CW 324 - O Lord, How Shall I Meet You

CW 324: O Lord, How Shall I Meet You 

The third Sunday of Advent is known as Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete is the Latin word for “rejoice!” This name comes from the beginning of the Epistle reading for this Sunday from Philippians 2, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again rejoice!” During the season of Advent, we focus on the coming of Christ. We think about his coming in the flesh at Christmas and his glorious coming when he returns on the Last Day. Both events fill us with joy. We rejoice that our God would take on human flesh to save us and that our Lord will come again to rescue us from this world of sin and sorrow.  

O Lord, How Shall I Meet You echoes these themes of Advent. We rejoice in our salvation. We marvel that God sent his one and only Son to save us from our sins. Our hearts are filled with the joyful knowledge that our sins and guilt have been washed away. Because of Christ's death, we look forward in joyful anticipation to the great and glorious day of our Lord’s return. 

Verse 1: O Lord, how shall I meet you, how welcome you aright? Your people long to greet you, my hope, my heart’s delight. O Jesus, let your Word be a lamp to light my way, to show me how to please you, to guide me ev’ry day. 

Verse one reminds us that, as Christians, we want to be ready to meet our King. We look forward to his return and want our hearts to be prepared to greet him. How do we prepare our hearts to greet our Advent King? We cannot make our hearts free from sin; instead, we cling to the promise of God. John the Baptist preached a message of repentance. Repentance is a turning away from our sinful way of life and turning in faith to the salvation that is found in Christ alone. We cling to the assurance in his Word that our sins have been paid for by the blood of Christ. Because we have been born again through water and the Word, we desire to live lives that please our Lord. 

Verse 2: Love caused your incarnation; love brought you down to me. Your thirst for my salvation procured my liberty. Oh, love beyond all telling that led you to embrace in love, all love excelling, our lost and fallen race!  

1 John 4:8 tells us that “God is love.” We see the love of God echoed in the life of Christ. Jesus loved each one of us so much that he came down from heaven and was born of the Virgin Mary. This is the mystery of Christmas that God became man and made his dwelling among us. Jesus loved us so much that he willingly offered his perfect life as a sacrifice to pay for our sins. Jesus endured the shame and agony of the cross for us. He suffered the torments of hell that we deserved and was punished in our place. All this he did because he loved us and wanted to save us from our sins. 

Verse 3: Rejoice, then, you sad-hearted, who sit in deepest gloom, who mourn o’er joys departed and tremble at your doom. Despair not; he is near you, he’s standing at the door who best can help and cheer you and bids you weep no more.  

This world is full of sin and sorrow. We all face times of trial and hardship, like sickness or the loss of a loved one. It can be easy to fall into deep, dark sadness and wonder if God is faithful. We can be filled with doubt and wonder if God will keep his promises. Our sins fill us with sorrow. Our guilt weighs us down. Satan loves to torment us with our guilt and shame and doubt God’s love for us. This verse reminds us that even on our deepest and gloomiest days, when all seems lost, Jesus is still there right beside us. Jesus understands what it is like to feel pain and sadness. Christmas is the fulfillment of God’s promises. In Eden, God promised Adam and Eve that he would send a Savior to crush the head of our enemy the Devil. Christ came and on the cross, he crushed Satan’s head and gave us victory. 

Verse 4: Sin’s debt, that fearful burden, let not your souls distress; your guilt the Lord will pardon and cover by his grace. He comes, for you procuring the peace of sin forgiv’n, his children thus securing eternal life in heav’n.  

As Christians, we must daily struggle against the temptations of the devil, the world, and our own sinful natures. Every day, we give in to temptation, sin, and break the Lord’s commandments. Satan loves to accuse and remind us of our sins. He wants to burden us with guilt and shame and convince us that God does not love us. This hymn verse reminds us that we do not need to be weighed down by the terrible burden of our sins. Our sins have been completely forgiven by the blood of Christ. We have been washed clean and pure by the blood of Christ. We do not need to be burdened with a load of guilt because we have been covered by God’s amazing grace. This is the joyous message of the Gospel. This is why Christians rejoice. We know we have been forgiven. We know Christ has won us the glorious reward of eternal life with him. 

Verse 5: He comes to judge the nations, a terror to his foes, a light of consolation and blessèd hope to those who love the Lord’s appearing. O glorious Sun, now come, send forth your beams most cheering, and guide us safely home. 

The final verse of this hymn shows the great contrast between believers and unbelievers. As believers, we look forward with joy to the day of the Lord’s return. We do not need to be afraid when Jesus comes again in all his glory to judge the living and the dead because we know we have been forgiven. We have been declared not guilty by the blood of Christ before the Almighty Judge. For unbelievers, the return of Jesus fills them with dread. Deep down, they know that because of their sins, they cannot stand before the throne of God. On the Last Day, their time of grace will be over, and they will be thrown into the lake of fire that was prepared for the devil and all his angels. 

O Lord, How Shall I Meet You is a joyous hymn of Advent praise. We rejoice and praise the Lord for our salvation and forgiveness in Christ. We give thanks to God for sending his Son to be born of a woman, born under the law, to free us from our sins. And we look forward in joyful anticipation to the great and glorious day when our Lord will return in all his radiant splendor and take us to our eternal home. 

CW 316 - On Jordan's Bank the Baptist's Cry

CW 316 - On Jordan's Bank the Baptist's Cry

Long before there were tweets or viral videos, long before there were nightly newscasts and morning newspapers, people received their information from the town crier. The town crier was used to make public announcements in the streets. Criers often dressed in fancy clothes, in a red and gold coat, white pants, black boots, and a three-cornered hat. In English-speaking countries, they carried a handbell to attract people’s attention. They shouted, “Oyez, Oyez, Oyez!” before making their announcements. The word “Oyez” means “hear ye.”

John the Baptist was the wilderness crier. He gained people’s attention, not with fancy clothes, but with a camelhair suit. Rich and poor traveled from every direction out to the Judean desert along the banks of the Jordan River to hear John’s message. John preached, “Repent, because the kingdom of heaven is near” (Matthew 3:2)! John fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy, “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord! Make his paths straight. Every valley will be filled, and every mountain and hill will be made low. The crooked will become straight, and the rough ways smooth. And everyone will see the salvation of God’” (Luke 3:4-6).

Our hymn for this week, “On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist’s Cry” proclaims the message of John to us today.

Verse one: On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry announces that the Lord is nigh; come, then, and listen, for he brings good news about the King of kings.

The wilderness crier announces that the Lord is nigh. “Nigh” means that the Lord is near. Get excited in preparing for the Lord’s return. Dust away the cobwebs from your Bible. Open the Bible app on your phone. Listen to podcasts of Bible studies and hymn devotions. Brush up on what God’s Word says about your Savior. Because God’s Word is bringing you news. Not just regular news about an ordinary guy. But good news about Jesus Christ, the King of Kings!

Verse two: Then cleansed be ev’ry life from sin and furnished for a Guest within, and let us all our hearts prepare for Christ to come and enter there.

The wilderness crier announces that you are to cleanse your life from every sin. Discard the sin that clutters your life. Throw away the skeletons you’ve been hiding in your heart. Remove the ugly trash that keeps you from having guests come over. Because you have the most important Guest coming. This Guest is Jesus Christ, the Son of God and your Savior. Open the blinds on the windows of your mind so the warm light of God’s love can flood in. Open the door to your heart so Jesus Christ can enter and make himself welcome in your life.

Verse three: We hail you as our Savior, Lord, our refuge and our great reward; without your grace we waste away like flow’rs that wither and decay.

The wilderness crier announces that we are to praise our Savior and Lord. We join with the psalmist in why we praise our Lord. “Praise the LORD, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his

holy name. Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all his benefits— who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases” (Psalm 103:1-3). Without God’s grace, we wither and decay. With God’s grace, we live now and forever.

Verse four: Stretch forth your hand, our health restore, and lift us up to fall no more; O make your face on us to shine, and fill the world with love divine.

The wilderness crier announces that Jesus brings health and healing with him. We pray to Jesus to heal our illnesses and our diseases. But more importantly, we pray to Jesus to heal us from our cancer of sin and the disease of death. We end our worship services with the threefold blessing of our God, “The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord look upon you with favor and give you his peace.” What a wonderful blessing to have Jesus shine his face on you with warmth, gladness, and divine love.

Verse five: All praise to you, eternal Son, whose advent has our freedom won, whom with the Father we adore and Holy Spirit evermore.

We join the wilderness crier in a doxology of praise to our Triune God. We give all praise to Jesus Christ, whose advent – “advent” means “coming” – won freedom from sin, death, and the devil for us. We give praise to the Father who sent his Son into the world to be our Savior. And we give praise to the Holy Spirit who created faith in our hearts to believe in Jesus as our Savior.

Jesus has come with his birth into this world. Jesus comes to us today in Word and Sacraments. Jesus is coming again in the clouds on the Last Day. This is great news! Pay attention to the news of the wilderness crier.

CW 301 - Savior of the Nations, Come

CW 301: Savior of the Nations, Come 

Advent is a wonderful time of the year. We begin a new season of the church year, and we look forward in joyful anticipation to celebrating our Lord’s birth at Christmas. The season of Advent is a time when we prepare ourselves for the coming of the Lord. We look forward to his birth in Bethlehem and we also look forward to that great and glorious day when he will return with all his power, might, and majesty.  

Savior of the Nations, Come is one of the older hymns in our hymnal. Christians have been singing this hymn of praise to celebrate the birth of our Savior for hundreds of years. The hymn was written by Ambrose of Milan in the 4th Century and was translated into German by Martin Luther. This hymn praises God for sending his son to suffer and die for the sins of the world. It is an amazing mystery that God took on flesh and made his dwelling among us so that he could suffer and die to save us. 

Verse 1: Savior of the nations, come; Virgin’s Son, make here your home. Marvel now, O heav’n and earth, that the Lord chose such a birth. 

When we consider the miracle of Christmas all we can do is marvel at the amazing love of our God. Jesus came to this world, not with glory or majesty. He was not born in a rich palace to a mighty king. Instead, he was born to a humble virgin in a lowly stable. Christ did not come to this world to rule or lord over us as a king. Instead, he came as a servant. He lived a life of humility. He humbled himself and became obedient to death on the cross to save us. 

Verse 2: Not by human flesh and blood, by the Spirit of our God was the Word of God made flesh, woman’s offspring, pure and fresh. 

The birth of Jesus is a profound mystery! The Apostle John tells us in the first chapter of the Gospel how Jesus Christ is true God from eternity. Our almighty Lord, the very Word of God, clothed himself with human flesh and made his dwelling among us. He did this so he could live as a human and place himself under God’s holy law. He was tempted in every way that we are in, yet he was without sin. Jesus is unique in that he is the only person who never sinned. He fulfilled all the requirements of God’s law so he could offer himself as a perfect sacrifice to pay for the sins of the entire world. 

Verse 3: Wondrous birth! O wondrous Child of the virgin undefiled, though by all the world disowned, yet to be in heav’n enthroned! 

