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"Lord of Our Life" | Fourth Sunday after Pentecost
ZACHARY'S NOTES:
Stanza 1 // This weekend’s Gospel reading is full of seemingly difficult words. We are told to fear the one who can “destroy body and soul in hell” and asked to forsake all things for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. At first, it might seem like Jesus has lost his mind. Jesus’ words are certainly striking, but they also admit what we know about this world. Life is difficult. When this hymn was written, Phillip [the poet] wrote to his brother that this hymn “referred to the state of the Church [at the time] - a Church he described as “assailed from without, enfeebled and distracted within.” Christ reminds us the Church can become distracted by many things - including other gods or even the gift of family! In this context, we pray to the Lord of life: “receive our supplication” or “receive our earnest and faithful prayer, for we trust you are the Lord of life.” In this stanza, we know the One who can destroy and save body and soul - Jesus Christ.
Stanza 2 // When the world attacks the faith God has given, we place our trust in Christ, who alone can preserve us through all difficulty. Sometimes, such attacks come from outside the Church; at other times, from within. Yet, Christ promises to preserve us through all of these, for he knows more than our closest family members. Even the hairs on our head are numbered by Almighty God!
Stanza 3 // When Christ speaks of denying those who deny Him, He acknowledges the difficult reality of earthly life. The armor we build for ourselves - a storehouse of memorized Catechism passages, our good works, our knowledge - can and will fail us in times of temptation and trial. Through all of these failings, God promises He will not fail us! Because of Christ, we pray: “Grant us your peace, Lord.”
Stanza 4 // The final stanza tells us where peace is needed, and we sing a comprehensive list. We pray for peace “in our hearts, in [our Lord’s] Church, where kindred souls are raging, in the world, and in heaven.” It might seem strange to pray for peace where Christ promises to bring a sword [and equally odd to pray for peace in heavenly perfection], but this peace assuages [or lessens] our most troubling circumstances. It brings forgiveness to us - giving us new hearts, peace among those in our Lord’s Church - because this peace is the only thing we have to give, and forgiveness in broken family relationships. In such peace, we have comfort as war rages around us, and peace forever in heaven.
SUGGESTIONS:
- ELW 766 - Lord of Our Life - ɪꜱᴛᴇ ᴄᴏɴꜰᴇꜱꜱᴏʀ
- ELW 781 - Children of the Heavenly Father - ᴛʀʏɢɢᴀʀᴇ ᴋᴀɴ ɪɴɢᴇɴ ᴋᴀʀᴀ
- ELW 806 - O God, My Faithful God - ᴡᴀꜱ ꜰʀᴀɢ ɪᴄʜ ɴᴀᴄʜ ᴅᴇʀ ᴡᴇʟᴛ
- ELW 769 - If You But Trust in God to Guide You - ᴡᴇʀ ɴᴜʀ ᴅᴇɴ ʟɪᴇʙᴇɴ ɢᴏᴛᴛ
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By Luther House of Study
5
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ZACHARY'S NOTES:
Stanza 1 // This weekend’s Gospel reading is full of seemingly difficult words. We are told to fear the one who can “destroy body and soul in hell” and asked to forsake all things for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. At first, it might seem like Jesus has lost his mind. Jesus’ words are certainly striking, but they also admit what we know about this world. Life is difficult. When this hymn was written, Phillip [the poet] wrote to his brother that this hymn “referred to the state of the Church [at the time] - a Church he described as “assailed from without, enfeebled and distracted within.” Christ reminds us the Church can become distracted by many things - including other gods or even the gift of family! In this context, we pray to the Lord of life: “receive our supplication” or “receive our earnest and faithful prayer, for we trust you are the Lord of life.” In this stanza, we know the One who can destroy and save body and soul - Jesus Christ.
Stanza 2 // When the world attacks the faith God has given, we place our trust in Christ, who alone can preserve us through all difficulty. Sometimes, such attacks come from outside the Church; at other times, from within. Yet, Christ promises to preserve us through all of these, for he knows more than our closest family members. Even the hairs on our head are numbered by Almighty God!
Stanza 3 // When Christ speaks of denying those who deny Him, He acknowledges the difficult reality of earthly life. The armor we build for ourselves - a storehouse of memorized Catechism passages, our good works, our knowledge - can and will fail us in times of temptation and trial. Through all of these failings, God promises He will not fail us! Because of Christ, we pray: “Grant us your peace, Lord.”
Stanza 4 // The final stanza tells us where peace is needed, and we sing a comprehensive list. We pray for peace “in our hearts, in [our Lord’s] Church, where kindred souls are raging, in the world, and in heaven.” It might seem strange to pray for peace where Christ promises to bring a sword [and equally odd to pray for peace in heavenly perfection], but this peace assuages [or lessens] our most troubling circumstances. It brings forgiveness to us - giving us new hearts, peace among those in our Lord’s Church - because this peace is the only thing we have to give, and forgiveness in broken family relationships. In such peace, we have comfort as war rages around us, and peace forever in heaven.
SUGGESTIONS:
- ELW 766 - Lord of Our Life - ɪꜱᴛᴇ ᴄᴏɴꜰᴇꜱꜱᴏʀ
- ELW 781 - Children of the Heavenly Father - ᴛʀʏɢɢᴀʀᴇ ᴋᴀɴ ɪɴɢᴇɴ ᴋᴀʀᴀ
- ELW 806 - O God, My Faithful God - ᴡᴀꜱ ꜰʀᴀɢ ɪᴄʜ ɴᴀᴄʜ ᴅᴇʀ ᴡᴇʟᴛ
- ELW 769 - If You But Trust in God to Guide You - ᴡᴇʀ ɴᴜʀ ᴅᴇɴ ʟɪᴇʙᴇɴ ɢᴏᴛᴛ