We see in Judges that salvation by trust and faith in God is not a new concept founded by St. Paul. In Judges 7 he scales back the army of the Israelites so severely that there is no question how this battle is to be won.

We can no more earn our eternal salvation than Gideon and his 300 men with trumpets, torches, and jugs could defeat the innumerable Midianites and Amalekites. Our sins, each one able to cast us out into the outer darkness, are exponentially more numerous than the armies that Gideon saw, yet God delivers us from all of them through Christ’s death and resurrection.

Setting: © 2006 Concordia Publishing House. All rights reserved.
Podcast under OneLicense.Net A-718131.

May God Bestow on Us His Grace

1. May God bestow on us His grace,
   With blessings rich provide us,
   And may the brightness of His face
   To life eternal guide us
   That we His saving health may know,
   His gracious will and pleasure,
   And also to the heathen show
   Christ’s riches without measure
   And unto God convert them.
2. Thine over all shall be the praise
   And thanks of ev’-ry nation,
   And all the world with joy shall raise
   The voice of exultation;
   For Thou shalt judge the earth, O Lord,
   Nor suffer sin to flourish;
   Thy people’s pasture is Thy Word
   Their souls to feed and nourish,
   In righteous paths to keep them.
3. Oh, let the people praise Thy worth,
   In all good works increasing;
   The land shall plenteous fruit bring forth,
   Thy Word is rich in blessing,
   May God the Father, God the Son,
   And God the Spirit bless us!
   Let all the world praise Him alone,
   Let solemn awe possess us.
   Now let our hearts say, Amen.

Joshua 24:15, with some exclusions, is the stuff of T-shirts and songs:

And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

The statement in context is much more than a simple challenge to choose to serve God. It comes at the end of a long list of great things that God has done for the Israelites. After the deliverance from Egypt, the thwarting of Balaam’s curse, the battle of Jericho, the settlement of cities pre-built for their use, and other major actions, how could the Israelites not serve God? This isn’t just some god who demands obedience and takes pleasure in punishing people who don’t meet his arbitrary standards. This is a God who has done great things for His people, and it is merely proper that Israel serve Him out of gratitude for His mercy upon them. It is repugnant for Israel to hold on to other gods and give lip service to the Almighty.

We have our own gods. The Father sacrificed His Son that we may be adopted sons and daughters, and we fail to do the things He asks in gratitude for His mercy. The Son hung on a cross for us, and we go about our lives, lying, gossiping, stealing, cheating, lusting, coveting, et cetera. That’s gratitude for us, isn’t it. We would desire to throw away or pervert the gifts God has given us, as if his forgiveness is our license to do evil. We should be ashamed. What Joshua tells Israel in verse 19 applies to us: outside of Christ, we are not able to serve the holy and jealous God.

Yet that cross that we would toss paid for our idolatry. Every day, we confess and repent, and he forgives us those disgusting things that we do and gives us deeds to be done that are good in Christ. We thank and praise, serve and obey Him in gratitude for the spending of God’s deserved wrath on His Son. We repent and quit our own gods, we receive his assurance that our sins are forgiven, we live our lives in accordance with His commandments as best we can, and the cycle continues daily. God has done great things for us and continues to give repentance and the forgiveness of sins.

All Mankind Fell in Adam’s Fall

1. All mankind fell in Adam’s fall;
   One common sin infects us all;
   From one to all the curse descends,
   And over all God’s wrath impends.
2. Through all our powers corruption creeps
   And us in dreadful bondage keeps;
   In guilt we draw our infant breath
   And reaps its fruits of woe and death.
3. From hearts depraved, to evil prone,
   Flow thoughts and deeds of sin alone;
   God’s image lost, the darkened soul
   Seeks not nor finds its heavenly goal.
4. But Christ, the second Adam, came
   To bear our sin and woe and shame,
   To be our life, our light, our way,
   Our only hope, our only stay.
5. As by one man all mankind fell
   And, born in sin, was doomed to hell,
   So by one Man, who took our place,
   We all were justified by grace.
6. We thank You, Christ; new life is ours,
   New light, new hope, new strength, new powers:
   This grace our ev’ry way attend
   Until we reach our journey’s end.

Normally when I pick a scripture passage, I try to pick something where the Gospel is fairly self-evident. I went somewhat off-road this time in Deuteronomy, because a lot of Deuteronomy seems to be of the format that if Israel obeys God, God blesses them, if not, God curses them. Chapter 31 is a different animal. In this chapter, Joshua is told that he will succeed Moses for the people’s trip into Canaan. God tells Joshua and Moses that he is giving them the promised land, despite the fact that God already knows they are going to screw up and break the covenant. The people will be called to repentance by the song of Moses on the children’s lips! Translate that to the New Testament, where God gives us the new heavens and the new earth, even though he knows we sin over and over again. May our children have good hymns on their lips to call us back to repentance and trust in His Word!