Jesus was rejected by many of the people he came to save. The Jewish leaders did not accept him as their Savior because he did not meet their expectations. They were looking for an earthly king who would lead their nation to glory. They did not understand that the kingdom of Jesus was not of this world. Jesus came with the purpose of suffering and dying to save the world from sin. Even today people do not understand the message of the Gospel. They reject Jesus as their Savior and look elsewhere for their salvation. Verse 3 of our hymn reminds us that in the end, it does not matter what the world thinks. Jesus as the wonderous Child who was both true God and true man defeated the power of sin, death, and hell. He rose victorious from the grave and is ruling over all things at the right hand of the Father. 

Verse 4: From the Father’s throne he came and ascended to the same, captive leading death and hell. High the song of triumph swell! 

Advent and Christmas give us a special time to praise God for the miracle of his Son. Jesus descended from heaven. He humbled himself even to the point of death on the cross. On Easter, he rose victorious from the grave. He defeated death and hell and gave the forgiveness of sins and the certainty of eternal life to all who believe in him. Christ ascended to heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father. There he is ruling over all things for the good of his church. We know that one day he will return in glory to judge the living and the dead and take us to our eternal home. One of the reasons that blue is the color of Advent is a reminder of us to look to the skies and watch with joyful anticipation for the return of our king. 

Verse 5: Praise to God the Father sing, praise to God the Son, our King, praise to God the Spirit be ever and eternally. 

The final verse of our hymn is a doxology of praise to our Triune God. We praise God our eternal Father who created us. We praise the Son, our Savior, who redeemed us and continues to intercede for us. And we praise the Spirit who called us to faith through the message of the Gospel. All praise be to God forever and ever! Amen! 

Savior of the Nations, Come is a glorious hymn of praise. We rejoice that God sent his one and only Son to save us from our sins. During Advent, we marvel and wait in joyful anticipation for the celebration of our Savior’s birth. We also look forward to that great day when our Lord will come and take us to our eternal home. As so we join with Christians throughout the centuries and pray savior of the nations, come! 

CW 487 - Lo He Comes With Clouds Descending

Our hymn for our devotion this week is hymn 487: Lo He Comes With Clouds Descending

Around this time of year, people are preparing for family reunions of all kinds. Seeing family for the holidays gives family members a chance to catch up and talk about everything that’s happened since they last saw each other. It gives them a chance to reminisce about years past. And it gives them a chance to look ahead to the coming year and the blessings and challenges it may bring.

This coming Sunday is the last Sunday in the church year. It gives God’s people a chance to reflect on the “family reunion” we’ll soon have with our savior, brother, and friend when he returns as king and judge over all things. Our hymn for this week beautifully reflects on just how bittersweet that last day will be. Yet the beautiful truth we see echoed again and again is the undeniable glory and power Jesus wields as King of kings and Lord of lords.

Verse 1: Lo! He comes with clouds descending, once for ev’ry sinner slain; thousand thousand saints attending swell the triumph of his train: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! Christ reveals his endless reign.

When a king would return to his city victorious from battle, he would always lead a victorious procession through the city. Typically, he would be accompanied by the commanders and key warriors that enabled his victory. This was not only to show his power, but to glorify them for their role in winning the battle. So it will be on the last day. Christ the King will return victorious to earth, but he won’t be alone. All the heroes of faith we learned about in the Bible and in the history of the church will be with him. All the faithful martyrs who died rather than deny him will be with him. Every believer who has ever died will be returning with him on the clouds of glory. Not to glorify themselves or their witness, but to glorify the one who died for sinners and was raised again.

Verse 2: Ev’ry eye shall now behold him robed in glorious majesty; those who set at naught and sold him, pierced and nailed him to the tree, deeply wailing, deeply wailing, deeply wailing, shall their true Messiah see.

This is perhaps the greatest mystery of that last day. Somehow, in some way, Christ will appear and all 8 billion plus people on earth will behold him at once. For many (about 2 and a half billion according to some estimates), this day will be a day of great joy. Their king has returned! But for the other 6 billion people, this won’t be a happy day. For the enemies of Christ and his church, they will get what they justly deserve: death and condemnation. That justice will be glorious to see for the Christians who suffered at their hands! Those enemies of the church will see that Christ is indeed king, and all their works opposing Christ and his church didn’t change a thing. Yet for billions of others, they are simply lost in the darkness. This doesn’t have to be the case! There are faithful Christians all over the world who can still preach the gospel! May this coming day of wrath be a motivating factor for us to fuel mission efforts all over the world, and to bravely venture out where and when we can to go and find those missing souls, so they don’t have to face that day of wrath.

Verse 3: Those dear tokens of his passion still his dazzling body bears, cause of endless exultation to his ransomed worshipers. With what rapture, with what rapture, with what rapture, gaze we on those glorious scars!

Oftentimes, scars tell a story. Maybe it’s something simple like a childhood accident or a poor teenage decision. Maybe they’re from a significant medical procedure that saved your life or brought someone else into this world. Or maybe they’re reminders of past trauma or pain that are better left in the past. Christians don’t have to wonder what Jesus’ scars from his passion will be like. They are tokens of his work in saving us, his own dear people. We don’t blanche or shy away from these wounds. Instead, we regard them as glorious! For it’s through those pierced hands and feet and side that God’s own blood was shed for us! It’s from that pierced side that flows the blood and water, the sacraments of the church! These marks signify our Savior’s love for us, and the promise that death itself is reversed because of the lamb who was slain yet lives and reigns still!

Verse 4: Yea, amen, let all adore thee high on thine eternal throne; Savior, take the pow’r and glory, claim the kingdom as thine own. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! Thou shalt reign, and thou alone!

What else can we say to our returning king other than praise God, amen! Nothing will be able to stop his return. And nothing will be able to make any difference to the ultimate and final authority Christ wields as king over all the earth. And what an amazing thing it is, that we don’t have to fear this absolute king! He’s no tyrannical monarch only concerned with himself or power for power’s sake. He is concerned for us! He loves us! And he will make a new heavens and a new earth on that final day: free from all fear, all pain, and all sin. And he will rule the new heavens and earth with love, justice, and mercy! Praise God! Amen! Come quickly, Lord Jesus, and take your people home!

Is that reunion with Jesus going to be a happy day or a sad day? That depends entirely upon your knowledge of one person: Jesus our King, who will be returning among the clouds in glory on that day. For those who know him as King, Savior, Brother, and Friend, it will be a day unlike any other. It’ll be the fulfillment of an entire world’s worth of history, unveiled for all to see. But for those who know Jesus as pretender, myth, burden, or simply as something not worth caring about at all, it will be a very sad day. May this coming day be one we look forward to with joy and anticipation. May it move us to constantly watch and pray as we await that coming day of glory. And may it motivate us to be heralds of the coming king; messengers going out to warn and prepare the world for its Lord. Amen.

CW 546 - Since Our Great High Priest, Christ Jesus

CW 546 Since Our Great High Priest, Christ Jesus

The Bible helps us to understand who Jesus is and what Jesus accomplished by talking about the three offices Jesus holds as Prophet, High Priest, and King. This hymn meditates on Jesus’ High Priestly office.

No one can stand before God alone. In order to help the children of Israel understand that, God established the office of priest in Old Testament times. The priest served as the one who would represent the people before God. The priest was the one who would offer sacrifices on behalf of himself and the people.

Likewise, in his role as priest, Jesus goes between God and us. This hymn celebrates what he did and still does in that role.

Stanza 1: Since our great High Priest, Christ Jesus, bears the name above all names, reigning Son of God, surpassing other titles, pow’rs, and claims— since to heav’n our Lord has passed, let us hold our witness fast!

How do we know Jesus was successful in his work as High Priest? It is because of where he now resides. He is in heaven at the right hand of God. His successful work was approved by God the Father. The Apostle Paul wrote: “9 Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11)

Since Jesus successfully carried out his office of High Priest while he lived among us, we are encouraged to hold our witness fast. At the end of the great resurrection chapter, 1 Corinthians 15 (verse 58), Paul concludes: “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that our labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

Stanza 2: Since we have a priest who suffered, knowing weakness, tears, and pain, who like us was tried and tempted, unlike us, without a stain— since he shared our lowly place, let us boldly seek his grace.

As our High Priest, Jesus knows what we experience because he has been there. “We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are, yet was without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15) He took our place experiencing everything that we do. Everything, that is, except sin.

The fact that Jesus did this means he is able to relate to us. It means that when we are burdened by sin and guilt, we can turn to our High Priest with confidence knowing that he treats us with his grace, his undeserved love for us. We can be bold as we plead for his mercy.

Stanza 3: Sacrifice and suff’ring over, now he sits at God’s right hand, crowned with praise, no more an outcast, his preeminence long-planned; such a great High Priest we have, strong to help, supreme to save.

While the Old Testament high priests would sacrifice animals, our great High Priest, Jesus, himself became the sacrifice. He became the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. He did it by becoming sin for us. This was all part of God’s eternal plan. Also part of God’s plan was Jesus being exalted once again back to where he came from in the first place. The fact that Jesus has been exalted proves that he has fulfilled his goal to save us.

Stanza 4: Love’s example, hope’s attraction, faith’s beginning and its end, pioneer of our salvation, mighty advocate and friend; Jesus, high in glory raised, our ascended Lord be praised!

Jesus has ascended to heaven, but that doesn’t mean he stopped working on our behalf. He continues to be the friend and advocate for sinners like you and me. He stands ready to hear our every prayer. “So let us approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16)

Jesus, our great High Priest, continues to intercede on our behalf. Luther’s small catechism states that “Jesus pleads for us by virtue of the sacrifice he made for us.” In other words, Jesus reminds God the Father that even though we are sinners who are unworthy to come before the Father’s throne, Jesus laid down his life for us so that we can freely approach our heavenly Father. We are reconciled to God and we have our great High Priest, Christ Jesus to thank and praise.

CW 485 – Day of Wrath

CW 485 – Day of Wrath

The courtroom is packed. This is the day that they have been looking forward to for three years. And one man has dreaded it for just as long. Three years earlier, the family learned their daughter had been murdered. They went for two years without knowing who had destroyed their lives like this. Then - finally - someone was arrested and charged with the murder. Now the family would learn the verdict.

The family looked at the man across the courtroom. He had been dreading this day. He knew he had done it, and for a long time he thought he had gotten away with it. Then the police tracked him down. Now here he was - charged with murder. In just a few minutes, he would find out if he had really gotten away with it, or if he would spend the rest of his life in prison. The jury foreman stood up to read the verdict, and for everyone in the courtroom, three years of waiting were about to come to an end.

For one, it would be a day of relief and satisfaction. For the other, it would be a day of sorrow and agony. But for both, the day they knew was coming was finally here.

Judgment Day is coming. It seems like it is taking a long time to get here. When it arrives, for one group of people – Christians – it will be a day of joy and excitement. For the other group of people – unbelievers – it will be a day of wrath and mourning.

Verse one: Day of wrath, O day of mourning! See fulfilled the prophets’ warning: heav’n and earth in ashes burning.

