As
We Gather
“9 But
you are a
chosen race, a
royal priesthood, a
holy nation, a
people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies
of him who called you out
of darkness into his
marvelous light. 10 Once
you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not
received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” (1 Peter 2:9-10).
Everyone wants to belong. Where do you belong? Do you belong to
the world? To sin? To death? To the Devil?
NO! You belong here! You were
made a citizen of God’s kingdom through Holy Baptism. When you
come to church and hear the words of the Invocation, “In the name
of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” you are
reminded that you have left the world and have now come home to be
with the family of God.
Much of the American life is based
upon individualism. Unfortunately this has tended to bleed over into
the Church. Too many people believe that Christianity is simply a
matter of “Jesus and Me.” How sad it is to have forgotten that
Christianity is a family affair. We are children of God, brothers and
sisters of Christ, the family of believers. The words of the
invocation remind us of this and much, much more.
Reading
from
the
Book
of
Concord
Luther’s
Large Catechism
Baptism,
41-44
41
Therefore, every Christian has enough in Baptism to learn and to do
all his life. For he has always enough to do by believing firmly what
Baptism promises and brings: victory over death and the devil [Romans
6:3–6], forgiveness of sin [Acts 2:38], God’s grace [Titus
3:5–6], the entire Christ, and the Holy Spirit with His gifts [1
Corinthians 6:11]. 42
In short, Baptism is so far beyond us that if timid nature could
realize this, it might well doubt whether it could be true. 43
Think about it. Imagine there was a doctor somewhere who understood
the art of saving people from death or, even though they died, could
restore them quickly to life so that they would afterward live
forever. Oh, how the world would pour in money like snow and rain. No
one could find access to him because of the throng of the rich! But
here in Baptism there is freely brought to everyone’s door such a
treasure and medicine that it utterly destroys death and preserves
all people alive.
44
We must think this way about Baptism and make it profitable for
ourselves. So when our sins and conscience oppress us, we strengthen
ourselves and take comfort and say, “Nevertheless, I am baptized.
And if I am baptized, it is promised to me that I shall be saved and
have eternal life, both in soul and body.”
Learning
the Living Liturgy:
The
Invocation
The Invocation goes by so quickly
that it is easy to think that it is unimportant or unnecessary. Yet
this is one of the most important parts of the Divine Service. The
Divine Service is for the people of God. Here God gives us His gifts
of life and salvation through word and sacrament. This is the place
where God’s children come to receive these gifts.
The Invocation reminds us of our
baptism. With these words we remember that this is where we belong.
We are God’s children who have come to meet in our Father’s house
and to be about our Father’s business.
For some, the Divine Service seems
to have declined to the level of holy entertainment rather than a
gathering together of the family of God. In some places
congregations are divided into segments and groups according to their
musical preferences. In some places children are forbidden from
worshiping with their families in the Divine Service. Everyone
chooses for himself how God will be encountered.
The Invocation reminds us how
unhelpful these practices are. We are the family of God gathered in
this place. Young and old, men and women, all have their place here.
We encourage and strengthen one another with our presence. We all
are poor, miserable sinners who have come to receive grace and
blessings from our Lord and Savior.
May your worship with family of
God be one in which the Living Christ gives you the gifts He won for
you on the cross.
The
Location
of
the
Baptismal
Font
The location of the baptismal font
is not unimportant. In our sanctuary it is attached to the Altar in
the chancel. This position emphasizes that it is God who works in
and through baptism.
In some congregations the
baptismal font is located in the center in front of the steps that
lead into the chancel. This position emphasizes that it is through
baptism that we enter into the family of God and are made acceptable
to come into God’s presence.
In Europe, the baptismal font
often occupies its own building outside the entrance to the church.
This building is called a baptistry or baptistery. The fact that the
font is located outside of the church is a reminder that no one may
enter into true worship of God unless he or she has been received
into God’s family through The Sacrament of Holy Baptism.
In the last few decades some
churches have located their baptismal fonts at the entrance to the
nave. The emphasis here is similar to having a separate baptistery.
(Both of our seminary chapels have located their fonts in this
manner.) The font then is generally always filled with water enabling
people to place their fingers in the water and make the sign of the
cross in remembrance of their baptism.
The next time you visit another
congregation take note of location of the baptismal font and ponder
the message that is being sent by its position.
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