CW 456/457 - O Sons and Daughters of the King

CW 456/457 - O Sons and Daughters of the King

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

St. John records the appearance of Jesus Christ Easter evening in John 31:19-31. On the evening of that first day of the week, the disciples were together behind locked doors because of their fear of the Jews. Jesus came, stood among them, and said to them, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. So the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.

Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you! Just as the Father has sent me, I am also sending you.” After saying this, he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whenever you forgive people’s sins, they are forgiven. Whenever you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

CW 442 - Christ the Lord is Risen Today

The sounds of death are frightening. They can be loud, public sounds of police and fire sirens heading to a huge accident on the freeway. They can also be the quiet and private sounds of a dying person’s slow breaths in the hospice home.

The sounds are all around us. They are unpleasant. Upsetting. Disturbing.

This is the way Jesus’ followers felt as they heard the stone being rolled in front of Jesus’ tomb. Their friend was crucified. Their rabbi had been killed. Their Savior was dead. It was all so final. There was no hope anymore. The only thing the disciples could do was hide from the enemies, so they didn’t end up in the grave, too. The only thing the women could do was prepare Jesus’ corpse for a proper burial.

But Jesus is not dead! The stone has been rolled away! The tomb is empty! Jesus Christ is alive!

The silence of the cemetery is broken. The mourning has turned to rejoicing. The muted praise of Lent is over. The Alleluias have returned with Easter.

Verse one: Christ the Lord is ris’n today; Alleluia! Christians, hasten on your way; Alleluia! see the place where he was laid; Alleluia! praise him for the ransom paid. Alleluia!

The angel told the women at the tomb, “Don't be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him” (Mark 16:6). Through his third day resurrection, Jesus has reversed the irreversible. Jesus controls the uncontrollable. We run to the open tomb to see where he was laid. Now we know with confidence that the ransom for our salvation was paid.

Verse two: For the sheep the Lamb has bled, Alleluia! sinless in the sinners’ stead. Alleluia! “Christ is ris’n,” today we cry; Alleluia! now he lives, no more to die. Alleluia!

Scripture repeatedly calls Christ’s followers sheep. It also calls Jesus the sacrificial Lamb. The perfect, sinless Lamb sacrificed himself so we sinful, scared sheep might be saved. Now we no longer have any reason to be afraid of the prowling lion of the devil or his demonic dogs. By his resurrection, Jesus has destroyed the power of the devil. By his resurrection, Jesus has demolished the devil’s ability to keep us afraid of death. Christ promises us, “Because I live, you will live” (John 14:19).

Verse three: Christ, the victim undefiled, Alleluia! God and sinners reconciled, Alleluia! while, in strange and awe-full strife, Alleluia! met together death and life. Alleluia!

The rolling away of the stone revealing the empty tomb has changed everything. By taking upon himself the curse of sin and the sting of death, the dying process loses its fear for us. Now a little girl can say with all confidence to her Christian mother who is dying of cancer, “I’ll see

you in heaven, Mommy.” Now the family gathering together at the ER after their father’s unexpected heart attack can repeat with Job, “The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. May the name of the Lord be praised” (Job 1:21). Now the elderly Christian can repeat with his pastor the words of the twenty-third Psalm with his dying breaths.

Here are sweet words from a man in his 90s: “Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. ... Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10). You can go gently when you know the resurrected Christ is waiting for you.

Because Jesus Christ is risen today, we have hope on the day we stand at the coffin of a Christian loved one. Because Jesus Christ is risen today and that garden tombstone was rolled away, we have complete confidence when we lay down our head upon our own death bed. This is because Jesus, who appeared as a Victim on the cross proved he is the Victor out of the grave. With his crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus has reconciled sinners with God.

Verse four: Christ, who once for sinners bled, Alleluia! now the firstborn from the dead, Alleluia! throned in endless might and pow’r, Alleluia! lives and reigns forevermore. Alleluia!

For the Easter Christian, the sound of the sirens has been replaced with the sound of the angels’ trumpets. The sound of silence has been replaced with the song of the saints. The sound of mourning tears has been replaced with the sound of eternal laughter. For the sound of the rolling stone has reverberated through time and eternity. It not only opened the entrance to the tomb of Jesus, but also opened the gates to God’s heaven. When you hear the rolling stone, you know that the sounds of death have been replaced with the sounds of life.

The sound of our Alleluias have once again returned to our churches. We will sing these triumphant Alleluias this Easter season in God’s house here on earth. One day, we will sing these Alleluias for all eternity there in God’s heavenly house.

CW 817 Lord, Thee I Love with All My Heart

CW 817 Lord, Thee I Love with All My Heart

When my wife and I were raising our sons, we would routinely tell them “I love you, but Jesus loves you most of all.” As great as a parent’s love is for a child or a child’s love is for a parent, there is no greater love than what Jesus has for us. Jesus’ love for us is evident by what he was willing to do for us. He even died a cruel death on a cross for us.

This hymn is a response to the love of Jesus. The Bible reminds us that we love because he first loved us. Because Jesus loves us most of all, we want to love Jesus most of all.

Verse 1a: Lord, thee I love with all my heart; I pray thee, ne’er from me depart, with tender mercy cheer me. Earth has no pleasure I would share; yea, heav’n itself were void and bare if thou, Lord, wert not near me.

Why would we need cheering up? Life does not always go as we plan. In fact, life can be difficult. It can especially be difficult as a Christian. Because we believe in Jesus, other people may reject us. And that is exactly why we continue to focus our attention on Jesus. There is no one and nothing that can cheer our burdened hearts like Jesus can. People without Jesus know that they are missing something, but they do not know what. If Jesus was not in our lives, we would be missing the one who can cheer our weary souls.

Verse 1b: And should my heart for sorrow break, my trust in thee can nothing shake. Thou art the portion I have sought; thy precious blood my soul has bought. Lord Jesus Christ, my God and Lord, my God and Lord, forsake me not! I trust thy Word.

The man in the Bible named Job knew what it meant to have a broken heart. In one day, he lost all his wealth – his animals and the servants who cared for them. That was not the worst of it. That same day, his sons and daughters were dining together when the house they were in collapsed on them and they all died. Job was deeply hurt by this. Yet, he said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will return. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. May the name of the Lord be blessed.” (Job 1:21) May we learn to model Job’s trust in the Lord. This is not a baseless trust. Jesus spilled his holy precious blood to buy back our souls from eternal condemnation. We can trust everything he tells us in his Word!