The Will of God Is Always Best

1. The will of God is always best
   And shall be done forever;
   And they who trust in Him are blest,
   He will forsake them never.
   He helps indeed In time of need,
   He chastens with forbearing;
   They who depend On God, their Friend,
   Shall not be left despairing.
2. God is my comfort and my trust,
   My hope and life abiding;
   And to His counsel wise and just,
   I yield in Him confiding.
   The very hairs, His Word declares,
   Upon my head He numbers.
   By night and day God is my stay;
   He never sleeps nor slumbers.
3. Lord, this I ask, O hear my plea,
   Deny me not this favor:
   When Satan sorely troubles me,
   Then do not let me waver.
   O guard me well, My fear dispel,
   Fulfill Thy faithful saying:
   All who believe By grace receive
   An answer to their praying.
4. When life’s brief course on earth is run
   And I this world am leaving,
   Grant me to say: “Your will be done.”
   Your faithful Word believing.
   My dearest Friend, I now commend
   My soul into Your keeping,
   From sin and hell, And death as well,
   By You the vict-’ry reaping.

I couldn’t help it. One full day into Lent, and I pull out a passage on the resurrection. Hopefully you’re getting the good Lenten stuff on Sunday.

One of the ways our nominal Christian spirituality fails us is that we don’t understand how bad the problem of sin is, and how much it really permeates our lives. We would rather put on the front and be Pharisees. “God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.” It is uncomfortable to talk about our own unworthiness, of all the things we have done and things we have left undone.

To deny our sinfulness and our inability to earn heaven is in the long run a much worse situation. Thinking we can move towards God on our own leads us down one of two roads: we either have earned enough for God and we’re proud of it, or we run ourselves into the ground wondering if what we have done is enough. Either road leads to the same destination.

Instead, we have a God of mercy, who spends all of His wrath on the cross, not only putting all of our sins on Jesus but also putting Christ’s righteousness on us. We cannot boast except that God has saved us, and we await his second coming and the victory feast that has no end.

Pleading for mercy from the God who grants it is a good thing.

From Depths of Woe I Cry to Thee

1. From depths of woe I cry to Thee,
   In trial and tribulation;
   Bend down Thy gracious ear to me,
   Lord, hear my supplication.
   If Thou rememb’rest every sin,
   Who then could heaven ever win
   Or stand before Thy presence?
2. Thy love and grace alone avail
   To blot out my transgression;
   The best and holiest deeds must fail
   To break sin’s dread oppression.
   Before Thee none can boasting stand,
   But all must fear Thy strict demand
   And live alone by mercy.
3. Therefore my hope is in the Lord
   And not in mine own merit;
   It rests upon His faithful Word
   To them of contrite spirit
   That He is merciful and just;
   This is my comfort and my trust.
   His help I wait with patience.
4. And though it tarry through the night
   And till the morning waken,
   My heart shall never doubt His might
   Nor count itself forsaken.
   O Israel, trust in God your Lord,
   Born of the Spirit and the Word,
   Now wait for His appearing.
5. Though great our sins, yet greater still
   Is God’s abundant favor;
   His hand of mercy never will
   Abandon us, nor waver.
   Our shepherd good and true is He,
   Who will at last His Israel free
   From all their sin and sorrow.

Most people regard Leviticus as simply one of those old law books that nobody follows any more. As we realize the extent that the old sacrifices point to Christ and the cross, we find out more about the holiness of God and his providence for us. The commentary for this book of law is full of gospel.

Lent is coming, emphasizing the now and not yet of our salvation. It’s time to put away our alleluias for a season.

Alleluia, Song of Gladness

1. Alleluia, song of gladness,
   Voice of joy that cannot die;
   Alleluia is the anthem
   Ever raised by choirs on high;
   In the house of God abiding
   Thus they sing eternally.
2. Alleluia thou resoundest,
   True Jerusalem and free;
   Alleluia, joyful mother,
   All thy children sing with thee;
   But by Babylon’s sad waters
   Mourning exiles now are we.
3. Alleluia cannot always
   Be our song while here below;
   Alleluia, our transgressions
   Make us for a while forgo;
   For the solemn time is coming
   When our tears for sin must flow.
4. Therefore in our hymns we pray Thee,
   Grant us, blessed Trinity,
   At the last to keep Thine Easter
   With Thy faithful saints on high;
   There to Thee forever singing
   Alleluia joyfully.

I’ve done 421 before, last year on Episode 9.

Exodus 12: the Passover. The meal which Christ institutes as the Lord’s Supper later on. There are all sorts of interesting notes one can make, especially in comparison to the Lord’s Supper now. This is the meal God’s people ate to avoid death. No foreigners ate of it, and no slaves could eat it unless they were circumcised (today, baptized). All of it was eaten or burned — no reliquae allowed! Later on, Christ would become the Passover Lamb, his body and blood eaten and drank for the forgiveness of sins and the salvation from God’s judgement.

