holy Communion at 10:30AM
Christ is Risen!
He is Risen Indeed, Alleluia!!!
Easter Sunrise Service with Holy Communion at 7:00AM
Easter Breakfast Served by the Lutheran Laymen's League following the Service
Easter Service with Holy Communion at Elgin at 9:00AM
Easter Service with Holy Communion at 10:30AM
Christ is Risen!
He is Risen Indeed, Alleluia!!!
Tonight, April 15, Grace Lutheran will Celebrate the Great Easter Vigil at 8PM. The congregation will gather at a bonfire in the parking lot. If you have not been to an Easter Vigil Service, there is a description below. Tonight at the Easter Vigil there will be a baptism (along with remembrance of our Baptism). (Please note this service is about an hour and a half, so come planning for patience.) The Lord's Supper will also be offered.
Scott Kinnaman in his blog "Blog My Soul" explains the Easter Vigil Service like this:
The Great Vigil of Easter, kept on the Eve of the Resurrection of Our Lord, is the culmination of the Holy Triduum. It brings to a festive completion the three-day service that began on Holy Thursday and continued on Good Friday. In itself, the Easter Vigil is a transitional service. In much the same way that Holy Thursday was both the conclusion of Lent and the beginning of the Triduum, so the Easter Vigil both completes the Triduum and ushers in the Fifty Days of Eastertide. This transition is poignantly manifested in the course of the vigil, which progresses purposefully from darkness to light. It celebrates specifically the passage of Christ from death into life, and the Church’s passage through death into life with Him through Holy Baptism. The night begins with hushed anticipation, proceeds with eager expectation, and finally climaxes in the exuberant celebration of the Paschal Feast.
The Easter Vigil is very much a Christian “Passover,” that is, a celebration of the great exodus that Christ Jesus, the Lamb of God, accomplished by His sacrificial death and brought to light in His resurrection from the dead. All that the Lord God did for Israel in bringing His people out of Egypt and into the Promised Land He has perfectly fulfilled for all the baptized, who are the new Israel, in His cross and resurrection. In Holy Baptism we have come out of Egypt and have crossed the Red Sea with Him, and have entered with Him into Canaan through the Jordan. In the Paschal Feast of Holy Communion, we eat and drink the true Passover Lamb. His blood covers us and protects us from sin, death, and hell; His body feeds and sustains us on our way. (Pless)
In particular, the Easter Vigil proclaims and confesses that as we have died with Christ by our Baptism into His death, so do we also rise with Him and live with Him in newness of life. It is for us that He died and rose from the dead. The Vigil lays hold of that sure and certain hope in the Gospel, or, better, the Vigil lays hold of us and brings us with Christ out of death into His life. It does so not by any sort of magic, but by the Word and Spirit of God.
With its rites, ceremonies, and propers, the vigil itself catechizes pastors and their congregations in the paschal mystery celebrated on this night. The most important preparation, therefore, is for service participants to study carefully and rehearse the notes and rubrics of the Easter Vigil. When all is well prepared and the service can proceed according to its proper rhythm, the Word of God in the readings and prayers of the Easter Vigil will do its own work among the people of God.
The Easter Vigil is presented in six parts: the Service of Light, the Service of Readings, the Service of Holy Baptism, the Service of Prayer, the Service of the Word, and the Service of the Sacrament. Each part has its own integrity and contributes to the progression of the whole. The Service of Light, in which the paschal candle is consecrated for use and lighted as a sign of the Lord’s resurrection, may take place at a bonfire outside the church building. To accentuate the continuity of this night with the Passion of our Lord, the gathering may occur where the congregation assembled for the procession with palms on Passion Sunday. After the consecration of the paschal candle, the people follow it into the church, as Israel followed the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night in the exodus from Egypt. During this procession, “The Light of Christ” (“Thanks be to God”) is chanted at three points, which may replicate the points at which the sentence “Behold, the life-giving cross” was stated during the adoration of the cross in the Good Friday service. These ceremonial associations contribute to the way in which the Easter Vigil holds together the cross and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ as the New Testament Passover.
