30 May 2010

Jesus Comes, the One Begotten

Jesus comes, the One Begotten,
Very God of Very God;
From the Father’s hidden bosom,
Comes in flesh to make God known.
Alleluia, Alleluia
Makes of us adopted sons

Jesus comes, God’s Word and Wisdom,
Spoken from eternity,
By Whom now His whole creation
Lives and moves in purity.
Alleluia, Alleluia
Breathes the Breath of God in me

Jesus comes delighting o’er us
By His mercy, grace and peace.
Jesus comes to bear our weakness
So that we might share His strength.
Alleluia, Alleluia
Comes to give us His own place

Jesus comes with rescue for us
From the foe who haunts our soul;
Grants to us His perfect healing,
Binds our wounds and makes us whole.
Alleluia, Alleluia
Balm of Gilead in full

Jesus comes, the great Good Shepherd,
Lays His life down willingly.
He fulfills the Father’s pleasure,
Rises with authority.
Alleluia, Alleluia
Gives us life abundantly

Jesus comes and is uplifted
By the Gospel of the Cross;
Lamp and Light of God's great City,
His the Glory, His the cost.
Alleluia, Alleluia
His the beacon we now boast

Jesus comes, the Light of heaven,
Image of the Father’s face;
He the Firstborn o’er Creation,
Now the Firstborn from the grave.
Alleluia, Alleluia
In His rising we are saved

Jesus comes into His Kingdom,
Seated at His Father’s side;
He who hung between two criminals,
Out of death is justified.
Alleluia, Alleluia
For us with His Blood He cries

Jesus comes, our Priest forever,
Always lives to intercede.
He like incense fills the Temple,
So that we to God smell sweet.
Alleluia, Alleluia
He is our own Mercy Seat

Jesus comes, the Royal Bridegroom,
Comes to call His holy Bride;
Dresses her in festal garments,
Washed in water from His side.
Alleluia, Alleluia
Faithful, hers He shall abide

Jesus comes with lavish Banquet,
Choicest Meat and finest Wine.
Jesus comes, the Lamb once offered,
Body given, Blood divine.
Alleluia, Alleluia
Eat and drink, and with Him dine

Jesus comes with songs of gladness,
Throughout heaven echoing:
Psalms and hymns and odes of mercy,
By which His own Spirit sings.
Alleluia, Alleluia
Christ Himself is our New Song

24 May 2010

Pentecost Monday

What you think of Jesus is where you stand with God.

If you believe in Him, the only-begotten Son, then you have eternal life with His God and Father in heaven.

If you do not believe in Him, then you remain in darkness, and you are condemned by and for your unbelief, and you shall perish.

For life and light and love are in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and it is by faith in Christ that you abide in that true and only God, the Holy Trinity. Apart from Him, there is only darkness, death and damnation, out of which you cannot find your way or save yourself.

But of course, that is where you are conceived and born — in the darkness of sin — subject to death, and deserving of damnation — and that is where you would remain, eternally, except that God has sent His Son into the world and given Him for you; and He, Christ Jesus, the Light of the world, has come in the flesh to shine Himself upon your darkness and manifest the works of God in you for life.

Even at that, you are afraid. For your deeds are evil, and you do not want them to be exposed. You do not want yourself to be exposed and found naked and ashamed in the light of judgment.

Therefore, you cannot bring yourself to come to Christ, but you would retreat even further into the darkness of doubt and despair, even to the point of death, and you would hide yourself from Him who is your life and light and salvation.

Apart from Christ, you do not know the Love of God the Father, and you do not partake of the Holy Spirit — and you neither know nor can you believe the Gospel.

But without such faith, you cannot know Christ Jesus or come to Him. You are terrified of Him and flee from Him in fear.

Yet, even now, take heart.

The very fact that you are here, and that you hear this preaching of Christ Jesus, is testimony that God has wrought His work in you. So has He done by the washing of the water with His Word, and so He continues to do by the Ministry of the Gospel.

It is in love that He has acted, and in love that He comes to serve you here and now.

The Father sends the Son, not to condemn and punish you for your evil deeds, but to forgive your sins and judge you righteous by His grace, to save you.

For Christ Jesus, the Son of God, has borne your sin and suffered your punishment; He has been naked in your place, and He has taken your shame to be His own, so that you are now covered with His honor and clothed with His righteousness. He has been crucified, dead and buried on your behalf, and He has risen from the dead for you, vindicated by His Father.