Question: What things have you experienced that have shaken your trust in the Lord?

Verse 2a: Yea, Lord, ’twas thy rich bounty gave my body, soul, and all I have in this poor life of labor. Lord, grant that I in ev’ry place may glorify thy lavish grace and help and serve my neighbor.

Job knew that everything he had, came from the Lord – all his material blessings and all his spiritual blessings. And God is not skimpy with his blessings, especially the blessings for our souls. The hymnwriter echoes that truth by calling the Lord’s grace lavish. Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines lavish as “expending or bestowing profusely.” The Lord is constantly giving

gifts of his grace in abundance. May it be our prayer that in response to this lavish grace, we help and serve our neighbor.

Question: In what ways can you help and serve your neighbor? Keep in mind that everyone is your neighbor.

Verse 2b: Let no false doctrine me beguile; let Satan not my soul defile. Give strength and patience unto me to bear my cross and follow thee. Lord Jesus Christ, my God and Lord, my God and Lord, in death thy comfort still afford.

When we suffer, it is tempting for us to say something that God does not say. When Job lost his children and possessions, his friends came to him and told him that he must have done something wrong to deserve this. The friends did not know what they were talking about because God allowed Satan to bring this on Job precisely because, as the Bible says: “there was no one like him on the earth, a man who is blameless and upright, who fears God and turns away from evil.” (Job 1:8) When we are suffering, Satan is also very ready to accuse us and to make us think that God does not care about us. It is then that we need our Lord to strengthen us so that we can patiently bear up under our cross and continue to follow him.

Question: What is the key to preventing you from spreading false doctrine?

Verse 3a: Lord, let at last thine angels come, to Abr’ham’s bosom bear me home that I may die unfearing; and in its narrow chamber keep my body safe in peaceful sleep until thy reappearing.

This verse is often sung at the Service of Darkness (or Tenebrae) on Good Friday when we recount Jesus’ death and burial. It is sung at that time to remind us of our own mortality. Each one of us will face death one day, but we can find comfort in what God’s Word says about it. In Luke 16, Jesus tells a story about a rich man and poor Lazarus. When Lazarus died, his soul was carried by angels to Abraham’s side. Abraham is known as the father of believers. Heaven is where the souls of all believers go when they die. What happens to the body at death? It is Jesus himself who assures us that death is like a peaceful sleep that we will one day wake up from. When will we awake? When Jesus reappears! What a comfort all this is as we bear our cross here on earth.

Verse 3b: And then from death awaken me that these mine eyes with joy may see, O Son of God, thy glorious face, my Savior and my fount of grace. Lord Jesus Christ, my prayer attend, my prayer attend, and I will praise thee without end.

When is Christ coming back? He does not tell us the day or the hour. But we are confident that he will indeed return. When he does, he will raise up all who have died in him and bring them into his presence. Imagine what it will be like to see Jesus! We will want to praise him without end for bringing us there.

Question: When a person dies, people often do not know what to say to their loved ones. Based on this hymn verse (and really the entire hymn), what would you tell them?

This hymn is really a prayer written by a Christian man to our Lord Jesus Christ. At the end of the hymn, he pleads that Jesus will pay attention to his prayer. When we are enduring a hardship because we follow Christ, we can turn to Jesus for help. You and I can be confident that whenever we pray to the Lord, he will listen to us. Why can we be so confident? Because Jesus loves us most of all!

CW 324 - O Lord, How Shall I Meet You

CW 324 - O Lord, How Shall I Meet You

Traditionally, the third Sunday of Advent has been called Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete is the Latin word for “rejoice!” During the season of Advent, we focus on the coming of Christ. We think about his coming in the flesh at Christmas and his glorious coming when he returns on the Last Day. Both of these events fill us with joy. We rejoice that our God would take on human flesh to save us and that our Lord will come again to rescue us from this world of sin and sorrow. O Lord, How Shall I Meet You echoes these themes of Advent. We rejoice in our salvation. We marvel that God sent his one and only Son to save us from our sins. Our hearts are filled with the joyful knowledge that our sins and guilt have been washed away. Because of Christ's death, we look forward in joyful anticipation to the great and glorious day of our Lord’s return. Verse 1: O Lord, how shall I meet you, how welcome you aright? Your people long to greet you, my hope, my heart’s delight. O Jesus, let your Word be a lamp to light my way, to show me how to please you, to guide me ev’ry day. Verse one reminds us that, as Christians, we want to be ready to meet our King. We look forward to his return and want our hearts to be prepared to greet him. But how do we prepare our hearts? We cannot make our hearts free from sin; instead, we cling to the promise of God. We cling to the assurance in his Word that our sins have been paid for by the blood of Christ. Because we have been born again through water and the Word, we desire to live lives that please our Lord. Question: What are some ways that we can please God? Verse 2: Love caused your incarnation; love brought you down to me. Your thirst for my salvation procured my liberty. Oh, love beyond all telling that led you to embrace in love, all love excelling, our lost and fallen race! 1 John 4:8 tells us that “God is love.” We see the love of God echoed in the life of Christ. Jesus loved each one of us so much that he came down from heaven and was born of the Virgin Mary. This is the mystery of Christmas that God became man and made his dwelling among us. Jesus loved us so much that he willingly offered his perfect life as a sacrifice to pay for our sins. Jesus endured the shame and agony of the cross for us. He suffered the torments of hell that we deserved and was punished in our place. All this he did because he loved us and wanted to save us from our sins. Question: What does it mean that Jesus “thirsted” for our salvation? Verse 3: Rejoice, then, you sad-hearted, who sit in deepest gloom, who mourn o’er joys departed and tremble at your doom. Despair not; he is near you, he’s standing at the door who best can help and cheer you and bids you weep no more. This world is full of sin and sorrow. We all face times of trial and hardship, like sickness or the loss of a loved one. It can be easy to fall into deep, dark sadness and wonder if God is really watching over us as he promised. This verse reminds us that even on our deepest and gloomiest days, when all seems lost, Jesus is still there right beside us. Jesus understands what it is like to feel pain and sadness. He lived and suffered as one of us. Christ is always there, ready to comfort us with his Word and with his promises. Question: Think of some sections of Scripture that provide comfort to you when you are sad. Verse 4: Sin’s debt, that fearful burden, let not your souls distress; your guilt the Lord will pardon and cover by his grace. He comes, for you procuring the peace of sin forgiv’n, his children thus securing eternal life in heav’n. As Christians, we must daily struggle against the temptations of the devil, the world, and our own sinful natures. Every day, we give in to temptation, sin, and break the Lord’s commandments. Satan loves to accuse and remind us of our sins. We want to burden us with guilt and shame and convince us that God does not love us. This hymn verse reminds us that we do not need to be weighed down by the terrible burden of our sins. Our sins have been completely forgiven by the blood of Christ. We have been washed clean and pure by the blood of Christ. We do not need to be burdened with a load of guilt because we have been covered by God’s amazing grace. This is the joyous message of the Gospel. This is why Christians rejoice. We know we have been forgiven. We know Christ has won us the glorious reward of eternal life with him. Question: Why does Satan want us to doubt God’s grace and mercy? Verse 5: He comes to judge the nations, a terror to his foes, a light of consolation and blessèd hope to those who love the Lord’s appearing. O glorious Sun, now come, send forth your beams most cheering, and guide us safely home. The final verse of this hymn shows the great contrast between believers and unbelievers. As believers, we look forward with joy to the day of the Lord’s return. We do not need to be afraid when Jesus comes again in all his glory to judge the living and the dead because we know we have been forgiven. We have been declared not guilty by the blood of Christ before the Almighty Judge. For unbelievers, the return of Jesus fills them with dread. Deep down, they know that because of their sins, they cannot stand before the throne of God. On the Last Day, their time of grace will be over, and they will be thrown into the lake of fire that was prepared for the devil and all his angels. Question: How can you share the message of salvation with others? O Lord, How Shall I Meet You is a joyous hymn of Advent praise. We rejoice and praise the Lord for our salvation and forgiveness in Christ. We give thanks to God for sending his Son to be born of a woman, born under the law, to free us from our sins. And we look forward in joyful anticipation to the great and glorious day when our Lord will return in all his radiant splendor and take us to our eternal home.

