A Proposed Reformed Liturgy
What follows is intended to reflect the liturgies of Geneva (1542), Strasbourg (1545), and Heidelberg (1563) but I have borrowed language from the 1662 Book of Common Prayer and the Forms and Prayers of the United Reformed Churches in North America. This liturgy is intended as a pattern and not as the law of the Medes and the Persians. It is intended as a guide for those who are just discovering Reformed worship and for those who are looking for resources to reform their services in a classical Reformed direction.
The principle guiding Reformed worship is expressed in Heidelberg Catechism 96: “That we in no wise make any image of God, nor worship Him in any other way than He has commanded us in His Word.” Calvin called this the “rule of worship.”
It is organized as Reformed worship services were classically organized: as a dialogue between the Lord and his people. God speaks in his Word read, preached, sung, and made visible in the sacraments. His people reply with his Word. The service is led by the minister.
The reader will doubtless see immediately that a Reformed liturgy is radically different from the revivalist liturgies that have become so familiar over the last two centuries in the USA. Those liturgies are bipartite: first we sing, then the minister preaches.
The second thing the reader will note is the relative absence of singing. This was the ancient and classic Reformed pattern. Where more singing is desired, the Law may be sung as may be the Apostles’ Creed.
Invocation (Votum)
Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth. Amen. (Ps 124:8)
Reading of the Law
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets. (Matt 22:37–40)
Confession of Sin
Heavenly Father, eternal and merciful God; we acknowledge and confess before your divine Majesty that we are poor miserable sinners, conceived and born in sin and corruption, prone to all evil, and unfit for any good. By our sinful life, we have continually transgressed your holy commandments, provoked your wrath against us and incurred your just judgment to eternal death.
But, O Lord, we repent in sorrow that we have thus offended you, we condemn our iniquities, and ourselves and implore you mercifully to help us in our wretchedness and misery.
Have mercy upon us, therefore, O most gracious God and Father, and pardon all our sins, for the sake of the holy suffering of your dear Son; Jesus Christ our Lord.
And condescend to grant to us, henceforth, the grace of your Holy Spirit, that He may teach us heartily to know our unrighteousness, and make us so to abhor ourselves, that sin may be slain in us, and we may arise to newness of life. Thus shall we produce the perfect fruits of holiness and righteousness with which, for Christ’s sake, You are well pleased.
Declaration of Judgment on the Unbelieving
But as there may be some among us, who are unbelieving, I declare to you that the wrath and judgment of God abides upon you, all your sins are retained in heaven, and that you cannot be saved unless you repent.
Declaration of Pardon for Believers
Thus says our Lord Jesus Christ: For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that all who would believe in Him might not perish, but have everlasting life. To as many of you therefore, beloved Brothers and Sisters, as abhor yourselves and your sins, and believe that you are fully pardoned through the merits of Jesus Christ alone, and who therefore resolve daily more to abstain from them and to serve the Lord in true holiness and righteousness, I declare, according to the command of God, that they are released in heaven from all their sins, (as He has promised in His gospel), through the perfect obedience, satisfaction, and the most holy passion and death of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Psalm of Thanks
The Great Prayer
Almighty God, Creator of heaven and earth, we give you most hearty thanks, that you have created us, and have preserved, fed and sustained us and our children thus far, and are still willing to keep and govern us. But especially we thank you, that you have given us to know your Son Jesus Christ, and pardon our sins for the sake of His bitter passion and death.
We plead with you to renew us in the image of your Son Jesus Christ, by the preaching of your Word, and the power of the Holy Ghost, that so we may, both in soul and body live with you, to praise you, for which we were originally created. Defend us against the malice of Satan, lest he pluck your Holy Word out of our hearts, as he did to our first parent Adam and Eve.
