CW 863: A Mighty Fortress Is Our God by Pastor Nathan Klusmeyer

CW 863: A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

Fall has always been one of my favorite times of the year. I love the bright colors as the leaves change. I love the smell of crisp Autumn mornings. I also look forward to the end of October and the celebration of the Reformation. I love history, and I love learning about and celebrating the life of Martin Luther. On October 31, we remember the day Luther nailed the 95 Theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany. Luther was not looking for fame or notoriety. Nor was he looking to start a revolution. Instead, Luther was concerned about the souls of Christians. His heart had been moved by the power of the Gospel to challenge the system of salvation through good works taught by the church of the Middle Ages. Luther wanted to restore the message of the Gospel to the people. He wanted all people to know that we are saved by faith in Christ alone.

As the Reformation spread through Europe, Luther faced attacks and threats of death for what he was teaching. Instead of giving into despair, Luther put his trust in the Lord. A Mighty Fortress Is Our God was written by Luther during these times of danger and hardship. It is based on the words of Psalm 46. Luther and his friends would sing this hymn when troubled or discouraged. A Mighty Fortress has continued to be a favorite hymn of Lutherans in the 500 years after the Reformation. It serves as a reminder that even when it seems like the forces of evil are winning, Christ has already defeated the power of Satan by his death on the cross.

Verse 1: A mighty fortress is our God, a trusty shield and weapon; he helps us free from every need that has us now o’ertaken. The old evil foe now means deadly woe; deep guile and great might are his dread arms in fight; on earth is not his equal.

Luther takes the title for this hymn from verses 7 and 11 of Psalm 46, “The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.” When we face times of trial and hardship, we can flee to the Lord. Our God is like a mighty fortress built on an unshakeable rock. Satan may launch many attacks against that fortress, but nothing can ever shake the power of our God. We are safe and secure in the palm of our Father’s hand. He will guard and protect us.

Question: What weapons does the Lord give us to resist the attacks of Satan? (Hint: look at Ephesians 6:10-18).

Verse 2: With might of ours can naught be done, soon were our loss effected; but for us fights the valiant one whom God himself elected. You ask, “Who is this?” Jesus Christ it is, the almighty Lord, and there’s no other God; he holds the field forever.

On our own, we are powerless to resist the temptations of the devil. We were born enslaved to sin and hostile to God. It is only through the power of the Gospel working through Word and Sacraments that we have been brought to faith. We now have Christ, the almighty Lord, fighting on our side. By his death and resurrection, Christ defeated the power of the devil. Satan has been cast down, and we have been freed from his power. Christ is victorious. He holds the field of battle for eternity. Sometimes, it may seem like Satan is winning as we see evil run rampant through this world, but we know Christ has won. Our eternal victory is certain, and Satan’s time is short.

Question: How do we know Christ has won the battle once and for all? (Read 1 Corinthians 15:12-34).

Verse 3: Though devils all the world should fill, all eager to devour us, we tremble not, we fear no ill; they shall not overpow’r us. This world’s prince may still scowl fierce as he will, he can harm us none. He judged; the deed is done; one little word can fell him.

Our enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking to devour us. Satan hates Christ, and he hates his followers. He wants nothing more than to destroy our faith and condemn us to an eternity in hell with him. Satan wants us to believe that he is a great and terrible enemy. But we know that he has been defeated. Satan cannot harm those God has called to be his own. We are safe in the fortress of our God. Satan cannot accuse us of our sins any longer because our sins have been paid for with the blood of Christ. Christ has defeated Satan once and for all by his death on the cross. He crushed the head of the Old Serpent, who led the world astray.

Question: Why can Christians live their lives free of guilt and shame?

Verse 4:The Word they still shall let remain, nor any thanks have for it; he’s by our side upon the plain with his good gifts and Spirit. And take they our life, goods, fame, child, and wife, though all may be gone, our victory is won; the kingdom’s ours forever.

During the years of conflict following the Reformation, many German rulers who supported Luther adopted the motto Verbum Domini Manet in Aeternum, which means “The Word of the Lord endures forever.” This is a confident expression of the enduring power and authority of God’s Word based on 1 Peter 1:24-25. They understood that it is only through God’s enduring Word that we learn about salvation through Jesus Christ. The final verse of A Mighty Fortress reminds us that we will face times of trial and persecution during our lives of faith. Christ promised that the world would hate us because it hated him first. Luther and his followers faced intense persecution during their lives. But they never compromised the Word of God. They knew that the troubles of this life are temporary, but the glorious kingdom of God is ours forever!

Question: What trials and persecutions do you face in your life, and how do you overcome them?

A Mighty Fortress Is Our God is a powerful hymn of trust in the power of our God. We know that we are engaged in a great spiritual battle. Satan, the world, and our own sinful natures are constantly fighting against us and trying to lead us away from God. When we look at all the evil in the world, we may be tempted to doubt the power of God. In those moments of doubt, we fix our eyes on the cross and remember Christ has already won the battle. Satan has been defeated! The head of the Serpent has been crushed! Christ has defeated all his enemies by his death and resurrection and holds the field forever. We are safe in the mighty fortress of our God, and nothing can ever snatch us from his hand.

CW 619 Praise the Almighty; My Soul, Adore Him by Pastor John Roekle

CW 619 Praise the Almighty; My Soul, Adore Him

Great job! Well done! Way to go! These are common phrases we use to praise someone. When you praise someone, you are expressing approval or even admiration for something they have done.

The hymn we are considering this week is a hymn of praise. Not praise for people, but praise for God. The catechism speaks of this kind of praise this way: “To speak joyfully and admiringly about God’s goodness.” Not only does the author approve of and admire what God has done, but he does so joyfully. In fact, he ends each verse with the double “alleluia.” “Alleluia” comes originally from the Hebrew language and simply means “Praise the LORD.” That’s exactly what the author wants us to do when we read or sing this hymn.

Verse one: Praise the Almighty; my soul, adore him! Yes, I will laud him until death.

With songs and anthems I’ll come before him as long as he allows me breath.

From him my life and all things came; bless, O my soul, his holy name.

Alleluia, alleluia!

This hymn is not only found in the Christian Worship Hymnal but also in the Christian Worship Psalter, or book of psalms. That is because “Praise the Almighty; My Soul, Adore Him” is what is called a metrical paraphrase of Psalm 146. That simply means that it is a psalm that we sing like a hymn. Hymns can often help us understand what the Bible is saying by repeating its truths in a different way.

This first verse repeats the truth that Psalm 146:2 tells us: “I will praise the Lord as long as I live. I will make music to my God as long as I exist.” We are to praise God all our lives because he has given us life and breath, and everything else.

Question: What are the different words for praise and ways for praising that the hymnwriter lists in verse one?

Verse two: Penitent sinners, for mercy crying, pardon and peace from him obtain;

ever the wants of the poor supplying, their faithful God he will remain.

He helps his children in distress, the widows and the fatherless.

Alleluia, alleluia!

We praise God because he does what he says he is going to do. That is especially comforting to us when our sins bother us. God is faithful in forgiving us, assuring us that we are pardoned from the punishment that comes as a result of sin. Instead, we have peace with him because Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice for us.

God also does what he says he is going to do when his children – Christian people – are hurting in some way. He assures us of his love and he assures us of his presence.

Question: In what ways do you suffer? In what ways does God help you in this time of need?

Verse three: Trust not in princes, they are but mortal; earthborn they are and soon decay. Vain are their counsels at life’s last portal when the dark grave will claim its prey. Since, then, no one can help afford, trust only Christ, our God and Lord. Alleluia, alleluia!

Earthly rulers serve a purpose. In fact, God established government for our own good so that there is order in our world. Government is to protect the citizens it governs. However, government has a limited purpose and limited power. In fact, all those who serve in government are merely mortal. They too are frail human beings who will die one day.

But there is one in whom we can all put our trust: Christ! We trust in Jesus Christ because he is not only human, but he is also God. Christ Jesus lives and rules forever and he has the power to help us now and to keep us in his care forever.

Question: Why are we tempted to trust too much in government?

Verse four: Praise, all you people, the name so holy of him who does such wondrous things! All that has being, to praise him solely, with happy heart its amen sings! Children of God, with angel host praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost! Alleluia, alleluia!

Many hymns end in a similar way by praising our Triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost (or Spirit). Each of the three persons of the Trinity have their distinct roles and yet they work together perfectly for our salvation. In fact, they work so well together that “even the angels long to look carefully into these things.” (1 Peter 1:12)

There is a well-known choral piece called “All That Hath Life and Breath Praise Ye the Lord.” This verse is proclaiming that very truth. God is worthy of such praise. Let’s give it to him!

Question: This verse praises Father, Son, and Holy Ghost (or Spirit). What do each of them do?

At the end of a prayer, we speak an ‘Amen.’ Why do we do that? Because we are acknowledging what was said is true. That really is what praise is. When we sing or speak words of praise about God, we are acknowledging what we are saying about him is true. Alleluia! Let us praise the Lord! Amen.