God’s Old Testament prophets warned God’s people many times that Judgment Day would be coming. The heavens – another name for the sky and space – and all the earth will be burned up on that last, great day. Malachi is one of those prophets who foretold that this would happen. “Look! The day is coming, burning like a blast furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble. The day that is coming will set them on fire, says the Lord of Armies, a day that will not leave behind a root or branch for them” (Malachi 4:1).

Verse two: Death is struck and nature quaking; all creation is awaking, to its judge an answer making.

When Jesus returns on that last day, nature will be quaking because there will be destruction and fire upon the earth. St. Peter teaches, “The heavens and earth have been stored up for fire, since they are being kept until the day of judgment and the destruction of the ungodly” (2 Peter 3:7). God destroyed the earth once with water to cleanse the world of wickedness. This time, God will destroy the earth with fire to destroy the world of its wickedness and sin. He will remake it so that it is new and perfect forever.

Verse three: See, the book, exactly worded, wherein all has been recorded; thus shall judgment be awarded.

It seems like there will be two books that will be opened on Judgment Day in God’s heavenly courtroom. One book will only have the sins of the unbelievers recorded. I imagine that it will be a thick book. Those who rejected Jesus will have each of their sins read off – one by one. They will be awarded the just judgment for their sin and unbelief. The Bible also mentions the wonderful Book of Life. Jesus promises, “He who overcomes will be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels” (Revelation 3:5). The Book of Life is God’s family register where all the names of those who have been loved and chosen from all eternity are recorded. This Book of Life proves that no one and nothing can take us out of our heavenly Father’s hands. We are among God’s elect. When your name is written in this book, your salvation is secure.

Verse four: What shall I in awe be pleading, who for me be interceding when your mercy I am needing?

God’s courtroom would be terrifying if we had to defend ourselves all on our own. But Jesus Christ is there as our defense lawyer. He is pleading our case. Interceding with the judge on our behalf. St. Paul promises: “Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus, who died and, more than that, was raised to life, is the one who is at God’s right hand and who is also interceding for us” (Romans 8:34)!

Verse five: King of majesty tremendous, who such grace have freely sent us, fount of pity, then befriend us.

Judgment Day will be a day of wild extremes. Some people will be going to heaven through their faith in Jesus as their Savior. Some people will be going to hell because of their refusal to believe in Jesus as their Savior. The prophet Daniel reminds us: “Many who are sleeping in the dusty ground will awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame, to everlasting contempt” (Daniel 12:2). By the grace of King Jesus, we are not afraid of Judgment Day. We know “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).

Verse six: Think, good Jesus, my salvation caused your wondrous incarnation, made you suffer my damnation!

Jesus will judge the believers and unbelievers on the Last Day. Every wicked deed done and every good deed left undone will be recorded in one book. It will be opened and read on the Last Day. The Bible teaches about what is waiting the unbelievers whose names and works of unbelief are recorded and read on Judgment Day: “It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31). But for those who trust in Jesus, God covers their sins with the blood of his holy Son. God erases our sins and writes only our names in his Book of Life. The Lord promises: “I will forgive their guilt, and I will remember their sins no more” (Jeremiah 31:34).

Verse seven: On the cross your dying spared me; just and righteous you declared me; I await the joy prepared me.

Judgment Day will not mean disaster for everyone. It will be a great day for those with faith in Jesus. The Lord promises through his prophet: “For you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness will rise, and there will be healing in its wings. You will go out and jump around like calves from the stall” (Malachi 4:2). When we get to heaven, we won’t be sick with our sin anymore. Our spirit will feel good. We will want to kick and frolic like calves being released from their stalls for the first time in spring. We’ll be excited to be with Jesus in heaven!

Just like there are two groups of people who look at the judgment in a court case differently, so there are two groups of people who look at God’s Judgment Day differently. For those who refuse to believe in Jesus, it will be a day of wrath and mourning. For us who accept Jesus’ sacrifice and believe in him as our Savior from hell, the day of the Lord will bring life. That day will be the first day of our new life - our life free from sin, pain, trouble, sorrow, and death. Look forward to this Day.

CW 880 - For All the Saints

CW 880: For All the Saints  

The festival of All Saints’ Day has traditionally been celebrated by the church on November 1. All Saints’ Day has its roots in the ancient Christian Church as a day to remember the martyrs who gave their lives for their confession of faith. All Saints’ Day encourages us to look back in time and give thanks to God for the Christian saints and martyrs who have preceded us. In modern times we often use this day to remember all those saints who have been called home to heaven in the last year. The festival of All Saints reminds us that we too await that glorious day when we will be called home to heaven and receive our eternal reward. 

For all the Saints is a glorious hymn of praise that reminds us that our salvation is found in Christ alone. While we are alive in this world, we are part of the church militant. We face a constant struggle against the forces of Satan who wants to lead the whole world astray. When a Christian dies they are no longer a part of the church militant but become a part of the church triumphant. Our battle is ended, and we receive the glorious crown of eternal life that is ours through Christ Jesus our Lord. For All the Saints reminds us of this truth and comforts us as we remember all those who have died and received the crown of life. 

Verses 1-2: For all the saints who from their labors rest, who thee by faith before the world confessed, thy name, O Jesus, be forever blest. Alleluia! Alleluia! Thou wast their rock, their fortress, and their might; thou, Lord, their captain in the well-fought fight; thou, in the darkness drear, their one true light. Alleluia! Alleluia! 

Many people wrongly believe that a saint is someone who lived a perfect and virtuous life. Scripture reminds us that there is only one person who has ever been perfect, Jesus. All of us are by nature lost and condemned creatures who deserve only God’s wrath and punishment. The saints we sing about in this hymn are the believers who have died and now received their eternal rest and reward in heaven. As we remember those who have died in the Lord we remember the example of their faith. Their faith was not based on their works or their righteousness but was founded on the solid rock of Christ alone. 

Verses 3-4: Oh, may thy soldiers, faithful, true, and bold fight as the saints who nobly fought of old and win with them the victor’s crown of gold. Alleluia! Alleluia! Oh, blest communion, fellowship divine! We feebly struggle, they in glory shine; yet all are one in thee, for all are thine. Alleluia! Alleluia! 

While we live on this earth we fight a constant battle against the devil, the world, and our own sinful flesh. This battle has been raging since Adam and Eve fell into sin. All believers throughout the ages of this world have struggled against sin and temptation. On our own, we could never win, but God in his great mercy sent Jesus to be our champion and defeat the power of the devil. By his death and resurrection, Christ has destroyed the devil’s work. When we die, we receive the glory of heaven and are freed from the power of sin and death. As we continue in our struggle, we look forward to the day we can join those who have gone before and dwell in the glory of the Lord. 

Verses 5-6: And when the fight is fierce, the warfare long, steals on the ear the distant triumph-song, and hearts are brave again and arms are strong. Alleluia! Alleluia! The golden evening brightens in the west; soon, soon, to faithful warriors cometh rest; sweet is the calm of paradise the blest. Alleluia! Alleluia! 

As Christians we long for the day when we will be united with our Lord in the never-ending joy of heaven. We grow weary in our struggles in this world. The festival of All Saints reminds us that there is an end to our struggle. We look forward with joy and longing to the day of our Lord’s return. Heaven is a glorious rest from the pain and sorrow of this world. In heaven, we will know peace and joy as we dwell in the eternal light and love of our Lord. 

Verses 7-8: But, lo, there breaks a yet more glorious day: the saints triumphant rise in bright array; the King of glory passes on his way. Alleluia! Alleluia! From earth’s wide bounds, from ocean’s farthest coast, through gates of pearl streams in the countless host, singing to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Alleluia! Alleluia! 

At times it can feel like we are all alone in our struggle. For all the Saints reminds us that we are part of a countless host of believers. On the Last Day, our Lord will return in all his glory, and we will join the triumphant host as we stream through the gates of heaven. On that Last Day, the church militant will no longer exist. We will all be part of the church triumphant. The struggle will be complete, and we will dwell forever in the glory of the new heavens and the new earth.

For all the Saints is a wonderful reminder of the connection we have to those who have fallen asleep in the Lord. Death is a terrible thing and was never part of God’s plan for creation. Death separates us from those that we love. But that separation will not last. As Christians we know that death is not the end for us, but just the beginning of our eternal life with the Lord. As we think about those who have fallen asleep in the Lord, we rejoice in the crown of salvation that they have now received and we look forward to that great day when we will be united with all the saints at the wedding supper of the Lamb. 

CW 866 - If God Had Not Been on Our Side

Our hymn for our devotion this week is hymn 866 If God Had Not Been On Our Side

This coming weekend, many Lutheran churches across America and across the world will be celebrating Reformation Sunday. This festival in the church year is a celebration of the work that Martin Luther and the rest of the Lutheran reformers did over 500 years ago by bringing law and gospel back into the Christian church.

A common misconception is that this Sudnay is “Martin Luther Sunday.” We mention him by name in our prayers and sermons. We sing his hymns in our worship services. We call ourselves Lutheran because of him. But Luther hated the idea of his followers being called “Lutherans” (at least at first.) Rather, he preferred those who were a part of the Reformation to call themselves evangelicals (because they preached the gospel) or simply Christians. We don’t worship Luther, or give him more credit than he’s due. We simply acknowledge the work God did through him and the other reformers by bringing the life-giving gospel back into our churches.

One amazing example of how Luther brought the gospel back into the church was with his hymns. No Reformation Sunday is complete without singing “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” or “Lord Keep Us Steadfast In Your Word.” But there are many other beloved hymns that Luther wrote over his career. The hymn for our consideration is one such example. It’s a paraphrase of Psalm 124, a song of thanksgiving for God’s protecting hand.

Verse 1: “If God had not been on our side and had not come to aid us, our foes with all their pow’r and pride would surely have dismayed us, for we, his flock, would have to fear the devil’s wolves, both far and near, who rise in might against us.”

Sometimes as Christians, it can feel like we’re surrounded. The devil prowls around like a roaring lion, looking to devour us. He erodes faith through a constant stream of doubts and questions throughout the day and throughout our lives. He will never stop hunting us and seeking to undermine our faith. As if that wasn’t bad enough, we also live in a sinful world that hates and rejects the message of Christ. Jesus told us to be prepared to be hated by the world because it hated him first. At best, we can expect indifference to the life-changing gospel. But a time may come when the gospel message won’t just be ignored, but it will be stifled and repressed. And perhaps worst of all, even though we’ve got the devil and the world out to get us, our own sinful nature is constantly warring against the gospel message in our hearts and minds. Every day it’s a struggle to lead a God-pleasing life. Yes, our foes are certainly powerful, and they are seeking to dismay us. But we have God on our side! These enemies rise against us every day, but we don’t have to fear them because God will fight for us. He daily pours out his Holy Spirit on his people. That Holy Spirit works through the means of grace, the gospel in word and sacrament to increase our love and strengthen our faith. We have nothing to fear.

Verse 2: “Their furious wrath, did God permit, would surely have consumed us and as a deep and yawning pit with life and limb entombed us. A hellish storm would o’er us roll from Satan, who desires our soul and seeks to overwhelm us.”