The Service of Light crescendos in the chanting of the Exsultet (which ideally is sung rather than spoken). This beautiful proclamation of the paschal mystery sets the tone of the entire Easter Vigil, celebrating the fulfillment of the Old Testament exodus in the resurrection of the Christ. It rings out in the night, in much the same way that the candles break into the darkness with their shimmering light. There is the tension of waiting, a pregnant expectation of that which has already been accomplished but has yet to be openly announced. It is no secret that Christ has risen from the dead—no more so now than on Ash Wednesday or at any other time throughout Lent. Yet the Church on earth lives in, with, and under the cross of Christ; thus she experiences the now-and-not-yet of the resurrection in the Word of the Lord.
Although the handheld candles of the congregation should be carefully extinguished at the end of the Exsultet, the Service of Readings should proceed in semidarkness, with only as much light as necessary for the reading of the Holy Scriptures and for the prayers and canticles of the people. The Readings are the distinctive and definitive heart of the Easter Vigil. They set forth a series of Old Testament prophecies and types of the Christ, of His cross and resurrection, and of the Church’s participation in His dying and rising again. It is not expected that congregations will employ all twelve Readings, but as many of these as possible should be used. At least the first three Readings should always be used (the creation, the flood, and the exodus), and preferably the twelfth Reading (the three men in the fiery furnace). A selection of four Readings is given here, along with congregational responses in the form of two psalms and two canticles. The congregation should sit for the Readings, kneel for the collects that follow each Reading, and stand for the psalms or canticles that are interspersed with the Readings. Because the Church waits on the Lord in steadfast faith and hope by giving attention to His Word, there is no need to hurry through the Readings. Congregations comprised largely of younger members may arrange to observe the Easter Vigil through the hours of the night, culminating in the early dawn of Easter Sunday. In such a case (presumably rare), all of the Readings would be used; each followed by its collect, the appropriate psalm or canticle, and separated with periods of silence. The Readings do not require commentary because within the context of the entire week, the collects, psalms, and canticles provide appropriate and sufficient reflection of the Word by which the Lord catechizes His people and accomplishes His purposes among them.
Whether or not there are catechumens to be baptized at the Easter Vigil, the Service of Baptism follows the Readings as a return to the death and resurrection of repentance and faith that all the baptized share with Christ by the washing of water with His Word and Spirit. Here is the crossing of the Red Sea with the One who is greater than Moses, which already anticipates the crossing of the Jordan with the New Testament Joshua (Jesus, the Christ). This returning to the significance of Holy Baptism through contrition, repentance, and faith in the forgiveness of sins is to be the daily and lifelong discipline of every Christian. It is here embraced at the very heart of the Easter Vigil, in remembrance and celebration of the cross and resurrection of Christ. It is not meant to replace the daily taking up of the cross to follow Jesus as His disciples, but it is observed in service and support of that Christian faith and life. This is the fulfillment of Lent and the rebirth of an Easter life.
The Divine Service of the Easter Vigil is somewhat simpler than the usual Sunday observance, yet it is not as full and festive as the chief Divine Service on Easter Sunday will be. The same basic movement takes place: from the Word of the Gospel to the Word made flesh in Holy Communion, received in faith and with thanksgiving. In this case, the Prayer of the Church (in the Litany of the Resurrection) precedes the basic pattern of the Word preached and the Sacrament administered, which serves to further heighten the unity of the Holy Gospel and Holy Communion.
The Service of the Word at the Easter Vigil is really as much or more a part of the entire Eucharistic rite rather than a separate component. In contrast to the deliberate and steady pacing of the Readings, the Service of the Word proceeds forward swiftly. Ideally, this would occur after night fall as there is now a striking transition from darkness to light, from the sobriety of Holy Week to the sights and sounds and celebration of the Easter feast. That is signaled by the Easter acclamation: “Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!” The altar candles are now lighted from the paschal candle, the lights in the church are turned on, bells are rung, the organ opens up in jubilation, the Gloria in Excelsis is sung, and the Lord’s altar is prepared for the Sacrament (there is no offering or offertory in the usual manner).
The proclamation of the Easter Gospel (John 20:1–18) testifies that the Jesus who died and was buried is not only no longer in the tomb, but has been raised bodily from the dead. The preaching of this Gospel should be straightforward and direct, brief and to the point. All of Holy Week and the entire Easter Vigil have been an extended proclamation and catechesis of the Word, the Law and the Gospel, to repentant faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore it is neither necessary nor desirable to have a lengthy sermon at this point.