CW 862 - Lord, Keep Us Steadfast in Your Word (Zarling)

CW 862 – Lord, Keep Us Steadfast in Your Word

Our hymn for this week is a prayer to the Triune God. Each stanza is a prayer to a member of the trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The content of the prayer is really quite simple. It’s a request for help! But even though the request is simple, that doesn’t make it any less important. We live in a world that hates the Word of God and wants to destroy it forever. This hymn, then, is a request to God to help us by keeping us strong in the Word no matter what happens to us.

Our Gospel lesson for this coming Sunday is from Matthew 21:33-43. In it, Jesus tells a parable about a vineyard and some wicked men who worked that vineyard. In this parable, Jesus first shows us an example of what happens to those who don’t hold to his Word. They become warped and twisted by their own desires. These wicked men are called “wretches who will meet a wretched end.” At the end of the story, Jesus encourages us to not be like those wicked men. Instead, he encourages us to remain in him and to produce fruits of faith. How do we do this? By keeping steadfast in the precious Word of God!

Verse one: Lord, keep us steadfast in your Word; curb those who by deceit or sword, would seek to overthrow your Son, and to destroy what he has done.

The word steadfast means “strong!” Our prayer to God the father is a simple one: God give me strong faith! Because without a strong faith, there’s no way we’ll be able to produce fruits of faith. But there’s another reason we need God’s help in keeping a strong faith. There are people out there who will do anything they can to destroy the work of Jesus. Sometimes they’ll use sneaky methods like trying to trick us into not believing. Sometimes they’ll use more violent methods and threaten our lives because of our faith! The devil, the world, and our sinful flesh will all oppose the Word of God and try and stop us from living out our lives of faith. But we don’t need to be afraid. God will protect us and keep us strong in his Word. All we have to do is ask.

Question 1: What are some ways we can strengthen our faith?

Verse two: Lord Jesus Christ, your power make known, for you are Lord of lords alone; defend your Christendom that we may sing your praise eternally.

We live in a dangerous world that wants to stop us from growing in our faith. We are threatened by some truly scary things out there! The devil wants to eat us like a lion, our sinful nature fights against us every step of the way, and the world we live in will actively try and tell us what we believe is foolish. But we have a strong defender who will protect us from these threats: Jesus, the son of God! He showed his power by dying on the cross then rising again from the grave. He is King of kings and Lord of lords. He gives us the promise that he will defend us as we produce fruits of faith. This allows us to have peace, and praise him now and forever.

Question 2: What are some ways we can sing Jesus’ praises eternally?

Verse three: O Comforter of priceless worth, send peace and unity on earth; support us in our final strife and lead us out of death to life.

We already know we are protected from harm by the Father. We know the Son came into this world to free us and save us from our sin. But on top of that, we also have the Holy Spirit’s help! The Bible calls the Holy Spirit “the Comforter.” He’s the one Jesus sends to us to help us when we struggle in our faith. He continues to keep our faith strong with God’s Word so we can keep producing fruits of faith. He gives us peace and unity with God and with our fellow Christians. He will never leave us, no matter how bad things will get. And he will be the one who will lead us out of this world of trouble to our eternal home in heaven. We can have confidence that with the help of the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, we will not only survive the hardships we face, but we will thrive in our faith as well.

Question 3: What are some ways the Holy Spirit strengthens our faith in this world?

One thing’s for sure, we have a God who loves us and protects us from harm. This hymn shows us how each person of the Trinity has a unique role in keeping our faith strong so that we can produce fruits of faith. Thanks be to God that he has given us such incredible help! May we always turn to Him in times of need, that we can remain strong in the Word all the days of our lives. Amen.

CW 547: At the Name of Jesus

CW 547: At the Name of Jesus

The hymns in our hymnal come from a variety of places. Some are poems written by believers expressing their praise and thanksgiving to God; some are historic songs that the Church has been singing for hundreds of years; many take the very words and images of God’s Word and set them to music. Music has often been used as a way to remember different things. Musical versions of the section of Scripture help people remember God’s Word. That’s one of the reasons why learning and memorizing hymns is so important. This is one of the main reasons we sing the same songs of the historic liturgy every week: they help us learn the Word of God.

Hymn 547: At the Name of Jesus is a hymn based on the beautiful song of praise found in Philippians 2:6-11. These verses tell us about the humiliation and exaltation of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Christ was humiliated in the sense that he humbled himself, took on human flesh, suffered, and died for the sins of the whole world. Christ was exalted when he rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and is now sitting at the right hand of God the Father. In this exalted state, Christ will come again to judge both the living and the dead.

Verse 1: At the name of Jesus ev’ry knee shall bow, ev’ry tongue confess him King of glory now; ’tis the Father’s pleasure we should call him Lord, who from the beginning was the mighty Word.

This verse echoes Philippians 2:10-11. It confesses the truth that Jesus is true God. He was with God in the beginning before the creation of the world. When Christ returns in all his glory at the end of the world to judge the living and the dead, even unbelievers will be forced to bow their knees and confess that Jesus is Lord. This will be a day of praise for believers and a day of dread for unbelievers.

Question: Why do believers not need to fear our Lord’s return?

Verse 2: At his voice, creation sprang at once to sight, all the angel faces, all the hosts of light, cherubim in heaven, stars upon their way, all the heav’nly orders in their great array.

Jesus is both true God and true man. As true God, he created the heavens and the earth and all the angels. While we usually confess, as in the words of the Apostle’s Creed, that God the Father created the heavens and the earth because of the unique and mysterious nature of the Trinity, Christ also created the world. This verse confesses the truth that Jesus is true God.

Question: How does God use angels to help his people?

Verse 3: Humbled for a season to receive a name from the lips of sinners unto whom he came, faithfully he bore it spotless to the last, brought it back victorious when from death he passed;

The name mentioned in this verse is Christ. Christ is the Greek version of the word Messiah. The Messiah was the Savior that God promised to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. God then reaffirmed this promise to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and David. Jesus was the promised Savior. He fulfilled the promises of God by living a perfect, spotless life and offering his life as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. Jesus declared total victory over sin, death, and hell by rising victorious from the grave.

Question: Why did Jesus need to be true God and true man?

Verse 4: Bore it up triumphant with its human light, thro’ all ranks of creatures to the central height, to the throne of Godhead, to the Father’s breast, filled it with the glory of that perfect rest.

Our Savior rose victorious from the grave and appeared to his disciples. After a little while, he ascended into heaven. Christ is now reigning in heaven at the right hand of the Father. He rules over all things and guides the affairs of this world for the good of his church. Because Christ is true God, we know with complete certainty that he has control over all things. He is ruling all things for our God, and one day soon, he will return to gather his people to their heavenly home.

Question: How is Christ guiding and directing the affairs of the world?

Verse 5: In your hearts enthrone him; there let him subdue all that is not holy, all that is not true. Crown him as your captain in temptation’s hour; let his will enfold you in its light and pow’r.

Jesus Christ is ruling all things at the right hand of the Father, but he is also ruling in our hearts. This is one of the great mysteries of our God that he can be in all places at once. This is called God’s omnipresence. What a great comfort to know that our Savior is always with us. Jesus is with us; he knows us, and he loves us. Because we have Christ in our hearts, we can resist the attacks of Satan. The life of a Christian is a constant struggle against temptation, but we pray that Christ will give us strength to live our lives according to his will.

Question: What are some ways to resist temptation?

Verse 6: Christians, this Lord Jesus shall return again in his Father’s glory, with his angel train; for all wreaths of empire meet upon his brow, and our hearts confess him King of glory now.

Jesus Christ will come again to judge the living and the dead. This is the great hope that all believers cling to. We know that one day, this sin-filled world will come to an end. Our Lord will return and take all those who call on his name to a glorious new heavens and earth. We eagerly await that day, but in the meantime, we continue to confess that Jesus is our Lord and Savior. We confess this truth to a world lost in sin so that others may come to know the peace and joy of salvation.

Question: What are some ways you can confess the King of Glory?

At the Name of Jesus is a beautiful hymn that reminds us of many of the marvelous truths of our Savior. God humbled himself and took on human flesh. He suffered and died for our sins. He rose from the dead and is reigning over all things at the right hand of the Father, and he will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead. We pray for that great and glorious day to come soon. Come, Lord Jesus! Amen.

CW 733 Forgive Our Sins as We Forgive

What does the world tell you when you’ve been wronged? You’re told to hold a grudge. When you’ve been injured, you’re told to get even. When you’ve been hurt, you’re told to never let those people hurt you again.

Our hymn this week teaches us a better, godly, more merciful option. It teaches us to forgive the sins of others just as Jesus has forgiven our sins.

Verse one: “Forgive our sins as we forgive,” you taught us, Lord, to pray, but you alone can grant us grace to live the words we say.

The way to deal with the hurts others have caused us is to remove the debts those others owe us. Jesus teaches us a parable about forgiveness in this week’s Gospel lesson from Matthew 18:21-35. In the parable of the unforgiving servant, Jesus shows that forgiveness means no longer holding a person’s debt against them. A servant is forgiven a very large debt, but then he goes out and refuses to forgive another servant’s much smaller debt. The point of the parable is that we all owe a hopelessly huge debt to God. But our heavenly King has forgiven that huge debt of our sins. Now we are to forgive the much smaller debts that are owed us by others. We can’t do this on our own. Only the love of the Lord inside of us moves us to live with this kind of forgiveness.

