#33 - Hymn 729 – Son of God, Eternal Savior

Humility is a hard concept for us to grasp in our culture. Politicians try to gain your vote by puffing up their accomplishments and downgrading their opponent. Parents yell from the sideline for their child to be the star on the athletic team. Your employer notices that you brought your project in ahead of schedule and under budget only if you put yourself in the spotlight.  

We want praise. We crave recognition. We desire for people to tell us how good we are. But the lesson Jesus teaches about humility in the Gospel lesson stands in stark contrast to the way we think.   

In Luke 14:1-16, Jesus is at the house of a prominent Pharisee. He notices how the guests played a game of choosing chairs of honor at the table. So, Jesus stops the game of musical chairs to teach them a lesson that not only applies to dinner parties, but also to the kingdom of God. “Go sit in a seat that’s not important. When the host comes to you, he may say, ‘Friend, move up to a more important place. Then all the other guests will honor you.’” He then summarizes the point of his parable by explaining, “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”  

Jesus is teaching a lesson about humility. We learn true humility from Jesus Christ. He is, as our hymn of the day properly states, the “Son of God, eternal Savior.” 

Verse one: “Son of God, eternal Savior, source of life and truth and grace, Word made flesh, whose birth among us, hallows all our human race, you our head, who, throned in glory, for your own will ever plead: fill us with your love and pity, heal our wrongs and help our need.” 

Jesus Christ was born among us. He is the Word of God who humbled himself by taking on human flesh and blood. He is the eternal God who entered the realm of time and space. He became incarnate as the Son of Man to be made like us in every way. The writer to the Hebrews explains the reasoning for the incarnation like this: “Since the children share flesh and blood, [Christ] also shared the same flesh and blood” (Hebrews 2:14). As God and man together in one now “grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17). Because the Son of God was now human, he could suffer the greatest humiliation of all – death. Not just any death, but death on a Roman cross.  

Verse two: “Bind us all as one together in your Church’s sacred fold, weak and healthy, poor and wealthy, sad and joyful, young and old. Is there want or pain or sorrow? Make us all the burden share. Are there spirits crushed and broken? Teach us, Lord, to soothe their care.” 

Jesus unites us into the sacred sheepfold of the Christian Church. He brings people together from every nation, tribe, people, and language (Revelation 7:9). The Church is made up of the humble – those who are weak and strong, poor and wealthy, sick and healthy. When we humble ourselves to Christ, we realize that we have no reason to boast in ourselves. Instead, we join with St. Paul in announcing, “The cross of our Lord Jesus Christ is my only reason for boasting” (Galatians 6:14). This boasting in the cross of Christ allows us to share in the crosses and burdens of others.   

Verse three: “As you, Lord, have lived for others, so may we for others live. Freely have your gifts been granted; freely may your servants give. Yours the gold and yours the silver, yours the wealth of land and sea; we but stewards of your bounty held in solemn trust will be.” 

We are stewards and managers of everything God has given us. We are managers of the gold and silver God has gifted us. We use that wealth to further God’s kingdom. We also use that wealth to care for the physical and spiritual needs of those around us. We are God’s stewards who use whatever wealth we have from God to do good for God’s people. St. Paul encourages us, “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who belong to the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10). 

Verse four: “Son of God, eternal Savior, source of life and truth and grace, Word made flesh, whose birth among us hallows all our human race, by your praying, by your willing that your people should be one, grant, O grant our hope’s fruition: here on earth your will be done.” 

Solomon gives us this wise advice in the Old Testament lesson: “Do not honor yourself in a king’s presence. Do not stand in a place reserved for great people, because it is better to be told, “Come up here,” than for you to be humiliated before a ruler whom your eyes have seen” (Proverbs 25:6, 7). Do you feel a need for affirmation? Does your self-esteem need attention? You don’t need to drop names or show off. You need only pause at the base of the cross and be reminded of this – the Maker of the stars would rather die for you than live without you. And that’s a fact. So, if you need to brag — brag about that! Jesus gives us this good advice, “Yes, everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 14:11). 

Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.  He established his church as the body of his followers to spread his message of salvation to a lost and dying world. It is our goal to share with others the love of Christ that was first shared with us. We exalt in our humility. We rejoice in our unity. We invite others to share this humility and unity. As sons and daughters, we go about the business of him who is the “Son of God, Eternal Savior.” 

#32 - Hymn 800 - How Firm a Foundation

“How Firm a Foundation” became a very popular hymn with the soldiers of both the North and the South during the Civil War. It was a favorite hymn of President Theodore Roosevelt. Andrew Jackson requested that it be sung at his deathbed. Confederate General Robert E. Lee asked that it be sung at his funeral. 

This hymn is still a favorite today because of its scriptural promises of divine strength during times of trouble and tribulation. The first verse acts almost as an introduction to the rest of the text, giving us cause to pause and ponder the assurances our God gives in his Word. These assurances are laid out in greater detail in the following four verses. For this devotion, after the first verse is read, a scriptural promise will be made, followed by the hymn verse that rephrases and reemphasizes that promise. 

Verse one: How firm a foundation, you saints of the Lord, is laid for your faith in his excellent Word! What more can he say than to you he has said, to you who for refuge to Jesus have fled? 

In a world of real fears and real concerns, God reminds us, “Do not fear” and “Do not be dismayed.” Isaiah 41:10: “Do not fear, for I am with you. Do not be overwhelmed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” 

Verse two: “Fear not, I am with you, O be not dismayed, for I am your God and will still give you aid; I’ll strengthen you, help you, and cause you to stand, upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand. 

Isaiah 43:2 gives a beautiful comfort in every danger – whether physical or spiritual. “When you cross through the waters, I will be with you. When you cross the rivers, they will not sweep you away. When you walk through fire, you will not be burned, and the flame will not set you on fire.”  

Verse three: “When through the deep waters I call you to go, the rivers of sorrow shall not overflow, for I will be with you, your troubles to bless, and sanctify to you your deepest distress. 

St. Paul promises that there is not a single thing in the physical or spiritual realm that can separate us from God’s love in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:38-39: “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor rulers, neither things present nor things to come, nor powerful forces, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” 

The prophet Zechariah assures that God’s people will suffer, but that suffering will produce God’s intended glorious outcome – like gold refined in fire. Zechariah 13:9: “I will put that third into the fire, and I will refine them as silver is refined, and I will test them as gold is tested. They will call on my name, and I will answer them. I will say, “This is my people.” And they will say, “The Lord is my God.” 

Verse four: “When through fiery trials your pathway shall lie, my grace all-sufficient shall be your supply; the flames will not hurt you; I only design your dross to consume and your gold to refine. 

Moses announced this promise to the children of Israel as they were about to enter the Promised Land, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid and do not be terrified before them, because the Lord your God is going with you. He will not abandon you and he will not forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6). 

Verse five: “The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose I will not, I will not, desert to its foes; that soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake, I’ll never, no never, no never forsake!” 

#31 - Hymn 820 - O God, Our Help in Ages Past

Isaac Watts composed over 600 hymns, including “Joy to the World,” “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” and “O God, Our Help in Ages Past.” Today Isaac Watts is rightfully known as the “Father of English Hymnody.” 

Watts lived at a time when it was considered an insult to God to sing any words that were not directly from the Bible. That’s why the hymns Watts and others wrote were paraphrases of the Psalms. 

“O God, Our Help in Ages Past” is a paraphrase of Psalm 90. Psalm 90 is the only psalm of Moses in the psalter. The other psalms of Moses are recorded in Exodus 15 and Deuteronomy 32 and 33. Psalm 90 focuses on death as a judgment upon sin, but it also points to the Lord as the one whose power extends beyond death. For this reason, Psalm 90 is one of the psalms most frequently heard at funerals. 

For this devotion, verses of Psalm 90 will be read, along with corresponding notes from the EHV Study Bible, followed then wih the words of “O God, Our Help in Ages Past.” 

“Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, from eternity to eternity you are God” (Psalm 90:1-2).  

The opening verses of the psalm briefly proclaim the eternity of God so that it may be contrasted with the mortality of mankind. The psalmist is not interested in a philosophical discussion of God’s eternity, but in the practical application of God’s eternity for us. Since God is immortal and eternal, he can be a dwelling place for his people throughout all generations. 

Verse one: O God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come, our shelter from the stormy blast, and our eternal home: 

Verse two: Under the shadow of your throne your saints have dwelt secure; sufficient is your arm alone, and our defense is sure. 

Verse three: Before the hills in order stood or earth received its frame, from everlasting you are God, to endless years the same. 

“You grind people to dust, and you say, ‘Return, children of Adam.’ For a thousand years in your sight are like a day, like yesterday that has gone by, or like a watch in the night” (Psalm 90:4). 

God’s eternity is not just endless time but independence from time. For God “one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day” (2 Peter 3:8). Though we suffer change and decay, God remains unchanged. Before the earth was created, as long as it endures, and after it is gone, God is always the same. 

Verse four: A thousand ages in your sight are like an evening gone, short as the watch that ends the night before the rising sun. 

“You sweep them away like a flood. They are like sleep in the morning, like grass which changes quickly. In the morning it sprouts and grows. By evening it is cut down, and it withers” (Psalm 90:5-6). 

This psalm is not concerned only with man’s mortality but with the cause of that mortality. The real cause of death is not natural weakness, sickness, or human violence. All of these may be secondary causes, but the real cause of death is God’s judgment against sin.  

Verse five: Time, like an ever-rolling stream, soon bears us all away; we fly forgotten, as a dream dies at the op’ning day. 

“The days of our lives add up to seventy years, or eighty years if we are strong. Yet the best of them are trouble and sorrow, for they disappear quickly, and we fly away. … Teach us to number our days in such a way that we bring a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:10, 12). 

The sorrows and difficulties that sin has introduced into the world fill the whole span of human life. For those with spiritual insight, the evils of life are a daily reminder of the seriousness of sin and the greatness of God’s anger against sin. The only solution to sin and death is God’s grace. Since we have only one life and that one life is short, we should use it to gain the wisdom that comes from God so that we will be ready to appear before him. That wisdom is the message of the gospel, through which we gain forgiveness of sins and salvation (1 Corinthians 1:18–2:14). 

Verse six: O God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come, still be our guard while troubles last and our eternal home! 