The Service of the Sacrament will follow according to one of the usual settings of the Divine Service, beginning with the Preface. Here it is suggested that Setting Four continued to be used as it has throughout this Lenten series. While other settings may surely be preferred in some congregations, Setting Five should not be chosen for use at the Easter Vigil. Note the special Post-Communion Collect appointed for the Easter Vigil.
The color of the day at the Easter Vigil is white and/or gold. However, the church should be kept in semidarkness until the Service of the Word, at which point there is a transition to all the trappings of Easter, as previously indicated. Depending on the circumstances, the altar may be dressed and adorned with the appropriate paraments, Easter flowers, and other accoutrements at this point in the service. The logistics for such a transition require planning and rehearsal to avoid awkwardness or uncertainty. Similarly, the celebrant and his assistant(s) may prefer to be vested in cassock and surplice, but at this point they would vest in alb (and chasuble for the celebrant) for the Service of the Word and Sacrament.
*From "Rubrics and Notes for Celebrating Lent and Holy Week in the Lutheran Congregation"
Easter Vigil Explained
Scott Kinnaman in his blog "Blog My Soul" explains the Easter Vigil Service like this:
The Great Vigil of Easter, kept on the Eve of the Resurrection of Our Lord, is the culmination of the Holy Triduum. It brings to a festive completion the three-day service that began on Holy Thursday and continued on Good Friday. In itself, the Easter Vigil is a transitional service. In much the same way that Holy Thursday was both the conclusion of Lent and the beginning of the Triduum, so the Easter Vigil both completes the Triduum and ushers in the Fifty Days of Eastertide. This transition is poignantly manifested in the course of the vigil, which progresses purposefully from darkness to light. It celebrates specifically the passage of Christ from death into life, and the Church’s passage through death into life with Him through Holy Baptism. The night begins with hushed anticipation, proceeds with eager expectation, and finally climaxes in the exuberant celebration of the Paschal Feast.
The Easter Vigil is very much a Christian “Passover,” that is, a celebration of the great exodus that Christ Jesus, the Lamb of God, accomplished by His sacrificial death and brought to light in His resurrection from the dead. All that the Lord God did for Israel in bringing His people out of Egypt and into the Promised Land He has perfectly fulfilled for all the baptized, who are the new Israel, in His cross and resurrection. In Holy Baptism we have come out of Egypt and have crossed the Red Sea with Him, and have entered with Him into Canaan through the Jordan. In the Paschal Feast of Holy Communion, we eat and drink the true Passover Lamb. His blood covers us and protects us from sin, death, and hell; His body feeds and sustains us on our way. (Pless)
In particular, the Easter Vigil proclaims and confesses that as we have died with Christ by our Baptism into His death, so do we also rise with Him and live with Him in newness of life. It is for us that He died and rose from the dead. The Vigil lays hold of that sure and certain hope in the Gospel, or, better, the Vigil lays hold of us and brings us with Christ out of death into His life. It does so not by any sort of magic, but by the Word and Spirit of God.
With its rites, ceremonies, and propers, the vigil itself catechizes pastors and their congregations in the paschal mystery celebrated on this night. The most important preparation, therefore, is for service participants to study carefully and rehearse the notes and rubrics of the Easter Vigil. When all is well prepared and the service can proceed according to its proper rhythm, the Word of God in the readings and prayers of the Easter Vigil will do its own work among the people of God.
The Easter Vigil is presented in six parts: the Service of Light, the Service of Readings, the Service of Holy Baptism, the Service of Prayer, the Service of the Word, and the Service of the Sacrament. Each part has its own integrity and contributes to the progression of the whole. The Service of Light, in which the paschal candle is consecrated for use and lighted as a sign of the Lord’s resurrection, may take place at a bonfire outside the church building. To accentuate the continuity of this night with the Passion of our Lord, the gathering may occur where the congregation assembled for the procession with palms on Passion Sunday. After the consecration of the paschal candle, the people follow it into the church, as Israel followed the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night in the exodus from Egypt. During this procession, “The Light of Christ” (“Thanks be to God”) is chanted at three points, which may replicate the points at which the sentence “Behold, the life-giving cross” was stated during the adoration of the cross in the Good Friday service. These ceremonial associations contribute to the way in which the Easter Vigil holds together the cross and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ as the New Testament Passover.