CW 388: Down from the Mount of Glory

CW 388: Down from the Mount of Glory

Two events serve as bookends for the season of Epiphany. At the beginning of Epiphany, we celebrate the beginning of Jesus’s ministry with the Baptism of our Lord, and now at the end, we celebrate the Transfiguration of our Lord. Down from the Mount of Glory is a hymn that recalls the wonderous and amazing events of the Transfiguration of our Lord. Shortly before the events of Holy Week, Jesus went up on a high mountain with his disciples Peter, James, and John. While they were on this mountain Jesus was transfigured before the eyes of his disciples. Jesus is both true God and true man, but during his time on earth, he did not make full use of his divine powers. At the Transfiguration Jesus revealed his divine nature to his disciples briefly. Peter, James, and John saw the awesome power of the Lord revealed in Christ. The Gospels tell us that the face of Jesus became as bright as the sun and his clothes became whiter than snow. While they were on the mountain Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus and a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him.” These are the same words that God the Father spoke at the baptism of the Lord. The Transfiguration was a powerful revelation of our Lord’s power. It would be a powerful comfort to the disciples during the dark days after the arrest and crucifixion of Christ. As we begin the season of Lent the Transfiguration reminds us that only the death of God on the cross could make full payment for the sins of the world. The Transfiguration assures that Jesus is true God and that all authority on heaven and on earth has been given to him. Verse 1: Down from the mount of glory came Jesus Christ, our Lord. Recall the wondrous story, rich gem in sacred Word. Again your faith will view him in double glory here; the greater homage due him will in your life appear. Verse 1 of our hymn asks us to recall the wonderous story of the Transfiguration. As we think about the marvelous details of this event, we remember the great act of love that Jesus performed on our behalf. Jesus was true God from eternity. He had all the power and majesty of God, and yet for a time he chose to willingly set aside that power to live as a human being. The Creator became the creature. Christ clothed himself with human flesh so that he could suffer and die in our place. When we think about the love that our Savior showed us, we are moved to live our lives according to his will. Question: What are some ways that you can honor Jesus in your life? Verse 2: Transfigured, Christ, the lowly, stood radiant in the light, light found in Godhead solely, for human eyes too bright. Then came a voice from heaven, confirmed what here we see; the words “my Son” were given to seal his deity. Verse 2 of our hymn reminds us that even as Christ lived as a lowly human, he was still true God. We worship Jesus because he is a member of the Trinity. We worship one God who is three Persons and three Persons who are one God. This is a profound mystery that is beyond our ability to understand. The two natures of Christ, that he is true God and true man, are also beyond our ability to understand. These are the truths that Scripture teaches us, so we accept them by faith. Scripture is clear that Jesus needed to be true God and true man to save us. Jesus was true man so he could place himself under the law for us and die for us. He was true God so he could live a life free from sins and by the death of God pay for the sins of the whole world. Question: Why is the holiness of God too bright for human eyes? Verse 3: Yet mark this glory hidden! See him the mount descend and, by the Father bidden, his willing footsteps bend to seek humiliation in deepest depths of woe, to suffer degradation no mind can probe or know. Verse 3 reminds us of the amazing truth that Christ endured all his humiliation and suffering for us willingly. When we speak of the humiliation of Christ, we mean both the humiliation he endured as he was tortured and suffered on the cross and the humiliation of setting aside the full use of his divine power for a time. Think of the mystery of the almighty God living as a tiny baby or of the Creator of the universe feeling pain and fatigue. All of these things Christ endured willingly because of his great love for us. Christ did all this in perfect obedience to the will of the Father. Jesus knew precisely what was going to happen to him that first Holy Week. He knew he would be flogged and beaten, he knew that he would be nailed to a cross, and he knew that he would endure the torments of hell and be forsaken by the Father. Yet he endured all this willingly so that by his perfect sacrifice the world could be reconciled to God. Question: What does it mean that we cannot know the sufferings that Christ endured? Verse 4: Strange how his journey ended! In love that is his fame our Lord again ascended a mount—the hill of shame. Upon the cross he proffered himself to agony; his holy soul he offered to set the guilty free. In verse 4 the hymn writer contrasts the Mount of Transfiguration and the Mount of the Crucifixion. Transfiguration shows the awesome glory and majesty of our Lord, while Calvary shows us the ultimate agony and shame that our Lord endured. Christ died to save us. This is why Jesus came to the world. Christ had a single purpose. He came to fulfill the promise that God had made to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. By his death and resurrection, Christ crushed the head of Satan and paid for the sins of the entire world. He destroyed the power of sin, death, and hell and set God’s people free. Question: Why did God need to die on the cross? Verse 5: Then hail the double glory of Jesus Christ, our Lord, and let the wondrous story full peace and joy afford! The holy mount acclaims him the majesty divine; Mount Calvary proclaims him Redeemer— yours and mine. Our hymn this week emphasizes the unique and double glory that belongs to Christ alone. Jesus is true God and true man. The glory of his divine nature was revealed on the Mount of Transfiguration. It assured his disciples and assured us that Jesus is indeed the holy Son of God. He came to this world to suffer and die to set all people free from the horrors of sin and death. By faith in Christ, these glorious blessings become ours. By the death of Christ, we have been redeemed. We have been purchased by the holy, precious blood of Christ. All of our sins have been washed away. Our guilt has been paid for. Praise be to God for our glorious Redeemer who died to save us! Question: Why do we say that Jesus has double glory? Down from the Mount of Glory is a beautiful hymn that reminds us of the glory of our Savior. We are humbled when we consider how Christ in his great love for us set aside the full use of his divine power for a time so that he could be tempted in every way that we are and yet be without sin. We see glimpses of the divine nature of Christ when he healed the sick, calmed the storm, and performed other miracles. We see a greater glimpse on the Mount of Transfiguration. We will see the full revelation of our Savior’s power when he returns on the last day in all his glory to judge the living and the dead. We look forward to that great and glorious day with joyful anticipation as we await the coming of our Savior.