And whereas you have ordained civil authorities, by which You govern us, we pray, who have the hearts of rulers in your hands, for our local, state, and federal authorities. Grant to our governors grace and peace, that they may direct their authority to that end, that our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom all power in heaven and earth is given, may reign over them and their subjects, so that the people, who are the creatures of your hands, and the sheep of your pasture, and for whom the Lord Jesus shed his blood, may be governed in holiness and righteousness; and that we may for your sake, show to them all becoming honor and faithfulness, and thus, under their protection, lead an honest, peaceable and Christian life.
Grant your blessing and favor also upon the fruits of the earth, that we may thus know you as our Father, and the fountain of all mercy and blessing. Preserve us also from war, famine, and the swift-spreading pestilence.
Neither pray we for ourselves alone, but for all men in the whole world, that You would graciously have compassion upon them.
And especially for those who have fellowship with us in the body of Jesus Christ, and who suffer for the truth’s sake. Be pleased, O Father of all grace, to restrain the wrath of your enemies, who persecute your Son Jesus Christ, in his members, and strengthen the persecuted with victorious steadfastness, and the power of your Holy Spirit, that they may joyfully receive these sufferings from your hand, and in the midst of tribulations experience that peace which passes all understanding.
Comfort and sustain the poor, the ill, widows and orphans, all prisoners, and such as are with child, with all troubled and tempted souls, and grant to them your peace, through our Lord Jesus Christ, according to his sure promise: truly, truly I say to you, all things that you shall ask the Father in my name, will he give to you and who has farther instructed us to pray:
Almighty God, our heavenly Father, who have promised certainly to grant to us those things which we ask for in the name of your beloved Son Jesus Christ: we beseech you to work in our hearts by your Holy Spirit, that we may rightly know you, to sanctify, adore and praise you in all your works, in which your omnipotence; wisdom, goodness, mercy, justice; and truth shine forth. Grant also that we may so order our whole life, all our thoughts, words and works, that your name may not be profaned, but adored and praised through us.
And so govern us, by your Word, and the power of your Holy Spirit, that we and all men, may daily more subject and yield ourselves to your divine majesty.
Preserve and extend your church, and confound all the works of the devil, and all evil and malicious designs devised against your holy Word. Put your enemies to shame by the might of your truth and righteousness, that every power which exalts itself against your glory may from day to day be more completely rooted up and destroyed, until the perfection of your kingdom shall be consummated, when you shall manifest your glory in your people at the last day, and be forever all in all.
Grant also, that we and all men may renounce our own will, and all the lusts of the flesh, and obey, without contradiction, your good and perfect will, that each one may as faithfully and cheerfully fulfill his duty and calling, as it is done by the angels in heaven.
Provide for us also, all things needful for our bodies; grant as peace and a wholesome government, that so we may learn to know you as the only fountain of all good, and our faithful Father, who cares for your children, without whose blessing neither anxiety nor labor, nor your mercies will avail, so that withdrawing all confidence from the creature, we may put our trust in you alone.
And we pray, for the sake of the shedding of Christ’s blood, reckon not against us poor sinners our iniquities and sins, neither the corruption that still clings to us, inasmuch as we have this evidence of your grace in our hearts, that we forgive those that trespass against us, and desire to promote their welfare.
In ourselves, O Lord, we are so weak that we cannot maintain our integrity for a moment, but are continually exposed to the temptations of our enemies, the devil, the world, and our own flesh. We beg you therefore to preserve and strengthen us, by the power of your Holy Spirit, that we may steadfastly withstand these enemies, and not be overcome in this spiritual warfare, but remain firm, until we at length obtain the victory, and reign forever in your kingdom, with your Son, our Lord and defender Jesus Christ.
These things we humbly ask, that thereby not we, but you may receive eternal praise. And all this we know you can do for us, since you are Almighty God, and are willing to do, for you are a faithful Father, as certainly as we sincerely desire them, through our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.
Scripture Reading
Prayer for Illumination
Blessed Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: grant that we may hear, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of your holy Word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Sermon
Prayer Of Thanks
Almighty God, graciously grant that your Word, which we have heard, may be inscribed inwardly on our hearts.