The Service of Light crescendos in the chanting of the Exsultet (which ideally is sung rather than spoken). This beautiful proclamation of the paschal mystery sets the tone of the entire Easter Vigil, celebrating the fulfillment of the Old Testament exodus in the resurrection of the Christ. It rings out in the night, in much the same way that the candles break into the darkness with their shimmering light. There is the tension of waiting, a pregnant expectation of that which has already been accomplished but has yet to be openly announced. It is no secret that Christ has risen from the dead—no more so now than on Ash Wednesday or at any other time throughout Lent. Yet the Church on earth lives in, with, and under the cross of Christ; thus she experiences the now-and-not-yet of the resurrection in the Word of the Lord.
Although the handheld candles of the congregation should be carefully extinguished at the end of the Exsultet, the Service of Readings should proceed in semidarkness, with only as much light as necessary for the reading of the Holy Scriptures and for the prayers and canticles of the people. The Readings are the distinctive and definitive heart of the Easter Vigil. They set forth a series of Old Testament prophecies and types of the Christ, of His cross and resurrection, and of the Church’s participation in His dying and rising again. It is not expected that congregations will employ all twelve Readings, but as many of these as possible should be used. At least the first three Readings should always be used (the creation, the flood, and the exodus), and preferably the twelfth Reading (the three men in the fiery furnace). A selection of four Readings is given here, along with congregational responses in the form of two psalms and two canticles. The congregation should sit for the Readings, kneel for the collects that follow each Reading, and stand for the psalms or canticles that are interspersed with the Readings. Because the Church waits on the Lord in steadfast faith and hope by giving attention to His Word, there is no need to hurry through the Readings. Congregations comprised largely of younger members may arrange to observe the Easter Vigil through the hours of the night, culminating in the early dawn of Easter Sunday. In such a case (presumably rare), all of the Readings would be used; each followed by its collect, the appropriate psalm or canticle, and separated with periods of silence. The Readings do not require commentary because within the context of the entire week, the collects, psalms, and canticles provide appropriate and sufficient reflection of the Word by which the Lord catechizes His people and accomplishes His purposes among them.
Whether or not there are catechumens to be baptized at the Easter Vigil, the Service of Baptism follows the Readings as a return to the death and resurrection of repentance and faith that all the baptized share with Christ by the washing of water with His Word and Spirit. Here is the crossing of the Red Sea with the One who is greater than Moses, which already anticipates the crossing of the Jordan with the New Testament Joshua (Jesus, the Christ). This returning to the significance of Holy Baptism through contrition, repentance, and faith in the forgiveness of sins is to be the daily and lifelong discipline of every Christian. It is here embraced at the very heart of the Easter Vigil, in remembrance and celebration of the cross and resurrection of Christ. It is not meant to replace the daily taking up of the cross to follow Jesus as His disciples, but it is observed in service and support of that Christian faith and life. This is the fulfillment of Lent and the rebirth of an Easter life.
The Divine Service of the Easter Vigil is somewhat simpler than the usual Sunday observance, yet it is not as full and festive as the chief Divine Service on Easter Sunday will be. The same basic movement takes place: from the Word of the Gospel to the Word made flesh in Holy Communion, received in faith and with thanksgiving. In this case, the Prayer of the Church (in the Litany of the Resurrection) precedes the basic pattern of the Word preached and the Sacrament administered, which serves to further heighten the unity of the Holy Gospel and Holy Communion.
The Service of the Word at the Easter Vigil is really as much or more a part of the entire Eucharistic rite rather than a separate component. In contrast to the deliberate and steady pacing of the Readings, the Service of the Word proceeds forward swiftly. Ideally, this would occur after night fall as there is now a striking transition from darkness to light, from the sobriety of Holy Week to the sights and sounds and celebration of the Easter feast. That is signaled by the Easter acclamation: “Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!” The altar candles are now lighted from the paschal candle, the lights in the church are turned on, bells are rung, the organ opens up in jubilation, the Gloria in Excelsis is sung, and the Lord’s altar is prepared for the Sacrament (there is no offering or offertory in the usual manner).