#30 - Hymn 721 - What a Friend We Have in Jesus

All of us need friends. Last weekend, we had strong storms come through our area that knocked down lots of trees. A good friend volunteers to bring his chainsaw and kids over to help clean up the downed trees. A good friend is a widow who sits next to another recent widow in church to keep her company. When you’re moving to a new house, a good friend is anyone with a pickup truck.  

God created us to be social creatures and enjoy the companionship and friendship of others. Our Hymn of the Day celebrates a friend like no other: "What a Friend we have in Jesus."  

Verse one: What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry ev’rything to God in prayer! Oh, what peace we often forfeit, oh, what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry ev’rything to God in prayer! 

A good friend is someone you can lean on, trust, count on, be there for you. Hopefully you are just as good of a friend to others. Friendship should be mutually advantageous to both people involved. Friendships are usually established through common interests or experiences. Friendships happen through being together as classmates, neighbors, teammates, etc.  

That’s not the way it is with our friendship with Jesus. We are not equals. Jesus is our Savior. He is the Son of God who came from heaven to earth to rescue us from our sins. He is much greater than the friend who helps you move stuff in his pickup truck. Jesus carries all your sins and griefs. You can give him all your cares and worries in your prayers. He’ll replace them with peace and joy.  

Verse two: Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged— take it to the Lord in prayer. Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share? Jesus knows our ev’ry weakness— take it to the Lord in prayer. 

All of us go through troubles. Everyone of us is tempted. Everybody will experience sorrows. Too often we try to deal with the troubles, temptations, and sorrows on our own. And it ends badly for us. The troubles overwhelm us. The temptations overpower us. The sorrows overtake us. We aren’t strong enough on our own to stand up to the pressures of life. 

But our friend Jesus is. He is a faithful friend who “knows our ev’ry weakness.” So take those weaknesses to the Lord in prayer. In our Gospel lesson for this week, Jesus teaches his disciples about the value of prayer. He says, ““I tell you, keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep seeking, and you will find. Keep knocking, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives. The one who seeks finds. And to the one who knocks, it will be opened” (Luke 11:9-10).  

Verse three: Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care? Precious Savior, still our refuge— take it to the Lord in prayer. Do your friends despise, forsake you? Take it to the Lord in prayer. In his arms he’ll take and shield you; you will find a solace there. 

Jesus knows every sin and every shattered friendship we have ever experienced. He knows how weak we how we are often carting a load of care around with us wherever we go. That’s probably one of the reasons we’re tired all the time. We’re trying to do it all alone. We need a friend to lighten our load. 

Our friend Jesus comes along and removes that heavy load. But first he wants us to pray to him to lighten the load. Jesus knows the right gifts at the right time in the right place. That’s why he teaches, “What father among you, if your son asks for bread, would give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, would give him a snake instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, would give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him" (Luke 11:11-13)? 

You may have chosen your friends. Your friends may have chosen you. Because of our sinfulness, we were born enemies of God. By nature, we wanted nothing to do with Jesus. Still, Jesus has chosen us to be his friends. We have the privilege of taking everything, every need, every hope, to him in prayer. As our hymn reminds us, we forfeit peace and sleep, we bear needless pain, carry heavy loads, all when we do not seek our Lord's help in prayer.  
We value our earthly friends. They are gifts of God for us, and we enjoy the love and trust we share with them. Yet at times even the best of earthly friends might be too busy to hear from us. They may have other plans, but our Friend Jesus never tires of our friendship and trust. He is always beside us and waiting to hear from us. In joy or discouragement, in weakness and in hope, in pain or in peace, our refrain must always be, "Take it to the Lord in prayer." 

#29 - Hymn 645 - One Thing’s Needful

The bread is baking, the roast is cooking, the vegetables are boiling, the temperature in the kitchen is rising … and so is Martha’s temper.  

Jesus has arrived with his disciples at the Bethany home of Mary, Martha, and their brother Lazarus. Martha and Mary gave Jesus a big hug and showed him and his disciples into the living room. Martha had excused herself and went back into the kitchen.  After a few minutes she noticed that Mary wasn’t in the kitchen with her. She peaked into the living room and was upset to see Mary sitting there at Jesus’ feet, listening to Jesus tell stories.   

She finally snaps. She slams her spoon down on the counter and storms out of the kitchen. And who does she lash out at? Not her sister! No. Her guest! The reason for all her preparations. She lashes out at Jesus! She came over to Jesus and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me” (Luke 10:40). 

Our Hymn of the Day for this week, “One Thing’s Needful” is directly based on the account of Jesus in the home of Mary and Martha.  

Verse one: One thing’s needful; Lord, this treasure teach me highly to regard. All else, though it first give pleasure, is a yoke that presses hard. Beneath it the heart is still fretting and striving, no true, lasting happiness ever deriving. This one thing is needful; all others are vain— I count all but loss that I Christ may obtain. 

The Lord said to Martha, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but one thing is needed. In fact, Mary has chosen that better part, which will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:41-42). Strong words. Stinging words. But words that reveal much about Martha’s – and our relationship – with the Savior.  

There is a lot of Martha in every one of us. We want to serve our Lord so badly. We try to be good parents by getting our kids involved in sports or taking them on vacation. But we get so wrapped up in having fun with them, that we forget that our first responsibility as parents is to bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4). We try to provide for our families by working long hours and even working overtime so that we can pass on all the things we never had as kids. But we forget that our first priority is to pass on our faith to our children so that we will see them in heaven with us someday. We serve the Lord and our fellow members by being involved in various church and school groups, or serving as leaders of various boards and committees, or volunteering to move furniture in the school or helping out in a classroom. Those things are all great and necessary. But they aren’t as great or as necessary as being in worship to hear God’s Word, or receive his absolution, or taste his Sacrament, or sing his praises.  

We wish to serve Jesus, which is great! It is very Martha-like. But Jesus wishes to serve you! Which is what he did for Mary.  

Verse two: How were Mary’s thoughts devoted her eternal joy to find as intent each word she noted, at her Savior’s feet reclined! How kindled her heart, how devout was its feeling, while hearing the lessons that Christ was revealing! All earthly concerns she forgot for her Lord and found her contentment in hearing his Word. 

It was not Martha’s service that Jesus wanted. It was Martha. Jesus came not to be served but to serve. He came to give, not to get. He came not to be the guest, but to be the Host, to lay down his life as a sacrifice for sinful humanity, to offer himself up for the life of the world, to be the Bread of Life and wine from heaven to bring refreshment, forgiveness, life, and salvation to all. As far as Jesus was concerned, Martha’s house could have been a wreck, she could have laid out cold cuts and sandwich bread, she could have simply offered a loaf of bread and a dried fish. What mattered most to Jesus was that she have communion with him, that she hear his Word. 

Mary enjoyed this communion with her Lord as she sat in Bible study with the Son of God in her living room. She forgot the earthly concerns about feeding Jesus and his band of disciples. She was content to have her guests go hungry and her house be a mess – just as long as she could recline at the feet of her Savior and learn from the lips of the Lord.  

Verse three: Wisdom’s highest, noblest treasure, Jesus, is revealed in you. Let me find in you my pleasure; make my will and actions true, humility there and simplicity reigning, in paths of true wisdom my steps ever training. If I learn from Jesus this knowledge divine, the blessing of heavenly wisdom is mine. 

We need to repent of our busyness. We’ve let many things get ahead of the one needful thing. We’ve let many things get between us and Jesus. The symptoms are all there. Frustration, anger, snapping at each other, complaining, griping, pointing the finger, accusing. When you sense that in yourself, read the symptoms of busyness and hear the words of Jesus, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Just be quiet for a while and listen. I know it’s hard to do, because we are tuned to being busy. The way of our world is Martha, not Mary. Be about the business of Jesus. Jesus’ business is easy. All it takes is sitting and listening. That’s it. Jesus is here to give to you. He wants to spend time with you. There’s plenty of opportunity to serve, but what good is our service if it simply burns us out on the Lord and on each other? 

There are many things to occupy you. But there is only one thing that is needful, necessary, and indispensable. That one thing is sitting at Jesus’ feet. It is listening to him speak to you. It is setting aside everything else in your life and making Jesus your priority. It is not working or vacationing, but it is resting in Jesus. It is not giving to Jesus, but being given to. It is not finding pleasures or spending your treasures. It is enjoying the pleasures of forgiveness and the treasures discovered in God’s Word. That is the one thing needful.  

#28 - Hymn 768 - Lord of All Nations, Grant Me Grace

Jesus desires you to be a Good Samaritan. Find the injured, pour oil on their wounds, bandage up their injuries, and provide for any additional medical expenses.  

But that’s difficult. We often don’t have the time, or money, or patience to be a Good Samaritan to every injured person we find lying in the ditch. That’s why we pray our Hymn of the Day for this Sunday: “Lord of All Nations, Grant Me Grace.”  

Verse one: Lord of all nations, grant me grace to love all people, ev’ry race; and in each person help me view my kindred, loved, redeemed by you. 

Though there are many reasons the devil, our culture, and our minds can dream up to separate us from one another, we realize the Lord has created every nation from Adam. “From one man, he made every nation of mankind to live over the entire face of the earth” (Acts 17:26). There may be much that separates, but the blood of Adam flows through our veins and the blood of the second Adam – Jesus – covers and redeems us.  

We are not to let physical appearances, wealth, popularity, skin color, or anything else divide us. There is only one race – the human race. It should never be controversial to say that all lives matter – the unborn, the elderly, those with lots of melanin and those with little melanin. Jesus came to save all of humanity, not a select few. “The Lord has made his salvation known. He has revealed his righteousness to the eyes of the nations” (Psalm 98:2).  

Verse two: Break down the wall that would divide your children, Lord, on ev’ry side. My neighbors’ good let me pursue; bind them to me and all to you. 

We often build walls to separate, fences to divide, and barriers to isolate. We pray that God would tear down these walls and build bridges. Sin magnifies our division. But in Christ that sin is forgiven and removed. Now our unity can be magnified. We pray for God’s help in the pursuit of helping our neighbors’ good. “This is how we know that we love the children of God: when we love God and keep his commands” (1 John 5:2). 

Verse three: Forgive me, Lord, where I have erred by loveless act and thoughtless word. Make me to see the wrong I do will hurt my neighbor, Lord, and you. 

We beg for mercy when we have been like the priest or the Levite passing by on the other side, appearing as if we don’t notice the need. We confess that we have sinned in “thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone.” We plead for forgiveness for our sins of omission where we have left the love of our neighbors undone. We have erred by not performing acts of love or by saying a helpful word.   