Question: What does it mean when we sing “forgive our sins as we forgive”?

Verse two: How can your pardon reach and bless the unforgiving heart that broods on wrongs and will not let old bitterness depart?

We sinfully love to hold grudges. Holding a grudge makes us feel good. When we hold a grudge, the other person is the bad guy, and we are the righteous victims. We like to remember all the slights and wrongs people have done to us. We want to get even. This gives us a sense of power over that person and allows us to justify committing all sorts of other sins. They wronged me, so now I can speak badly about them to others. They wronged me, so now I don’t need to help and be a friend to them. They sinned against me, so I don’t need to forgive them.

Question: Why is it so hard to forgive other people?

Verse three: In blazing light your cross reveals the truth we dimly knew: how small are others’ debts to us, how great our debt to you!

Our God is like the master in Jesus’ parable. “Then the servant fell down on his knees in front of him, saying, ‘Master, be patient with me, and I will pay you everything!’ The master of that servant had pity on him, released him, and forgave him the debt” (Matthew 18:26, 27). We are

really big sinners! We have our inborn sin, our sins of commission that we commit with our naughty thoughts, our nasty words, and our not-so-nice actions, and our sins of omission where we fail to do all the good and godly things God wants us to do. This is a huge debt we have created before our God and King!

Yet God forgives our debt of sin! Except, that God does not forgive our debt by simply cancelling it. The King’s Son – Jesus Christ – paid off our debt. Not with gold or silver, but with his holy, precious blood and with his innocent suffering and death. Our King has turned his mercy on us his servants because he treated his own Son as if he was a guilty servant with a huge debt of sin.

Question: Why do the sins of others often seem so big and your sins often seem so small?

Verse four: Lord, cleanse the depths within our souls and bid resentment cease; then, bound to all in bonds of love, our lives will spread your peace.

Instead of holding grudges or getting even, the apostle Paul gives us a better way to deal with sin: “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32). The forgiveness of Jesus gives you the power to forgive others, to release old grudges, and to dismiss old grievances that you have been holding on for too long.

Because God has canceled your huge debt of sin against him, now you can cancel someone else’s smaller debt of sin against you. You don’t have to resent them. Instead, you can release them. Instead of being unloving towards them, you can show Jesus’ love to them. You can forgive them … just as in Christ God has forgiven you.

Question: How does Jesus’ forgiveness help you to forgive others?

CW 694 – Jesus I My Cross Have Taken

Hymns are important to us as Christians. Hymns are sermons set to music. Singing God’s Word has a way of touching the heart in different ways than the spoken or written Word does. We often leave worship humming the last hymn we sang in church that morning.

Over the course of this school year, our four pastors at First Evan and Water of Life Lutheran Churches, who support Wisconsin Lutheran School, will be writing hymn devotions. We want the parents to read these devotions – or listen to the podcasts – together at home with your children. The devotions will be written on the Hymn of the Day. This is the major hymn in the center of our worship services. The Hymn of the Day carries the main thoughts and theme of the worship service. Our WLS students sing the Hymn of the Day in chapel on Wednesdays and will hear it again in our churches for worship on Sundays.

The second hymn we will look at reminds us of the two poles of Christian life. On the one hand, we know that as followers of Christ, we will face trial, persecution, and suffering for the sake of Jesus. On the other hand, we know that these things are nothing compared to the love our Father has showered on us and the eternal joy that we look forward to in heaven.

In our Gospel lesson for this coming Sunday from Matthew 16:21-26, Jesus tells us that as his followers, we must deny ourselves, take up our crosses, and follow him. This may sound like a harsh promise. We like the things of this world, but Christ reminds us that suffering in this life is nothing compared to the eternal suffering in hell that awaits those who reject Christ.

Verse one: Jesus, I my cross have taken, all to leave and follow you; destitute, despised, forsaken, you on earth once suffered, too. Perish ev’ry fond ambition, all I’ve ever hoped or known; yet how rich is my condition, God and heav’n are still my own!

The hymn writer echoes the words of Jesus that we must take up our crosses and follow him. As Christians, we will face suffering. Instead of focusing on the pain of our suffering, we focus on the suffering Christ endured for us. We remember that Christ endured the shame of the cross on the torments of hell in our place. He took all our sins on himself and paid for them with his life. This is why we can be content even though we suffer. We know the eternal reward that Christ has won for us.

Question 1: Why can we be sure that heaven is our reward?

Verse two: Let the world despise and leave me; they have left my Savior, too. Human hearts and looks deceive me; you are not, like them, untrue. And, since you have smiled upon me, God of wisdom, love, and might, foes may hate and friends may shun me; show your face, and all is bright.

We live in a world that has been twisted and polluted by sin. Our friends and families will not always love us the way we want them to. They will break promises to us; they may even hurt us. But our heavenly Father will never betray or hurt us. God loves us no matter what. God comes to us again and again with his love and forgiveness. When we are alone, we can turn to God as our dear Father and put our hope and trust in him. God will never fail us, and God never breaks his promises.

Question 2: What are some of the promises that God has made to his followers?

Verse three: Go, then, earthly fame and treasure! Come, disaster, scorn, and pain! In your service pain is pleasure, with your favor loss is gain. I have called you Abba, Father; you my all in all shall be. Storms may howl, and clouds may gather, all must work for good to me.

Notice the shift in tone in this verse. Despite facing all kinds of suffering in this life, the Christian remains defiant. The world can throw anything it wants against us. Satan can rage in all his power. But we tremble not; we fear no ill; he cannot overpower us. We know that the victory has been won. We know that Christ has defeated the power of Satan. And so, we rest content in the promises of our God, knowing that he is watching over us and caring for us.

Question 3: What are some of the challenges a Christian will face in their life of faith?

Verse four: Haste, my soul, from grace to glory, armed by faith and winged by prayer; all but heav’n is transitory, God’s own hand shall guide you there. Soon shall end this earthly story, swift shall pass the pilgrim days, hope soon change to heav’nly glory, faith to sight and prayer to praise.

Christians know that this life is not the end. We know that the things of this world will be destroyed at the end of the world. Fame, wealth, and fortune – in the long run, all these things count for less than nothing. The only thing that will truly matter is whether a person believes in Jesus as their Savior. Jesus expresses this truth in Matthew 16:26, “After all, what will it help a person if he gains the whole world, but forfeits his soul? Or what can a person give in exchange for his soul?” This is why Christians can joyfully endure suffering in this life. We know that it is temporary, but the joy of heaven is eternal.

Question 4: Why can Christians endure suffering with joy?

Life is difficult. It is full of pain and sadness. The world wants to distract us by thinking it has an answer to suffering. But the answers of the world are empty. The things it offers will not last. Only the truth of God’s Word is eternal. Our faith in Christ reminds and assures us that eternal life has been won for us in Jesus Christ, our Lord. This is why a Christian can stand defiant and hopeful when faced with the struggles of this life.

CW 510 - In Christ Alone

Hymns are important to us as Christians. Hymns are sermons set to music. Singing God’s Word has a way of touching the heart in different ways than the spoken or written Word does. We often leave worship humming the last hymn we sang in church that morning.

Over the course of this school year, our four pastors at First Evan and Water of Life Lutheran Churches who support Wisconsin Lutheran School, will be writing hymn devotions. We would like the parents to read these devotions – or listen to the podcasts – together at home with your children. The devotions will be written on the Hymn of the Day. This is the major hymn in the center of our worship services. The Hymn of the Day carries the main thoughts and theme of the worship service. Our WLS students sing the Hymn of the Day in chapel on Wednesdays and will hear it again in our churches for worship on Sundays.

The first hymn we’ll study together is “In Christ Alone.” Our WLS students will sing this hymn for the Joint Outdoor Worship Service on September 10. “In Christ Alone” is a newer hymn that has quickly become a favorite song around the world.

In our Gospel lesson for this coming Sunday from Matthew 16:13-20, Jesus asked, “Who do you say that I am” (Matthew 16:15)? That is the most important question in the world. And it is a question every human must answer. By God’s grace, Peter answered the question correctly, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). By God’s grace, we answer the question correctly when we sing, “In Christ Alone.”

Verse one: In Christ alone my hope is found; he is my light, my strength, my song; this cornerstone, this solid ground, firm through the fiercest drought and storm. What heights of love, what depths of peace, when fears are stilled, when strivings cease! My comforter, my all in all; here in the love of Christ I stand.

Jesus Christ is our hope when we are hopeless; our light in the darkness; our strength in our weakness, and our song when we don’t feel like singing. In our current culture where we focus so much on emotions and feelings, Jesus is our solid rock. He’s the One we turn to for help after the Maui fires, Hurricane Hilary, droughts, floods, and other storms of life. He is the One who comforts us, calms us, and gives us peace. This all comes because Jesus Christ stands with us.