As we receive your Word meekly with pure affection, may our hearts be filled with love and reverence for You.
Cause us to bear the fruit of the Spirit and to live in holiness, diligently following Your commandments.
And may it please you to use us to lead those who are lost, wandering, and confused into the way of truth.
All this we pray for the honor and praise of Your name, through Jesus Christ our Lord, in the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Apostles’ Creed
Holy Communion
PREPARATION
To all of you who have with godly sorrow confessed your sins and who have affirmed true faith in Christ, the promise of Jesus is sure: “Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink” (John 6:54–55). For “the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, ‘This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me’” (1 Cor 11:23–25).
While remaining bread and wine, these sacred elements nevertheless become so united to the reality they signify that we do not doubt, but joyfully believe, that we receive in this meal by the Spirit through faith nothing less than the crucified body and shed blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. For all who live in rebellion against God and in unbelief, this holy food and drink will bring you only further condemnation. If you do not yet confess Jesus Christ and seek to live under his gracious reign, we admonish you to abstain. But all who repent and believe are invited to this sacred meal, not because you are worthy in yourself, but because you are clothed in Christ’s perfect righteousness. Do not allow the weakness of your faith or your failures in the Christian life to keep you from this Table. For it is given to us because of our weakness and because of our failures, in order to increase our faith by feeding us with the body and blood of Jesus Christ. As the Word has promised us God’s favor, so also our heavenly Father has added this confirmation of His unchangeable promise. So come, believing sinners, for the Table is ready. “Taste and see that the Lord is good!” (Ps 34:8).
CONSECRATION
Almighty and everlasting God, who by the blood of Your only begotten Son has secured for us a new and living way into the Holy of Holies, cleanse our minds and hearts by Your Word and Spirit that we, Your redeemed people, drawing close to You through this holy sacrament, may enjoy fellowship with the Holy Trinity through the body and blood of Christ our Savior. We know that our ascended Savior does not live in temples made by hands, but is in heaven, where He continues to intercede on our behalf. Through this sacrament, by Your own Word and Spirit, may these common elements now be set apart from ordinary use and consecrated by You, so that, just as truly as we eat and drink these elements by which our bodily life is sustained, so truly we receive into our souls, for our spiritual life, the true body and true blood of Christ. We receive these gifts by faith, which is the hand and mouth of our souls. Amen.
ADMINISTRATION
Let us now go to our heavenly Table and receive the gift of God for our souls. By the promise of God, this bread and wine are for us the body and blood of Christ.
The bread which we break is a communion of the body of Christ. Take, eat, remember, and believe that the body of our Lord Jesus Christ was broken for the complete forgiveness of all our sins.
The cup of blessing which we bless is a communion of the blood of Christ. Take, drink, remember, and believe that the precious blood of our Lord Jesus Christ was shed for the complete forgiveness of all our sins.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Heavenly Father, we offer You eternal praise and thanks that You have granted so great a benefit to us poor sinners, having drawn us into the Communion of Your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, whom You have delivered to death for us and whom You give us as the meat and drink of life eternal. Now grant us this other benefit: that You will never allow us to forget these things; but having them imprinted on our hearts, may we grow and increase daily in the faith which is at work in every good deed. Thus may we order and pursue all our life to the exaltation of Your glory and the edification of our neighbor; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, who in the unity of the Holy Spirit lives and reigns with You, O God, forever. Amen.
Psalm 100/Song of Simeon
Benediction
The LORD bless you, and keep you; the LORD make His face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up His countenance, and give you peace. Amen
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R. Scott Clark
R.Scott Clark is the President of the Heidelberg Reformation Association, the author and editor of, and contributor to several books and the author of many articles. He has taught church history and historical theology since 1997 at Westminster Seminary California. He has also taught at Wheaton College, Reformed Theological Seminary, and Concordia University. He has hosted the Heidelblog since 2007.
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