Verse four: Give me your courage, Lord, to speak whenever strong oppress the weak; and should I be a victim, too, help me forgive, rememb’ring you. 

Too often we seek revenge, flee from conflict, remain silent in the corner, or curl up in the fetal position. We pray for the courage to be advocates speaking for those who cannot speak for themselves, defending those who are defenseless, standing up for those who are weak, bringing about a victory for the victims. We seek justice for those who have been harmed. We bind up the wounds of the brokenhearted. We bring peace and unity in all we say and do. We allow the fruit of the Spirit to blossom in our words and actions: “the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22, 23)  

Verse five: With your own love may I be filled and by your Holy Spirit willed, that all I touch, whate’er I do, may be divinely touched by you. 

We were once half-dead, lying by the side of the road. Jesus is the Good Samaritan who comes in our misery and mess to save us. He got down into the ditch with his incarnation to rescue us. He binds up our wounds with the divine blood that flowed from his wounds on the cross. He cures our suffering by taking that suffering upon himself.  

As we look to Jesus as our Good Samaritan, we can then be Good Samaritans to those around us. We love others as Jesus has loved us. We share the Holy Spirit who dwells within us. We touch others with the healing touch Jesus has placed on us. We are to be the lights in this dark world, shining the glory of Christ in all we think, say, and do. We are the means God can use to tear down the walls that divide, forgive as we have been forgiven, and love as we have been loved first.  

To do this, we pray and sing, “Lord of all nations, grant me grace.”  

#27 - Hymn 901 – O Christians, Haste

Rick and Mandy lived in the apartments behind our church in Kentucky. Their lives were a total mess. The two of them were constantly arguing. They drank and smoked. They had anger issues. Their home life was so bad that Social Services became involved. Before I left Kentucky, I met with them in the courthouse to try to get custody of their children back. 

To be honest, I thought they were a lost cause. But God had other plans.   

Mandy connected with me on Facebook years ago. She told me that her name is changed because God had changed her life. She gave me permission to share her story. We may not agree with all the choices that Mandy made in her life, but we can see God at work in her life. I thought Mandy’s story fit well with our hymn for this Sunday, “O Christians, Haste.” 

The first verse: “O Christians, haste, your mission high fulfilling, to tell to all the world that God is light, that he who made all nations is not willing one soul should perish, lost in shades of night.” Then the refrain: “Publish glad tidings, tidings of peace, tidings of Jesus, redemption and release.” 

Since the last time I saw Mandy, she divorced Rick after he abandoned her. She has remarried and has three children. She made the most difficult of decisions by allowing another family to adopt her two children from her previous marriage. The children were younger and had been in foster care with Social Services for so long that Mandy thought it would be best for them to live with another family. Presently, she is involved in her church, owns a daycare and a wrecker company with her husband and now they serve as foster parents to other children. She has also given up smoking and drinking. In her message to me she wrote, “I’m not proud of my past, obviously, but thanks to God I am at peace with it.”  

I thought that all the assistance, counseling, and friendship that we had given to Mandy and Rick had fallen on deaf ears and hard hearts. But the harvest is plentiful! I am reminded of the apostle Paul who wrote: “[We] are servants, through whom you came to believe – as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow” (1 Corinthians 3:5-6). God used me and the other members of our congregation to plant the faith and others helped it grow. Or I am reminded of the promises of the Lord: “[My word] will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11).  

In Luke 10, Jesus sends out his larger group of 72 disciples to do mission work in his name. There is haste in Jesus’ sending. The harvest field of the nations is ripe. But the workers are few. No time to waste. God is not willing to lose one single soul.  

Verse two: “Behold how many thousands still are lying bound in the dreary prison-house of sin 
with none to tell them of the Savior's dying or of the life he died for them to win.” 

Jesus sends these 72 as laborers into the harvest field to grab what is ripe for the picking. There is danger. They will be like defenseless lambs among ravenous wolves. But they are not going alone. The perfect Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, goes with them. He sends them out empty handed, dependent, nothing of their own to offer the world. No purse, no backpack, no extra pair of sandals. For in this battle in which they are about to engage, they will not need those things. The Lord will provide. The people to whom the Lord is sending them have nothing, either. Even if they are physically wealthy, they are spiritually poor, trapped in the dreary prison-house of their sin.  

Verse three: “Proclaim to ev'ry people, tongue, and nation that God, in whom they live and move, is love; tell how he stooped to save his lost creation and died on earth that they might live above.” 

The disciples go. We go. We go to people of every nation, tribe, people, and language. We go to those who are hurting and crying, to those whose marriages are broken and lives are destitute, to those whom we make uncomfortable … and to those who make us uncomfortable.  

We go. We speak. Not our words, but Jesus’ words. Not our authority, but his authority. Not our strength, but his strength. We are like lambs before the wolves. We are not there to fight the wolves … but to feed them the Word of God. We preach peace, heal the sick, and proclaim the kingdom of God. We tell how the King looked like a criminal; the Creator died for his creation; the Lord loved the lost that they might live with him forever.  

Verse four: “Send heralds forth to bear the message glorious, give of your wealth to speed them on their way; pour out your soul for them in prayer victorious; O Christians, haste to bring the brighter day!” 

We often think that Jesus has called certain individuals as heralds to do this mission work. We pay pastors and teachers to share the Word from the pulpit and in the classroom and make evangelism calls on new families. But we learn in this hymn and Gospel that Jesus appoints and sends ordinary people to share his Kingdom. He gives ordinary people the opportunity to be a part of his plan to bring his Kingdom near to all people.  

I shared the story of Mandy with you because all of us have at one point been Mandy. And all of us know a Mandy somewhere in our lives. A broken marriage. Anger out of control. Too much alcohol. Escalating debt. Dead-end job. In and out of the hospital. Messed up family life. Nowhere to go. Nowhere to turn. In need of assistance.  

But then one of the nameless, countless 72 came along and told you about Jesus. They told you about the innocent Lamb who lived among ravenous wolves. He felt the fangs, suffered the worst the world had to offer, entered the abyss of death and rose to life again. He appeared conquered by sin, but is now the Conqueror. He appeared devoured by death, but is now the Devourer. He is the crucified who is now the Victor. Not for himself, but for you. That his death be your death and his life be your life. To reach out to you. To forgive you in his name. To wash you in is his baptismal waters. To cover you in his blood. To nourish you with his body and blood. To convert you, change you, save you. To write your name in heaven. To send you as heralds as part of his nameless, countless 72.  

#26 - Hymn 695 – Take My Life and Let It Be

Frances Havergal created one of the classic hymns of discipleship in “Take My Life and Let It Be.” Havergal was the daughter of an Anglican clergyman. She began her discipleship early by memorizing Bible verses at age four and writing hymn verses by age seven.  

“Take My Life and Let It Be” is a prayer that God would consecrate us – set us apart – from the world. It is also a prayer that as we grow in our sanctification – our holy living to our holy God – we be more and more like our God. Each of the six verses begins with the verb “Take,” giving the sense of a continuing petition of service to the Lord.  

Verse one: Take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord, to thee; take my moments and my days, let them flow in ceaseless praise. 

In ancient Israel, kings and high priests were anointed with oil, an act that consecrated them, setting them apart for a holy purpose. We were consecrated to the Lord as we were anointed with water, Word, and Spirit in our Baptism. We were set apart as holy, consecrated for God’s sacred purpose. Verse one asks the Lord to take our moments and our days and let them flow to the holy Lord in ceaseless praise.  

Verse two: Take my hands and let them move at the impulse of thy love; take my feet and let them be swift and beautiful for thee. 

Our old sinful self has hands and feet that naturally only serve ourselves. But as we are consecrated to our Lord, we are made alive in the waters of Baptism. We die to sin and are buried with Christ. We rise to a new life in him. We ask the Lord to take our hands to humbly serve others in love. We ask the Lord to make our feet swift and beautiful, like those described by the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 52:7), as they carry us into the world with the message of forgiveness and hope in Christ. 

Verse three: Take my voice and let me sing always, only for my King; take my lips and let them be filled with messages from thee. 

As we belong to the body of Christ, we ask the Lord to use our whole bodies in service to him and those who belong to him. We ask him to take our voice that we may continue to sing his praises with the saints on earth and saints in heaven. St. James warns that the tongue cannot be tamed (James 3:8). Yet, we ask the Lord to consecrate our mouths and tongues so our lips may be turned from unholy speech that denigrates God to holy speech that glorifies our God.  

Verse four: Take my silver and my gold, not a mite would I withhold; take my intellect and use ev’ry pow’r as thou shalt choose. 

Martin Luther once said, “People go through three conversions: The conversion of their head, their heart, and their pocketbook. Unfortunately, not all at the same time.” We pray in this verse that the Lord would convert our pocketbooks, purses, bank accounts and 401Ks. The Lord has not withheld anything physically or spiritually from us. We ask the Lord to use our intellect and money, so we do not withhold anything from him.  

Verse five: Take my will and make it thine, it shall be no longer mine; take my heart, it is thine own, it shall be thy royal throne. 

The madness we see in our current culture is because people are living only for themselves. The feelings of the heart and desires of the flesh are all that matter. To protect us from our culture and shield us from ourselves, we ask the Lord to take our will and make it his and no longer ours. We pray the Lord crucify our sinful nature to make room for his throne in our hearts.  

Verse six: Take my love, my Lord, I pour at thy feet its treasure store; take myself, and I will be ever, only, all for thee. 

We join with Frances Havergal in asking the Lord to consecrate our love, feet, and whole selves in service to him. In this way we are different and set apart from the world and set apart to the Lord. Take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord, to thee. 

#25 - Hymn 744 – Rise, Shine, You People

The man was just hanging out naked in the cemetery. He was too strong to be held with chains or shackles. He possessed the strength of demons since a legion of demons possessed him.  

But then Jesus stepped ashore. Christ the Lord entered this poor possessed man’s human story. Then everything changed!  

Our Hymn of the Day for this Sunday is “Rise, Shine, You People.” It fits well with the Gospel lesson of the Gerasenes demon-possessed man in Luke 8:26-39. “Rise, Shine, You People” was written by Ronald Allan Klug. Klug was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and studied at Dr. Martin Luther College in New Ulm, Minnesota.  

Verse one: Rise, shine, you people! Christ the Lord has entered our human story; God in him is centered. He comes to us, by death and sin surrounded, with grace unbounded. 