Verse two: In Christ alone, who took on flesh, fullness of God in helpless babe; this gift of love and righteousness, scorned by the ones he came to save. Till on that cross as Jesus died, the wrath of God was satisfied; for ev’ry sin on him was laid; here in the death of Christ I live.

Jesus is the Son of God whom the universe cannot contain, yet he contained himself within the womb of the Virgin Mary. He through whom the universe was spoken into existence, had to learn how to talk as a baby. He who would later walk on water, had to learn to walk as a

toddler. The Son of God left his home in heaven to come to earth to save those he loved. But those he loved did not love him back. The Jews and Romans put him to death on the cross. Our sins put him to death on that same cross. There Jesus endured his Father’s wrath over our sins. That’s why he cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me” (Matthew 27:46)? God the Father poured out his anger on his only begotten Son … so he would not pour out that anger on us. Now through faith in Jesus, we are called the Father’s sons and daughters.

Verse three: There in the ground his body lay, light of the world by darkness slain; then bursting forth in glorious day, up from the grave he rose again! And as he stands in victory, sin’s curse has lost its grip on me; for I am his and he is mine, bought with the precious blood of Christ.

In my church at Water of Life, our worshipers get very soft in singing this third verse. It’s almost a whisper as we sing about Jesus’ corpse being laid in the tomb. But then we get loud! Piano, pipe organ, brass, and voices are bursting forth with praise because Jesus’ resurrected body has burst forth from the grave! Because Jesus stands in victory, now we stand in victory. He is ours because he has made us his own. He bought us back from the devil – not with gold or silver – but with his holy, precious blood.

Verse four: No guilt in life, no fear in death, this is the pow’r of Christ in me; from life’s first cry to final breath, Jesus commands my destiny. No pow’r of hell, no scheme of man can ever pluck me from his hand; till he returns or calls me home, here in the pow’r of Christ I’ll stand.

We sing verse four as loudly as we sang verse three. Except for me. I usually get choked up with this fourth verse. It is our response to Jesus’ death, resurrection, and eternal victory. Because of what Jesus Christ accomplished on the cross and out of the tomb, now we have no more guilt or fear of death. From our first cry to final breath, our Lord Jesus Christ is in control. We are safe in his hands. Nothing – not the devil nor his demonic forces – can ever pluck us out of Jesus’ nail-scarred hands. Because we stand with Jesus in faith today, we are kept safe and secure until we stand with Jesus around his heavenly throne for all days.

By God’s grace, we know who Jesus Christ is. What a blessing that we stand in faith with Peter and the disciples confessing our faith in Jesus Christ. What a blessing that we stand in faith with our Christian brothers and sisters at Water of Life, First Evan, and Wisconsin Lutheran School to sing our faith in Jesus Christ.

Discussion Questions:

1. How does Jesus help you when you feel alone or afraid?

2. Why is the death of Jesus so important?

3. What does Jesus’ resurrection prove?

4. Why don’t you ever need to be afraid of dying

CW 590 – O Holy Spirit, Enter In

As we celebrate Pentecost, we invite the Holy Spirit to enter our hearts, homes, and churches. We ask him to enter in and equip us with Christian faith and for works of Christian service.

Verse one: O Holy Spirit, enter in and in our hearts your work begin, your dwelling place now make us. Sun of the soul, O Light divine, around and in us brightly shine, to joy and gladness wake us that we may be truly living, to you giving prayer unceasing and in love be still increasing.

God has chosen you, called you, and now he equips you for work in his Kingdom. But we are often hesitant, resistant, and even defiant in our acts of service. Consider some of God’s hand-picked leaders and how they reacted to God’s call to service. Moses was God’s chosen leader for the people of Israel. But Moses questioned whether the people would follow him. Jonah was sent by the word of the Lord to the people of Nineveh. But Jonah sailed in exactly the opposite direction. Peter had vowed that he would die for Jesus. But Peter cowered in fear and denied being Jesus’ disciple when he was questioned by a servant girl at the fire in the high priest’s courtyard.

We are very much like these prophets and apostles. The Lord tells us he is with us, yet we tremble in fear. The Lord assures us that he has a plan for our lives, yet we question, doubt, and complain. The Lord commands us to go in his name, yet we sit on the sofa with other things taking precedence over evangelizing lost souls.

This is why we pray for the Holy Spirit to enter our hearts and make his dwelling within us. He shines his light of faith into the dark recesses of sin and unbelief that lurk within our hearts. He wakes us from our sadness with the gospel of gladness. He turns our unloving hearts into hearts that desire to display God’s divine love through our words and actions.

Verse two: Give to your Word impressive pow’r that in our hearts from this good hour as fire it may be glowing, that in true Christian unity we faithful witnesses may be, your glory ever showing. Hear us, cheer us by your teaching; let our preaching and our labor praise you, Lord, and serve our neighbor.

The Angel of the Lord appeared to Moses in a burning bush. The Word of the Lord came to Jonah. The resurrected Jesus appeared personally to Peter on Easter morning, Easter evening and then numerous times over the next 40 days. Peter then received the powerful outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. Seeing, hearing, and believing the Lord has to change a person! How can it not?!

The Holy Spirit has been poured out on you in your Baptism. The heavenly Father has forgiven you in the Absolution following your confession of sins. The risen and ascended Christ speaks to you in your Bible. God’s Word and Sacraments have an impressive power to break apart your stony hearts of sin. They warm up your cold soul. They unite you from factions into faithful witnesses. Christ’s teaching and preaching moves you to labor and service in his Kingdom. Through Word and Sacraments, now you are a changed person. Just like Moses, Jonah, and Peter.

Verse three: O mighty Rock, O Source of life, let your dear Word, in doubt and strife, in us be strongly burning that we be faithful unto death and live in love and holy faith, from you true wisdom learning. Your grace and peace on us shower; by your power Christ confessing, let us see our Savior’s blessing.

A burning bush, a giant fish, tongues of flame, and the sound of rushing wind all seem like rather peculiar ways of changing people … but that’s how our God works. Sometimes it is through peculiar or ordinary or seemingly mundane means. … But they are all miraculous!

The Holy Spirit works through his gloriously humble means of grace. He works through the pouring of water and a few syllables of Scripture to change a baby from heathen status to heavenly status. He works through a paper-thin unleavened wafer and a little sip of grape wine to assure believers of the forgiveness of their sins. He works through black letters printed on pages of a book, through the sound waves from voices singing hymns and liturgy and entering our ears, and through our memory banks when we recall a passage of Scripture. He works through the voice of a child or a friend talking about the love of Jesus so that hearts are softened and stand before the Lord’s altar to commune together in unity of faith and doctrine

It is these Words and Sacraments that equip us with the strength we need to remain faithful, even to the point of death. They equip us to confess Christ now, so that we may be blessed to see Christ before his throne in heaven.

O Holy Spirit, enter in, and equip our hearts for lives of faith and Christian service. 

CW 876 - Fight the Good Fight

Christians are often pictured as meek and mild people who humbly turn the other cheek. We certainly do those things. Yet, the Bible also calls on us to be strong and militant in our Christian beliefs. This is the dichotomy of the Christian. The Bible pictures us as seeking peace through kindness and gentleness. But the Bible also pictures us as active, energetic, and even athletic.

Verse one: Fight the good fight with all your might; Christ is your strength and Christ your right. Lay hold on life, and it shall be your joy and crown eternally.

The opening line of verse one is from St. Paul’s words to Pastor Timothy: “Fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of eternal life, to which you were called and about which you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses” (1 Timothy 6:12) This is not a fight using weapons and fists. It is spiritual warfare. The good fight of faith refers to the constant battle in this world between God and Satan, between truth and falsehood, between the new nature and the sinful flesh. Do not give up. Continue to battle against evil, false teaching, and sin.

We go into this spiritual battle with spiritual weapons. St. Paul describes these weapons: “Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can stand against the schemes of the Devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. For this reason, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to take a stand on the evil day and, after you have done everything, to stand. Stand, then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness fastened in place, and with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace tied to your feet like sandals. At all times hold up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the Evil One. Also take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:10-17).

Verse two: Run the straight race through God’s good grace; lift up your eyes and seek his face. Life with its way before us lies; Christ is the path and Christ the prize.

The opening line of verse two is from Hebrews 12:1: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us get rid of every burden and the sin that so easily ensnares us, and let us run with patient endurance the race that is laid out for us.” The writer pictures the Hebrews as running a race on the track in a Roman stadium with a crowd all around them cheering them on. People involved in a foot race will eliminate anything that might hinder them such as carrying any extra weight or wearing something that entangles their legs. In the same way, Christians desire to get rid of the burden and loose clothing of sin, which would slow down and trip up a runner in a spiritual race. Undue concern for the things of this world and temptations to sin are examples of things that can hinder Christians in the race God laid out for them. Instead, we lift up our eyes to keep us fixed on the prize of our race, which is Jesus Christ.

Verse three: Cast care aside, lean on your guide; his boundless mercy will provide. Lean, and the trusting soul shall prove Christ is its life and Christ its love.