Around this time of year, people love watching and talking about football. For fans of both college and professional football, every weekend there are dozens of games that can be found on a number of television networks. Sometimes in those games, the matchup between teams is very one-sided. It’s not unheard of to see scores like 49-6, or 21-0 even before the game is finished. Sometimes announcers will talk about how teams get “eaten alive” by the other team, or they’re “dead and buried.” The odds are simply too great to overcome. The other team is simply too good. Player morale is too low to make a comeback. It’s those kinds of situations that we on this earth would be facing if we didn’t have God on our side. The foes that face us are simply too powerful for us sinful human beings to overcome. If God allowed it, we’d be eaten alive by that roaring lion, or we’d be dead and buried because of a sinful world and our own sinful flesh. Our enemy wants us completely defeated and hopeless without a chance for a comeback. But that’s why Jesus came to give us the victory. God did not permit our foes to overwhelm us. Rather he overwhelmed them by sending his only begotten son to die for us and rise again. Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Verse 3: “Blest be the Lord, who foiled their threat that they could not devour us. Our souls, like birds, escaped their net; they could not overpow’r us. The snare is broken—we are free! Our helper and our strength is he who made the earth and heavens.”

There’s something so encouraging about watching people rescue helpless animals who are trapped and in need of assistance. Whether it’s a sick-looking cat or dog found on the side of the road, or an owl or hawk trapped in a soccer net, or a cow or a sheep trapped in a farmer’s fence, it’s so gratifying to see an animal escape being trapped and being released back to freedom. It’s that picture of a helpless animal that’s trapped and in need of assistance that King David used in Psalm 124, and the picture that Luther used in his final verse of his hymn. Just like those animals who were trapped with no way out, our souls were trapped in our ways and sin. Without assistance, we were destined to die without any hope of saving ourselves. This was the plan of Satan, who first led us into sin. But God foiled his plans! Jesus came and crushed satan’s head, and freed us from sin forever. The same God who made the earth and heavens became a helpless baby, lived like us, and died for us so that we might rise again. The same God who set the stars in place and raised mountains from the ground is our helper and our strength in times of trouble. That gospel truth is what frees us to lead lives of faith, free from the cares of the world and the guilt of our sins. It frees us to live as Christians and rejoice in the gospel day after day.

When looking back on his career as a reformer, Luther said “I simply taught, preached, and wrote God’s Word; otherwise I did nothing… the Word did everything.” God’s Word is powerful and effective. It’s like a hammer that breaks rock. It is sharper than any two-edged sword. It is the mighty rock upon which we build, and the sword that breaks our chains and frees us to go and lead lives of faith. That is what we celebrate on the Reformation, and every day when we live our lives as Christians liberated by the Word. We are saved by grace alone through faith alone taught in scripture alone on account of Christ alone. It is Christ alone who frees us. He is on our side, still fighting for us and forgiving us day after day. It is Christ alone who promises to bring us at last to the joys of heaven. It is Christ alone we celebrate on Reformation, and no one else. Glory to God alone for his forgiveness found in Christ alone! Amen.

CW 540 - O Jesus So Sweet, O Jesus So Mild

CW 540 O Jesus So Sweet, O Jesus So Mild

It isn’t surprising that this hymn is sometimes sung at Christmas since it emphasizes Jesus becoming a child. The original German title – O Jesulein süss – makes that clear. Translated literally, it means: “O sweet little Jesus.” Doesn’t that immediately make you think of Jesus as a baby? The description of Jesus as sweet and mild are words that we often associate with the babies we raise.

While this hymn pictures Jesus as a small child, it also declares that Jesus completed the work he came to do which benefits each one of us.

Stanza 1: O Jesus so sweet, O Jesus so mild, for sinners you became a child. You came from heaven to fulfill your Father’s just and holy will, O Jesus so sweet, O Jesus so mild.

It doesn’t take long to realize that the innocent looking baby in our arms is not always sweet and is not always mild-mannered. The baby in our arms is a sinner like you and me. The baby, like us, needs a Savior. It is the sweet and mild Jesus who takes on that role for us.

And it was God’s will for Jesus to take on human flesh and blood and come into this world. Jesus willingly and obediently followed his Father’s will. In German, the word translated mild can also have the idea behind it of being charitable. Doesn’t that help describe Jesus’ attitude toward us? The Apostles Paul wrote these words in his first letter to Pastor Timothy (1:15): “This saying is trustworthy and worthy of full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners,” of whom I am the worst.” Thank God that Jesus is mild toward us!

Stanza 2: O Jesus so sweet, O Jesus so mild, with God we now are reconciled. You have for all the ransom paid, your Father’s righteous anger stayed, O Jesus so sweet, O Jesus so mild.

Our relationships with people are often fractured. Sometimes we can resolve those things on our own. Sometimes we need a professional to help mediate.

Because of sin, our relationship with God was completely broken. It is not within our capability to make that relationship whole. It was, however, within God’s capability to fix it. So, he sent a professional: “For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time.” (1 Timothy 2:5-6) Jesus paid the ransom for us with his holy precious blood and with his innocent sufferings and death. O Jesus so sweet, O Jesus so mild!

Stanza 3: O Jesus so sweet, O Jesus so mild, joy fills the world which sin defiled. Whate’er we have belongs to you, O keep us faithful, strong, and true, O Jesus so sweet, O Jesus so mild.

What hasn’t sin touched? Paul says: “For we know that all of creation is groaning with birth pains right up to the present time.” (Romans 8:22) Because sin affects all of God’s creation, it affects us and everything that we do. It even affects our moods and our attitudes.

But because of Jesus, there is joy in the world. True joy. Lasting joy. Joy that is rooted in substance. This is not a manufactured joy, but one that comes naturally from believing hearts.

The second to last phrase of this verse is a petition to Jesus: “O keep us faithful, strong, and true.” Being faithful, strong, and true is not an easy task. It means following the example of Jesus and being ready to sacrifice. Not to win Jesus’ love, but because Jesus loves us.

We may look at a baby and say “Isn’t she sweet.” Isn’t that really a commentary on how precious that child is? How much more true is that of Jesus?! There is no one more precious to us than Jesus. There can be no one more precious to us than Jesus. In his grace, he showed his love for us, mercifully making us his own. May we live for our sweet Jesus!

CW 560 - Your Works, Not Mine, O Christ

CW 560 - Your Works, Not Mine, O Christ

One of my biggest fears is to be trapped. Not just trapped so I can’t get out. But trapped so I can’t even move. Trapped under an avalanche of snow. Trapped under a cave-in of rocks. Trapped under a pile-up of vehicles on the freeway. There is a huge weight pressing down on me. And I can’t move! Terrifying!

The law of God is like that weight. We are hopeless to move under it. God’s laws weigh us down, crushing us under the burden of all the perfection God’s demands of us. “No one will be declared righteous in [God’s] sight by works of the law, for through the law we become aware of sin … because all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:20, 23).

The relief comes through Jesus Christ. He takes the unmovable weight and moves it off us through his sacrifice on the cross and his resurrection from the grave. “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Our Hymn of the Day, “Your Works, Not Mine, O Christ,” speaks of this weight that is taken from us by Jesus Christ.

Verse one: Your works, not mine, O Christ, speak gladness to this heart; they tell me all is done, they bid my fear depart. (Refrain) To whom but you, who can alone for sin atone, Lord, shall I f lee?

We die and are damned if we attempted to be saved by our good works. It is the works of Jesus Christ that only save us. His work of being born in our place. His work of living perfectly for us. His work of paying for our sins. His work of dying our death. His work of rising from the grave. These works alone atone for our sins and make us “at one” with our holy God.

Verse two: Your blood, not mine, O Christ, can heal my sinful soul; your wounds, not mine, contain the balm that makes me whole. (Refrain)

The Bible teaches that “without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22). God demanded blood as payment for sin. That’s why there were so many bulls, sheep, and goats sacrificed to the Lord in the Old Testament. But the Bible also teaches that “the blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sins” (Hebrews 10:4). All that blood shed upon the Old Testament altars pointed ahead to the blood of Jesus Christ – a lamb without blemish or defect – that only cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:7).

Verse three: Your cross, not mine, O Christ, has borne the dreadful load of sins that none could bear but the incarnate God. (Refrain)

The load of our sins is a crushing weight upon us. The Bible says, “God erased the record of our debt brought against us by his legal demands. This record stood against us, but he took it away by nailing it to the cross” (Colossians 2:14). We cannot begin to bear the dreadful load of sins. The only One who could bear this weight is the Son of God in human flesh, our incarnate Christ.

Verse four: Your death, not mine, O Christ, has paid the ransom due; ten thousand deaths like mine would have been all too few. (Refrain)

The devil trapped us. He was holding us ransom. We could try to pay that ransom price on our own ten thousand times, and nothing would work. Only the death of the Son of God is the acceptable ransom price. Jesus said of himself, “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). Now we are free to go. Now we are free to live.

Verse five: Your righteousness, O Christ, alone can cover me; no other righteousness can set a sinner free. (Refrain)

The Bible teaches, “All our righteous acts are like a filthy cloth” (Isaiah 64:6). Even our best attempts at righteousness are tainted by sinful motives (Romans 8:7-11), but in Christ we are clothed in his perfect righteousness. The Bible also teaches, “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. Indeed, as many of you as were baptized into Christ have been clothed with Christ. (Galatians 3:26-27). Only the righteousness of Christ can clothe us. Only the righteousness of Christ can set us free. As we sing in the refrain, “To whom but you, who can alone for sin atone, Lord, shall I flee?”

The weight of sin buries us. Christ takes that weight off us and places it upon himself. That is why we can sing, “Your works, not mine, O Christ, speak gladness to this heart; they tell me all is done, they bid my fear depart.”

CW 760 Oh, Blest the House

CW 760: Oh, Blest the House 

Family is a gift from God and was part of his perfect design for this world. At Creation, God created all of the animals: male and female. He then tasked Adam to name all of the animals and as Adam was doing this, he noticed that there was not a helper suitable for him. God was pleased with Adam’s reasoning and created for him a wife. God intended marriage to be a life-long union between one man and one woman. God’s plan was for this couple to be united as one flesh and have children who they would then instruct in the knowledge of the Lord. 

This was God’s perfect plan, but when Adam and Eve fell into sin, they corrupted all of creation including God’s institutions of marriage and family. Satan is constantly seeking to undermine the family. We see the institutions of marriage and family under constant assault in our world today. In our readings for the Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost, we give thanks to God for our families. We stand convicted by his law that we have not always been faithful in our callings as husbands, wives, or children. We give thanks that our Savior gathers us in his arms as dearly beloved children and forgives all our sins. Oh, Blest the House reminds us of the amazing blessing of a Christian home that is centered and gathered around the Word of God. 

Verse 1: Oh, blest the house, whate’er befall, where Jesus Christ is all in all! A home that is not wholly his—how sad and poor and dark it is! 