The proclamation of the Easter Gospel (John 20:1–18) testifies that the Jesus who died and was buried is not only no longer in the tomb, but has been raised bodily from the dead. The preaching of this Gospel should be straightforward and direct, brief and to the point. All of Holy Week and the entire Easter Vigil have been an extended proclamation and catechesis of the Word, the Law and the Gospel, to repentant faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore it is neither necessary nor desirable to have a lengthy sermon at this point.
The Service of the Sacrament will follow according to one of the usual settings of the Divine Service, beginning with the Preface. Here it is suggested that Setting Four continued to be used as it has throughout this Lenten series. While other settings may surely be preferred in some congregations, Setting Five should not be chosen for use at the Easter Vigil. Note the special Post-Communion Collect appointed for the Easter Vigil.
The color of the day at the Easter Vigil is white and/or gold. However, the church should be kept in semidarkness until the Service of the Word, at which point there is a transition to all the trappings of Easter, as previously indicated. Depending on the circumstances, the altar may be dressed and adorned with the appropriate paraments, Easter flowers, and other accoutrements at this point in the service. The logistics for such a transition require planning and rehearsal to avoid awkwardness or uncertainty. Similarly, the celebrant and his assistant(s) may prefer to be vested in cassock and surplice, but at this point they would vest in alb (and chasuble for the celebrant) for the Service of the Word and Sacrament.
*From "Rubrics and Notes for Celebrating Lent and Holy Week in the Lutheran Congregation"
Prayer for Easter Vigil
O God, You made this most holy night to shine with the glory of the Lord's resurrection. Preserve in us the spirit of adoption which You have given so that, made alive in body and soul, we may serve You purely; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. (466)Friday, April 14, 2017
Good Friday Service 7:30PM
Friday, April 14 we will be remembering the Friday the Church calls Good at 7:30PM. It is called Good not because what happened to Jesus, for on this night He suffered and died for the sins of the world. The Church calls this Friday Good because of what it means for the church. On this night Jesus died for our sins. Join us to remember what Jesus did for you.
Good Friday Gospel reading: John 19:17–30
Good Friday Gospel reading: John 19:17–30
17 and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. 18 There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them. 19 Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” 20 Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek. 21 So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but rather, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’ ” 22 Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.”
23 When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, 24 so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.” This was to fulfill the Scripture which says,
“They divided my garments among them,
and for my clothing they cast lots.”
So the soldiers did these things, 25 but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” 27 Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.
28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” 29 A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. 30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
23 When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, 24 so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.” This was to fulfill the Scripture which says,
“They divided my garments among them,
and for my clothing they cast lots.”
So the soldiers did these things, 25 but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” 27 Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.
28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” 29 A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. 30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
Prayer for Good Friday
Almighty God, graciously behold this Your family for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed and delivered into the hands of sinful men to suffer death upon the cross; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. (Lutheran Service Book, L33)Wednesday, April 12, 2017
Maundy Thursday Service 7:30 with Holy Communion
Maundy Thursday Night, April 13, at 7:30 Grace Lutheran (5:30PM at Trinity Lutheran, Elgin) will be having a Service remember what Jesus did on this Holy Week giving His disciples the mandate (hence the word Maundy) to do the Supper saying, "Do this in remembrance of me." We will have service with the Lord's Supper and a stripping of the Altar in preparation for Good Friday.
The Treasury of Daily Prayer says the following about Maundy Thursday: "Maundy Thursday, the Day of Commandment (Dies Mandati), most properly refers to the example of service given us by our Lord and the directive to love as we have been loved (John 13:34). Yet we must not forget the command given in the Words of Our Lord to "do this in remembrance of Me." This day, with its commemoration of the institution of the Lord's Supper, is set off from the rest of Holy Week as a day of festive joy."
The Treasury of Daily Prayer says the following about Maundy Thursday: "Maundy Thursday, the Day of Commandment (Dies Mandati), most properly refers to the example of service given us by our Lord and the directive to love as we have been loved (John 13:34). Yet we must not forget the command given in the Words of Our Lord to "do this in remembrance of Me." This day, with its commemoration of the institution of the Lord's Supper, is set off from the rest of Holy Week as a day of festive joy."
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