We fight the good fight and run the straight race by casting our cares aside and leaning on God’s Word as our guide. This verse is reminiscent of Jesus’ words about worry in his Sermon on the Mount: “So do not worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For the unbelievers chase after all these things. Certainly your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:31-34). We live in a sinful world filled with daily problems. We don’t want to add unfounded and senseless worry to that long list of problems. Instead, we seek first God’s kingdom and his righteousness. By doing that, we are leaning and trusting that Christ will provide all we need for this life and for the life to come.

Verse four: Faint not nor fear, his arms are near; he changes not, and you are dear. Only believe, and you will see that Christ is Lord eternally.

This final verse reminds us of a number of God’s promises. “Faint not nor fear” reminds us of God’s promise: “Tell those who have a fearful heart: Be strong. Do not be afraid. Look! Your God will come with vengeance. With God’s own retribution, he will come and save you” (Isaiah 35:4). “His arms are near” reminds us of: “My righteousness is near. My salvation goes forth, and my arms will bring justice to the peoples. The seacoasts will wait for me. They will have confidence in my arm” (Isaiah 51:5). “He changes not” therefore we do not need to be afraid, but only believe: “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). 

CW 461 - He Is Arisen! Glorious Word

Jesus speaks to his troubled disciples of all ages in this week’s Gospel, “Do not let your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to be with me, so that you may also be where I am. You know where I am going, and you know the way” (John 14:1-4).

Jesus tells us to stop being troubled. The Greek word for “trouble” has the picture of water that is churning or seething, as in a rough surf on Lake Michigan. The news of the betrayal, denial, and departure of Jesus have caused the disciples’ hearts to churn with fear and apprehension.

How often don’t you notice that your heart is churning with fear and seething with apprehension? We Americans are becoming increasingly anxious, depressed, and isolated. Jesus doesn’t simply pat his disciples on the head and say, “There, there, everything will be all right.” He tells why they have no reason to be troubled. He points us to his home he won for us through his death and resurrection. Our hymn points us to the same confidence.

He is arisen! Glorious Word! Now reconciled is God, my Lord; the gates of heav’n are open. My Jesus did triumphant die, and Satan’s arrows broken lie, destroyed hell’s fiercest weapon. O hear what cheer! Christ victorious, rising glorious, life is giving. He was dead but now is living!

Jesus doesn’t promise to remove our troubles from us. Rather, he promises to remove us from our troubles. He promises to remove our troubles eventually and eternally in heaven. The gates of heaven are open for those who believe in Jesus. Heaven opened because of what happened to Jesus on the cross and out of the grave.

 It appeared as if Jesus was defeated when he died on Calvary’s cross. The opposite was true. “My Jesus did triumphant die.” With his sacrificial death, Jesus "destroyed hell's fiercest weapon" – death itself. “Satan’s arrows” – the ones he shot into Adam and Eve and their countless children – have all fallen broken at the foot of the cross. Jesus endured the hellish agony and his Father’s just wrath for humanity’s sins. Through his sacrificial death and triumphant resurrection, Christ is victorious, rising glorious. He was dead but now is living. When we die, we will rise to go on living in the Father’s heavenly mansions that Jesus has ascended to prepare for us. Let this knowledge calm your troubled, churning hearts. 

CW 804 – I Am Jesus’ Little Lamb

The prophet Isaiah prophesied a day when God would come to be with his people. He would come to tend his people like he was their Shepherd and they were his little lambs. “Like a shepherd he will care for his flock. With his arm he will gather the lambs. He will lift them up on his lap. He will gently lead the nursing mothers” (Isaiah 40:11)

The prophet Ezekiel also promised the day when God would search for his lost sheep and gather them to himself like a shepherd searches for his flock. “I myself will seek the welfare of my flock and carefully search for them. As a shepherd searches for his flock when his sheep that were with him have been scattered, so I will search for my flock and rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. … I will seek the lost. I will bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured. I will strengthen the weak” (Ezekiel 34:11, 12, 16).

Jesus is the fulfillment of these prophecies and promises. He says, “I am the Good Shepherd. I know my sheep and my sheep know me (just as the Father knows me and I know the Father). And I lay down my life for the sheep. I also have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. Then there will be one flock and one shepherd” (John 10:14-16).

The hymn, "I Am Jesus' Little Lamb," celebrates Jesus, our Shepherd and Savior, who came among us as the prophets foretold. It is a simple hymn that children love to sing. Unfortunately, many adults shy away from singing the hymn because they consider it too childlike. Yet, that’s exactly why we should sing it! All of us – children and adults – are Jesus’ little lambs. This hymn presents simple – but profound – truths.

Verse one: I am Jesus’ little lamb; ever glad at heart I am, for my Shepherd gently guides me, knows my need and well provides me, loves me ev’ry day the same, even calls me by my name.

The hymn speaks of the Shepherd's love for us and our joy in his care. It doesn’t matter our age – the hearts of all of us quicken as our Shepherd is near. We are excited that he gently guides us. He made us his own in Baptism. He calls us by name. This simple truth that Jesus knows our needs and provides for those needs is a profound confidence in the basinet and on the hospice bed.

Verse two: Day by day, at home, away, Jesus is my staff and stay. When I hunger, Jesus feeds me, into pleasant pastures leads me; when I thirst, he bids me go where the quiet waters flow.

The Good Shepherd takes care of us day by day. We don’t ever have to wonder or worry about where our next meal is coming from. When we are hungry, Jesus feeds us. When we are thirsty, Jesus gives us something to drink. He feeds our hungry bellies and thirsty throats with food and water. He feeds our starving souls and thirsting faiths with the Bread and Water of Life of his Holy Word.

Verse three: Who so happy as I am, even now the Shepherd’s lamb? And when my short life is ended, by his angel host attended, he shall fold me to his breast, there within his arms to rest.

There are times when we wander from the Shepherd, as lambs often do. We look for greener pastures and sweeter waters. But Jesus keeps a watchful eye on us. He calls us back to him. He corrals us back into his flock with his staff. He beats away the predatory lions and wolves with his rod. He seeks out his wandering, doubting, fearful lambs. He rescues us with his forgiveness and love. The Good Shepherd lays down his life for us. Now we know that when our life is ended, Jesus will send his angels to gather our souls so that we will find eternal rest in the green pastures and quiet waters of the Good Shepherd’s paradise.

Whatever your age, you are Jesus’ precious little lamb. The Good Shepherd loves you every day the same. And every day he calls you by your name. Never tire of hearing your Shepherd’s voice calling his lambs to come near.

CW 452 - The Strife Is O'er, the Battle Done

Jesus told his disciples about the strife to come. Matthew tells us in his Gospel that “Jesus began to show his disciples that he had to go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and experts in the law, and be killed, and on the third day be raised again” (Matthew 16:21). Jesus warned the disciples about his deadly strife, but he also assured them of the victory that would follow the strife.

Just as he had foretold, Jesus was rejected and betrayed. He suffered many things at the hands of the Jewish religious leaders and Roman soldiers. Jesus was mocked by those at the foot of the cross. Hanging upon the cross in weakness and humility, it appeared as if the battle was done … and that Jesus had lost

But the opposite was true! The battle was done … but Jesus had won! He had bested sin by paying the price with his divinely human blood! He had crushed Satan under his bloody heel! And he would defeat death with his third day resurrection!

The refrain: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! Verse one: The strife is o’er, the battle done; now is the victor’s triumph won; now be the song of praise begun: Alleluia!

The empty tomb has shaken the world. Death is dead. The devil is defeated. The angels rejoice. The saints sing.

Verse two: The pow’rs of death have done their worst, but Christ their legions has dispersed. Let shouts of holy joy outburst: Alleluia!

Christ took his Sabbath rest. He awoke from the sleep of death. The Victim is the Victor. The grave is open. And now there is an empty tomb for rent.

Verse three: The three sad days have quickly sped, he rises glorious from the dead. All glory to our risen Head: Alleluia!

The gates of Hades have been kicked in. Hell is vanquished. The demons have fallen. He holds "the keys of Death and Hades" (Revelation 1:18b). The gates of heaven have been opened. The saints gather around the throne of the risen Christ.

Verse four: He closed the yawning gates of hell; the bars from heav’n’s high portals fell. Let hymns of praise his triumph tell: Alleluia

While here on earth, our strife is not over. We are still engaged in battle against sin, Satan, and death. But we are confident that because Jesus was triumphant over this unholy trinity, his victory is now our victory. Sinners have been turned into saints. The captives have been set free. The sting of death has been removed. Sin has been paid for. The Ancient Serpent’s head has been crushed. Christ has turned the curse of death into a sleep for his saints. Our hymns of praise during the Easter season tell the story of Jesus’ resurrection triumph. This is a triumph that we and all Christ’s saints will be celebrating now and into eternity. Alleluia!  