CW 377 - To Jordan’s River Came Our Lord (Zarling)

CW 377 - To Jordan’s River Came Our Lord

This Sunday is the first Sunday after the Epiphany. It is a yearly celebration of Christ’s baptism. This week’s Hymn of the Day is “To Jordan’s River Came Our Lord.”

Verse one: “To Jordan’s river came our Lord, The Christ, whom heav’nly hosts adored, The God from God, the Light from Light, The Lord of glory, pow’r, and might.”

Jesus began his ministry by coming to the Jordan River to be baptized by John the Baptizer. As we recite in the Nicene Creed, Jesus is “God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one being with the Father.” The season of Epiphany is about Jesus revealing his glory to the world. Throughout the Sundays in Epiphany, we will catch glimpses of Jesus’ hidden glory, power, and might. The first sighting of Jesus’ hidden glory is in the water of his baptism.

Why does Jesus deserve glory?

Verse two: “The Savior came to be baptized—The Son of God in flesh disguised—To stand beneath the Father’s will And all his promises fulfill.”

Jesus is God’s Son covered in human flesh and blood. Because Jesus is perfect, he doesn’t need to be baptized. Instead, he submits to his Father’s will by accepting a sinner’s baptism upon the holy Son of God.

What is one reason why Jesus was baptized?

Verse three: “As Jesus in the Jordan stood And John baptized the Lamb of God, The Holy Spirit, heav’nly dove, Descended on him from above.”

Already in the waters of the Jordan River, Jesus is fulfilling his role as the sacrificial and substitutionary Lamb of God. He did not inherit any sin, nor commit any sins. In fact, Jesus should have been repulsed by that water! It was a cesspool of sin! That water was filled with every sin imaginable. Sins washed off the multitude of sinners. You name the sin and Jesus is hip-deep in it. Idolatry, hypocrisy, immorality, disobedience, hatred, murder, lust, adultery, theft, lying, coveting, pride, greed – and Jesus wades right into that toxic, putrid water! He lets it be poured all over him! The grime of guilt and the dregs of damnation. Jesus is getting dirty with humanity’s sins in the dirty waters of the Jordan River.

What is another reason why Jesus was baptized?

Verse four: “Then from God’s throne with thund’rous sound Came God’s own voice with words profound: ‘This is my Son,’ was his decree, ‘The one I love, who pleases me.’”

Upon Jesus’ baptism, the Father announces for all his heavenly host to hear, “You are my Son, whom I love. I am well pleased with you” (Luke 3:22). God the Father is pleased with his Son’s divine vocation as the world’s Redeemer. God loves this Man Jesus. And he loves what Jesus is doing, standing there at the Jordan, taking his place among sinners. The Father knows what his Son is going to do for them all, starting here at the Jordan. And God just loves that.

Why was God the Father pleased with his Son?

Verse five: “The Father’s word, the Spirit’s flight Anointed Christ in glorious sight As God’s own choice, from Adam’s fall To save the world and free us all.”

It is the mystery of the Triune God that all three persons are present at Jesus’ baptism – yet they remain distinct – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God the Father is speaking from heaven. God the Son is in the water. God the Holy Spirit is hovering over the waters in the form of a dove. All three persons of the Trinity delight in their unity of working to save the world from sin and free us from slavery to the devil.

How did each person of the Triune God display himself at Jesus’ baptism?

Then comes our Christian response to Christ in the water. The sixth and final verse: “Now rise, faint hearts: be resolute! This man is Christ, our substitute! He was baptized in Jordan’s stream, Proclaimed Redeemer, Lord supreme.”

Because Jesus carried out and completed his work, what happens at your baptism? At your baptism, all your sins are washed away in those Christ-filled waters. God says the same thing about you that he said about Jesus: “You are my beloved child. I am well pleased with you for Jesus’ sake.” And the Spirit descends upon you, making you a new creation in Christ and empowering you for a life of service in God’s Kingdom. The gates of hell are slammed shut and the doors of heaven are torn open for you. Let your faint heart be resolute.

Why can your faint heart now be resolute?

CW 301 - Savior of the Nations, Come (Zarling)

CW 301 - Savior of the Nations, Come

We are now in the season of Advent. The word “Advent” means “coming.” So, during Advent we focus on the coming of Jesus.