This same Christ Jesus shines His Light in the darkness, and brings life and immortality to light through the Gospel of His Cross — for the forgiveness of all your sins and reconciliation with God.

By that Word of the Gospel, He causes the Light to shine within the darkness of your heart, and He pours out the Holy Spirit upon you unto life and salvation. So do you believe in Him who is your Savior, who has already become your Salvation; and believing in Him who is faithful and keeps faith with you forever, you shall not perish but have eternal life.

In the Name + of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

23 May 2010

The Fiftieth Day of Easter

If anyone loves the Lord Jesus, he will keep His Word.

His Word speaks Love to you, and Peace, and comfort, and forgiveness of sins. And with His Word He draws near to you; and the Father in Him draws near to you; and through His Word He pours out His Spirit upon you. So does the Holy Triune God make His abode with you.

Therefore, keep His Word. be gathered together in the House where His disciples are, in the City of God, His holy mountain. Listen to what He says, and remember what He has spoken. Call upon His Name, pray and confess His Word. And speak peace to one another: in love for one another, forgive those who trespass against you, and comfort those who are troubled.

That is the language of the one true God, which sanctifies all the tongues of man, and establishes the City of God on earth to the Glory of His holy Name. That is the Word that breathes the Spirit of God and gives life to you and all, to all creation.

It is not your native tongue. It is a divine language taught by the Spirit of Christ. It is the language of your new Father, who has spoken to you by His Son in the flesh, and who has granted you His Spirit by adoption.

But you have known a different language heretofore, a tongue that is native to all men, because all men sin; one common way of speaking that knows no borders or boundaries. You have known the language of selfish pride, of covetous lust, of towering ego, of envy and jealousy, of gossip and greed. You have known the language and law of the jungle.

That is the language that all men share in common, and yet it separates and scatters them. It is the kill-or-be-killed language of the city of man, by which you strive to name yourself. You contend and compete. You speak with cunning self-interest. Nothing bridles your tongue, nor stays your hand.

There is no love in that language of man, except the love of self. There is no peace, but constant war and strife. There is no comfort, but grief and trouble. There is no forgiveness, but debts that can't be paid, grudges never let go, bitter resentment, hateful and hurtful revenge. And you are poisoned by your own venemous tongue.

You know how the words of others sting and hurt, but do not consider that your words also sting and hurt others, and they rebound in consequences upon yourself. You know how powerful ways of speaking are, to calm things down or stir things up, and still you speak in ways that tear your brother down and tear the whole house down.

When all the world speaks this language of sin, then all efforts fail, towers crumble and cities fall; nations are divided, and families are scattered. There is no house or home of safety. There is no dwelling place of peace.

But now the Lord has come down to see this travesty which the sons of man have spoken and have made. He punishes their sin with their own sin. He scatters them to the four winds, dividing them by their own common language of selfish pride.

He does so in mercy, above all else, in order to gather them together to Himself by His divine language of the Gospel. In all the tongues of all the nations — in Hebrew and Greek, Latin and German, Russian and Slavonic, French and Italian, Spanish, English, Swedish and Swahili, Chinese and Japanese — He speaks the one Word of His Son, and through that Word He breathes His Spirit.

Consider how near this Word is to you: in your ears, and in your heart, and in your mouth.

For this Word that God the Father speaks — His own dearly-beloved Son — has become Flesh and dwells among you. The Lord your God has made His abode with you, sharing flesh and blood with you. Not only that, but He has also taken sin and death upon Himself. He has borne the crushing curse of the Law for you, the righteous wrath and judgment of God, the assaults and accusations of men.

But He has not blasphemed or cursed God. He has not reviled in return, nor shouted in anger. He has not grown surly or silent, nor has He spit venemous ire. But in prayer and confession He has remained faithful. He has spoken the Word of His Father, and called upon the Name of the Lord.

And to you He speaks forgiveness and peace. He comforts you in His compassion for you. He loves you with His language of the Gospel, and He has mercy for you on His lips.

This is the language of love which you learn from your new Father in Christ Jesus, His beloved Son, who is your Brother in the Flesh and in the Spirit. For this language is spoken to you in bodily form, but it is alive and life-giving with the Holy Spirit. The Word of Holy Absolution, that is the Word of forgiveness — like the water and the Word of Holy Baptism and the Word-made-Flesh in the Holy Communion — breathes the Spirit of God into your body, so that you are filled with the very Life and Light and Love of God.