Verse five: By your deep wounds, O risen King, come set us free from death’s sharp sting, that we may live and ever sing: Alleluia! (Refrain)

Hymn 824- This is the Threefold Truth

In the Lutheran tradition of worship, the pastor speaks the words of institution of the Lord’s Supper saying, “Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night he was betrayed, took bread; and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, ‘Take and eat; this is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’”

"Then he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, 'Drink from it, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for you for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.'” Then the worshipers respond by saying a simple, "Amen."

But in other Christian traditions like the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Byzantine Rite, the Roman Catholic Church, and others, the worshipers will respond with a three-part acclamation.

Here are a few of those three-part acclamations:

We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection, until you come again. When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup, we proclaim your Death, O Lord, until you come again.

Save us, Saviour of the world, for by your Cross and Resurrection you have set us free.

Dying you destroyed our death, rising you restored our life. Lord Jesus, come in glory.

When we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim your death, Lord Jesus, until you come in glory.

Lord, by your cross and resurrection, you have set us free. You are the Saviour of the world.

Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.

The various Christian traditions have different wording, but they all contain three similar fundamental truths that summarize the Christian faith. Christ died for us. Christ defied death with his resurrection from the dead. After his resurrection, Christ ascended into heaven and will return on the Last Day.

This is the threefold truth that is used as the refrain for a hymn that teaches the reason for our faith and worship.

Verse one: This is the threefold truth on which our faith depends; and with this joyful cry worship begins and ends: (Refrain) Christ has died! Christ is risen! Christ will come again!

The faith of the generations who have gone before us, the faith of us who are worshiping now, and the faith of those who will come after us is summarized by these words: Christ has died! Christ is risen! Christ will come again!

Verse two: Long used by saints of old, new-minted for our time, our liturgies confess the hope we have in him: (Refrain) Christ has died! Christ is risen! Christ will come again!

In our worship, we may use the red Christian Worship hymnal or the blue Christian Worship hymnal. We may use the Common Service or The Service Setting One. We may use hymnals or screens, contemporary worship or liturgical worship. Our Lutheran liturgies – the worship pattern we follow – confess the hope we have in Christ. That hope can be summarized by these words: Christ has died! Christ is risen! Christ will come again!

Verse three: On this we fix our minds as, kneeling side by side, we take the bread and wine, take him, the Crucified: (Refrain) Christ has died! Christ is risen! Christ will come again!

We may not always know the people who are kneeling next to us at the communion rail. But we know their faith. They have been catechized and confirmed in the same Lutheran faith as us. This unity of faith is summarized by these words: Christ has died! Christ is risen! Christ will come again!

Verse four: By this we are upheld when doubt or grief assails our Christian faith and love, and only grace avails: (Refrain) Christ has died! Christ is risen! Christ will come again!

The devil and his temptations pound on us. The world and its flirtations seduce us. Death and its grief assail us. Yet we know that Christ has overcome the devil. We know faith is stronger than flirtations. We know that grace comforts us in our grief. We have this Christian confidence because of this summary of the Christian faith: Christ has died! Christ is risen! Christ will come again!

Verse five: This is the threefold truth which, if we hold it fast, changes the world and us and brings us home at last: (Refrain) Christ has died! Christ is risen! Christ will come again!

CW 846 - I Know of a Sleep in Jesus’ Name

Losing a child to death is one of the most devastating events a parent can endure. Pastor Magnus Brostrup Landstad wrote the words of “I Know of a Sleep in Jesus’ Name” after facing such a devastating event.

Landstad composed this hymn on Easter morning, April 18, 1851. It was right after his son, Haakon, had died of typhus. As if the death of one child was not enough, Landstad had lost his little daughter, Maria Sophie, earlier that same year in January.

You can imagine that Landstad’s grief was overwhelming. Two lovely little children now in the grave. Yet, God moved Landstad to write this hymn, which became one of Landstad’s greatest.

Verse one: I know of a sleep in Jesus’ name, a rest from all toil and sorrow; earth folds in her arms my weary frame and shelters it till the morrow. My soul is at home with God in heav’n; my sorrows are past and over.

St. Paul writes about death to the Christians in Thessalonica: “We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who have fallen asleep, so that you do not grieve in the same way as the others, who have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13). Scripture uses sleep as a metaphor for a Christian’s death. When Lazarus died, Jesus said, “Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going … to wake him up” (John 11:11). Just as we expect our nightly sleep to be temporary and refreshing, so also Christians know that when we die in faith in Jesus, death is temporary—and we will wake up refreshed in heaven. Our souls will be with God in heaven, so that means our sorrows of this earth will be past and over.

Verse two: I know of a morning, bright and fair when tidings of joy shall wake us, when songs from on high shall fill the air and God to his glory take us, when Jesus shall bid us rise from sleep; how joyous that hour of waking!

Landstad found that the best words for a hymn on death was to use the language of Scripture that calls death nothing more than a sleep. He used the language that Jesus used when he came to the house of Jairus whose 12-year-old daughter had died. When Jesus saw all the people outside Jairus’ home weeping and mourning for the little girl, he said, “Stop weeping, because she is not dead, but sleeping” (Luke 8:52). The girl’s soul had already separated from her body, but she was only sleeping, because Jesus would awaken her when he raised her from the dead. How joyous will be that time when Jesus wakes each of us from the slumber and sleep of death!

Verse three: God’s Son to our graves then makes his way; his voice hear all tribes and nations. The trumpet of God will sound the day and shake all the earth’s foundations. He calls out aloud, “O dead, come forth!” In glory we rise to meet him.

Landstad once again recalls the words of St. Paul to the Thessalonian Christians: “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them, to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). One day – on the Last Day – Jesus will return in the clouds to call God’s children out of their graves. That great and glorious day will be like a parent calling his or her child out of bed in the morning. Then in glory we shall rise to meet him.

Verse four: O Jesus, draw near my dying bed and take me into your keeping and say when my spirit hence is fled, “This child is not dead, but sleeping.” And leave me not, Savior, till I rise to praise you in life eternal.

Life is filled with great sorrows and devastating tragedies. We all desire a rest from them. All that we have to hold onto in the face of these sorrows and tragedies is the resurrection comfort God gives us in his Word. Landstad fled to the Word so he could make it through the days following the tragic events that devastated his family. Fellow child of God, also flee to God’s Word. There you will hear the comforting voice of your Savior saying to you, “This child is not dead, but sleeping.”

Hymn 713- I Want to Walk as a Child of The Light

One day, while Jesus was walking, he saw a man who was blind from birth. He approached the man, spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes.

Jesus does what only the Creator can do - he creates and then recreates humanity with mud. Adam was made by the hand of God and now the Master Potter himself takes a bit of mud and fixes the son of Adam’s broken eyes. The man washed his face in the pool of Siloam and came back seeing … for the first time in his life. Jesus then commented, “I am the light of the world” (John 9:5).

This formerly blind man, who had never seen light before, now sees Jesus Christ as the Light of the world. After the man was healed, he found Jesus and confessed, “Lord, I believe!” Then he knelt down and worshipped him (John 9:38). You can imagine the healed man confessing to Jesus Christ, the Light of the world, the words of our hymn, “I want to walk as a child of the light. I want to follow Jesus.”

Verse one: I want to walk as a child of the light. I want to follow Jesus. God set the stars to give light to the world. The star of my life is Jesus.

In the beginning of John’s Gospel, we are told that the darkness tried to overcome the light, but could not. We are given a picture of that truth later in John’s Gospel with the healing of the blind man. And it may seem as if the darkness is overcoming the light in your life by forces from outside your home and the struggles of sin within your own body. Perhaps it is the darkness of doubt and worry creeping in to steal your faith. Or maybe the darkness of depression and sadness to rob you of your joy. Or the darkness of anger and resentment to deprive your life of contentment.

But the darkness cannot win. For your triumphant Savior is the Light of the world, the light no darkness can overcome. As you follow him, he strengthens your faith to deal with the worry and doubt. He protects you from the forces of evil outside your home and sends the Holy Spirit to sanctify your sinful flesh. He leads you to find contentment in the forgiveness, peace, and joy he grants you anew every day. In the midst of the darkness of night, you can still see the stars shining in the evening sky. The bright Star shining in the darkness of this world is Jesus.

Verse two: I want to see the brightness of God. I want to look at Jesus. Clear Sun of Righteousness, shine on my path, and show me the way to the Father.

By nature, we are blind and dead sinners. We want nothing to do with God. Apart from Christ, we have no good within us. Yet through Baptism, Christ raises us from death to life. Jesus shines his light into the dark recesses of our soul and the murky underbelly of our world.

He gives sight and life in the forgiveness of our sins. He may not make us see with saliva and dirt, but rather he allows us the sight of faith through water and Word in Baptism. Now that we have a new, sanctified nature, we desire to see the brightness of God. We want to look at Jesus. He is the One who shows us the way to the Father. Jesus teaches, “No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

Now that we have been brought into the light, Paul encourages us to “Live as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8). The difference between darkness and light is dramatic. The difference between what we were and what we are now should be equally so. They are as different as the nursery and the morgue!

Verse three: I’m looking for the coming of Christ. I want to be with Jesus. When we have run with patience the race, we shall know the joy of Jesus. Refrain: In him there is no darkness at all. The night and the day are both alike. The Lamb is the light of the city of God. Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus.