Jesus Christ is the light of the world. His amazing love motivates us to show love to others. This is true in our families as well. The Word of God should be the center of our family lives. We should strive to gather together around the Word of God in devotion and prayer. We should go to church and worship together as a family. It is only by being reminded of the amazing forgiveness that Christ has shown us that we can show love and forgiveness in our own families. 

Verse 2: Oh, blest that house where faith is found and all in hope and love abound; they trust their God and serve him still and do in all his holy will. 

A Christian house is a wonderful blessing from God! One of the most solemn duties we have as parents is to raise our children in the Christian faith. We do this by teaching our children the truths of God’s Word. We do this by modeling Christian behavior in our words and actions. We forgive our children when they sin against us, and we ask for their forgiveness when we sin against them. We make church and the reading of God’s Word a regular part of our family life. All of these things are good and pleasing to our Heavenly Father. 

Verse 3: Oh, blest the parents who give heed unto their children’s foremost need and weary not of care or cost. May none to them and heav’n be lost! 

No one ever said raising children was going to be easy. This verse reminds us that there are many costs and struggles associated with raising children. By nature, we are all selfish and want to put our own needs first. It can be a struggle when we need to make decisions that put our child's needs before our own. When we face those difficult decisions, we can look to the example of our dear Savior. He did not consider the cost when he offered his own life to save us. As parents, we want what is best for our children. As Christian parents, we mirror the selfless love of our Savior and put the needs of our children first. We also remember that the greatest need of our children is not sports or having the newest and best toys. The greatest need our children have is to regularly hear the Word of God. 

Verse 4: Blest such a house, it prospers well; in peace and joy the parents dwell, and in their children’s lives is shown how richly God can bless his own. 

In Ephesians 6 the Apostle Paul gives godly advice for parents and children. Paul writes, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother,’ which is the first commandment with a promise: ‘that it may go well with you and that you may live a long life on the earth.’ Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” Unfortunately, because we are sinners, we do not follow these commands of God well. In fact, as both parents and children, we sin against God and each other all the time. This is why we need to return to the cross of Christ again and again. It is only there that we receive the certainty that our sins are forgiven. It is there that we see the love of Christ and offer forgiveness to one another. 

Verse 5: Then here will I and mine today a solemn promise make and say: though all the world forsake his Word, I and my house will serve the Lord! 

The final verse of our hymn echoes the words of Joshua 24:15, “But as for me and my household—we will serve the Lord!” We are under constant assault by Satan, the world, and our own sinful flesh. Families that are rooted in the Word of God and regularly attend worship are a bastion against these assaults. Fathers and mothers have a solemn obligation to raise their children in the Word of God.  

Oh, Blest the House reminds us of the amazing blessing that God has given us in our families. Children are a gift from God. God wants us to raise our children in the training and instruction of the Lord. He emphasizes this in Deuteronomy 6, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.” Let us make the most of the amazing blessing of our families as we read and study God’s Word together. 

CW 499, Christ, the Lord of Hosts, Unshaken.

Our hymn for our devotion this week is hymn 499, Christ, the Lord of Hosts, Unshaken.

Battles are terrifying things to think about. The sheer scale of death and destruction that they unleash is terrible to consider. So why do we spend an entire Sunday focusing on a battle? Because that’s what this coming Sunday is all about: the Festival of St. Michael and All Angels. This festival in the church year focuses our attention on the great battle that took place between the angels of God at the beginning of the world, and the battle that will take place again at the end of time when Christ comes again in his glory. But as we clearly see in the hymn, we don’t need to fear this battle or the outcome, for Christ’s victory is already established!

Verse 1: Christ, the Lord of hosts, unshaken by the devil’s seething rage, thwarts the plan of Satan’s minions, wins the strife from age to age; conquers sin and death forever, slams them in their steely cage.

Satan is a terrible enemy. The Bible describes him as a Lion as he prowls around seeking to destroy us. Satan is our sworn enemy, and he has perfected how to trap and ensnare us in our ways and sin. Christ is the answer to our dread enemy. Satan holds no power over him! Just like a skilled lion tamer at a circus can easily handle a ferocious lion, so too Jesus takes hold of Satan and slams him and his evil minions into an impenetrable cage.

Verse 2: Michael fought the heav’nly battle, godly angels by his side; warred against the ancient serpent, foiled the beast, so full of pride, cast him earthbound with his angels; now he prowls, unsatisfied.

At different times in ancient history, two armies would at times choose a champion or a group of champions to fight a battle instead of using the whole army to fight. This one champion would represent the army he fought for, and if he won it would spare the lives of many others. In the first battle of heaven, Michael was the champion who fought on behalf of the faithful angels. He led the charge against Satan and his rebellion, throwing him down to earth and to his impending judgment. But even though he was defeated, Satan still prowls! That’s why we still need and give thanks for angel warriors like Michael who fight for us today.

Verse 3: Long on earth the battle rages, since the serpent’s first deceit twisted God’s command to Adam, made forbidden fruit look sweet. Then the curse of God was spoken: “You’ll lie crushed beneath his feet!”

No matter how soundly evil is defeated, it never stays dead for long. It finds ways to creep back into the world through different forms and means. That’s exactly what Satan accomplished when he came to Adam and Eve in the form of a serpent. He couldn’t overthrow the Lord Almighty through force, so he used more subversive means. Through his treachery, mankind fell into sin. But even then, when Satan had successfully tempted mankind to their own destruction, his own destruction was foretold. His victory wouldn’t last! The son of man would come and crush his head once and for all.

Verse 4: Jesus came, this word fulfilling, trampled Satan, death defied; bore the brunt of our temptation, on the wretched tree he died. Yet to life was raised victorious, by his life our life supplied.

While the church festival is called “St. Michael and All Angels” the festival is really about Jesus and his victory over Satan. Michael is just a champion of the greater power: Jesus who is King of kings and Lord of lords. It was his sacrifice on the cross that truly defeated satan once and for all. And it was that sacrifice that gave us life! And not just life on earth, but eternal life in heaven as well. Death was defeated! Life is given to all who believe. Jesus took Satan’s greatest weapon, death, and turned it against him. Christ’s victory over death proves that Satan is completely powerless. The one weapon he had has been taken away! This lion’s teeth and claws are gone. All he can do now is snarl.

Verse 5: Swift as lightning falls the tyrant from his heav’nly perch on high, as the word of Jesus’ vict’ry floods the earth and fills the sky. Wounded by a wound eternal now his judgment has drawn nigh!

Sometimes after a definitive battle is fought and a nation is defeated, it will take weeks or even months before all the enemy troops have stopped fighting. Satan’s defeat wasn’t like that at all. The second the tomb door was broken open by the victorious Christ, satan was immediately defeated and disarmed once and for all. As quick as a lightning bolt, Jesus’ victory covered all sins past, present, and future. The crushing wound to Satan’s head will never heal. His defeat will never be changed. And as a result, when the end comes and all the living and dead will be judged after the last battle, we have nothing to fear.

Verse 6: Jesus, send your angel legions when the foe would us enslave. Hold us fast when sin assaults us; come then, Lord, your people save. Overthrow at last the dragon; send him to his fiery grave.

Even though Satan is defeated, he and his evil angels are still all around us. Just because he will ultimately lose doesn’t mean he can’t score a few wins against us in the meantime. Many Christians have fallen away and will continue to fall away. The love of many will grow cold. The world will continue to hate Christ and his followers, and our sinful natures will still resist and despise the Word of God every day. We will ultimately win, but we need help in the meantime! That’s why we need to cling more tightly to our victorious Savior and to his Word. And he, in turn, will continue to send out the angels to guard and protect us night and day. Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! And thanks be to the mighty hosts of heaven, whose sleepless eyes protect us from foes seen and unseen night and day.

The battle of heaven is over. The battle for Earth has begun and still rages on to this day. Wars cannot be won by a force as weak and outnumbered as we Christians are on earth. That’s where St. Michael the Archangel and his legions of angels come in. Commanded by the lamb who was slain and who lives again, these angels have fought and will fight for us as long as Christ’s church remains on earth. So let us give thanks for these angels. And let us rejoice and celebrate the victory that our savior has won for us now and always. Amen.

CW 767 – Lord of Glory, You Have Bought Us

CW 767 – Lord of Glory, You Have Bought Us

This week’s Gospel lesson mentions an argument Jesus’ disciples were having among themselves. What were they arguing about? Sheepishly they told Jesus that their argument was about who the greatest was among the Twelve.

Whatever they were arguing about, one thing was clear. Their pride and selfishness were clouding their understanding of what true greatness is all about. This hymn reminds us that the accolades belong to the Lord of Glory. We in turn, want to reflect his tremendous sacrificial attitude and action toward us.

Stanza 1: Lord of glory, you have bought us with your lifeblood as the price, never grudging for the lost ones that tremendous sacrifice; and with that have freely given blessings countless as the sand to th’‿unthankful and the evil with your own unsparing hand.

When Jesus came to earth, many people wanted to prop him up as an earthly king. But Jesus’ glory was in his suffering. Jesus came to earth not be served, but rather to serve and to give up his life as a ransom for many. His own blood was the cost he paid to redeem us. To buy us back from certain death and destruction and instead to make us his own, giving us countless blessings.

What makes this so eye-opening? The Apostle Paul wrote: “It is rare indeed that someone will die for a righteous person. Perhaps someone might actually go so far as to die for a person who has been good to him.” (Romans 5:7) What makes Jesus’ sacrifice so tremendous is that he died for people who either regularly forget to thank him or who will never thank him. He died for the worst of the worst. And he didn’t need to be coerced. He did it 100% willingly.

Stanza 2: Grant us hearts, dear Lord, to give you gladly, freely, of your own. With the sunshine of your goodness melt our thankless hearts of stone till our cold and selfish natures, warmed by you, at length believe that more happy and more blessèd ’tis to give than to receive.

Do you like to give? By nature, aren’t we all like the selfish toddler who screams “That’s mine!” Each Christian is God’s workmanship. We are his pet project which he continues to work on. In this verse we recognize that fact and we pray that the Lord would work on our hearts to lead us to willingly give back some of that which he gave us.

It has happened on occasion that my wife will hand me something and say: “Here, you can give this to me for Christmas.” When Christmas comes, I wrap it up and give it to her. Isn’t that really what the Lord is doing for us? He hands us a load of gifts and he says: “Now remember to give some of this back to me.” Not all of it, but some of it. Our prayer is that God turns our selfish attitudes into hearts that understand that it is more blessed to give than to receive.

Stanza 3: Wondrous honor you have given to our humblest charity in your own mysterious sentence, “You have done it all for me.” Can it be, O gracious Master, that you need what we can do, saying by your poor and needy, “Give as I have giv’n to you”?

Have you ever found yourself lacking something and too proud to ask someone for help? “I don’t want to be a charity case” you say. And yet, we are all charity cases in one sense. Jesus did it all for me. He lived for us. He died for us. He makes us alive in him. He gives us spiritual riches beyond compare. And he gives us money and material possessions.

In response to our giving God, we are to look out for the needs of others. The writer to the Hebrews reminds us: “And do not forget to do good and share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” Keep your eyes open to those around you. Who is it that needs your help?

