Matthew 22 Church and State

This portion of the Maundy Thursday service begins with the Gloria in Excelsis which was not used for the 40 days of Lent, the readings from I Corinthians 11 recalling the Lord's Supper, and John 13, the washing of the feet. The rite of footwashing is where the pastor washes the feet of some elders to recall Christ's humility and service. The antiphons (responsory) during this rite are particularly noteworthy and a hymn of commemoration concludes this portion of the service presented here.

Isaiah's message offers God's covering for our sin, an image and promise repeated in the New Testament and symbolized by the pastor's vestments. Epiphany season readings accompany Dr. Zeile's exposition, and the beloved Franzman hymn, Thy Strong Word, concludes. 

Confronted with the question of taxes to Caesar, Christ pointed out some things we often forget, that government is God's means of enabling people to work together, however reluctantly, for the common good. Yet our duty to government is penultimate, subject to the duty we owe to God. This meditation is accompanied by prayer for our country and appropriate hymn.

This portion of the Ash Wednesday service begins with the penitential Rite of Ashes  where those expressing sorrow for sin kneel and have ashes imposed with the words from the Fall of Adam, "Remember, you are dust and to dust you shall return." The litany of repentance, readings from Joel and the Sermon on the Mount conclude this potion of the service. The hymn of mortality, "Who Knows when Death will Overtake Me?" is sung during the imposition of ashes with its refrain, "My God, for Jesus' sake I pray, Thy peace may bless my dying day!"

There are signs of life the doctor looks for to determine whether the patient is alive and healthy. Dr. Zeile discusses the signs of your spiritual life, along with the things you can do to encourage the Spirit's life within.  

Shakespeare asked, "What's in a name?" Dr. Zeile's meditation on the name of "Jesus" shows its meaning for every individual who realizes a need to be saved. Hymns and prayers from the New Year's Day service accompany this message.

Time was changed when God entered the world in Christ Jesus. Dr. Zeile's meditation includes prayer & hymns suited to the change of the year.

When Christ cured the blind man in Luke 18, He was the first thing to be seen by that formerly blind man. Dr. Zeile expounds the lesson from this that applies to all whether their ocular organ functions or not. The hymn "Look Ye Saints, the Sight is Glorious" accompanies this message as does the General Prayer, Psalm 142, and the recent hymn, "Depart from Us, the Demons Said."

St. Paul urges a Christian life with the right focus, which is not on the self, but on Someone outside Oneself. Dr. Zeile's discussion of this teaching is accompanied by Catechism recitation of certain Commandments, Confession & Absolution, the a'Kempis-related hymn, "O Love How Deep, How Broad," and the African hymn "Listen, God is Calling."

Luke describes the presentation of Christ in the temple where, as the first-born, He was to be redeemed according to the Law of Moses. Dr. Zeile's reflection on the deeper meaning of this incident includes readings of both Exodus 13 and Luke 2, and the Presentation hymn, "In His Temple Now Behold Him," and Luther's hymn on the Nunc Dimittis, "In Peace and Joy I now Depart."