The Father, Son and Holy Spirit come to make Their abode with you.

This is the Peace of which Christ speaks, which He grants to you by His speaking. It is real Peace, which the world neither knows nor is able to give. It is the Peace of reconciliation with God through the free and full forgiveness of all your sins of thought, word and deed. It is the Peace of harmony and unity of love within God Himself.

Speak that language of love to your neighbor. Forgive those who trespass against you. Comfort those who are troubled and afraid. Be reconciled with those who have been at odds with you. Speak with gentle kindess and tender compassion. Speak peace to your neighbor, as Christ speaks peace to you. And teach your children so to speak, to confess and to pray, to sing and give thanks, as your God and Father speaks Christ Jesus to you.

With that Word of Christ, which is the language of God, you bestow the Holy Spirit upon your neighbor. You build a house and city of love. You raise the tower of the Cross, by which all men are drawn to Christ. You confess the Name of the Lord, by which you and your neighbor are saved.

For not only does the Holy Triune God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, draw near to you by the Word of Christ. But as the Spirit speaks Christ to you, and Christ breathes His Spirit upon you, so does the same Lord Jesus Christ bring you in and with Himself to the Father in heaven. It isn't a matter of traversing some distance; it isn't a matter of geography, aeronautics or space travel, but of true spiritual ife with God in the flesh and blood Body of Christ.

As you abide in Him, and as His Spirit abides in you, so do you abide in and with the Father. You and your life are hidden with Christ in God. You are seated with Him in heavenly places, even while you sojourn here below under the sign of the Cross.

It is for that life with God the Father, for the sake of His own divine love and mercy, that Christ Jesus keeps on speaking Peace to you, forgiving you all your sins and granting you His Spirit.

Do not be afraid. This Word is not mine, but His who sent me.

In the Name + of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

21 May 2010

Sing Me a Song, You're a Singer

With the death of Ronnie James Dio this past week, I've been thinking about my favorite singers, and have here compiled a list of the top forty. It's always possible that I'm forgetting someone important, but all of these are singers whose vocals never fail to move me. I've listed them in order of relative preference, though that is daily subject to change. (The omission of Mick Jagger is not an oversight. Likewise, as much as I love Ozzy Osbourne's music and his knack for finding great guitarists, he's not among my favorite singers. Sorry, Oz)


Chris Daughtry (Daughtry)

Darius Rucker (Hootie & the Blowfish)

Ronnie James Dio (Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Dio, Heaven and Hell)

David Coverdale (Whitensake)

Jon Bon Jovi (Bon Jovi)

Axl Rose (Guns 'n' Roses)

Rob Halford (Judas Priest)

Amy Lee (Evanescence)

Tim McGraw

Rob Thomas (Matchbox Twenty)

Pat Benatar

Dennis DeYoung (Styx)

Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin)

Joe Elliott (Def Leppard)

Freddie Mercury (Queen)

John Waite (The Babys, Bad English)

Ann (& Nancy) Wilson (Heart)

Scott Stapp (Creed)

Jason Aldean

Rod Stewart

Paul Rodgers (Bad Company, Free)

John Cougar Mellencamp

Jackson Browne

Travis Tritt

Trace Adkins

Alison Krauss

John Ondrasik (Five for Fighting)

Chad Kroeger (Nickelback)

Paul McCartney (The Beatles)

Eliot Sloan (Blessid Union of Souls)

Brent Smith (Shinedown)

Klaus Meine (Scorpions)

David Lee Roth (Van Halen)

Tracy Lawrence

Steve Perry (Journey)

Rodney Atkins

Toby Keith

Kerry Livgren (Kansas)

Lou Gramm (Foreigner)

Billy Squier

Bob Seger

James Hart (Burn Halo)

Myles Kennedy (Alter Bridge)

Benjamin Burnley (Breaking Benjamin)

Brian Johnson (AC/DC)

Billy Joel

Steven Tyler (Aerosmith)

Sammy Hagar (Van Halen, Chickenfoot)

Bryan Adams

Joe Lynn Turner (Rainbow, Deep Purple, Rising Force)