Christ the Lord entered the human story of this poor possessed man in the region of the Gerasenes. He was surrounded by death and sin – literally. He dwelt in the cemetery. Demons dwelt inside of him. But grace unbounded in the literal person of the Son of God came to this poor possessed man that day. 

We are literally surrounded by death and sin in our daily lives. We can still rise and shine because Christ the Lord entered our human story with his incarnation in the womb of his mother Mary. He continues to enter our human stories with the waters of Baptism, the Sacrament of the Altar, and the written, read, and spoken Word of God in our homes, schools, churches, devotions, and podcasts. Grace unbounded comes to us through these Means of Grace in Word and Sacrament.  

Verse two: See how he sends the pow’rs of evil reeling; he brings us freedom, light and life and healing. All men and women, who by guilt are driven, now are forgiven. 

It seems as if the devil and his demonic forces were putting in overtime during Jesus’ ministry. You can be sure that wherever the doctrine of Christ is being taught, the devil and his demons will be hard at work. There’s nothing the devil despises more than the preaching of Christ crucified for sinners. The devil and his demons love vague spiritualities, nebulous praise and cross-less, bloodless gospels that are really no gospel at all. But preach Christ and all hell lets loose. 

But see how Christ sent the power of evil reeling – straight out of the Gerasenes demoniac and right into a herd of pigs – pigs that tried flying … but didn’t even float.  

Satan does battle with you every day. He hates that you follow the truth. He wants to create disorder and dysfunction in your life. He wants to keep you in the chains of your sinful desires. He wants you to remain ignorant of God’s Word and will, so you lash out with your will and words. Satan needs you to stay dead in your sin, plagued by false pride and inflating your ego with independence.  

But Jesus comes to release you. He sets the captives free. He breaks the chains of your sin. He busts open the prison of your guilt. He brings us freedom, light and life and healing.  Let Jesus drive out the demons that plague you. All men and women, who by guilt are driven, now are forgiven. 

Verse three: Come, celebrate, your banners high unfurling, your songs and prayers against the darkness hurling. To all the world go out and tell the story of Jesus’ glory. 

Luke tells us in this week’s Gospel: “As Jesus got into the boat and started back, the man from whom the demons had gone out begged to be with him. But Jesus sent him away, saying, ‘Return to your home and tell how much God has done for you.’ Then he went through the whole town proclaiming what Jesus had done for him” (Luke 8:37-39). The formerly demon-possessed man wanted to go with Jesus to tell the world the story of Jesus’ glory. But Jesus instructed the healed man to tell his story of salvation to the people who lived on that side of the Sea of Galilee. 

You were born possessed by your sinful nature and belonging to the devil. Jesus freed you through the waters of Baptism. He converted you through his spoken Word. He keeps you free through his Body and Blood. Celebrate your freedom this Sunday with songs and prayers. Then go into the world of your school, community, workplace, coffee shop, diner, or wherever you encounter people and tell the story of Jesus’ glory in your life.  

What is the story you need to share? 

Verse four summarizes it for you: Tell how the Father sent his Son to save us. Tell of the Son, who life and freedom gave us. Tell how the Spirit calls from ev’ry nation his new creation. 

#24 - Hymn 714 – Jesus, Your Boundless Love to Me

The Gospel lesson for this coming Sunday is from Luke 7:36–50. Jesus is in the home of Simon the Pharisee. Somehow a prostitute snuck into Simon’s house. Crashed this respectable Pharisee’s party.  

Why did this woman come? Why did she take such a chance? Luke tells us, “She learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house that day.” She came to see her God – her God who came down to earth in the person of this man, Jesus of Nazareth. She came to spend time with the Christ. She came to have her greater debt cancelled. She came with perfume, kisses, and tears because she loved more. 

The Hymn of the Day ties in beautifully with the Gospel. It is Paul Gerhardt’s great hymn of love to Christ, “Jesus, Your Boundless Love to Me.” Gerhardt’s original hymn has 16 verses. Christian Worship contains four of those verses.  

There is a lot of talk in Christian circles, churches and songs about loving God. Of course, we are to love God. But Gerhardt’s hymn, like our Gospel lesson, teaches that Christian’s love as a response to God’s love for us in Christ Jesus. Without this, we are unable to grasp God’s boundless love. Without this, we are unable to love God in return. 

Verse one: Jesus, your boundless love to me no thought can reach, no tongue declare; dwell in my heart eternally, and reign without a rival there. O Jesus, nothing may I do, but seek my joy in serving you. 

Why did this sinful woman come to Simon’s house that night? In the home, sitting at the dinner table is the one Man who understands her, who accepts her as she is, who loves her as no other man in her life. Here is a Man who will not hurt her or use her or abuse her. Here is the Man who would not judge her or reject her, but who had come specifically for her. He came to seek and save the lost. To redeem sinners. To be the Great Physician of body and soul. To be the Canceller of debts, both great and small.  

Just as important a question as “why did this woman come” is … “why do you come?” Why do you come to sit in your church’s pews instead of a deer stand or on the beach? Why do you come with tears trickling from your eyes and guilt pouring from your pores? Why do you empty your hard-earned money over Jesus and into the offering plates? Why do you serve him in humility and kiss his feet in reverence? 

It is so you can receive Jesus’ boundless love. So he can dwell in your heart. So he can reign supreme in your life. And so you can seek joy in serving your Savior.  

Verse two: O grant that nothing in my soul may dwell but your pure love alone; oh, may your love possess me whole, my joy, my treasure, and my crown! All coldness from my heart remove; my ev’ry act, word, thought be love. 

Why did this sinful woman come to Simon’s house? She came to know who Jesus is. Jesus has been proclaiming his message that God loves sinners. This is quite different than the message she was hearing from the Pharisees – that God cares for the righteous who keep the Law. But Jesus is different. Jesus is not a prophet who avoids sinners, but who searches them out, and cares for them, and even eats with them. She heard from Jesus that God not only loves sinners, but that his grace and forgiveness is available for them - for her! - even though she could not make compensation for her sins. She believed this! The Word of God from the mouth of Jesus had worked faith in her heart. Yes, she is forgiven! Thanks be to God! She is now at peace! 

Why do we come to Jesus? We do not come because we have anything of worth to offer God. Our hearts are naturally filled with coldness and our acts and thoughts filled with malice. We don’t come because God needs us. We come because we need God. We are the guilty who need forgiveness. The weak who need strength. The dirty who need cleansing. The broken who need to be restored. The poisoned who need to be rescued. The lost who need to be found. The dead who need to be raised. The debtors who need cancellation. The poor who need a treasure. The paupers who need the crown. The cold who need warmth. And the loveless who need love.  

Verse three: This love unwearied I pursue and dauntlessly to you aspire; oh, may your love my hope renew, burn in my soul like heav’nly fire! And day and night be all my care to guard this sacred treasure there. 

Why did this woman come? She came to Jesus with nothing he needs but needing everything from him. If she brings anything, it is faith — faith which itself is a gift of God. She is defiled and unclean, with her heart’s closet full of skeletons, yet still she came. She is a pariah in polite society, shunned by the religious do-gooders, yet still she came. She has no good works to place upon the altar of God, yet still she came. 

Why do we come? We come with nothing. Nothing except our sins. We come to hear the message that Simon the Pharisee needed to hear, that the prostitute at the table needed to hear, and that we need to hear – every day at home, every week in worship. It is the message of Law and Gospel, sin and grace, hell and heaven, the commandments and the cross. We come because we often weary of giving love to others, yet God never wearies of loving us. We come to renew our love in God’s boundless love. We come to rekindle the fire of our love in Christ’s love on the cross. Day and night we come to receive from God’s sacred treasure.  

Verse four: In suff’ring be your love my peace, in weakness be your love my pow’r; and when the storms of life shall cease, O Jesus, in that final hour, be then my rod and staff and guide and draw me safely to your side. 

We can learn a lot about worship from Paul Gerhardt and the forgiven prostitute. We come to worship to meet Jesus because unlike Simon, we realize that we are just like this sinful woman. We come to our respective houses of worship because we have learned that Jesus has come there. We come to receive peace when we are suffering and calm when the storms are raging. We come because we have dwelt all week in the dominion of darkness, but in God’s house Jesus brings us into the kingdom of light. We come because we have spent the last few days squirming in Satan’s clutches, but Jesus has released us to live a new life as a child of God. We come now so that we have confidence in the end to pray, “O Jesus, in that final hour, be then my rod and staff and guide and draw me safely to your side.” 

#23 - Hymn 586 - Come, Holy Ghost, Creator Blest

“Come, Holy Ghost, Creator Blest” is the Hymn of the Day for Holy Trinity Sunday. This is an ancient hymn. It dates to the tenth century as a Latin hymn entitled “Veni, Creator Spiritus.” In fact, it is hailed as the greatest Latin hymn composed next to the “Te Deum Laudamus” that we sing in the Matins in the new Christian Worship hymnal.  

The earliest use of this hymn was at Vespers – the evening worship service – during the week of Pentecost. In the late tenth century, “Veni, Creator Spiritus” was also used at Terce – the 9 a.m. service connecting to the hour that the apostles received the Holy Spirit at the first Pentecost. The singing of this hymn in medieval services was apparently done with great dignity, accompanied by the use of incense, lights, bells, and rich vestments.  

The hymn originally had six stanzas, but soon a doxology was added. Martin Luther wrote a seven-stanza version entitled “Komm, Gott Schopfer, heiliger Geist.” Luther’s melody uses the chant style of the original Latin hymn.  

Verse one: Come, Holy Ghost, Creator blest, and make our hearts your place of rest; come with your grace and heav’nly aid, and fill the hearts which you have made. 

This hymn poetically lays out the work of the Holy Spirit in six verses. It isn’t until the final verse when there is a response from the Christian as to the work of the Holy Spirit. It is a wonderful prayer about the work of the Holy Spirit.  

Verse one references that the Holy Spirit was active in creation, along with the Father and the Son. As the Holy Spirit made the turbulent waters of creation calm, so we ask him to make our turbulent hearts places of rest.  

Verse two: To you, the Counselor, we cry, to you, the gift of God most high, the fount of life, the fire of love, the soul’s anointing from above. 

Perhaps you have sought the help of a counselor to repair your marriage, or a counselor to overcome your addiction, or a counselor to help you find peace with your troubled childhood. As beneficial as those counselors may be, the Holy Spirit is the Counselor to whom we can always cry out. Through his counseling, he brings into our lives the fruits of the Spirit: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22, 23). 