In Advent, we are directed to watch for Jesus to come again from the sky at the end of the world. This is why the altars, pulpits, and lecterns in our churches have blue cloths on them for the blue sky during the Advent season. This time Jesus will come in power and glory. Jesus says of his return, “Then you will see the Son of Man coming on clouds with great power and glory” (Mark 13:26). We lift our heads during Advent to watch for our Savior to return: “Look, he is coming with clouds, and every eye will see him, including those who pierced him” (Revelation 1:7).

We also celebrate another Advent of Jesus. This is the one most people in our culture are preparing for right now – Jesus coming to earth as a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger (Luke 2:12). With this first coming, the Son of God comes in humility and very few people see him or celebrate him.

Our hymn of the day for the first Sunday in Advent begins with the first coming of Jesus. “Savior of the Nations Come” is a very ancient hymn written in the 4th century by an early church father named Ambrose of Milan and translated by Martin Luther in the 16th century.

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

Our culture may want Christmas to come with all the decorations, parties, and presents. But do they really want Jesus Christ to come? They might feel that his presence would ruin their parties since he would expect certain behaviors that would curb their sinful desires. But we Christians want Christ to come. We want Jesus to make his home here on earth with his birth. More than that, we want Jesus to make his home in our hearts by faith. It is a faith that marvels that the royal, divine Son of God would choose such a lowly birth.

Question: Why do you want Christ to come?

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

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

Jesus could not be tainted by sin when he was born. That’s why he was born of a virgin and conceived by the Holy Spirit. Jesus is the Word of God made flesh. Jesus is the same Word that God the Father used to call creation into existence. Now he is that Word who takes on the flesh

and blood of a little human baby. A perfect human baby to save sinful babies, children, and adults. Though the world disowns and opposes Jesus, we love him and make him our king.

Question: Why did Jesus need to be born of a virgin and conceived by the Holy Spirit?

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

The Son of God could have stayed in heaven, never taking on human flesh. But he came to be born, live, die, rise, and ascend. In doing this, Jesus defeated sin, death, and hell.

Question: Why did Jesus come to earth?

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

We finish the hymn with a doxology of praise to the Triune God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

With Advent we pray for Jesus to come in the past in the manger, in the present in Word and Sacraments, and in the future in the clouds. Together we pray, “Savior of the Nations Come.”

Question: Why do we praise the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for Jesus coming to earth?

We are now in the season of Advent. The word “Advent” means “coming.” So, during Advent we focus on the coming of Jesus.

In Advent, we are directed to watch for Jesus to come again from the sky at the end of the world. This is why the altars, pulpits, and lecterns in our churches have blue cloths on them for the blue sky during the Advent season. This time Jesus will come in power and glory. Jesus says of his return, “Then you will see the Son of Man coming on clouds with great power and glory” (Mark 13:26). We lift our heads during Advent to watch for our Savior to return: “Look, he is coming with clouds, and every eye will see him, including those who pierced him” (Revelation 1:7).

We also celebrate another Advent of Jesus. This is the one most people in our culture are preparing for right now – Jesus coming to earth as a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger (Luke 2:12). With this first coming, the Son of God comes in humility and very few people see him or celebrate him.

Our hymn of the day for the first Sunday in Advent begins with the first coming of Jesus. “Savior of the Nations Come” is a very ancient hymn written in the 4th century by an early church father named Ambrose of Milan and translated by Martin Luther in the 16th century.

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

Our culture may want Christmas to come with all the decorations, parties, and presents. But do they really want Jesus Christ to come? They might feel that his presence would ruin their parties since he would expect certain behaviors that would curb their sinful desires. But we Christians want Christ to come. We want Jesus to make his home here on earth with his birth. More than that, we want Jesus to make his home in our hearts by faith. It is a faith that marvels that the royal, divine Son of God would choose such a lowly birth.

Question: Why do you want Christ to come?

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

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

Jesus could not be tainted by sin when he was born. That’s why he was born of a virgin and conceived by the Holy Spirit. Jesus is the Word of God made flesh. Jesus is the same Word that God the Father used to call creation into existence. Now he is that Word who takes on the flesh

and blood of a little human baby. A perfect human baby to save sinful babies, children, and adults. Though the world disowns and opposes Jesus, we love him and make him our king.

Question: Why did Jesus need to be born of a virgin and conceived by the Holy Spirit?

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

The Son of God could have stayed in heaven, never taking on human flesh. But he came to be born, live, die, rise, and ascend. In doing this, Jesus defeated sin, death, and hell.

Question: Why did Jesus come to earth?

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

We finish the hymn with a doxology of praise to the Triune God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

With Advent we pray for Jesus to come in the past in the manger, in the present in Word and Sacraments, and in the future in the clouds. Together we pray, “Savior of the Nations Come.”

Question: Why do we praise the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for Jesus coming to earth?

CW 531 The Head That Once Was Crowned with Thorns by Pastor Roekle

CW 531 The Head That Once Was Crowned with Thorns

While the calendar year ends on December 31st, this coming Sunday marks the end of the church year. While the church year developed over time, it has its roots back in New Testament times. Lutherans have joined many other church bodies in following the church year.

On Sunday, we will celebrate Christ the King. This Sunday was added to the church calendar in 1925 and we Lutherans have been marking it since 1993. Christ the King reminds us that Christ is at the center of the entire church year, and Christ our King rules over our hearts now and forever.

The hymn we consider today is the hymn of the day for Christ the King festival. It reminds us that Christ is a truly unique king.

Verse one: The head that once was crowned with thorns is crowned with glory now;

a royal diadem adorns the mighty victor’s brow.

The Gospel reading for Christ the King (Matthew 27:27-31) may seem out of place. The events described in Matthew’s Gospel take place on Good Friday when Jesus was in the custody of Pontius Pilate. It was here that Pilate’s soldiers recognized Jesus as a king by putting a scarlet robe around him; placing a staff in his hands; and thrusting a crown, a crown of thorns, that is, into his head. Then they mockingly called him a king. The soldiers didn’t take Jesus seriously. Many in our world do not take Jesus seriously either.

But the things that Jesus endured before Pilate and on the cross were done for the sake of all sinners. Jesus no longer wears a crown of thorns. His crown now is a ‘royal diadem.’ Last fall, my wife and I visited the Tower of London where the crown jewels are located. The glorious crowns of the various kings and queens of the past were on display. The power that those crowns represent is nothing compared to Christ’s power. In coming back to life, Christ proved that he has won the victory over our worst enemies.