We have been healed of our spiritual blindness and given the sight of faith. Now we can see the Savior standing in front of us. We see him placing his nail-pierced hands around us. We see him leading us through the dark valley of this sinful world to his heaven of eternal Easter joy. For Christ has washed away our blindness – not in the pool of Siloam, but in his baptismal font.

He has created faith in our hearts with his comforting Words of gospel and absolution. He strengthens our faith with his consumed body and blood. Though the darkness of death continues to be seen and felt all around us, that darkness has been shattered by the light blasting forth from the open Easter tomb.

Now with our eyes wide open, we are looking for the coming of Christ. We want to be with Jesus – now and for eternity. For once we were blind, but now we see. We see that in Christ there is no darkness at all. The night and the day are both alike. The Lamb is the light of the city of God. Shine in our hearts, Lord Jesus.

Hymn 703- I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say

“I Heard the Voice of Jesus’ Say” has a simple structure. Each verse begins with a statement made by Jesus that is then followed by a personal response by the worshiper.

Verse one: I heard the voice of Jesus say, “Come unto me and rest; lay down, O weary one, lay down your head upon my breast.” I came to Jesus as I was, so weary, worn, and sad; I found in him a resting place, and he has made me glad.

The first verse recalls the words of Jesus, “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30). The worship responds by admitting that he was weary, worn, and sad. But when he came to Jesus, he found his resting place, where his burden was removed, and so he was made glad.

Verse two: I heard the voice of Jesus say, “Behold, I freely give the living water, thirsty one; stoop down and drink and live.” I came to Jesus, and I drank of that life-giving stream; my thirst was quenched, my soul revived, and now I live in him.

The second verse recalls the words of Jesus to the Samaritan woman at the well in our Gospel lesson for this Sunday. John recounts this conversation at Jacob’s well: Jesus answered [the woman], “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” “Sir,” she said, “you don’t even have a bucket, and the well is deep. So where do you get this living water? You are not greater than our father Jacob, are you? He gave us this well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his animals.” Jesus answered her, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I will give him will never be thirsty ever again. Rather, the water I will give him will become in him a spring of water, bubbling up to eternal life” (John 4:10-14).

The worshiper hears these words of Jesus and responds that she came to Jesus and drank from his life-giving stream. She drank from the water of life and was never thirsty again. Her thirst was quenched; her soul was revived; and she now has life in him.

Verse three: I heard the voice of Jesus say, “I am this dark world’s light. Look unto me; your morn shall rise and all your day be bright.” I looked to Jesus, and I found in him my star, my sun; and in that light of life I’ll walk till trav’ling days are done.

The third verse recalls Jesus’ words to the crowd gathered on the Mount of Olives: “I am the Light of the World. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). The worshiper hears these words of Jesus and responds that he looked to the Son of God. There he found in Jesus, his sun, his star, and the light that he now follows till his traveling days are done. 

Hymn 397- My Song is Love Unknown

CW 397 – My Song is Love Unknown

“My Song is Love Unknown” is a wonderful, biblical, and beautiful text on the passion of our Lord. Much of its popularity must also be attributed to the wonderful tune written by John Ireland.

In a letter to the Daily Telegraph dated April 5, 1950, a Mr. Donald Ford stated that the tune was composed in a quarter of an hour. According to the report, it was written while John Ireland was having lunch with Geoffrey Turton Shaw, who requested, “I want a tune for this lovely poem by Samuel Crossman.” The composer then took the paper and picked up the menu. After writing on the back of the menu for a few minutes he handed it to Shaw, with the casual remark, “Here is your tune.

Verse one: My song is love unknown, my Savior’s love to me, love to the loveless shown that they might lovely be. Oh, who am I that for my sake my Lord should take frail flesh and die?

It seems odd that the hymnwriter describes the Savior’s love for us as “love unknown” and “love to the loveless.” Of course, God’s love is known through Christ, but we stand in amazement at the love of God that surpasses our understanding. The idea of Jesus loving us despite our loveless condition and the wicked way in which he was treated runs throughout the hymn. This idea is found in Romans 5: “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” God shows us his love by doing the unthinkable – he gives his own Son for people who simply do not deserve it.

Verse two: He came from his blest throne salvation to bestow, but such disdain! So few the longed-for Christ would know! But oh, my friend, my friend indeed, who at my need his life did spend!

This verse brings us into the harsh and heart-breaking reality that Jesus was and is rejected by people. Jesus is the King who came from his throne to his people, and they rejected him, mocked him, and crucified him. But this was prophesied by Isaiah: “He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not” (53:2-3).

Verse three: Sometimes they strew his way and his sweet praises sing, resounding all the day hosannas to their King. Then “Crucify!” is all their breath, and for his death they thirst and cry.

This verse takes us through the way the crowds treated Jesus during Holy Week. On Palm Sunday, he was greeted with palm branches and shouts of praise. The crowds were greeting him as the rightful King of Israel, as the One who would rescue them. But a different crowd was turned against Jesus by the end of the week. The devil whispering in their ear, the chief priests urging them on, and their own sinful nature enjoying the mob mentality all conspired to call for Jesus’ death.

Verse four: What makes this rage and spite? He made the lame to run, he gave the blind their sight. Sweet injuries! Yet they at these themselves displease and ’gainst him rise.

Jesus healed the sick, made the blind see, allowed the lame to walk, and even raised the dead. Yet, these things caused great offense and contributed to the anger and controversy from the religious leaders that then led to Jesus’ execution.

Verse five: They rise and needs will have my dear Lord made away. A murderer they save, the Prince of life they slay. Yet cheerful he to suff’ring goes that he his foes from death might free.

This verse points to a great irony. The crowds chose to kill the Prince of life and let a convicted murderer go free. Peter sums this up quickly in Acts 3: “You handed [Jesus] over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this” (13-15).

Verse six: In life no house, no home my Lord on earth might have; in death no friendly tomb but what a stranger gave. What may I say? Heav’n was his home but mine the tomb wherein he lay.

Verse six states that Jesus has no house nor home. This was even demonstrated in Jesus’ death and burial. During Jesus’ ministry, he traveled from city to city so that he said of himself, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head" (Luke 9:58). Even at his death, Jesus had no family tomb, but he was placed in the borrowed tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. Jesus was laid in a tomb that should have been ours, but instead heaven, which was his home, will now be our home!

Verse seven: Here might I stay and sing; no story so divine, never was love, dear King, never was grief like thine. This is my friend, in whose sweet praise I all my days could gladly spend!

In this final verse we sing about why we always want to be worshiping our God. Jesus received the punishment for our sin and now we receive the reward of the righteous. We receive the life, joy, and peace of heaven itself. This leads us to joyfully proclaim the love of him who has suffered, died, and risen from the dead for us. We want to sing this song of sweet praise all our days in response to God’s unknown love shown to us in Christ Jesus.

Hymn 574- The Tree of Life

The story of our salvation can be told through trees – three trees to be exact. They are the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the tree of life, and the tree of the cross. Our hymn this week recounts this story of the three trees.

Verse one: The tree of life with ev’ry good in Eden’s holy orchard stood, and of its fruit so pure and sweet God let the man and woman eat. Yet in this garden also grew another tree, of which they knew; its lovely limbs with fruit adorned against whose eating God had warned.

God told Adam and Eve there were two trees in the middle of the Garden of Eden. They were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. There at the foot of one tree, Adam and Eve worshiped as they showed their love for God by being obedient to his command to not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. There at the foot of the other tree, they received the gift of life everlasting. Two important trees, as man and woman sought to live and walk in the presence of their Lord and their God.

Verse two: The stillness of that sacred grove was broken as the serpent strove with tempting voice Eve to beguile and Adam too by sin defile. O day of sadness when the breath of fear and darkness, doubt and death, its awful poison first displayed within the world so newly made.

Adam and Eve disobeyed God as they ate fruit from the forbidden tree. They gave in to the whispers of the evil one as the ancient serpent enticed them. “You will not surely die,” whispered Satan. “You can be like God,” was the devil’s great lie. They listened to the fallen angel instead of their Creator God. Sadness and sin entered God’s new creation. Fear and darkness now reigned. Doubt and death would now consume Adam and Eve and their countless children throughout the ages.

Verse three: What mercy God showed to our race, a plan of rescue by his grace, in sending One from woman’s seed, the One to fill our greatest need— for on a tree uplifted high his only Son for sin would die, would drink the cup of scorn and dread to crush the ancient serpent’s head!

God saw the sin, but he could not overlook the sin. God witnessed that death had entered his creation, but he could not just wish death away. God observed the great need for the human race, and he knew humans could do nothing to fulfill their own great need.

The Lord himself would deal with sin, death, and humanity’s greatest need of a Savior. He made a promise to Adam and Eve and their countless children with his vow to the serpent: “I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will crush your head, and you will crush his heel.”