Stanza 4: Lord of glory, you have bought us with your lifeblood as the price, never grudging for the lost ones that tremendous sacrifice. Give us faith to trust you boldly, hope, to stay our souls on you; but, oh, best of all your graces, with your love our love renew.

The author of this hymn, Eliza S. Alderson asked her brother, John Bacchus Dykes, to compose the music for these stanzas. He agreed to it and then added this stanza. It is interesting that the first half is simply a repetition of the opening lines of the hymn. Those lines are pure gospel and they are worth repeating!

Dykes then concludes this stanza with petitions based on 1 Corinthians 13:13 “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” May we be continually filled with the love of Jesus so that we are moved to express that love toward others.

When the Twelve were arguing about who the greatest among them was, Jesus responded by putting a child in front of them and embraced that child, saying: “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me. And whoever welcomes me, welcomes not just me but also him who sent me.” In response to Jesus’ love, there is no service that is beneath us. May we freely give of ourselves and of what we in service to others and in honor of the Lord of glory.

CW 517 - Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness

CW 517 - Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness

This Sunday’s Hymn of the Day is “Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness.” The author, Howard M. Edwards III, wrote of the text of this hymn, “It is astounding how much Jesus did in such a brief earthly ministry, yet more astounding is how God’s blessing and saving acts continue on through Christ. How can we do other than to praise this Light in the darkness” (Christian Worship Handbook, p. 371)?

For our devotion, we’ll hear the hymn verses, then we’ll hear Bible verses of what Jesus did to break the darkness of sin and death in our world. These astounding acts of power and mercy are the reasons we praise him.

Verse one: Praise the one who breaks the darkness with a liberating light; praise the one who frees the pris’ners, turning blindness into sight. Praise the one who preached the gospel, healing ev’ry dread disease, calming storms and feeding thousands with the Father’s word of peace.

Praise the one who breaks the darkness with a liberating light. Jesus said of himself, “I am the Light of the World. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).

Praise the one who frees the pris’ners, turning blindness into sight. Jesus says he is the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:18-19).

Praise the one who preached the gospel, healing ev’ry dread disease, calming storms and feeding thousands with the Father’s word of peace. Matthew writes, “Jesus traveled throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness among the people” (Matthew 4:23). Mark writes, “Jesus got up [from the boat], rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” The wind stopped, and there was a great calm” (Mark 4:39). Matthew writes, “Jesus broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples. The disciples gave the food to the people. Those who ate were about five thousand men, not even counting women and children” (Matthew 14:19, 21).

Verse two: Praise the one who blessed the children with a strong, yet gentle, word; praise the one who drove out demons with the piercing, two-edged sword. Praise the one who brings cool water to the desert’s burning sand; from this well comes living water, quenching thirst in ev’ry land.

Praise the one who blessed the children with a strong, yet gentle, word. Mark writes, “[Jesus] took the little children in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them” (Mark 10:16).

Praise the one who drove out demons with the piercing, two-edged sword. We hear about Jesus healing a demon-possessed boy in this Sunday’s Gospel lesson. Mark writes, “When Jesus saw that a crowd was quickly gathering, he rebuked the unclean spirit [of the boy]. ‘You mute and deaf spirit,’ he said, ‘I command you to come out of him and never enter him again!’ The spirit screamed, shook the boy violently, and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many of them said, ‘He's dead!’ But Jesus took him by the hand, raised him up, and he stood up” (Mark 9:25-27). The Bible teaches about God’s Word being like a double-edged sword: “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword. It penetrates even to the point of dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow, even being able to judge the ideas and thoughts of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

Praise the one who brings cool water to the desert’s burning sand; from this well comes living water, quenching thirst in ev’ry land. Jesus is the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy, “Waters will flow in the wilderness, and streams in the wasteland. The burning sand will become a pool, and in the thirsty ground there will be springs of water” (Isaiah 35:6-7).

Verse three: Let us praise the Word incarnate, Christ, who suffered in our place; Jesus died and rose victorious that we may know God by grace. Let us sing for joy and gladness, seeing what our God has done; let us praise the true Redeemer, praise the one who makes us one.

Let us praise the Word incarnate, Christ, who suffered in our place. The word “incarnate” means God in human flesh. Jesus is the Word of God in human flesh and blood. John writes, “The Word became flesh and dwelled among us. We have seen his glory, the glory he has as the only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).

Jesus died and rose victorious that we may know God by grace. St. Paul writes about Christ’s death and resurrection, “This saying is trustworthy and worthy of full acceptance: ‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners,’ of whom I am the worst. But I was shown mercy for this reason: that in me, the worst sinner, Christ Jesus might demonstrate his unlimited patience as an example for those who are going to believe in him, resulting in eternal life” (1 Timothy 1:15-16).

Let us sing for joy and gladness, seeing what our God has done; let us praise the true Redeemer, praise the one who makes us one. We join St. Paul in praising Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer for all he has done to save us, “Now to the King eternal, to the immortal, invisible, only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen” (1 Timothy 1:17).

CW 769 Your Hand O Lord in Days of Old

CW 769: Your Hand, O Lord, in Days of Old 

The Scripture readings for the Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost focus on the truth that our Lord is the Great Physician who gives health and healing to his people. Sickness, disease, and suffering are all part of life on this earth, but they were never part of God’s plan for us. Sickness and disease are consequences of sin. When Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil they disobeyed God’s command and brought sin into this world. All creation suffers and groans under the curse of sin. Because of sin, our bodies don’t function in the perfect way that God intended. We know what it is like to feel pain. We get sick and hurt and as we age our bodies gradually break down.

None of this is according to God’s plan. God wanted us to live forever in the perfection of a sinless world. When Adam and Eve sinned, he could have destroyed this world and started over. Instead, he promised to send a Savior who would rescue humanity from the curse of sin. God loved us so much that he fulfilled this promise by sending his one and only Son, Jesus Christ, into this world to suffer and die for the sins of the world. God continues to show love and compassion to us by caring for our physical needs as well. When we pray, “Give us this day our daily bread,” we are asking God to take care of our physical needs. This includes the health of our bodies. We pray to God in times of sickness to give us health and healing. God promises to be with us every day of our lives and give us healing and comfort. Sometimes this healing is granted in the life, and sometimes God grants healing in the eternity of heaven where there is no more sickness or pain. 

Verse 1: Your hand, O Lord, in days of old was strong to heal and save; it triumphed over pain and death, o’er darkness and the grave. To you they came, the blind, the mute, the paralyzed and lame, the lepers in their misery, the sick with fevered frame.

The Old Testament is full of God’s promises about the Messiah. One of these promises is that the Messiah would heal the sick and give sight to the blind. Isaiah 35:5-6 promises, “Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf will be unplugged. The crippled will leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute will sing for joy.” This is exactly what Jesus did during his earthly ministry. He healed the sick and gave sight to the blind. Jesus showed perfect love and compassion to those who needed his love and care. Our hymn this week reminds us of Jesus’s perfect love and compassion. In the same way, our Savior continues to watch over us when we are afflicted with pain and disease. During these times of trial, we can cling to the love and promises of our compassionate Savior.

Verse 2: Your touch then, Lord, brought life and health, gave speech and strength and sight; and youth renewed and frenzy calmed revealed you, Lord of light. And now, O Lord, be near to bless, almighty as before, in crowded street, by beds of pain, as by Gennes’ret’s shore.

Our Gospel this week from Mark chapter 7 tells us of one instance when Jesus restored the hearing of a deaf man. As Jesus went from town to town in the region of Galilee large crowds of people followed him hoping that he would touch them and heal them. Jesus willingly healed these people, but this was not his only goal. He used these occasions to teach the people about the kingdom of God. Jesus healed the sick to fulfill the promises of God and to show mercy and compassion to those who desperately needed it. But this was not the main reason that Jesus came to this world. Jesus came to fulfill a far greater purpose. He came to remove the sickness of sin. By his death on the cross, Jesus removed the curse of sin. He washed us with his holy precious blood and restored our status as beloved children of God. By faith in him, we are healed of our sins and given the certainty of eternity in heaven with our Lord.

Verse 3: O be our great deliv’rer still, the Lord of life and death; restore and quicken, soothe and bless, with your life-giving breath. To hands that work and eyes that see give wisdom’s healing pow’r that whole and sick and weak and strong may praise you evermore.

When we are sick or hurt, we can be tempted to feel that God has forgotten us. We may even be tempted to believe that God is punishing us for our sins. Neither of these things is true. God is with us every day of our lives. He is watching over us and protecting us. God does not punish us for our sins because he punished Christ on the cross. Our sins have been fully forgiven by the blood of Jesus. In our times of sickness, we cling to the promises of God knowing that he will watch over us. We take comfort in knowing that the burdens of this life are temporary and that the glory of eternal life in heaven waits for those who trust in Christ.

Your Hand, O Lord, in Days of Old, is a beautiful hymn that reminds us of the love and compassion of our God. Christ showed love and compassion to countless people as he healed and comforted them during his earthly ministry. Jesus continues to watch over us when we suffer from sickness and disease. God has given us the blessings of doctors and modern medicines that offer comfort and relief. When we face times of sickness we cling to the promises of God and know that he is always by our side. Just as Christ healed the sick according to his will, we know that God will give us healing if it is his will. Sickness and suffering help us to put our trust in God and remember that he is the one who grants healing and comfort.

CW 740 O God My Faithful God

Our hymn for this week’s hymn devotion is hymn 740: O God, My Faithful God

In the Gospel lesson appointed for this coming Sunday, the Pharisees confront Jesus about his disciples. The Pharisees were upset that Jesus allowed his disciples to eat with “unclean hands.” This was a rabbinic tradition that developed among the Jews, and wasn’t a necessary part of God’s law for his people. This allows Jesus to speak about something far more important than ceremonial cleanliness: why we obey God’s commands in the first place. Quoting the prophet Isaiah, Jesus says: “These people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. They worship me in vain, teaching human rules as if they were doctrines.” Jesus doesn’t want followers who blindly do what he asks but don’t care why. Jesus wants dedicated followers who serve him out of love, not anything else!

The hymn we’re focusing on this week helps us remember to do God’s will out of joy, not out of fear because we’re forced to. Each stanza of the hymn focuses on ways we glorify God: our thoughts, our words, and our actions. As we look at each hymn stanza, we’ll be reminded how we need God to bless our efforts if they are to succeed.

Verse 1: O God, my faithful God, O Fountain ever flowing, who good and perfect gifts in mercy are bestowing, give me a healthy frame, and may I have within a conscience free from blame, a soul unhurt by sin.

At Yellowstone National Park, there’s a geyser named “Old Faithful.” It earned its name because out of the hundreds of geysers in Yellowstone, Old Faithful consistently erupts every 60 to 90 minutes, depending on how long the last eruption was. Ever since the area was first surveyed in the late 1800s, the geyser has been erupting on a consistent schedule year after year. That’s pretty cool given the random nature of geysers! But God’s faithfulness is more incredible than even that amazing natural phenomenon. Even though we’re sinful and don’t deserve God’s faithfulness, he shows it to us day after day. With that faithfulness comes many gifts, like a healthy frame of mind. Each of us has been washed and redeemed through Jesus’ death and resurrection. Because of that, our consciences can trouble us no longer, and our souls are freed from satan’s accusations and the penalty of death. It’s in this forgiveness and new life that we ask for the strength to do God’s will, which is what the next verse is about. 