15 May 2010

Hymns for Proper 3-7 Series C

First Sunday after Holy Trinity
Proper 3 (Sunday on May 24–28)
Genesis 50:15–21
Acts 2:14a, 36–47
Luke 6:(20–26) 27–42

Hymn of Invocation
"Forgive our sins as we forgive" (LSB 843)

Hymn of the Day
O God, my faithful God (LSB 696)

Hymns for the Distribution of the Holy Communion
The will of God is always best (LSB 758) (Catechetical)
Be still, my soul; the Lord is on your side (LSB 752)
If Your beloved Son, O God (LSB 568)
What God ordains is always good (LSB 760)

Hymn of Departure
Sing praise to God, the highest good (LSB 819)

Alternative Hymns
All Christians who have been baptized (LSB 596)
All depends on our possessing (LSB 732)
All praise to Thee, for Thou, O King divine (LSB 815)
All who believe and are baptized (LSB 601)
Baptized into Your name most holy (LSB 590)
Creator Spirit, by whose aid (LSB 500)
Entrust your days and burdens (LSB 754)
Father most holy, merciful and tender (LSB 504)
God’s own child, I gladly say it (LSB 594)
How clear is our vocation, Lord (LSB 853)
Lord Jesus Christ, the Church’s head (LSB 647)
O God of God, O Light of Light (LSB 810)
O Lord, we praise Thee (LSB 617)
O love, how deep, how broad, how high (LSB 544)
Our Father, who from heav’n above (LSB 766)
The Church’s one foundation (LSB 644)
The gifts Christ freely gives (LSB 602)
To God the Holy Spirit let us pray (LSB 768)
Water, blood, and Spirit crying (LSB 597)
Where charity and love prevail (LSB 845)


Second [1-2] Sunday after Holy Trinity
Proper 4 (Sunday on May 29—June 4)
1 Kings 8:22–24, 27–29, 41–43
Galatians 1:1–12
Luke 7:1–10

Hymn of Invocation / Catechetical Hymn of the Week
Kyrie! God, Father in heav’n above (LSB 942)

Hymn of the Day
In the very midst of life (LSB 755)

Hymns for the Distribution of the Holy Communion
To God the Holy Spirit let us pray (LSB 768)
Lord Jesus Christ, You have prepared (LSB 622)
In the shattered bliss of Eden (LSB 572)
Thy strong word did cleave the darkness (LSB 578)

Hymn of Departure
Seek where you may to find a way (LSB 557)

Alternative Hymns
"As surely as I live," God said (LSB 614)
Built on the Rock the Church shall stand (LSB 645)
By grace I’m saved, grace free and boundless (LSB 566)
Christ is made the sure foundation (LSB 909)
Dear Christians, one and all, rejoice (LSB 556)
From depths of woe I cry to Thee (LSB 607)
God loved the world so that He gave (LSB 571)
If Your beloved Son, O God (LSB 568)
Let me be Thine forever (LSB 689)
Lord Jesus Christ, with us abide (LSB 585)
Lord, keep us steadfast in Your Word (LSB 655)
No temple now, no gift of price (LSB 530)
Oh, how great is Your compassion (LSB 559)
Only-begotten, Word of God eternal (LSB 916)
Open now thy gates of beauty (LSB 901)
Salvation unto us has come (LSB 555)
Speak, O Lord, Your servant listens (LSB 589)
The Gospel shows the Father’s grace (LSB 580)
Thy works, not mine, O Christ (LSB 565)
You are the way; through You alone (LSB 526)


Third [1-3] Sunday after Holy Trinity
Proper 5 (Sunday on June 5–11)
1 Kings 17:17–24
Galatians 1:11–24
Luke 7:11–17

Hymn of Invocation
Christ Jesus lay in death’s strong bands (LSB 458)

Hymn of the Day / Catechetical Hymn of the Week
When in the hour of deepest need (LSB 615)

Hymns for the Distribution of the Holy Communion
I walk in danger all the way (LSB 716)
Dear Christians, one and all, rejoice (LSB 556)
Come, you faithful, raise the strain (LSB 487)
If thou but trust in God to guide thee (LSB 750)

Hymn of Departure
From God can nothing move me (LSB 713)