Verse three: In you, with graces sevenfold, we God’s almighty hand behold while you with tongues of fire proclaim to all the world his holy name. 

The hymn references the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit. Isaiah 11 references the seven gifts the Holy Spirit gives to the coming Messiah. “The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him: the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. He will be delighted with the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, nor will he render decisions based on what he hears with his ears, but with righteousness he will judge the poor” (Isaiah 11:2-4). The sevenfold gifts of the Spirit are wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, fear of the Lord, and righteousness. As the Spirit gave these gifts to the Messiah, we pray for these same sevenfold gifts to come upon the followers of the Messiah. To come upon us with the same fire and fervor that these gifts were given to the first apostles that first Pentecost as tongues of fire rested on their heads.  

Verse four: Your light to ev’ry thought impart, and shed your love in ev’ry heart; the weakness of our mortal state with deathless might invigorate. 

The hymn poetically emphasizes the work of the Holy Spirit to do what we cannot do for ourselves – have light, have love, or even have true life. Martin Luther summarizes the work of the Holy Spirit in the explanation of the third article in his Small Catechism: “The Holy Spirit has called me by the gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith.” 

Verse five: Drive far away our wily foe, and your abiding peace bestow; with you as our protecting guide, no evil can with us abide. 

We are weak. We easily fall into temptation by the wily foe of Satan. We are feeble and easily become troubled. We are pathetic and get lost. We need the Holy Spirit to drive away the devil, abide with us in peace, and be our protecting guide. He does this, as Luther explains by “daily and fully [forgiving] all sins to me and all believers.” 

Verse six: Teach us to know the Father, Son, and you, from both, as Three in One that we your name may ever bless and in our lives the truth confess. 

We do not know the Triune God on our own. It is the work of the Holy Spirit to bring us to faith and then keep us in that faith through the Means of Grace. As Luther explains, “I believe that I cannot by my own thinking or choosing believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to him.” 

Verse seven: Praise we the Father and the Son and Holy Spirit, with them One, and may the Son on us bestow the gifts that from the Spirit flow! 

After laying out the work of the Holy Spirit, now we burst forth with a joyous doxology to the Trinity in response to what our Triune God has done in bestowing the gifts of the Spirit on us. This Trinity feast day – and every ordinary day – let us pray, “Come, Holy Ghost, Creator blest.”  

#22 - Hymn 585 - Come, Holy Ghost, God and Lord

This Sunday we celebrate the third high festival of the Christian Church year – Pentecost. Christmas is the celebration of God the Father’s gift of his Son to the world. Easter is the celebration of Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the grave. Pentecost is the celebration of the Holy Spirit coming upon the apostles with wind and fire, and the birth of the Christian Church. 

The Hymn of the Day for Pentecost is “Come, Holy Ghost, God and Lord.” Martin Luther was fond of this hymn and in his table talks spoke of both the words and the music as having been composed by the Holy Ghost. Luther altered the first stanza and added two original stanzas of his own.  

Verse one: Come, Holy Ghost, God and Lord! May all your graces be outpoured on each believer’s mind and heart; your fervent love to them impart. Lord, by the brightness of your light you gather and in faith unite your Church from ev’ry land and tongue: this to your praise, O Lord our God, be sung. Alleluia, alleluia! 

The Lord had once descended upon Mt. Sinai with the sound of thunder, with lightning displaying his presence. At Pentecost the Holy Spirit descended upon Jerusalem with the sound of wind, with tongues of fire displaying his presence. The Lord descended upon Mt. Sinai in fire and spoke to Moses. The Holy Spirit descended upon Jerusalem and filled Peter and the disciples with the ability to speak in other languages. Those gathered around Mt. Sinai trembled in fear and stood in place. Those gathered in Jerusalem came together in bewilderment. The Old Testament Feast of Pentecost was a harvest of wheat and firstfruits. The New Testament Festival of Pentecost was a harvest of souls with the firstfruits being 3,000 baptized that day.  

We are so often lukewarm, tepid, apathetic Christians. We pay lip-service to the Lord in our prayers. We cheat God out of the firstfruits of our offerings. We give God the bare minimum of effort in our various vocations. We despise the preaching and his Word with our infrequent worship attendance.  

We pray for the Holy Spirit to descend on us in fire. It is a fire that motivated Peter who had fifty days earlier been afraid to open his mouth when asked by a servant girl if he was one of Jesus’ disciples. But now with the fire of the Holy Spirit, Peter speaks openly and boldly before thousands. Two things embolden Peter. He had seen the risen Lord. And he had the Holy Spirit. Two things will embolden us to open our mouths – seeing the risen Lord with the eyes of faith and receiving the faith and power of the Holy Spirit.  

Verse two: Come, holy Light, guide divine, and cause the Word of life to shine. Teach us to know our God aright and call him Father with delight. From ev’ry error keep us free; 
let none but Christ our master be that we in living faith abide, in him, our Lord, with all our might confide. Alleluia, alleluia! 

There was wind at the first Pentecost. Those who heard it were bewildered, amazed, and astonished. They asked a very Lutheran question, “What does this mean?” The sound of the Holy Spirit’s presence had called them all to the apostles’ meeting place. 

The wind of the Holy Spirit still blows, calling us to the meeting place of the prophets and the apostles at our churches. But sadly, many of us choose to ignore the sound of the Holy Spirit calling us to gather in his presence. The wind of the Holy Spirit blows in the sermon, Scripture lessons, sacraments, liturgy, and hymns, but we so often block ourselves from the wind and ignore the Holy Spirit’s message. 

It is the Holy Spirit working through the wind of the pastor’s voice, the songs of the saints, and the spoken word of Scripture that teaches us to know God aright and keeps us from every error that befalls fallen mankind. We need to be in our churches continually receiving the wind of the Holy Spirit. 

Verse three: Come, holy Fire, comfort true, grant us the will your work to do and in your service to abide; let trials turn us not aside. Lord, by your pow’r prepare each heart, and to our weakness strength impart that bravely here we may contend, through life and death to you, our Lord, ascend. Alleluia, alleluia! 

John the Baptist had told the people, “I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come ... He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire” (Luke 3:16). In the eyes of the world, God’s Word is not powerful. It isn’t burning brightly. To the outside world, Christians and Christianity is a fire that has gone out.  

Perhaps we contribute to that concept because we are not letting our faith burn brightly for all to see. But look at what the fire of the Gospel does in the hearts of God’s people. Peter had been afraid to speak about his relationship to Jesus in front of a servant girl. The disciples had run away when Jesus was arrested. They hid in a locked room. But fifty days later, they are no longer afraid. They are preaching to thousands. And three thousand are converted on that single day of Pentecost. 

That is the power of the Holy Spirit’s fire, wind, and words – “it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16). Our baptized children are not afraid of illness. Our confirmed teenagers are not afraid to live boldly in a non-Christian environment. Our faithful members are not afraid to give a clear witness of their faith in the workplace. Our devoted elderly are not afraid to die. That is the fulfillment of these words: “Lord, by your pow’r prepare each heart, and to our weakness strength impart that bravely here we may contend, through life and death to you, our Lord, ascend.” 

#21 - Hymn 446 - Jesus Christ, My Sure Defense

I have been blessed to be at the bedside of saints as they draw their last breath. As these saints are closing their eyes to the sleep of death, they are not afraid. They have a quiet, calm confidence in Jesus Christ and the certain hope of his resurrection from the grave. That confidence emanates from our final Hymn of the Day for the Easter season, “Jesus Christ, My Sure Defense.” 

Verse one: Jesus Christ, my sure defense and my Savior, now is living! Knowing this, my confidence rests upon the hope he’s giving, though the night of death be fraught still with many’ an anxious thought. 

The sure and certain confidence the Christian has when facing death is that Jesus Christ faced death … and won! He was dead and now is living! Though our time on this world will be filled with loneliness, fear, hurts, and anxiety – ultimately, those are all subjective feelings. We trust in the objective, historical fact of Jesus Christ’s bodily resurrection from the grave. This is our assurance that we, too, will rise from our graves. That knowledge drives all anxious thoughts from our minds.  

Verse two: Jesus, my Redeemer, lives; I, too, unto life shall waken. Endless joy my Savior gives; shall my courage then be shaken? Shall I fear, or could the head rise and leave his members dead? 

In 1 Corinthians 12, St. Paul describes our relationship with Christ in terms of body parts. Jesus Christ is the head and Christians are the body (1 Corinthians 12:12-27). Since Jesus, our Redeemer lives, then we will live, too. Since the head rises, then the rest of the body must rise, too.  

Verse three: No, too closely am I bound unto him by hope forever; faith’s strong hand the rock has found, grasped it, and will leave it never. Even death now cannot part from its Lord the trusting heart. 

By God’s grace, the Holy Spirit gives us the gift of faith. That faith is like a hand that grasps the solid rock of Jesus Christ. Though our faith may weaken, and our grasp might lessen, still the rock of Christ is secure. Still the Holy Spirit strengthens our grip through his Word and Sacraments, so we never let go. Even death cannot cause us to lose our grip on Christ and the victory of death and the grave he won for us.  

Verse four: I am flesh and must return unto dust, whence I am taken; but by faith I now discern that from death I shall awaken with my Savior to abide in his glory, at his side. 

When I teach on death, I often talk about a young boy who is afraid of dying. His mother assures him by reminding her son of how he often falls asleep curled up on the sofa watching a movie with his parents. Sometime during the night, big strong arms lift him up so that he wakes up the next morning in his own room. She assures her son that’s what death is like. It’s falling asleep, then big, strong, angelic arms pick up the Christian child of God so that he or she wakes up in their own room in heaven.  

Verse five: Glorified, I shall anew with this flesh then be enshrouded; in this body I shall view God, my Lord, with eyes unclouded; in this flesh I then shall see Jesus Christ eternally. 

The other day, the third graders in our Lutheran elementary school were asking me what we will look like in heaven. They were wondering if babies remain babies and old people remain old people. One student asked me if he died as a child, would he become an adult in heaven. I asked him if he wanted to be an adult in heaven. He replied emphatically, “No! Adults are boring!” 

I answered the students that the Bible doesn’t tell us exactly what our bodies will be like. St. Paul teaches in 1 Corinthians 15 that our bodies will be different (1 Corinthians 15:35-49). Our resurrected bodies will be imperishable, glorious, powerful, and spiritual. We aren’t told precisely what heaven will be like, but we are assured there will be no more hunger, thirst, heat, or tears (Revelation 7:16, 17).  