Question: What enemies did Christ our king defeat? (See 1 Corinthains 15:56,57; Hebrews 2:14; John 18:36,37)

Verse two: The highest place that heav’n affords is his, is his by right,

the King of kings and Lord of lords and heav’n’s eternal light;

At the end of the Easter season, we celebrate the Ascension of our Lord. Forty days after Jesus rose from the dead, he ascended into heaven before his disciples’ very eyes. Ephesians 1 tells us that Jesus is now seated at the right hand of God. This is the highest seat of honor. It is the seat of all power and glory. Jesus, the Son of God, has returned to his rightful place. There is no one greater in power than King Jesus.

The fact that Jesus is pictured as being seated does not mean he is doing nothing. He continues his rule in heaven. In fact, he is the very light that illumines heaven (Revelation 21:23).

Question: The catechism reminds us that Jesus threefold office is Prophet, Priest, and King. How does Jesus still serve those roles today? (See Question 204 in the blue catechism.)

Verse three: The joy of all who dwell above, the joy of all below

to whom he manifests his love and grants his name to know.

Christ the King does not rule with an iron fist. His rule is a loving one. In fact, he showed that love by what he did in suffering and dying for us. He continues to show that love by bringing us into his kingdom and making us his royal subjects. Nothing gives believers in heaven and believers still on earth greater joy than when Christ makes himself known to more people so that they too are brought into his kingdom. It gives us joy when we see the petition “thy kingdom come” answered as Christ’s rule reaches new hearts.

Question: In what ways does Jesus show us his love?

Verse four: To them the cross, with all its shame, with all its grace, is giv’n; their name, an everlasting name, their joy, the joy of heav’n.

The cross was reserved for only the worst of criminals. Jesus, though completely innocent, became sin for us and endured the shame of the cross, the shame we should have endured. As a result, we will not suffer eternal punishment for our sins. Instead, we are eternally pardoned. However, because we bear the Savior’s name, we are called on to take up the cross and follow Jesus. Following Christ the King means that we can expect to be persecuted for our faith. But Christians know that it all turns out well in the end. This causes us to rejoice because as Jesus said: “your names have been written in heaven.” (Luke 10:20)

Question: In what ways are Christians across the globe persecuted? In what ways might you be persecuted?

Verse five: They suffer with their Lord below, they reign with him above, their profit and their joy to know the myst’ry of his love.

Believers on earth belong to the Church Militant. One day, believers will join the Saints Triumphant in heaven. What is it that keeps believers going while suffering here? “The mystery of his love.” God’s love is certainly mysterious. From the time that Adam and Eve fell into sin, God’s plan of love to restore people to himself was set into motion. A great mystery in all this is: why didn’t God simply scrap his creation that was now completely tainted with sin? Equally mysterious is this: why did the Son of God agree to the plan? This love of God is so mysterious that the Bible gives it a special name: grace. It is this mysterious concept of grace that enables us

to reign with Christ forever in heaven where we can speak to our Savior who alone can give us answers to these mysteries.

Question: Which definition of grace do you find most helpful?

Verse six: The cross he bore is life and health, though shame and death to him:

his people’s hope, his people’s wealth, their everlasting theme.

Do you fully know the impact that Jesus’ cross has had on your life? None of us can fully know. But there are things we can understand. Jesus’ cross means that instead of suffering the consequences of sin in hell – which Jesus did for you – you have an eternity in heaven waiting for you. Jesus’ cross means that even now your life has purpose and meaning as you seek to serve God, and as you share the wealth of God’s grace to others. Jesus’ cross not only gives us certain hope for the future, but it will be the centerpiece of our existence now and forever.

Question: How does Jesus’ cross represent ‘wealth’ for you?

The theme of Jesus as ‘King’ comes up frequently throughout the church year. Advent anticipates the coming of the newborn King, while Christmas celebrates the King’s arrival. Epiphany reveals more and more details about Christ the King. Lent reminds us that this King is very different than any other because he is a suffering servant. Easter proclaims the great victory that this risen King has won for us. Finally, the season of Pentecost shows how this king rules our hearts.

This hymn beautifully lays out why Christ the King is so important to us by stressing his uniqueness in his suffering and dying for our eternal welfare. Let’s join in singing praises to this King on Sunday in anticipation of singing his praises around the throne of God!

CW 751: O God, Your Hand the Heavens Made by Pastor Klusmeyer

CW 751 - O God, Your Hand the Heavens Made

The Gospel lesson for this week is the Parable of the Talents from Matthew 25:14-30. In this parable, Jesus tells the story of a rich man who entrusts his wealth to three servants based on their abilities. To one man, he gave five talents of silver (a talent was a unit of measurement of about seventy-five pounds); to the second, he gave two talents; and to the third, he gave one talent. Then, the rich man left on an extended journey. The first two servants immediately went and put their lord’s money to work, but the third man buried the talent in a hole. After a long time, the rich man returned and demanded an accounting from his servant. The first two came and reported that they had doubled their lord’s wealth. He was well pleased with them and rewarded them for their faithful service. The third man admitted he had done nothing with the talent entrusted to him. The lord harshly punished him for his faithlessness.

This parable is a reminder for us to be faithful with the gifts God has given to each of us. We have all been blessed by the Lord in different ways. Everything we have is a gift given to us by God. The Lord expects us to use our gifts and talents in faithful service to his kingdom. As children of God, we want to serve our heavenly Father and show gratitude for what we have been given. We do good works by using our talents and gifts by supporting the work of the church and serving our neighbors in love. Our service to God is unique to each one of us. We have all been given different gifts in different amounts, but each of us can use those gifts in unique ways to serve our Lord. This is what faithful service to our God looks like.

O God, Your Hand the Heavens Made is a hymn that reminds us of this truth. Everything in our lives (our clothes, money, various gifts and talents) are gifts from God. Stewardship is wisely using these gifts in service to our Lord. This means returning a portion of our gifts to the Lord in the form of offerings, but it also means doing everything in our lives to the best of our ability in service to our God. If we have the ability to do math well, we should do math well to the glory of God. If we have the ability to show kindness to others, then we should do that in service to God. At each stage of our lives, we are given unique opportunities to serve God. This is called our vocation. Everything we do in our lives, we do as if we were doing it for God.