Verse 2: Grant me the strength to do with ready heart and willing whatever you command, my calling here fulfilling, that I do what I should while trusting you to bless the outcome for my good, for you must give success.

Sometimes as Christians, we will be called to do things we don’t want to do. Maybe it’s letting go of a pet sin that we’re especially fond of. Maybe it’s dealing with rejection or ridicule from the people of this world. Or maybe it’ll be preaching the gospel to people who don’t want to hear it. These situations will be hard in different ways and for different reasons. But regardless of how difficult it may be or how much we don’t want to do it, we don’t have to worry. Jesus will be there to strengthen our faith and trust in him. He does so through his Word and sacraments poured out on us day after day. Whenever we feel weakened or unable to do as he asks, this verse is a wonderful reminder to us to seek strength in him through prayer and his Word.

 Verse 3: Keep me from saying things that later need recalling; grant that no idle words may from my lips be falling, but when within my place I must and ought to speak, then fill my words with grace lest I offend the weak.

Living in an online world has made people forget just how powerful words can be on another. We’ve all heard the saying “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never harm me.” And while it’s true, words don’t cause bodily injuries, they leave mental wounds that are much harder to see and heal. As Christians, we use words to tell others about the Word that became flesh and lived among us. Therefore we need to be extra careful how we talk about Jesus and how we use the gift of speech. In order for us to be faithful and careful stewards of the Word of God, it’s important for us to remember the power of the gospel, and how it is able to change hearts and minds from death to life. When we speak, may we remember well the prayer contained in this verse: to use our speech to glorify God and to bring others to know him when he grants us the opportunity to speak about him.

 Verse 4: Lord, let me win my foes with kindly words and actions, and let me find good friends for counsel and correction. Help me, as you have taught, to love both great and small and by your Spirit’s might to live in peace with all.

It’s difficult being a Christian sometimes. We live in a world that hates us among people that don’t understand us. At all times we are tempted by our own sinful natures and a devil who is constantly on the prowl, looking for weaknesses. Jesus wants followers who follow him and serve him from the heart and nothing else. This is hard, dangerous work! This is why we need encouragement and help. And we have both in abundance! We have Christian friends who are able to pick us up when we fail and to help us bear our burdens. We have a savior who loved us enough to die for us and give his life in exchange for ours! And that same savior sends out his Holy Spirit to keep us strong and to help us grow in our faith! Yes, being a follower of Christ is hard. But with the Spirit’s help and the urging of our fellow brothers and sisters, we will make it through this world of hardship and arrive at last at our true home in heaven.

 Why serve God at all if it’s going to be so difficult? How can we be expected to succeed when there’s so much that stands in the way of being a faithful follower? The answer is quite simple: we look to Jesus for our strength. He is faithful, he will not leave us without help. He promises to be with us. All we need to do is seek him, and he will find us, walk with us, and bring us home to be with him. May he help us in our heavenward journey all the days of our lives. Amen.

CW 764 Gracious Savior, Grant Your Blessing

CW 764 Gracious Savior, Grant Your Blessing

The subject of our hymn this week is marriage. As part of our 175th anniversary, First Evan is focusing on the wonderful gift of marriage and family in worship this week.

The author of this hymn is Stephen P. Starke, a pastor in the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. This hymn is one of over 175 that he has written. “Gracious Savior, Grant Your Blessing” is one of eleven of his hymns that are in our current hymnbook. It is appropriate to use this hymn at weddings or at any time there is a focus on the estate of marriage.

Stanza 1: Gracious Savior, grant your blessing to all husbands and all wives, that in peace they live together in your love throughout their lives. Christ, defend them from the tempter and from all that would destroy love’s foundation you’ve established and its pathways paved with joy.

It is a practice in our churches that before a man and woman get married, the pastor counsels them. What is talked about in these sessions? Certainly, there is a focus on the wedding itself, especially the wedding promises the couple makes to each other. The promises made there show the permanency of marriage. Marriage is a lifelong union. With that in mind, a pastor will use counseling sessions before marriage to focus on life after the wedding.

This first stanza reminds us to pray to our Savior Jesus to bless husbands and wives as they figure out this blessed union. They need Jesus’ help in marriage to fend off temptations from Satan and all others who would try to destroy the bond they have in Christ.

Stanza 2: Lord, if you are not the builder, then the house is built in vain, for a home without your presence shall without true love remain. Yet when you within a marriage come and dwell with grace divine, there you fill the empty vessels, changing water into wine.

Our church is hoping to build an addition which will connect to our current church building. Not just anyone can do that, so we have carefully selected an architect and general contractor to help us do that. Not just anyone can build a marriage properly either. Wise King Solomon reminds us: “If the LORD does not build the house, it is useless for the builders to work hard over it.” (Psalm 127:1) God is the one who designed marriage. He is the expert! Therefore, in order to build a healthy marriage, husbands and wives need to look to him for help.

Jesus’ first miracle was performed at a wedding in Cana. He changed water into wine. It is Jesus who works on the hearts men and women changing them into loving spouses. How does he do it? He does it as couples hear and read God’s Word together.

Stanza 3: Cana’s guest, this union hallow; in your arms embrace this pair. Savior, clothe them with the garments they will daily need to wear: patience, kindness, and compassion, gentleness, humility; robe them, Lord, with love to bind them in a perfect unity.

This stanza is especially appropriate for the wedding itself. It is a wonderful paraphrase of Colossians 2:12-14. When we read or sing this stanza, we are praying that Jesus clothes the couple being married with attributes necessary for a Christian marriage. Patience, kindness, etc. don’t come naturally. Nor will couples be able to carry these things out perfectly. But out of love couples will seek to carry them out and also forgive each other when they fall short.

Stanza 4: Let our love in marriage picture how you dearly loved your bride: when you gave yourself to cleanse her, when for her you bled and died. Jesus, you have made her holy, pure and fair her radiant train; to yourself, your Church presenting, without wrinkle, spot, or stain.

When a Christian marriage is functioning the way God intended it to be, it is a beautiful picture of the relationship between Christ and his bride, the church. This stanza is a beautiful summary of Paul’s words in Ephesians 5:22-33.

These verses spell out the roles of husbands and wives. In describing the husband’s role of loving his wife to the extent that he is willing to die for her, we are reminded that is what Christ did for you and me. In dying for us, Christ made us pure and spotless in God’s sight. Remember that the next time you see a bride in her beautiful white dress walking down the aisle.

Stanza 5: Father, you created Adam, crafted Eve, and made them one; Jesus, from their sin you saved us, as God’s true incarnate Son; Holy Spirit, you forgive us; from our sins we are released. Bring us, Lord, at last to heaven, to the endless wedding feast.

When God formed Adam from the dust of the ground and Eve from Adam’s rib, he united them, forming a perfect marriage bond. However, it didn’t take long for sin to ruin that perfect bond. But the more important bond it ruined was the one both Adam and Eve had with their Heavenly Father. Undeterred, the Father sought to make things right on behalf Adam, Eve, and us. He sent his Son, Jesus, into the flesh to rescue us by taking our place on the cross. Now, God forgives all our sins for Jesus’ sake.

In Jesus’ day, wedding receptions lasted more than a few hours. They lasted for days. Even that is extremely short compared to the wedding feast that awaits us when Christ returns. There, whether you were married or not on earth, you will enjoy a feast that lasts forever. And that is true, because the Holy Spirit reminds us through confession and absolution, baptism, and communion that our sins are forgiven.

Thank God for the blessing of marriage. Whether you are married or single, celebrate this gift God gives through which he produces so many blessings, and encourage all who are married to faithfully carry out their wedding promises to each other.

CW 633 Speak, O Lord

CW 633 - Speak, O Lord

Samuel served as an apprentice, aiding the priest Eli in various traditional priestly duties. Samuel assisted with the sacrifices and prayers as well as watched the Ark of the Covenant at night and opened the sanctuary doors at dawn. Samuel slept in one of the courtyard rooms near the Ark. In the darkness, Samuel heard a voice. He assumed it was Eli. Because Eli was very old and nearly blind, he would often call Samuel to assist him.

Samuel displayed his humble servant attitude by immediately going to Eli’s side and saying, “Here I am.” However, Eli did not call him … the Lord had. By the third time the Lord called to Samuel, Eli finally figured it out. So, when the Lord called a fourth time, Samuel replied, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:1-10).

In our Hymn of the Day, we are like young Samuel saying, “Speak, O Lord.”

Verse one: Speak, O Lord, as we come to you to receive the food of your holy Word; take your truth, plant it deep in us, shape and fashion us in your likeness, that the light of Christ might be seen today in our acts of love and our deeds of faith. Speak, O Lord, and fulfill in us all your purposes for your glory.

How often do you set aside 15 minutes at home to listen to God speak to you in your daily Bible reading? Have you made it an intentional part of your weekly activities to hear God’s voice speak the refreshing words of forgiveness over you in worship? Have you made it a point to really hear God speak to your heart with a weekly Bible study at church?

We are not very good listeners, are we? We are too rushed, too busy, tooilled with sin. Besides, we would much rather be the ones doing the talking. Instead of saying to God, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening,” we would rather say, “Listen, God, for your servant is speaking.”

But what happens when we are like Samuel and say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening”? When God speaks, what do we hear? We listen to God announce that he has taken all our sins away. God tells us that his Son died as a sacrifice for us, to pay for all the mistakes we’ve made in our lives. God tells us that because of Jesus, he completely forgives us all our accidental and intentional sins. This forgiveness is like food to starving people and like light to those living in darkness.

Verse two: Teach us, Lord, full obedience, holy reverence, true humility; test our thoughts and our attitudes in the radiance of your purity. Cause our faith to rise, cause our eyes to see your majestic love and authority. Words of pow’r that can never fail, let their truth prevail over unbelief.

The voices of the world, the devil, and our sinful flesh are so loud. We desire to listen to them! These voices tell us to hate what God loves and love what God hates. We listen to every other voice except for the voice of the One who became flesh and blood to save us. We can’t hear

God’s still, small voice calling over the commotion all round us. We refuse to listen to the One voice that loves us above all else – the voice of our Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier.

But what happens when we stop and listen to our God? His gentle whisper drowns out the cacophony of voices around us. His voice creates new priorities and new behaviors in our lives. He teaches us obedience, reverence, and love. He makes us eager to sit still and listen to everything he has to say. He makes us love what he loves and hate what he hates. There is an urgency and an ecstasy in listening to the voice of the Lord.

Verse three: Speak, O Lord, and renew our minds, help us grasp the heights of your plans for us, truths unchanged from the dawn of time, that will echo down through eternity. And by grace we’ll stand on your promises, and by faith we’ll walk as you walk with us. Speak, O Lord, till your Church is built, and the earth is filled with your glory.