I ended my conversation with the third graders saying that I don’t know precisely what our resurrected bodies will be like … but they will be perfect. So, I told them I’m confident that my color-blindness and tone-deafness will be gone, and I’ll be able to see the brilliance of the glories of paradise and sing with the saints. And they will, too.  

Death is not our end. It is our glorious beginning. So, we end the Easter season with the confidence of singing, “Jesus Christ, my sure defense and my Savior, now is living!” 

#20 - Hymn 557 - Dear Christians, One and All, Rejoice

Martin Luther composed “Dear Christians, One and All, Rejoice," as a ballad. A ballad is a story that is set to music. This ballad is apparently Luther’s first congregational hymn. It was written in 1523 with the long title, “A Christian hymn of Dr. Martin Luther, setting forth the unspeakable grace of God and the true faith.”  

Because of its clear doctrinal statements, this hymn became popular with the German people. In the preface to Johannes Magdeburg’s Psalter of 1565, it was written, “I do not doubt that through this one hymn of Luther many hundreds of Christians have been brought to the true faith, who before could not endure the name of Luther; but the noble, precious words of the hymn have won their hearts, so that they are constrained to embrace the truth; so that in my opinion the hymns have helped the spread of the Gospel not a little.”  

Verse one: Dear Christians, one and all, rejoice, with exultation springing, and, with united heart and voice and holy rapture singing, proclaim the wonders God has done, 
how his right arm the vict’ry won. How dearly it has cost him! 

As the ballad begins, Luther calls all Christians to unite heart and voice in joy and exultation to proclaim the wonders of salvation he has won. That victory was great for us, but costly to God.  

Verse two: Fast bound in Satan’s chains I lay; death brooded darkly o’er me. Sin was my torment night and day; in sin my mother bore me. Yet deep and deeper still I fell; life had become a living hell, so firmly sin possessed me. 

Luther’s ballad tells the story how we sinners were held captive by Satan. We were bound by the chains of sin – inborn sins we inherited from our parents and sins we committed with our own minds, hearts, and hands. We are unable to free ourselves from this living hell. It is a prison we cannot escape no matter how much we struggle, fight, or try to dig our way out.  

Verse three: My own good works availed me naught, no merit they attaining; my will against God’s judgment fought, no hope for me remaining. My fears increased till sheer despair left only death to be my share and hell to be my sentence. 

We cannot break these chains by sinning less or escape this prison with good works. Fear and despair reign as we realize that we are trapped – for time and eternity.  

Verse four: But God beheld my wretched state before the world’s foundation, and, mindful of his mercies great, he planned for my salvation. A father’s heart he turned to me, sought my redemption fervently; he gave his dearest treasure. 

From eternity our Triune God had planned our escape. Even before the foundation of the world, God saw how wretched we would become and how hopeless would be our situation. Though we would become prisoners of Satan, God still considered us his children and he our Father. 

Verse five: He spoke to his belovèd Son: “It’s time to have compassion. Then go, bright jewel of my crown, and bring to all salvation. From sin and sorrow set them free; 
slay bitter death for them that they may live with you forever.” 

When the time was right, the Father sent his Son to free his children from Satan’s prison. Jesus was sent from heaven to earth to slay bitter death by his own bitter death.  

Verse six: The Son obeyed his Father’s will, was born of virgin mother, and, God’s good pleasure to fulfill, he came to be my brother. No garb of pomp or pow’r he wore; 
a servant’s form like mine he bore to lead the devil captive. 

To accomplish this victory, the King became a servant; the divine Lord covered himself with lowly humanity. The Son of God put on flesh and blood to free flesh and blood from Satan’s captivity.  

Verse seven: To me he spoke, “Hold fast to me, I am your rock and castle. Your ransom I myself will be; for you I strive and wrestle. For I am yours, your friend divine, and evermore you shall be mine; the foe shall not divide us. 

In the closing verses of this ballad, Luther has the Son of God speak directly to his brothers and sisters. He explains that as long as we hold on to him as our rock and castle; as long as we accept the ransom he paid; as long we stop striving and wrestling, but trust in Jesus’ striving and wrestling, then we are united to Christ. He is ours and we are his. Then the old evil foe cannot separate us.  

Verse eight: “The foe will shed my precious blood, me of my life bereaving; all this I suffer for your good; be steadfast and believing. Life will from death the vict’ry win; 
my innocence shall bear your sin, and you are blest forever. 

Jesus speaks of his victory over sin and Satan on the cross. Jesus allowed himself to be bound with nails to the cross to save all those bound by Satan’s chains of sin and death.  

Verse nine: “Now to my Father I depart, the Holy Spirit sending and, heav’nly wisdom to impart, my help to you extending. He will a source of comfort be, teach you to know and follow me, and in all truth will guide you. 

Jesus explains that after his victory over sin and Satan on the cross, he won another victory over death with his resurrection from the grave. After his fortieth day ascension, Jesus then sent the Holy Spirit to be the Comforter, Counselor, and Paraclete.  

Verse ten: “What I on earth have lived and taught be all your life and teaching; so shall my kingdom’s work be wrought and honored in your preaching. Take care that no one’s man-made laws should e’er destroy the gospel’s cause; this final word I leave you.” 

Luther finishes his ballad with Jesus reminding us not to allow any man-made laws to place the chains around us once again. We are freed, once and for all. So, dear Christians, one and all rejoice.  

#19 - Hymn 469 – Welcome, Happy Morning

“Welcome, Happy Morning” is an ancient hymn. It is one of the oldest in our hymnal. The words were written by an Italian named Venantius Fortunatus written around 590 A.D. That makes this Easter hymn over fourteen centuries old. 

Consider the countless saints who have sung this hymn from various lands, in differing circumstances, of diverse cultures, over fourteen hundred years. In our hymn of the day this Sunday, we join our voices with the numerous saints who have come before us and are now celebrating Easter in heaven. Together the unified body of Christ celebrates the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ “from whom the entire family in heaven and on earth receives its name” (Ephesians 3:15).  

Verse one: “Welcome, happy morning!” age to age shall say; “Hell today is vanquished; heav’n is won today!” Lo, the dead is living, God forevermore! Him, their true Creator, all his works adore. (Refrain) “Welcome, happy morning!” age to age shall say; “Hell today is vanquished; heav’n is won today!” 

Recently I was blessed to be at the bedside of a 96-year-old World War II Navy veteran. His eyes were closed. His breathing was shallow. But his grip was still strong. I was there having a final devotion with this aged saint and his eldest son. As we talked, there was no fear of death. Only looking forward to being with Jesus. There were tears. But they were tears of joy that these last few difficult years would be over. There was pride at the accomplishments of the aged saint – with his military service, his decades of marriage, his raising of a strong Christian family. But the true pride came from receiving the grace of God through the saint’s baptism and confirmation as an adult after his children were born. It was pride in what Jesus Christ had made him to be and the reward Christ had won for him on the cross and out of the grave. A reward that was mere hours away from being given from Christ to his blood-bought saint. 

We can sing with this aged saint, his family, and all the saints who have come before us and are now resting from their labors, “Welcome, happy morning!” Every morning as a child of God is a welcome one. Even when life is difficult, when work is hard, when health is poor, or when death steals another loved one away from us, we can still welcome each day as being a happy day. What could be bad about it?! Jesus Christ has crushed the Ancient Serpent. He has defeated death. He has conquered the grave. He has vanquished hell. And he has opened heaven to all who believe in him.  

Verse two: Maker and Redeemer, life and health of all, God from heav’n beholding human nature’s fall, of the Father’s Godhead you, the only Son, mankind to deliver manhood did put on. (Refrain) 

In the second verse, the author identifies who Jesus is. He is both our Maker and Redeemer. He is the One who made us and the One who bought us back when the devil stole us away from our Maker in the Garden (Colossians 1:16; Job 19:25). Jesus is a member of the Godhead, the second person of the Holy Trinity. Together, our three-in-one God works to save sinful mankind. Through his incarnation the Son of God put on humanity to save sinful humans. “Since the children share flesh and blood, [Christ] also shared the same flesh and blood, so that through death he could destroy the one who had the power of death (that is, the Devil) and free those who were held in slavery all their lives by the fear of death” (Hebrews 2:14-15).  

Verse three: Source of all things living, you came down to die, plumbed the depths of hell to raise us up on high. Come, then, true and faithful, come, fulfill your word; this is your third morning— rise, O buried Lord. (Refrain) 

With beautiful imagery, the author describes how the Son of God descended first from heaven to earth. He came down to die. Then after his third day resurrection, he descended to the depths of hell to declare his victory to the face of the devil and his demons. He descended to hell and then forty days later ascended to heaven. He ascended so we might ascend to heaven upon our resurrection from the grave.  

Verse four: Free the souls long prisoned, bound with Satan’s chain; all that now is fallen raise to life again. Show your face in brightness; shine in ev’ry land as in Eden’s garden when the world began. (Refrain) “Welcome, happy morning!” age to age shall say; “Hell today is vanquished; heav’n is won today!” 

When the United States finally entered World War II, many people – including Winston Churchill – reveled in the outcome that the Allies’ victory was now certain. The Allies remembered what happened when America joined the conflict in World War I. “Welcome, Happy Morning” treats the resurrection of Christ in the same way. The souls imprisoned and bound by Satan will be freed and released. The victory is won. The outcome is certain. It’s just a matter of time when the victory is seen, felt, and experienced. So, celebrate this morning, celebrate every morning, saying, “Hell today is vanquished; heav’n is won today!” 

#18 - Hymn 552 - The King of Love My Shepherd Is

Above the altar at our Water of Life Racine Campus is a beautiful stained-glass window of Jesus as the Good Shepherd. He is holding two lambs in his arms. A dozen sheep are close by. A blue stream and verdant hills are in the background.  

With that image in front of our worshipers for decades, the majority of the saints from our church have asked me to preach on either John 10 – the Good Shepherd chapter – or Psalm 23 – the Lord is my Shepherd chapter.  

“The King of Love My Shepherd Is” paraphrases Psalm 23 in poetry that is then paired with a traditional Irish melody from the 18th century.  

Verse one: The King of love my shepherd is, whose goodness fails me never; I nothing lack if I am his, and he is mine forever. 