Alternative Hymns
Be still, my soul; the Lord is on your side (LSB 752)
Creator Spirit, by whose aid (LSB 500)
Entrust your days and burdens (LSB 754)
Father most holy, merciful and tender (LSB 504)
God’s own child, I gladly say it (LSB 594)
Holy God, we praise Thy name (LSB 940)
I know that my Redeemer lives (LSB 461)
If God Himself be for me (LSB 724)
If Your beloved Son, O God (LSB 568)
In the very midst of life (LSB 755)
In Thee is gladness (LSB 818)
Jesus Christ, my sure defense (LSB 741)
Jesus, Thy boundless love to me (LSB 683)
O Christ, who shared our mortal life (LSB 552)
O God, O Lord of heaven and earth (LSB 834)
Oh, how great is Your compassion (LSB 559)
Praise the Almighty, my soul, adore Him (LSB 797)
Thanks to Thee, O Christ, victorious (LSB 548)
The will of God is always best (LSB 758)
Why should cross and trial grieve me (LSB 756)


Fourth [1-4] Sunday after Holy Trinity
Proper 6 (Sunday on June 12–18)
2 Samuel 11:26—12:10, 13–14
Galatians 2:15–21; 3:10–14
Luke 7:36—8:3

Hymn of Invocation
These are the holy Ten Commands (LSB 581)

Hymn of the Day / Catechetical Hymn of the Week
O God, O Lord of heaven and earth (LSB 834)

Hymns for the Distribution of the Holy Communion
Just as I am, without one plea (LSB 570)
Salvation unto us has come (LSB 555)
My faith looks up to Thee (LSB 702)
Lord Jesus Christ, with us abide (LSB 585)

Hymn of Departure
Lord, dismiss us with Your blessing (LSB 924)

Alternative Hymns
"As surely as I live," God said (LSB 614)
Chief of sinners though I be (LSB 611)
Come, Thou Fount of ev’ry blessing (LSB 686)
Creator Spirit, by whose aid (LSB 500)
Dear Christians, one and all, rejoice (LSB 556)
"Forgive our sins as we forgive" (LSB 843)
From depths of woe I cry to Thee (LSB 607)
God loved the world so that He gave (LSB 571)
How sweet the name of Jesus sounds (LSB 524)
I will sing my Maker’s praises (LSB 977e; TLH 25; LW 439)
Jesus sinners doth receive (LSB 609)
Jesus, Thy boundless love to me (LSB 683)
My soul, now praise your maker (LSB 820)
O dearest Jesus, what law hast Thou broken (LSB 439)
Oh, how great is Your compassion (LSB 559)
Praise, my soul, the King of heaven (LSB 793)
Rock of ages, cleft for me (LSB 761)
To Thee, omniscient Lord of all (LSB 613)
Today Your mercy calls us (LSB 915)
We all believe in one true God (LSB 954)


Fifth [1-5] Sunday after Holy Trinity
Proper 7 (Sunday on June 19–25)
Isaiah 65:1–9
Galatians 3:23—4:7
Luke 8:26–39

Hymn of Invocation
All who believe and are baptized (LSB 601)

Hymn of the Day
Rise, shine, you people (LSB 825)

Hymns for the Distribution of the Holy Communion
Evening and morning (LSB 726)
Once in the blest baptismal waters (LSB 598) (Catechetical)
Entrust your days and burdens (LSB 754)
A mighty fortress is our God (LSB 656)

Hymn of Departure
Lord of our life and God of our salvation (LSB 659)

Alternative Hymns
Abide, O dearest Jesus (LSB 919)
Baptized into Your name most holy (LSB 590)
Christ sits at God’s right hand (LSB 564)
Christ, the Lord of hosts, unshaken (LSB 521)
Church of God, elect and glorious (LSB 646)
Father most holy, merciful and tender (LSB 504)
God’s own child, I gladly say it (LSB 594)
Holy Spirit, ever dwelling (LSB 650)
I bind unto myself today (LSB 604)
In the shattered bliss of Eden (LSB 572)
Jesus has come and brings pleasure eternal (LSB 533)
Lord, open now my heart to hear (LSB 908)
O God of light, Your Word, a lamp unfailing (LSB 836)
Once He came in blessing (LSB 333)
Praise the One who breaks the darkness (LSB 849)
Salvation unto us has come (LSB 555)
Seek where you may to find a way (LSB 557)
The God of Abraham praise (LSB 798)
Voices raised to You we offer (LSB 795)
Your hand, O Lord, in days of old (LSB 846)