Let us be humble servants like young Samuel. Let us be eager to approach the Lord and hear him speak to us. We hear God speak about his plans for our lives, his eternal truths amid this world’s lies, and his promises that never fail. Then let us speak to God saying, “Speak, Lord, for I need to hear your voice absolving me of all my sins. Speak, Lord, for I need to hear your words comforting me, calming me, loving me, reminding me. Speak, Lord, for I need to hear your call driving away my doubts, dispelling my fears, curbing my sinful nature, advising me. Speak, Lord, for your gospel takes my unwilling heart and makes me willing. Speak, Lord, for your Sacraments change me, mold me, transform me, sanctify me. Speak, Lord, for it is through your Word that the Church is built and the earth is filled with your glory. Speak, O Lord. Amen.”

CW 857 Glorious Things of You Are Spoken

The hymn for our devotion this week is hymn 857 Glorious Things of You Are Spoken.

Our worship this coming weekend is centered around a lesson from John’s gospel, in which Jesus confronts the crowds of people following him. These people had been following him incessantly since the miraculous feeding of the five thousand. They had dogged his steps chasing him back and forth across the Sea of Galilee. In the story, Jesus confronts them for this behavior because he knows why they’re fervently seeking after him. Jesus understands what they really want. They aren’t following him because they think he’s the savior, nor do they follow him to learn from him. Instead, they follow only because Jesus had been able to feed them and they wanted that same kind of food without the work to get it. Jesus, however, sets the record straight with these words: “‘I am the Bread of Life,’ Jesus told them. ‘The one who comes to me will never be hungry, and the one who believes in me will never be thirsty.’”

Our savior bountifully provides for us! He gives us daily bread, which is all that we need for body and life. Yet he provides something that is far more precious and important: the bread of life itself! The forgiveness of sins and the promise of eternity with him in heaven, which is all that we need to sustain our souls as long as we walk this earth. All it takes is one bite of this bread of life to be completely satisfied with the providence of our savior. What an amazing thing to receive!

Our hymn for this week focuses on the amazing things that God has done and will do for his people. Using pictures from the Old Testament, the hymn writer draws the singer’s attention to the abundance of God’s care and protection, and the complete lack of the world in comparison to the glory of our God.

Verse 1: Glorious things of you are spoken, Zion, city of our God; he whose word cannot be broken formed you for his own abode. On the Rock of Ages founded, what can shake your sure repose? With salvation’s walls surrounded, you may smile at all your foes.

Imagine for a moment that someone was able to create an unbreakable brick. It would be impervious to all outside damage. No tornado, hurricane, earthquake, fire, or war could destroy a building made of those bricks. Everyone in the world would want that kind of brick for their buildings! People would pay millions of dollars to guarantee they would never have to fear the building passing away. Now what if I told you that such a brick exists? The thing is, it’s not a literal physical brick. It’s the incarnate word of God, Jesus Christ, who is the cornerstone on which the church is built. And those bricks aren’t physical objects made of stone or clay. They’re people. People who have been made into something far greater. We, through the cleansing of our sins, have been formed into God’s living house. We are made into a stronghold that no earthly trouble can penetrate or destroy. Through the work of our savior, surrounded by his protecting arms, we can laugh at the weak and pitiful assaults of the devil, the world, and our own sinful natures.

Verse 2: See, the streams of living waters, springing from eternal love, well supply your sons and daughters and all fear of want remove. Who can faint while such a river ever will their thirst assuage? Grace which, like the Lord, the giver, never fails from age to age.

In medieval times, a castle served many purposes. The primary purpose a lord would construct a castle would be to provide shelter for his subjects in the event of an attack from an enemy army. One of the main things a castle would need to do is withstand a siege, and so one of the first things that would be put in when a castle was built was a dependable well. So long as the people in the castle have water and food stored up, they can survive a siege for months if needed. In the same way, our savior’s grace is a neverending stream of living water which daily renews the heart and mind. Just like those people sheltering in the castle don’t need to fear or wonder what will happen if they run out of water, we too don’t need to fear anything this world throws at us. When we feel weak or miserable or when we inevitably fall in our task of loving and serving, this water fills us up again, giving us strength for another day of God’s grace.

Verse 3: Round each habitation hov’ring, see the cloud and fire appear for a glory and a cov’ring, showing that the Lord is near. Thus deriving from their banner light by night and shade by day, safe they feed upon the manna which God gives them on their way.

When God’s people were on their exodus from Egypt and in the years of wandering, they faced many dangers and perils in the wilderness. There were venomous animals, little food, no water, and the risk of getting lost. They were also constantly exposed to the elements, with high temperatures and hot, dusty wind. To survive in this wasteland, the people would need help from the Lord their protector and provider. And that’s exactly what he did. With the pillars of fire and cloud, he provided shelter and light for his people, as well as a clear beacon of where they were to go. Through manna which was provided daily, he ensured that they would never run out of food to eat in a place where food was scarce. But even after the people were settled in the promised land and no longer had manna or the pillars of fire and cloud, God still provided for them. He sent his son, Jesus, to be the true bread of life. And Jesus would provide true freedom, not from slavery in Egypt nor from wandering in the wilderness. He provided the full forgiveness of sins and life everlasting to all who believe in him.

Verse 4: Savior, since of Zion’s city I thro’ grace a member am, let the world deride or pity, I will glory in your name. Fading are the world’s vain pleasures, all their boasted pomp and show; solid joys and lasting treasures none but Zion’s children know.

One of the main criticisms people have about Christianity is that it draws people out of their world and deposits them in the next one. By this, I mean there are those who are critical of Christianity because they feel like it makes Christians not care at all about what happens in this world, because we have a second, far better home waiting for us. This makes Christians withdrawn and indifferent to the real problems and suffering that nonbelievers go through here on earth. While this is a danger that Christians can fall into, we also recognize how much of a blessing it is to be freed from this earth and its petty ambitions. We have been brought into something that is far greater than the fleeting treasures of this world. We have been made members of the eternal city! All the finest things this earth has to offer like money, power, fame, and earthly pleasure are only temporary, and they don’t last. But what heaven has to offer, a home, a family, and a purpose are far greater. This is why we ignore the petty distractions of this world. Because in the end, our true home is beyond this world.

When the crowds pursued Jesus to make him their bread king, they didn’t understand what kind of a king he was. Along with that, they didn’t understand what he, the almighty king, would ask of his subjects. Jesus told them: “Amen, Amen, I tell you: Do not continue to work for the food that spoils, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.” Our purpose in this world isn’t to seek after the petty, fleeting things of this world. Rather, it is to serve God gladly and pursue him with our whole hearts! By being connected to the Word of God, that bread of life, we are strengthened and kept in the true faith. By listening to and gladly obeying and teaching his instruction, we are fed and strengthened to do his will. May Jesus continue to feed us, and may we continue to strive for him and chase after him all the days of our lives. Amen.

CW 803 Day by Day

CW 803: Day by Day 

The Apostle Paul wrote his second letter to the young pastor Timothy near the end of his life. Paul knew that the end was near at hand and yet he was still filled with hope and comfort. Paul understood that this life is a constant struggle against sin and temptation. He knew that death was not something that needed to be feared but was the beginning of eternal life with the Lord. Paul writes, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”

Day by Day is a hymn of comfort that reminds us that God is with us every day of our lives. God is in control of all things. He watches over us and sends his angels to guard and protect us. The struggles of this life can often seem overwhelming. We will face many different kinds of trials and hardships. We may endure sickness and disease. We may face times of loss and poverty. We will face hatred and persecution for our faith. During all of these times, we cling to the promise that God is with us every day. We know that God is in control of all things, and we have the absolute certainty that Christ has won the victory for us. Like Paul, we look forward to receiving our crown of righteousness.

Verse 1: Day by day, your mercies, Lord, attend me, bringing comfort to my anxious soul. Day by day, the blessings, Lord, you send me draw me nearer to my heav’nly goal. Love divine, beyond all mortal measure, brings to naught the burdens of my quest; Savior, lead me to the home I treasure, where at last I’ll find eternal rest.

Anxiety is something that many people struggle with. We may be anxious about our health, about our finances, or the state of the world. We may be tempted to wonder if God is still in control because so often it seems like the influence of Satan is growing. The number of believers seems to be shrinking and the church seems like it is constantly under attack. Verse 1 of our hymn reminds us to turn to the Lord to find rest for our anxious souls. God’s Word reminds us that God is in control of all things. We know that the power of Satan has been destroyed. Christ has won the victory by his death and resurrection. Because of the resurrection of Christ, we look forward with joyful anticipation to the great day when we will receive our heavenly treasure. We yearn for the day when we will be reunited with our blessed Savior and receive our reward of eternal rest in him. 

Verse 2: Day by day, I know you will provide me strength to serve and wisdom to obey; I will seek your loving will to guide me o’er the paths I struggle day by day. I will fear no evil of the morrow, I will trust in your enduring grace. Savior, help me bear life’s pain and sorrow till in glory I behold your face.

As Christians, we fight against the temptation of our sinful flesh every day of our lives. On our own, we cannot win this fight. God’s Word reminds us that our hope and strength are found in Christ alone. God’s holy Law serves as a mirror that reminds us of our many sins and our desperate need for a Savior. The Gospel tells us the beautiful news that Jesus Christ offered his perfect life as a sacrifice for our sins. God’s Law also serves as a guide for our lives. It shows us God’s will for how we should live. We follow God’s Law not because we have to, but because we want to live in a way that is good and pleasing to our God. God’s Word in Law and Gospel gives us the strength and encouragement to fight our good fight until we see the glorious face of our Lord in heaven.

Verse 3: Oh, what joy to know that you are near me when my burdens grow too great to bear; oh, what joy to know that you will hear me when I come, O Lord, to you in prayer. Day by day, no matter what betide me, you will hold me ever in your hand. Savior, with your presence here to guide me, I will reach at last the promised land.

The Christian life is one of struggle. Jesus tells us that to be his disciple means we need to take up our cross and follow him. Often, we feel like this is a burden that is too great to bear. We face sorrow and hardship each day of our lives. We know the pain that we have caused others by our sins, and we know and feel that pain and hurt that has been done to us. When we grow weak and tired of our burden our hymn reminds us that we can turn to our Lord for relief and comfort. Jesus knows our weaknesses. He has been tempted in every way that we are and yet he was without sin. By his death, Jesus has removed our burden of guilt and shame. Our sins have been completely forgiven by the blood of the Lamb. God will never leave us or forsake us. He will be with us every day of our lives.

Day by Day is a wonderful hymn of comfort. It reminds us that God has not promised his people easy lives. We will be tempted, we will be hard-pressed, and we will face times of pain, suffering, and loss. However, God promises that he will be with us every day of our lives. Our God is merciful and compassionate. He loves us and wants to comfort and care for us. When we face difficult times in our lives, we cling to our God knowing that he is with us. We take comfort in knowing that God has kept all of his promises. And we live with the certain knowledge that our victory is assured. Christ has defeated the power of sin, death, and hell and has to us given to the crown of eternal glory.