“The Lord is my shepherd. I lack nothing” (Psalm 23:1). This is the theme of the whole psalm. Because the Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want for anything – I will lack nothing! No uncertainty should frighten us. Old Testament shepherds did not have fancy fences like we have in our country and frequently the shepherd spent day and night with his sheep in the field. He would doctor the sheep, bind up their wounds, carry the little lambs in his arms. At nighttime he would bring them into a cave and lie down in front of the opening to protect them from wolves or other predators which might try to attack them. He was ready to lay down his life for his sheep. 

The Lord has this type of love, even deeper still for us. We cannot really understand the 23rd Psalm apart from John 10 where Jesus says of himself: “I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down his life for his sheep” (John 10:11). Jesus came to heal our sicknesses, to bind up our wounds and to carry the little children in his loving arms. He came to protect us from the most vicious enemies such as sin, death and the devil. In his love he gave his life to protect us from them. His goodness fails us never.  

Verse two: Where streams of living water flow, my Savior gently leads me, and where the verdant pastures grow, with food celestial feeds me. 

“He causes me to lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside quiet waters” (Psalm 23:2).  

Jesus exchanges this temporary, earthly beauty for a permanent, idyllic outdoor setting of green pastures and quiet waters. It is a new home that was prepared for all the Good Shepherd’s lambs and sheep when Jesus laid down his life on the cross and then he had his lifeless body laid in the tomb, and then when he powerfully brought that body back to life again on Easter morning. 

Verse three: Perverse and foolish oft I strayed, but yet in love he sought me and on his shoulder gently laid and home, rejoicing, brought me. 

“Perverse and foolish” isn’t a flattering description, but unfortunately it is an accurate one. In our fallen, sinful state, we are perverse and foolish. Even though we know the Word and will of God, we often choose instead to follow our own sinful desires and listen to the tempting voices of the world around us.  

Yet we have a Good Shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine other sheep to search for the lost, perverse, and foolish single sheep. The King of love seeks out each wandering sheep and gently lays it across his shoulders – shoulders that once bore the cruel weight of the cross for us. “He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake” (Psalm 23:3).  

Verse four: In death’s dark vale I fear no ill with you, dear Lord, beside me, your rod and staff my comfort still, your cross before to guide me. 

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4). Jesus walks with his saints through the dark valley of death. He isn’t a hired hand who flees when he sees trouble or death approaching. Jesus has already walked through this dark valley of death himself. He knows the way because he walked through it with his own death on the cross. He knows every inch of this dark valley.  

Verse five: You spread a table in my sight, a banquet here bestowing; your oil of welcome, my delight; my cup is overflowing! 

David had been a shepherd before he was anointed to be king. The picture David uses in Psalm 23 to illustrate God’s care for his people shifts from the more figurative picture of a shepherd to the more literal picture of a king. “You set a table for me in the presence of my foes. You drench my head with oil. My cup is overflowing” (Psalm 23:5). This is an easy transition because ancient Near Eastern kings were often called the shepherds of their people. A king invited his most honored associates to live in his palace. The king would spread out rich banquet tables at which the members of his court could feast. The King of Love sets out a feast in heaven for those he loves – for those whom he loved enough to suffer, die, rise, and ascend into heaven. 

Verse six: And so through all the length of days your goodness fails me never; Good Shepherd, may I sing your praise within your house forever! 

The 23rd Psalm concludes with a familiar and comforting thought: “Surely goodness and mercy will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:6). The psalmist is not referring to a place as much as he is to a Person. Notice that the 23rd Psalm begins and ends with “the Lord.” As believers, we long to be in the Lord’s house because then we can be in our Lord’s presence. The ultimate goal of our lives on this earth will be to receive a face-to-face relationship with our Lord for eternity. Instead of vague uncertainty about the afterlife, we have confidence. We Christians will enjoy a never-ending fellowship with God the moment we draw our last earthly breath. What assurance! That is exactly what Jesus Christ promises those who believe in him – not merely “I hope so,” but “I know!” In our Good Shepherd we truly have everything we need.  

#17 - Hymn 675 - At the Lamb’s High Feast We Sing

“At the Lamb’s High Feast We Sing” is an ancient hymn. The writing of this hymn dates somewhere between the 5th and 10th centuries. It was commonly sung throughout Europe and was the hymn for Vespers during the Easter season. It continues to be sung throughout the Christian church today because it is a true gem of our hymnody. 

A quote from the Christian Worship Handbook: “The hymn abounds in references to the Pascal services, especially those of Easter Evening, when the catechumens, clothed in white, were first baptized and then confirmed, and so went to their first communion on Easter morning.” At our congregation of Water of Life of Racine and Caledonia, WI, we sing “At the Lamb’s High Feast” during the Easter Vigil between the Service of Holy Baptism and the Service of Holy Communion, after the children are baptized and before the adults are confirmed.  

If you haven’t celebrated an Easter Vigil before, the vigil is an evening service of Scripture readings and prayers the night before Easter where believers vigilantly and eagerly wait and watch for the celebration of the Savior’s deliverance. Old Testament believers waited through the night of the Passover for God to deliver them from the Egyptians. The midnight worship reported in Acts 20:7-12 is another example of late-night waiting and watching. One might say that Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve services are vigils of sorts. Coming together for a vigil helps believers practice waiting patiently for God to reveal his will in his own good time. 

The Easter Vigil is one of the most well-known, historic, and ancient rites of the Christian Church. Early records indicate that it may have been celebrated in Jerusalem already by the second century, and it soon spread to the rest of the church. 

Verse one: At the Lamb’s high feast we sing praise to our victorious King, who has washed us in the tide flowing from his piercèd side. Alleluia! 

In the Divine Service we pray, “We give you thanks, O Lord, for the foretaste of the heavenly banquet that you have given us to eat and to drink in this sacrament.” The Lamb’s High Feast is the Lord’s Supper. It is also the wedding supper of the Lamb, Jesus Christ. We eat and drink the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, who was slain once for all to wash away our sins. He is both the Host and the Meal.  

The red Christian Worship: A Lutheran Hymnal had omitted three original verses. They have been included in our new blue Christian Worship Hymnal. These three verses fit very well for an Easter Vigil as they commemorate the Israelites’ deliverance from Egypt and the parting of the Red Sea.  

Verse two: Praise we him whose love divine gives his sacred blood for wine, gives his body for the feast— Christ the victim, Christ the priest. Alleluia! 

Verse three: Where the paschal blood is poured, death’s dread angel sheathes the sword; Israel’s hosts triumphant go thro’ the wave that drowns the foe. Alleluia! 

Verse four: Praise we Christ, whose blood was shed, paschal victim, paschal bread; with sincerity and love eat we manna from above. Alleluia! 

Paschal means Passover. The blood of the paschal lamb was placed on the doorpost of the Israelite homes in Egypt and the angel would “pass over” that house and leave the firstborn unharmed. The firstborn of Israel were saved by the blood of the lamb. The Israelites were then led to the Red Sea, where they passed through the waters unharmed, but all of Egypt’s army was swallowed up and drowned. He then fed them with bread from heaven – manna – for the duration of their journey.  

This is not just the story of ancient Israel; it is our story, too. We have been saved from death and judgment by the blood of our Lamb, Jesus, and we have passed through the waters of Holy Baptism and into new life. The Lord’s Supper is our manna from above, as we are fed and nourished in the faith until we reach life everlasting. 

Verse five: Mighty Victim from the sky, hell’s fierce pow’rs beneath you lie. You have conquered in the fight, you have brought us life and light. Alleluia! 

It seems a dichotomy of terms to call Jesus both “Mighty” and “Victim.” But that’s exactly what Jesus is! He is the Victim who willingly subjected himself to the serpent’s strike, to his Father’s wrath, and to his own obedience of going to a criminal’s cross. The angels in heaven praise Jesus for this dichotomy of being a victorious Victim. They sing: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing” (Revelation 5:12).  

Jesus brings light and immortality to light through the Gospel. “It has now been revealed through the appearance of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” (2 Timothy 1:10).  

Verse six: Now no more can death appall, now no more the grave enthrall; you have opened paradise, and your saints in you shall rise. Alleluia! 

Verse seven: Easter triumph, Easter joy! This alone can sin destroy; from sin’s pow’r, Lord, set us free, newborn souls in you to be. Alleluia! 

Our comfort is that because of Christ’s Easter triumph, death can no more appall, the grave can no longer enthrall, and sin can no longer destroy. These hymn verses refer to Paul’s resurrection words in 1 Corinthians 15. “Death is swallowed up in victory. Death, where is your sting? Grave, where is your victory? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!” (1 Corinthians 15:54-57) 

Verse eight: Father, who the crown shall give, Savior, by whose death we live, Spirit, guide through all our days, Three in One, your name we praise. Alleluia! 

The hymn ends the way so many Christian hymns end – with a glorious doxology, praising each person of the Trinity for the resurrection blessings he gives us. What a joy to sing the song of salvation with this glorious hymn! 

#16 - Hymn 456/457 - O Sons and Daughters of the King

“O Sons and Daughters of the King” is a Latin poem from the 15th century. It was written in the style of a folk carol with refrain. It was designated to be sung for the “Salut” (solemn salutation of the Blessed Sacrament) on the evening of Easter Day. The first translation of this hymn appeared in London in 1851.  

The hymn is marvelous Easter music that captures the exuberance and festivity of the events of Easter.  

The hymn is essentially a retelling of the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ resurrection in Matthew 28 and John 20. The hymn begins at the tomb with the women on Easter morning. The angels curb the women’s fears with the announcement that Jesus is alive. Then the hymn continues in the room Easter evening as Jesus appears to the disciples and then a week later when he appears again to the disciples, but this time Thomas is with them.  

A beautiful and poignant way to reflect upon this hymn is to read the Scripture verses from the Gospels of Matthew and John and then sing the corresponding hymn verses.  

Verse one: O sons and daughters of the King, Whom heav’nly hosts in glory sing, today the grave has lost its sting! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! 

St. Matthew records the resurrection of Jesus Christ Easter morning in Matthew 28:1-7. After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. Suddenly, there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, and going to the tomb, he rolled away the stone and was sitting on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. The guards were so terrified of him that they shook and became like dead men.  

Verse two: That Easter morn, at break of day, the faithful women went their way to seek the tomb where Jesus lay. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.  

The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid! I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here. He has risen, just as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. Go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has risen from the dead! And look, he is going ahead of you to Galilee. There you will see him.’ See, I have told you!” 