Verse 1: O God, your hand the heavens made and all that they contain; the world appeared at your command, and in it now you reign. The restless sea, the land, the sky your handiwork declare; the touch of your creative power is present everywhere.

Verse one reminds us that all of creation is a gift from God. God created this world and everything in it as a blessing to humanity. The Apostle Paul in Romans 1:20 tells us that creation itself declares that God exists and that he is powerful. We call this the natural knowledge of God. The beauty of creation only tells us part of the story. It does not tell us about God’s love or how he sent his one and only Son, Jesus Christ, to suffer and die for the sins of the world. As we

look at the wonder of creation, the stars in the sky, the multitude and diversity of animals, and all the other wonders of creation, we rejoice and praise God for the wonders of his creation.

Question: List some of the most spectacular things you have seen in God’s creation and give thanks to the Lord for them.

Verse 2: To us are given gifts divine, all talents you have sent; inspire us now to use them well your kingdom to extend. We hold each gift a trust for you nor claim it as our own; we gratefully acknowledge, Lord, all things are yours alone.

Verse two reminds us that all of our gifts and talents have been given to us by God. Our abilities are not our own; they are gifts of mercy that have been given to us to use in service to our Lord. We use these gifts to extend the kingdom of God. We have all been given different gifts, talents, and abilities, so our service in God’s kingdom will look different and unique. This is a wonderful blessing of God! Each of us can serve in our own special way using the abilities we have been given. This lets us serve in ways that allow us to grow in our strengths and augment the strengths and weaknesses of our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Question: Take a few moments and list your unique gifts and how you can use them in service to our Lord.

Verse 3: Deliver us from selfish aims, true stewards we would be; endow us with a deep desire to live unselfishly. A full accounting we must give and see you face to face; let us approach your throne with joy, supported by your grace.

It is easy to take our gifts for granted and use them for our own selfish ends. This is the point of Jesus’s parable of the Talents. The wicked servant selfishly hid his talent and did not use it in service to his Lord. On Judgment Day, God will demand an accounting from us on how faithfully we have used the gifts and abilities he has blessed us. While we are saved by faith in Jesus Christ alone, it is still necessary for Christians to do good works. The Book of James reminds us that faith without works is dead. An apple tree that is alive and well will produce apples. The same is true of our faith. If we have faith, we will produce fruits of faith. This final verse of our hymn encourages us to use the gifts we have been given in faithful service to our Lord so that we can stand before him on the Last Day and hear those wonderful words of blessing that are ours through Christ, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Question: What are some ways that you can be a better steward of the gifts God has given to you?

O God, Your Hand the Heavens Made is a beautiful reminder that God has gifted us with so many blessings. We praise God for the heavens and the earth that were created by his almighty Word. We praise him for the unique talents and abilities he has given to each of us. And we ask God to

help us be better stewards of these gifts so that we can use them to the best of our ability in service to him.

CW 493 – Rejoice, Rejoice Believers by Pastor Zarling

CW 493 – Rejoice, Rejoice Believers

When you’re young, you want to stay up late. When you’re older, you enjoy going to bed earlier. In fact, I found a meme the other day that wonderfully summarizes this change. 1. Going to bed early; 2. Not leaving my house; 3. Required naps. … My childhood punishments are now my adult goals.

Jesus tells a parable about ten young ladies who stayed up late to attend a party – actually a wedding feast. In Jesus’ story in Matthew 15:1-13, ten young bridesmaids are waiting for the bridegroom to arrive. They wait a very long time. They wait until midnight. (Who starts a wedding reception at midnight!)

They have fallen asleep in the late evening hours. Suddenly, they awaken to hear that the bridegroom is finally coming. All ten ladies have brought their oil lamps along. Only five were prepared for a long wait. They must have looked foolish in their beautiful wedding dresses, carrying a Mason jar of extra oil in their purses. They must have looked as silly as Linus from the old Peanuts’ cartoon, sitting in the pumpkin patch, waiting for the Great Pumpkin to arrive.

The other young ladies looked downright sophisticated with their cute little wedding lamps nestled in their perfectly manicured fingers. They were confident and carefree. Going to the wedding was just another item on their busy social calendar.

But in Jesus’ parables, things are not always as they seem. The five ladies who looked sophisticated for not bringing any oil – because it would have clashed with their dresses – ended up being foolish because they weren’t ready when the bridegroom came. They never expected him to be so late in coming. They had run out of oil. These five young ladies look so cool, but they turn out to be foolish. The five young ladies who bring the extra jar of oil with them may have looked foolish, but they turn out to be wise. The five wise ladies who have their lights shining rejoice because they are welcomed into the wedding feast. Our hymn for this week – that our WLS students are singing in our churches – speaks about rejoicing.

Verse one: Rejoice, rejoice, believers, and let your lights appear; the evening is advancing, and darker night is near. The Bridegroom is arising and soon is drawing nigh. Up, pray and watch and wrestle; at midnight comes the cry.

You look foolish to your neighbors when you get up early on a Sunday morning to go to church, while everyone else is sleeping. You look foolish when you tell your coach your daughter is going to miss basketball practices on Wednesday nights because of midweek Advent services. All the other girls will be there. You look foolish with the confident smile on your face at Grandma’s funeral because you know she had prepared her faith for the marriage feast of heaven. The rest of your family who aren’t Christians are bawling their eyes out. But in these ways, you are letting your light shine. You know the Bridegroom of Jesus is coming soon. It’s getting late. The midnight of the Marriage Feast of Jesus is approaching fast. Since we are prepared, we shine our lights of faith to encourage others to be prepared.

Question: What are some things your family does that look “foolish” to the world but is “wise” in Jesus’ eyes?

Verse two: The watchers on the mountain proclaim the Bridegroom near; go forth, as he approaches, with alleluias clear. The marriage feast is waiting; the gates wide open stand. Arise, O heirs of glory; the Bridegroom is at hand.

The marriage feast in heaven is near. Prepare to enter the gates to glory. How do you prepare yourself and your family? Read and listen to devotions like this. Attend your church’s Bible study. Go to church. Sit in the pews, hear God’s Word explained and applied to you. Teach your children the Christian faith. Listen to Martin Luther when he instructs you to begin and end each day with his Morning and Evening Prayers, the Lord’s Prayer, and the Apostles’ Creed. These are all ways you can fill up the oil jar of your faith, so you are prepared with the Bridegroom comes.

