ZACHARY'S NOTES:

Stanza 1 // The first stanza is a reference not only to the Word made flesh, but to God’s promise through the prophet Isaiah in chapter 55. God’s Word will accomplish its purpose. We certainly have a sense of this power from this weekend’s Gospel text - this Word was in the beginning, came to earth, and comes to us now! The first stanza lists the blessings of this “living rain” - it brings “faith, hope, and love” unending. This is not our faith, hope, or love, but what God gives. In this context, we can properly understand our posture toward the Word - reverence for its power, and a plea that this Word would be given to us today.

Stanza 2 // The second stanza most closely aligns with this weekend’s Gospel text, outlining in simple language the Word we continue to celebrate throughout these 12 Days of Christmas. The same Word that brought creation to life comes “from heaven to die” - not only to be born! This hymn will not leave us comfortably in the season of Christmas, but recognizes the baby we celebrate has something to say - and when he speaks, we know God’s forgiveness and love poured out for the world, restoring all people.

Stanza 3 // While the first two stanzas are a prayer that God’s Word would be given to us today, the final stanza tells us where we can hear this Word. Here, we do not sing of past events - creation, birth, life, death, or resurrection - but of the Spirit “dwelling” with God’s people today, the Word of “truth” given to sinners in preaching, and a Word of “life” given in Holy Communion.

OTHER SUGGESTIONS:

ELW 510 -  Word of God, Come Down on Earth - ʟɪᴇʙꜱᴛᴇʀ ᴊᴇꜱᴜ, ᴡɪʀ ꜱɪɴᴅ ʜɪᴇʀ

ELW 267 - Joy to the World - ᴀɴᴛɪᴏᴄʜ
ELW 268 - From Heaven Above - ᴠᴏᴍ ʜɪᴍᴍᴇʟ ʜᴏᴄʜ
ELW 270 - Hark! The Herald Angels Sing - ᴍᴇɴᴅᴇʟꜱꜱᴏʜɴ
ELW 276 - Infant Holy, Infant Lowly - ᴡ żłᴏʙɪᴇ ʟᴇżʏ
ELW 283 - O Come, All Ye Faithful - ᴀᴅᴇꜱᴛᴇ ꜰɪᴅᴇʟᴇꜱ
ELW 295 - Of the Father’s Love Begotten - ᴅɪᴠɪɴᴜᴍ ᴍʏꜱᴛᴇʀɪᴜᴍ
ELW 296 - What Child Is This - ɢʀᴇᴇɴꜱʟᴇᴇᴠᴇꜱ
ELW 288 - Good Christian Friends, Rejoice - ɪɴ ᴅᴜʟᴄɪ ᴊᴜʙɪʟᴏ

LBW 39 - Joy to the World - ᴀɴᴛɪᴏᴄʜ
LBW 40 - What Child Is This - ɢʀᴇᴇɴꜱʟᴇᴇᴠᴇꜱ
LBW 42 - Of the Father’s Love Begotten - ᴅɪᴠɪɴᴜᴍ ᴍʏꜱᴛᴇʀɪᴜᴍ
LBW 44 - Infant Holy, Infant Lowly - ᴡ żłᴏʙɪᴇ ʟᴇżʏ
LBW 45 - O Come, All Ye Faithful - ᴀᴅᴇꜱᴛᴇ ꜰɪᴅᴇʟᴇꜱ
LBW 51 - From Heaven Above - ᴠᴏᴍ ʜɪᴍᴍᴇʟ ʜᴏᴄʜ
LBW 55 - Good Christian Friends, Rejoice - ɪɴ ᴅᴜʟᴄɪ ᴊᴜʙɪʟᴏ
LBW 60 - Hark! The Herald Angels Sing - ᴍᴇɴᴅᴇʟꜱꜱᴏʜɴ

LSB 358 - From Heaven Above - ᴠᴏᴍ ʜɪᴍᴍᴇʟ ʜᴏᴄʜ
LSB 370 - What Child Is This - ɢʀᴇᴇɴꜱʟᴇᴇᴠᴇꜱ
LSB 379 - O Come, All Ye Faithful - ᴀᴅᴇꜱᴛᴇ ꜰɪᴅᴇʟᴇꜱ
LSB 380 - Hark! The Herald Angels Sing - ᴍᴇɴᴅᴇʟꜱꜱᴏʜɴ
LSB 384 - Of the Father’s Love Begotten - ᴅɪᴠɪɴᴜᴍ ᴍʏꜱᴛᴇʀɪᴜᴍ
LSB 386 - Now Sing We, Now Rejoice - ɪɴ ᴅᴜʟᴄɪ ᴊᴜʙɪʟᴏ
LSB 387 - Joy to the World - ᴀɴᴛɪᴏᴄʜ
LSB 393 - Infant Holy, Infant Lowly - ᴡ żłᴏʙɪᴇ ʟᴇżʏ
LSB 545 - Word of God, Come Down on Earth - ʟɪᴇʙꜱᴛᴇʀ ᴊᴇꜱᴜ, ᴡɪʀ ꜱɪɴᴅ ʜɪᴇʀ

RH 104 - From Heaven Above - ᴠᴏᴍ ʜɪᴍᴍᴇʟ ʜᴏᴄʜ
RH 106 - Hark! The Herald Angels Sing - ᴍᴇɴᴅᴇʟꜱꜱᴏʜɴ
RH 113 - What Child Is This - ɢʀᴇᴇɴꜱʟᴇᴇᴠᴇꜱ
RH 119 - O Come, All Ye Faithful - ᴀᴅᴇꜱᴛᴇ ꜰɪᴅᴇʟᴇꜱ

RH 120 - Of the Father’s Love Begotten - ᴅɪᴠɪɴᴜᴍ ᴍʏꜱᴛᴇʀɪᴜᴍ
RH 123 - Joy to the World - ᴀɴᴛɪᴏᴄʜ