Verse three: An angel bade their sorrow flee, for thus he spoke unto the three, “Your Lord will go to Galilee.” Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. 

St. John records the appearance of Jesus Christ Easter evening in John 31:19-31. On the evening of that first day of the week, the disciples were together behind locked doors because of their fear of the Jews. Jesus came, stood among them, and said to them, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. So the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you! Just as the Father has sent me, I am also sending you.” After saying this, he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whenever you forgive people’s sins, they are forgiven. Whenever you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” 

Verse four: That night th’ apostles met in fear; among them came their Lord most dear. And said, “My peace be with you here.” Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! 

But Thomas, one of the Twelve, the one called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples kept telling him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands, and put my finger into the mark of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will never believe.” 

Verse five: When Thomas afterwards had heard that Jesus had fulfilled his word, he doubted if it was the Lord. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! 

After eight days, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and look at my hands. Take your hand and put it into my side. Do not continue to doubt, but believe.” 

Verse six: “Thomas, behold my side,” said he, “my hands, my feet, my body see; and doubt not, but believe in me.” Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! 

Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” 

Verse seven: No longer Thomas then denied; he saw the feet, the hands, the side; “You are my Lord and God,” he cried. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! 

Verse eight: Blessed are they that have not seen and yet whose faith has constant been; in life eternal they shall reign. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! 

Jesus, in the presence of his disciples, did many other miraculous signs that are not written in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. 

Verse nine: On this most holy day of days to God your hearts and voices raise in laud and jubilee and praise. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! 

#15 - Hymn 439/440 - Christ Jesus Lay In Death’s Strong Bands

Nothing is more expected than death. Of course, none of us wants to die. We are deeply grieved when a friend dies suddenly, a family member dies unexpectedly, or a child dies tragically. But we all know that every one of us is going to die. So, nothing is more expected than death. 

Then nothing is more unexpected than a resurrection. Nobody expected Jesus to rise from the dead. Sure, God had prophesied it and Jesus had promised it. But nobody expected it. Jesus did rise, though. It is the surprise of Easter. Pilate, the Pharisees, the women, and the disciples were all surprised by Jesus’ third day resurrection. 

That surprise of Christ’s resurrection carries into a surprise of what his resurrection means for his followers. Christ’s resurrection on the third day promises a resurrection for his followers on the Last Day. Martin Luther wonderfully illustrates what Christ’s resurrection means for us in his Easter hymn “Christ Jesus Lay in Death’s Strong Bands.” 

This is an important and historic Easter text that unfortunately wasn’t sung very often in our previous hymnal. But Luther’s text has been set to a new tune in our new hymnal with the hope of reviving its use within the Church. 

Verse one: “Christ Jesus lay in death’s strong bands for our offenses given; but now at God’s right hand he stands and brings us life from heaven. Therefore let us joyful be and sing to God right thankfully loud songs of alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!” 

Luther’s first verse echoes Peter preaching at Pentecost: “He is the one God raised up by freeing him from the agony of death, because death was not able to hold him in its grip” (Acts 2:24). Our Lord willingly subjected himself to the dungeon of death. He did this as an offering for our offenses. He laid down. He got up again. This simple change in posture means everything for us and for our salvation. So let us be joyful and sing loud songs of alleluia.  

Verse two: “No son of man could conquer death, such ruin sin had wrought us. No innocence was found on earth, and therefore death had brought us into bondage from of old and ever grew more strong and bold and held us as its captive. Alleluia! Alleluia!” 

Luther describes the condemnation of the Law and the consequences of sin and death: “So then, just as sin entered the world through one man and death through sin, so also death spread to all people because all sinned” (Romans 5:12). When death took us captive, we would have been forever trapped in its dungeon. 

Verse three: “Christ Jesus, God’s own Son, came down, his people to deliver; destroying sin, he took the crown from death’s pale brow forever. Stripped of pow’r, no more it reigns; an empty form alone remains; its sting is lost forever. Alleluia! Alleluia!” 

Verse four: “It was a strange and dreadful strife when life and death contended. The victory remained with life; the reign of death was ended. Holy Scripture plainly says that death is swallowed up by death; its sting is lost forever. Alleluia! Alleluia!” 

Death tried to trap Jesus, too. What a victim it could claim if it could hold the Lord of Life! But it couldn’t! Jesus is no victim. He’s the Victor! Jesus is no mere human being. He is also God’s own Son in human flesh. Death could not hold Jesus. Instead, Jesus dominated death! Death had reigned supreme for millennia since the time of Adam and Eve. But Jesus smashed death’s crown and stripped it of its power. As St. Paul taunted death, “Death is swallowed up in victory. Death, where is your sting? Grave, where is your victory” (1 Corinthians 15:54, 55)? 

Verse five: “Here the true Paschal Lamb we see, whom God so freely gave us; he died on the accursed tree – so strong his love – to save us. See, his blood now marks our door; faith points to it; death passes o’er, and Satan cannot harm us. Alleluia! Alleluia!” 

In this fifth verse, Luther treats the Passover Lamb. His altar was the cross. Now the angel of death passes over us because the Lamb’s blood is marking our doors. There is no longer a reason to fear death for Jesus has turned death into a sleep. There is no longer a reason to fear Satan for Christ has crushed the Ancient Serpent’s head, he has silenced the roaring lion, he has defeated the old evil foe.  

Verse six: “So let us keep the festival to which the Lord invites us; Christ is himself the joy of all, the sun that warms and lights us. Now his grace to us imparts eternal sunshine to our hearts; the night of sin is ended. Alleluia! Alleluia!” 

Verse seven: “Then let us feast this Easter Day on Christ, the bread of heaven; the Word of grace has purged away the old and evil leaven. Christ alone our souls will feed; he is our meat and drink indeed; faith lives upon no other! Alleluia! Alleluia!” 

In these final verses, Luther invites the faithful eat the Passover Lamb in the Easter feast, where Christ is “our meat and drink indeed.” 

What has Jesus done by breaking death’s strong bands? He has broken death’s bands for all his followers. Because he rose, all flesh will rise, too. Jesus promises, “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and will come out” (John 5:28, 29). Now, our response is joyful living, singing alleluias, and partaking of the sacramental feast.  

We expect death. But we no longer need to fear death. Death’s bands cannot hold us because it could not hold Jesus. Before Christ rose, we were like corpses whose mouths couldn’t sing praises to God. But now that Christ has risen, he has enlivened our mouths to sing: “Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise” (Psalm 51:15). This Easter let us fill our churches singing, “Alleluia! Alleluia!”  

#14 - Hymn 411 – Ride On, Ride On, In Majesty

As we come upon Holy Week once again in the church year, we praise Jesus as the King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:61).  On Sunday Jesus rides a donkey down from the Mount of Olives. He did this so that on Friday he could carry his cross up to Mt. Calvary.  

The Hymn of the Day for Palm Sunday is “Ride On, Ride On in Majesty.” There is a reason this hymn has been included in almost 600 hymnals. It conveys the truths of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem that began the triumph and tragedy of Holy Week. 

Verse one: “Ride on, ride on in majesty! Hark! All the tribes hosanna cry. O Savior meek, pursue your road, with palms and scattered garments strowed.” 

In the beginning of the week, Jesus is praised as a king with palm branches in the air and robes thrown on the ground. On Friday the soldiers mock Jesus as a king with a purple robe, a crown of thorns and a sign above his cross that reads, “The king of the Jews.”  

Verse two: “Ride on, ride on in majesty! In lowly pomp ride on to die. O Christ, your triumphs now begin o’er captive death and conquered sin.” 

Two verses of this hymn contain the striking phrase “lowly pomp.” Lowly pomp? A humble display of magnificence? Yes! Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, not on a war horse. Lowly. But in the ancient Middle East, kings would ride donkeys if they came in peace. Pomp. 

This Sunday we learn of Jesus riding into Jerusalem as King to bring peace between we sinful humans and our holy God. Jesus goes into battle against Satan and sin to bring peace to our troubled lives through his death on the cross. He goes to war against Death to bring us eternal peace after Death claims us. Jesus is a King who comes to bring peace. Lowly pomp. Humble majesty. 

Verse three: “Ride on, ride on in majesty! The angel armies of the sky look down with sad and wond’ring eyes to see th’ approaching sacrifice.” 

On Sunday Jesus rides past the walls of Jerusalem carried on a donkey. On Friday Jesus’ corpse is on Golgotha’s hill, being carried by Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea, so he may be buried in a borrowed tomb. This was the greatest miracle of all time! The King dies for his subjects. The Shepherd lays down his life for sheep who love to wander. The Creator allows his creatures to crucify him. And the angel armies watch these events of salvation unfold with both sad and wondering eyes.  

Verse four: “Ride on, ride on in majesty! Your last and fiercest strife is nigh. The Father on his sapphire throne awaits his own anointed Son.” 

Zechariah prophesies, “See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9). There is both a simplicity and a depth to the entrance of Jesus on Palm Sunday. If Jesus came in the fullness of his glory with his voice like thunder and his eyes like fire, we would surely run from him in fear. When Isaiah saw the Lord’s glory, he came undone (Isaiah 6). When Jesus stilled the stormy sea, the disciples were terrified (Matthew 8). When Jesus ordered the fish to jump into their nets, the disciples demanded that he depart from them (Luke 5). So, Jesus humbled himself and became a servant (Philippians 2:8).  

Jesus humbled himself and came as a servant so that we would not fear him, but trust in him. He did not enter Jerusalem on a gleaming white steed to rule over us, rather he came gentle and riding a donkey because he was being obedient to Another – his Father on his sapphire throne.  

Verse five: “Ride on, ride on in majesty! In lowly pomp ride on to die. Bow your meek head to mortal pain, then take, O Christ, your power and reign.” 

Jesus rides into Jerusalem. He is riding on as a King in majesty. At the same time, he is riding on to a criminal’s death. A death that will make centurions and governors shake, but a death that will take a criminal to paradise.  

Jesus enters Jerusalem as King. The people putting their cloaks on the ground and waving palm branches in the air recognize this. Even as a King, Jesus still enters with humility and gentleness. 

The next time Jesus comes, it will not be with humility and gentleness. “Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him” (Revelation 1:7).  

On Palm Sunday, the people praise Christ with palm branches. One day, we will gather with the saints in heaven to wave palm branches in victory around the throne of Christ (Revelation 7:9). There will be no gentleness or humility … only glory and victory. For Christ reigns now and forevermore as our King of kings and Lord of lords.