Question: What are you and your family doing to be prepared for Jesus’ return on Judgment Day?

Verse three: You saints, who here in patience your cross and suff’rings bore, shall live and reign forever when sorrow is no more. Around the throne of glory the Lamb you shall behold, in triumph lay before him your shining crowns of gold.

To be one of the five wise young ladies in Jesus’ parable, you need to be preparing and waiting every day. Jesus can return any time. Then is Judgment Day. You can die any day. Then is your Judgment Day. Whether that Day is today, tomorrow or a million tomorrows from today. You can live and sleep and die in the confidence of him who once came for you by crib and cross, who comes to you now by Word and Sacrament, who will come in glory on the Last Day to raise you from the dead to eternal life with the rest of his saints triumphant. He will take you into his glorious paradise. You will be seated as a guest of honor at his marriage feast. You will be around the throne of Jesus as the sacrificial and victorious Lamb. You will be handed a white robe by a saint and a golden crown by an angel. You shall live in Jesus’ home where there is no more sorrow, tears, or sadness.

Question: What difficulties are you going through now that Jesus will put an end to in heaven?

Verse four: Our hope and expectation, O Jesus, now appear; arise, O Sun so longed for, above this shadowed sphere. With hearts and hands uplifted we plead, O Lord, to see the day of earth’s redemption that sets your people free.

The wise bridesmaids knew in whom they hoped and for whom they waited. They lived and slept in the confidence of their bridegroom’s coming. They knew he was coming; they just didn’t know when. You know who you are waiting for; and he knows you. He is the

Bridegroom who died on the cross for you; who rose from the grave for you; who sits enthroned in majesty for you. He is the Bridegroom who baptized you; who forgives you; who feeds you his body and blood; who anoints you with his Holy Spirit. He is your hope and expectation.

Prepare your hearts and hands with plenty of extra oil. That means hearing God’s Word in church, remembering your Baptism, receiving the Lord’s Supper. That means letting your faith light shine. The Bridegroom is taking a “long” time to come. Be prepared to stay up late.

Question: Are you ready to stay up late to meet Jesus?

CW 573 – Jesus, Your Blood and Righteousness by Pastor Michael Zarling

CW 573 – Jesus, Your Blood and Righteousness

When we are going somewhere important, we want to dress appropriately. A suit or dress for homecoming. A tuxedo or gown for a wedding.

God is our King. He invites us to something eternally important. He invites us to the wedding feast of his Son. We need to wear the proper clothes to be in our King’s presence. In the Gospel for this Sunday, Jesus tells a parable about a wedding (Matthew 22:1-14). In his story, the King has a man thrown out of the feast for not wearing the proper wedding clothes (Matthew 22:12).

By his grace, God provides us with his Son’s righteousness as “our glorious dress” as our hymn for this week says.

Verse one: Jesus, your blood and righteousness my beauty are, my glorious dress; mid flaming worlds, in these arrayed, with joy shall I lift up my head.

By nature, we are not dressed appropriately to be in our God and King’s presence. Isaiah 64:6 states that “All of us have become like something unclean, and all our righteous acts are like a filthy cloth.” Even our best attempts at righteousness – being right with God – are tainted by sinful motives (Romans 8:7-11).

How gracious then, that our God and King provides us with the proper clothing to wear to his own feast. St. Paul assures us that “all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ” (Galatians 3:27).

Verse two: Bold shall I stand in that great day; who can a word against me say? Fully absolved through these I am from sin and fear, from guilt and shame.

St. Paul writes in Romans 8:33-34: “Who will bring an accusation against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies! Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus, who died and, more than that, was raised to life, is the one who is at God’s right hand and who is also interceding for us!” Satan and his allies will continually attempt to accuse of sin. But all those accusations are silenced by Christ’s absolution.

Verse three: Lord, I believe your precious blood, which at the very throne of God pleads for the captives’ liberty, was also shed in love for me.

Our sin has trapped us in a prison of lies, shame, and guilt. It damns us to a dungeon in hell. Yet Jesus’ precious blood has freed us from our captivity. Isaiah speaks in prophecy of the work of the coming Christ: “He sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release for those who are bound” (Isaiah 61:1).

Verse four: Lord, I believe, were sinners more than sands upon the ocean shore, you have for all a ransom paid, for all a full atonement made.

We are so sinful that we could not begin to count our many and varied sins. They are more numerous than “sands upon the ocean shore.” Yet Jesus paid the ransom price for all these sand-like sins. He keeps no record of our sins but replaces sin with his divine forgiveness. The psalmist asks a great question, “If you, LORD, kept a record of guilt, O Lord, who could stand?” Then he receives an awesome answer, “But with you there is pardon, so you are feared” (Psalm 130:3, 4).

Verse five: When from the dust of death I rise to claim my mansion in the skies, this then shall be my only plea: Jesus has lived and died for me.

Our sins cause us to die and our bodies to decay and eventually return to dust. “For you are dust, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19). Yet because Jesus lived, died, rose, and reigns, now those who live and believe in him as the King’s Son and their Savior, they will die, rise, and reign with Christ in his heavenly mansions he has prepared for his believers. Jesus assures his believers, “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” (John 14:2, 3).

Verse six: Jesus, be worshiped endlessly! Your boundless mercy has for me, for me and all your hands have made, an everlasting ransom paid.

“Jesus, Your Blood and Righteousness” is one of more than 2000 hymns written by Nicholas Ludwig von Zinzendorf. Zinzendorf originally wrote this hymn in 1739 during or shortly after his return from visiting a Moravian mission on the island of St. Thomas in the West Indies. Our hymnal has six English stanzas. Zinzendorf’s original German version had 33 stanzas! Whew!

Perhaps when we are wearing our wedding clothes purchased for us by Christ’s blood and righteousness, and we are enjoying the King’s eternal feast, we’ll sing those 33 German verses to our King and Christ. We’ll have plenty of time because Jesus will be worshiped endlessly.

Questions:

Why is it important to spiritually put on Jesus’ beauty and glorious dress every morning?

How does it feel to be forgiven and free?

How can you live confidently today and every day knowing that you have a home in God’s mansion waiting for you?

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).