God Gives His Divine Service

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

If there is one thing that all religions have in common, it is the notion of sacrifice. Something or someone must offer or be offered as a sacrifice to appease the deity or universe or nature, or whatever. Sacrifice is a concept so familiar, one might almost say that it is ingrained in the human psyche.

Therefore, one often does not stop long to consider the meaning of the sacrifices, and what God is commanding, in a passage like Deuteronomy 12. God commands the Israelites to destroy the pagan worship sites in their land, left over from the Canaanite peoples they have conquered. Then, they are to go to the place which God will choose, and offer there the sacrifices, offerings, and tithes, which the Lord has commanded.

So that would make it seem as though the Lord is appeased by the slaughter of domestic animals and the incineration of pantry staples. That is the end of the thing, right?

Or is it? Is the slaughter of hoofstock and the burning of foodstuffs really what the worship of God is all about? Or is there something more here than first meets the eye?

What is sacrifice, anyway? Google the word “sacrifice,” and the definition offered is “an act of slaughtering an animal or person or surrendering a possession as an offering to God or to a divine or supernatural figure.” Pretty basic. But notice the part about “as an offering to God”. That is the key – not the sacrifice, but the offering.

Our Lutheran Confessions speak about two kinds of sacrifices: propitiatory and eucharistic sacrifices. Those are fancy academic words to indicate that sacrifices to God are for one of two purposes: either to gain forgiveness of sins and salvation, or for thanksgiving and praise. We say that propitiatory sacrifices are offered to reconcile the sinner to God, and eucharistic sacrifices are offered from the reconciled party to God on the basis of that reconciliation.

So what sacrifice is propitiatory? What reconciles sinful man to holy God? Is it the burnt offerings and sacrifices? Well, yes and no. It is not the blood of bulls and goats and pigeons. The sacrifices of the flesh do not, in themselves, accomplish the salvation of man. God commanded His people to offer the sin and guilt offerings to atone for their sins, not because a big barbeque makes God happy, but because the offering reminded the people that someone would have to die for their sins. “For without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”

However, there is a whole burnt offering and a blood sacrifice that does atone for the sins of man and reconcile God to His people. That offering is not of a bull but of a lamb – the Lamb of God, who bears the sins of the world. The one atoning sacrifice that truly does accomplish the salvation of the people of God by the forgiveness of their sins is the offering of Jesus upon the cross. This whole burnt offering, totally spent and consumed by the Father's wrath, has made satisfaction and accomplished atonement for all people.

Jesus is the propitiatory sacrifice that reconciles you to God. He is the only propitiatory sacrifice – nothing you nor I can do can add to or replace His self-offering. The sin and guilt offerings of the Israelites effected their forgiveness and salvation not merely by the shedding of blood, but by the faith which laid hold of the forgiveness of sins and the promise of the Messiah who was yet to come.

On the other hand, eucharistic sacrifices are offered by men for the sake of men. Eucharistic sacrifice does not make satisfaction for the sins of man, nor does it earn merit before God, but it flows out of a heart made whole and right with God. These are what the Scriptures refer to as “sacrifices of praise” and offerings of thanksgiving.

What are these things? It is to this that Luther directs you, according to the Second Commandment, that we should “call upon [God] in every trouble, pray, praise, and give thanks.” The sacrifice of thanksgiving is a response to the gracious movement of God toward you, bringing you His forgiveness, life, and salvation. These things do not earn merit or accomplish salvation, but they are necessary and are commanded for your good and for the good of your neighbor. These are effect, not cause.

Of course, the problem is that your sinful heart and mind blow this distinction to smithereens and would have you imagine that your sacrifices and actions are propitiatory, atoning for your sins in some way and earning you some sort of brownie points before God. You would also imagine that your sacrifices of praise gain you favor. You would desperately like to imagine that you can do something to please God, to make yourself worthy before Jesus. But your works have about as much value as the little drummer boy beating his drum in front of the manger and imagining that the Holy Family are somehow pleased with his racket, however heartfelt his musical offering.

You would be just as happy running up to the high places and slaughtering the bulls and goats and whatever else, just like the pagans did. You would like to open your heart and lift it up to Jesus, as though it was something of value that He really wanted. You would like to fan into flame the embers of your devotion and religious fervor, no matter what the fire they generate scorches. You would like to do something to merit grace and favor. And forget about praising.

But your works are rubbish. Your heart is black and stone dead. Your religious fervor is nothing more than holy heartburn, reflecting back on whatever makes you feel neat at the moment. You have nothing to offer God in order to make satisfaction for your sins in any way, shape, or form. So stop trying. The work is done already.

Christ Jesus has already died for you. The Lamb of God is slaughtered and the offering is burnt up completely, consuming the whole wrath of God for sin. And His death is credited to you as righteousness, freely and completely.

Then, and only then, can your good works be worth anything to anyone. Thus, we confess: “So, only because of this – because we grasp Christ as the Atoning Sacrifice – are good works, or obedience to the Law, pleasing. We do not satisfy the Law, but for Christ's sake this is forgiven us, as Paul says, 'There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus' (Romans 8:1).” (Ap V.187)

So what is the true worship of God? If your sacrifices and offerings do not earn you anything before God, then what is the point of worship? The world sees worship as your act and actions, your devotional activity to satisfy the command of God and to make Him happy.

Against this, we believe, teach, and confess that the highest worship is to receive. “So the worship and divine service of the Gospel is to receive gifts from God. On the contrary, the worship of the Law is to offer and present our gifts to God. However, we can offer nothing to God unless we have first been reconciled and born again. This passage, too, brings the greatest comfort, as the chief worship of the Gospel is to desire to receive the forgiveness of sins, grace, and righteousness. Christ says of this worship, 'For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in Him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day' (John 6:40)” (Ap V.189)

So, this evening we gather to offer our sacrifices of praise, giving thanks to God for His gracious gift of the Divine Service, where He comes and makes Himself present and accessible to His people. We give thanks that here, in this time and place, He comes to His people and redeems you. We praise the God of Israel, who atones for His people's sins with His own Body and Blood, and then feeds you with the fruit of His self-offering.

The people of God gather not just anywhere, not willy-nilly on hill and dale. You gather in the Lord's house, around the Lord's Table, hearing the Lord's Word. You gather in the place where the Lord chooses to be present, making Himself known by His Word and His Gifts. Here, in the place where the Lord dwells, He offers Himself to you for the forgiveness of your sins. And in this place, and in all places, He delights to receive your sacrifices of prayer, praise, and thanksgiving. The Divine Service is the gift of God to you, Him working in you for your salvation. Rejoice to sit and receive His gifts!

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.