For just as the devil overcame man by a tree, so in turn would the devil be overcome by the Son of Man on a tree. God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son. Jesus, God’s Son, comes into our flesh and blood that he might crush the ancient serpent and pay the price demanded by sin. Christ Jesus was born of a woman so he had human flesh and blood. For the price God demanded for salvation was blood – divine blood. Only the blood of the Lamb—the Lamb who has no blemish or spot, who is a perfect sacrifice, a holy and precious offering—only the blood of the Lamb is required ... sacrificed upon a tree.

Verse four: Now from that tree of Jesus’ shame flows life eternal in his name; for all who trust and will believe, salvation’s living fruit receive. And of this fruit so pure and sweet the Lord invites the world to eat, to find within this cross of wood the tree of life with ev’ry good.

The Son of Man must be lifted upon a tree just as the bronze serpent was lifted up by Moses in the wilderness. The tree of the cross — an instrument of torture, suffering, and death — is the tree upon which Jesus is lifted up. On the cross, Jesus suffers and dies. On the cross, his holy and precious blood is shed. On the cross, Jesus lays down his life that our lives might be restored. A perfect sacrifice brings salvation and restoration to the crown of God’s creation. There on the cross, Jesus fulfills his Father’s promise to the serpent.

Jesus turns an instrument of death into a tree of life. Christ Jesus has taken the sins of all the world to the tree and been lifted up for all to see, and from there, he draws all people to himself. Now, we gather at the foot of the cross. The cross has become the new tree of life. We gaze upon the One who became sin for us that we might be saved. He was struck by the serpent’s poison. But at the same time, he crushed the Ancient Serpent’s head.

Upon our death as Christians, we will once again be able to eat from the transplanted tree of life. The apostle John describes the fruit of this tree in the Book of Revelation: “The angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations” (Revelation 22:1–2). This is the life that has been restored to us – life everlasting, life in the courts of heaven, life in the presence of the Lamb, life that is ours in Christ Jesus. The story of our salvation told through trees. 

Hymn 696- Take My Life and Let it Be

In the next portion of his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus commands us to be holy in our relationships with our brothers (verses 21-24), our adversaries (verses 25, 26), our bodies (verses 27-30), our spouses (verses 31, 32), and our God (verses 33-37). God demands us to be far holier than we are.

If you were to look at your heart from God’s perspective, from the inside, you would see all sorts of things that would shock you: murder, lies, theft, adultery, immorality, greed, lust, idolatry, hatred, envy, prejudice, pride, covetousness. It’s all there lurking in our hearts where the disease of sin lives. The outward sins we do begin with sin hidden in our hearts. We can’t see the disease of sin hiding in our bodies so God must give us a spiritual scan, a divine MRI.

Jesus’ expert medical advice is that once you are a sinner you are going to continue to sin. The Good Doctor’s diagnosis is that you are a sinner - not because you sin, but because you have the condition called sin. It’s fatal. The wages of sin is death. There’s nothing you can do about it. There’s no self-discipline, no religious tradition, no amount of keeping the commandments, nothing in the world’s little black medical bag that can cure a heart infected by sin.

That’s the bad news. A doctor always gives the bad news first, then delivers the good news. Here’s the good news. God has a cure! The cure is found in the blood of Jesus. In his blood shed on Mount Calvary, Jesus paid for our sins by becoming sin for us. He took the disease of sin into himself and allowed it to kill him. “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus is both the cure and the Physician who administers the cure.

Now that you have been given the prognosis of life, your response is to live your life in grateful thanks and faithful praise. That’s what Jesus is preaching about in this portion of his Sermon on the Mount. Living for Jesus means controlling your emotions. It means ridding your heart of anger and resentment. It means begging your brother for forgiveness. It means turning off the computer and only looking at your spouse. It means working hard on your marriage. It means concentrating on the way you speak.

And it means repenting when you fail to do these things. It means returning again and again to the Doctor’s office of the Christian Church. There Jesus diagnoses you in the confession of sins. He provides the cure in the absolution. He washes your wounds in his baptismal waters. He strengthens you with his Holy Supper. He allows you to live through his shed blood. Through these Means of Grace, now you wish to live as a Christian.

That’s what our hymn is about. “Take My Life and Let It Be” is about praying that we now live as forgiven and sanctified Christians. We are praying for the Holy Spirit to use our moments and days, hands and feet, voice and lips, money and intellect, will, heart, love, and our very selves and bodies always and only for service to Christ.

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, let them flow 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, swift and beautiful for thee.

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, filled with messages from thee.

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, ev’ry pow’r as thou shalt choose.

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, it shall be thy royal throne.

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, ever, only, all for thee.

Hymn 390 – Jesus, Take Us to the Mountain

When you study Scripture, you realize that God really seems to like mountains. After the flood, Noah’s ark comes to rest on Mt. Ararat. Abraham has his knife raised ready to sacrifice his son, Isaac, on Mt. Moriah. God gives Moses his Ten Commandments and shines in his glory on Mt. Sinai. God burns up Elijah’s sacrifice among the 450 prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel. Jesus gives his beatitudes on a mountain. Jesus prays in the garden on the Mt. of Olives. Jesus dies for the sins of the world on Mt. Calvary. Jesus ascends into heaven from a mountain.

After Peter gives his decisive declaration that Jesus is “the Christ of God” in Caesarea Philippi, Jesus and his inner circle of disciples travel to the top of a mountain. There Jesus is transfigured before them. God really seems to like mountains.

Our hymn for this Transfiguration Sunday is a conversation between Christians and Christ. We are asking, “Jesus, Take Us to the Mountain.”

Verse one: Jesus, take us to the mountain where, with Peter, James, and John, we are dazzled by your glory, light as blinding as the sun. There prepare us for the night by the vision of that sight.

Matthew records in this Sunday’s Gospel: “Six days later Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John the brother of James; and he led them up onto a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured in front of them. His face was shining like the sun. His clothing became as white as the light.”

Jesus experienced a humble birth to poor parents. As a 12-year-old, the religious leaders were impressed with his knowledge of Scriptures, but they didn’t think there was anything truly special about hm. He received a sinner’s baptism in the Jordan River. Then still dripping wet, Jesus marched into the wilderness to fast for 40 days and be tempted by the devil. Throughout his ministry, Jesus was always able to perform special miracles and teach with authority, but most only saw him as human. But there was a hidden glory behind all his actions and words. That full glory was revealed upon the mountain of transfiguration.

Verse two: What do you want us to see there that your close companions saw? Your divinity revealed there fills us with the selfsame awe. Clothed in flesh like ours you go, matched to meet our deadliest foe.

Matthew reports: “Just then, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Jesus.” Luke tells us what the three of them were discussing. “They appeared in glory and were talking about his departure, which he was going to bring to fulfillment in Jerusalem.” Jesus is on the mountain with Moses and Elijah speaking of his departure – literally his “exodus” in the Greek. They are discussing Jesus going into Jerusalem to be betrayed, arrested, tried, beaten, scourged, mocked, crucified, and buried. This would be Jesus’ exodus. Just as Moses led the Israelites on the exodus out of slavery in Egypt, so Jesus would lead humanity on the exodus out of slavery to the devil. 

Verse three: What do you want us to hear there that your dear disciples heard? Once again the voice from heaven says of the incarnate Word: “Listen, listen, ev’ryone; this is my belovèd Son!”

God the Father speaks from heaven. His testimony trumps everything else. He proudly proclaims, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.” Jesus receives divine approval for his redeeming work. The Father spoke his approval at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry at his baptism in the Jordan River. God’s final approval of all Jesus’ works will be proclaimed when the Father raises his beloved Son from the dead on Easter morning. We would do well to listen to the incarnate Word of the Son of God in human flesh.

Verse four: Take us to that other mountain where we see you glorified, where you shouted, “It is finished!” where for all the world you died. Hear the stunned centurion: “Truly this was God’s own Son!”

God seems to like his mountains. Jesus and his disciples descend from the mount of Transfiguration so that weeks later Jesus can ascend another mountain. This is the mount of suffering, bloodshed, and death. There on Mt. Calvary, Jesus reveals his greatest glory as he dies for the sins of humanity. As the Son of God breathes his last and the earth quakes in mourning, the stunned centurion gives voice to what has just happened, “Truly this was God’s own Son!”

Verse five: We who have beheld your glory, risen and ascended Lord, cannot help but tell the story, all that we have seen and heard, say with Peter, James, and John: “You are God’s belovèd Son!”

It may seem odd that as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave the disciples orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead (Mark 9:9).  This was a mystery that took place on the mountain. It was something the disciples would not be able to accurately describe until much later. On the mountain, the disciples didn’t quite grasp everything that was taking place, so Jesus told them to remain quiet until the Holy Spirit came on them and they could then explain and proclaim what had happened.

We may not always grasp everything that takes place upon all of God’s mountains. But the Holy Spirit has come upon us so that what we have seen and heard, we are now invited to show and tell others. We are inviting others to follow Jesus through all the peaks, valleys, and plains of this world until we join our glorious Savior upon the mountain of the Lord in his heavenly kingdom. Until then, we share the same message that Peter, James, John, and the rest of the apostles proclaimed after Christ’s ascension: “You are God’s belovèd Son!”