Martin Luther's Evening Prayer

After the Confession rite and prior to the Communion rite, Dr. Zeile speaks on the Divine perspective regarding the believer's death. From the human perspective death, especially at the hands of God's enemies, appears to be a painful defeat; but in God's eyes, it is the ultimate victory and for the faithful soul it becomes the gate to eternal life and the victory of the saints. Send...

After the rehearsal of the Ten Commandments and singing of the hymn, "In the Cross of Christ I Glory," Dr. Zeile meditates on St. Paul's words regarding the offense that many took regarding the Cross of Christ, namely His suffering as a criminal in place of sinful humankind. Many are offended today at the thought that their sin requires punishment, that they are answerable to God, t...

When Luther heard that two Augustinian monks had been burned at the stake in Brussles  for defending the doctrine of salvation by faith apart from works, he wrote a ballad telling their story. Several stanzas constitute a hymn to the martyrs and is set to a later tune. Send us Fan Mail

The 6th Century confession of faith by the Western Church affirms the two defining doctrines of universal Christianity, the identity of God as three persons (Trinity) in one God (Unity), and the incarnation ("enfleshment") of the second person of God as Jesus Christ. Send us Fan Mail

Christ's discourse about the end times is perplexing- events we can date, like the destruction of the Jerusalem temple by the Romans in A.D.70, or the persecution of Christians are jumbled with the End of the world and Christ's own return to judge. Dr. Zeile's message points out that God's judgment transcends time, breaking in on human history at certain points before it engulf...

Psalm 84 celebrates the Pilgrim's journey to the Jerusalem Temple to worship God. Such journeys are deeply meaningful because our lives are a journey to God. This worship program for the week of Holy Trinity Sunday includes the Athanasian Creed and the hymn, "St. Patrick's Breastplate."  Send us Fan Mail

This Easter Week program begins with a meditation on the Pandemic caused by the Corona Virus, followed by the joyful Easter hymn, "O Sons and Daughters of the King." The message recalls God's confrontation with Job who could not answer God's questions ("Were you there when I created the world?"); what Job could not do, Jesus could; therefore He is the Redeemer Job lon...

Isaiah 53 states that the Suffering Servant would make His grave with the rich and with the wicked. In the ancient world, this was somewhat of a riddle for the rich were regarded as favored by God. This message for Easter Eve (or Easter Vigil) discusses the burial of Christ with its signs of reversal to come. Beginning with the classic Good Friday burial hymn, "O Darkest Woe," the progra...

The program begins with Evening Prayer and a portion of the Passion History. The message, based on Isaiah 53, "He was despised and afflicted, yet did not open His mouth," meditates on the Savior's silence in situations where we would probably scream and curse. The classic Lutheran hymn, "Thousand, Thousand Thanks Shall be, Dearest Jesus unto Thee," concludes this Holy Week...

This Lenten message discusses Paul's assertion that the Cross where the Son of God suffered manifested the Power of God to overthrow all earthly powers. The Vaughan Williams hymn, "No Tramp of Soldiers Marching Feet," begins the program and it is concluded with the Magnificat and prayers from Vespers, and a Choir anthem "Who Is That Man?" Send us Fan Mail

Lutherans, like the Early Church, believe that the power of God reaches us in the sacrament, making us His child in baptism. One does not need to be an adult to inherit salvation, though one must be taught its value; therefore Lutherans only baptize when there is the promise of continuing to grow in Christian faith with the Church, and this applies to adults as well as children. Send us Fan Mail

When Christ healed ten lepers, only the foreigner returned to thank Him. Sometimes we who are familiar with Jesus, or think we know Him, or have been raised in the religion think we are entitled and take God's gifts for granted. The message is accompanied by the classic Lutheran hymn, "Lord, to Thee I Make Confession," the rite of Confession & Absolution, and the Ash Wednesday C...

After Psalm 91 is prayed with the congregation, the meaning of God's promise to be with us in trouble is explored. Sometimes God helps us avoid trouble, as when we follow God's laws and avoid the trouble that comes to those who wrong others. Sometimes God gives us the strength to endure and forgive those who have wronged us. And at still other times, God sustains us through trouble so th...

Readings for the Transfiguration are heard, and then the 15th Century office hymn "O Wondrous Type" is sung. The sermon emphasizes St. Peter's surprising contention that the Scripture record is even more sure that the eyewitness testimony that Peter himself offers. This is followed by another Transfiguration hymn and the celebration of Holy Communion.  Send us Fan Mail

The Service of the Word for the First Sunday in Lent is heard (Genesis 3, Hebrews 4, the Choir anthem "Lamb of God", and Matthew 4), followed by the meditation on Galatians 6:14, Paul's exhortation to boast only in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. What God has done for us on the Cross is so much more significant and determinantive for our life than any thing we have done.  Send u...

The Matins opening includes Malachi 6 and Colossians 1 and leads into the Luke 16 account of the Rich Man and Lazarus with particular focus on that rich man's regret, the reality of Hell, and its connection- and congruence- with our everyday experiences. Christ gives us -through this very message- the opportunity to avoid the ultimate regret by  embracing the gift He has come to give us. The...

After the hymn, "I Know My Faith is Founded" comes a meditation on the Psalm 31 declaration that God is our rock of rescue."  The advantage that fighting from a rock gives to a warrior is explained and how this informs the psalmist's meaning. The idea that "Savior" means rescuer is also explained as we realize all that Christ rescues us from. The ends with a hymn &quo...

The general in an army is "over all" the others, and the General Prayer is intended to be all-inclusive.  This is from June 2018. Send us Fan Mail

Loosely based on the Te Deum, this particular prayer of adoration was taken from the 1974 Worship Supplement. Send us Fan Mail

The Kyrie at the beginning of the service was sometimes expanded as in the deacon's litany, or in this praying of the Ten Commandments ("Decalog") similar to that found in the Anglican Book of Common Prayer. It serves as a kind of examination of conscience prior to the general confession and absolution (forgiveness pronounced by the pastor).  Send us Fan Mail

The Candlemas Blessing is followed by the message which races the appeal of Christ's teaching, not only in the First Century A.D., but in every Century since. Join the billion people today who listen to Jesus' teaching and acknowledge Him as God and Savior! Send us Fan Mail

Excerpts from Matins/Vespers accompany Dr. Zeile's message based on Psalm 18's commendation of humility as the condition of true worship toward God and reconciliation toward fellow creatures. Send us Fan Mail

After the Decalogue (Ten Commandments) the message applies Jesus' words "Take heed (Pay attention) unto yourselves!." Every Christian is called to honest self-knowledge and self-awareness before presuming to judge others' actions. Such self-knowledge leads to humility and confession, and the opportunity to receive forgiveness and healing from Christ. Send us Fan Mail

Jesus said we could not follow Him unless we HATE? Dr. Zeile explains the use of hyperbole in the Lord's rhetoric and the challenge that we face in loving the Lord more than His many and various gifts, including dearest family members. Excerpts of evening prayer, the litany and blessing are included as well as the hymn based on Ezekiel, "As Surely as I live," God Said, "I would...

This excerpt from the close of the Good Friday Tenebrae service serves as a brief Lenten devotion. Send us Fan Mail