Jesus, Grant That Balm and Healing

1. Jesus, grant that balm and healing
   In Your holy wounds I find,
   Ev-’ry hour that I am feeling
   Pains of body and of mind.
   Should some evil thought within
   Tempt my treach-’rous heart to sin,
   Show the peril, and from sinning
   Keep me fromits first beginning.
2. Should some lust or sharp temptation
   Fascinate my sinful mind,
   Draw me to Your cross and passion,
   And new courage I shall find.
   Or should Satan press me hard,
   Let me then be on my guard,
   Saying, “Christ for me was wounded,”
   That the Tempter flee confounded.
3. If the world my heart entices
   With the broad and easy road
   With seductive, sinful vices,
   Let me weigh the awful load
   You were willing to endure.
   Help me flee all thoughts impure,
   And to master each temptation,
   Calm in prayer and meditation.
4. Ev-’ry wound that pains or grieves me,
   By Your wounds, Lord, is made whole;
   When I’m faint, Your Cross revives me,
   Granting new life to my soul.
   Yes, Your comfort renders sweet
   Ev-’ry bitter cup I meet;
   For Your all-atoning Passion
   Has procured my soul’s salvation.
5. O my God, my Rock and Tower,
   Grant that in Your death I trust,
   Knowing death has lost its power
   Since You crushed it in the dust.
   Savior, let Your agony
   Ever help and comfort me;
   When I die be my Protection,
   Light and Life and Resurrection.

After the show that is normally podcast on Pirate Christian Radio, there is another segment featuring a reading from The Popular Commentary of the Bible by Paul E. Kretzmann, Ph. D., D. D. I decided to include these after listening to the White Horse Inn highlight Christians who didn’t know what was in the books of their Bible. The first portion of his commentary was published in 1921. I hope you enjoy the extra, especially in books not as famous as Genesis or the four Gospels.

Luke 24 is an appropriate text to pair with the addition. Starting with Moses and the prophets, Christ taught the two men on the road to Emmaus about hHmself throughout all the Scriptures. Repentance and the forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed to the world. He was made known in the breaking of the bread, and it’s not a stretch to say the same thing happens today in the Lord’s Supper.

Of course, the hymn ties in too.

Spread the Reign of God the Lord

1. Spread the reign of God the Lord,
   Spoken, written mighty Word;
   Ev’rywhere his creatures call
   To His heav’nly banquet hall.
2. Tell how God the Father’s will
   Made the world, upholds it still,
   How His own dear Son He gave
   Us from sin and death to save.
3. Tell of our Redeemer’s grace,
   Who, to save our human race
   And to pay rebellion’s price,
   Gave himself as sacrifice.
4. Tell of God the Spirit giv’n
   Now to guide us on to heav’n,
   Strong and holy, just and true,
   Working both to will and do.
5. Enter, mighty Word the field;
   Ripe the promise of its yield.
   But the reapers, oh, how few
   For the work there is to do!
6. Lord of harvest, great and kind,
   Rouse to action heart and mind;
   Let the gath’ring nations all
   See your light and heed your call.

2 Corinthians 4: good stuff about the ministry and waiting for the life of the world to come. “We refuse…to tamper with God’s word.” Scripture-twisters, take note.

Hail to the Lord’s Anointed

1. Hail to the Lord’s anointed,
   Great David’s greater Son!
   Hail, in the time appointed,
   His reign on earth begun!
   He comes to break oppression,
   To set the captive free,
   To take away transgression,
   And rule in equity.
2. He comes, with rescue speedy,
   To those who suffer wrong;
   To help the poor and needy,
   And bid the weak be strong;
   To give them songs for sighing,
   Their darkness turn to light,
   Whose souls, condemned and dying,
   Were precious in his sight.
3. He shall come down like showers
   Upon the fruitful earth;
   Love, joy, and hope, like flowers,
   Spring in His path to birth;
   Before Him on the mountains,
   Shall peace, the herald, go;
   And righteousness, in fountains,
   From hill to valley flow.
4. Kings shall fall down before Him,
   And gold and incense bring;
   All nations shall adore Him,
   His praise all people sing;
   To Him shall prayer unceasing
   And daily vows ascend,
   His kingdom still increasing,
   A kingdom without end.
5. O’er every foe victorious,
   He on His throne shall rest;
   From age to age more glorious,
   All blessing and all-blest.
   The tide of time shall never
   His covenant remove;
   His name shall stand for ever–
   That name to us is Love.

Ephesians 5 is great stuff. Man and woman. Christ and His Church. Exhorting each other with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, which had a nice tie with the Conference on Worship.

Special thanks to Seminarian Samuel Powell for helping us gain access to the chapel and Allison Ulmer for guest singing.

Baptized into Your Name Most Holy

1. Baptized into your name most holy,
   O Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
   I claim a place, though weak and lowly,
   Among your saints, Your chosen host.
   Buried with Christ and dead to sin,
   your Spirit now shall live within.
2. My loving Father, here you take me
   To be henceforth Your child and heir;
   My faithful Savior, here you make me
   The fruit of all Your sorrows share;
   O Holy Spirit, comfort me
   When darkest clouds around I see.
3. My faithful God, You fail me never;
   Your promise surely will endure.
   O cast me not away forever,
   If words and deeds become impure.
   Have mercy when I come defiled;
   Forgive, lift up, restore Your child.
4. All that I am and love most dearly,
   Receive it all, O Lord, from me.
   Let me confess my faith sincerely;
   Help me Your faithful child to be!
   Let nothing that I am or own
   Serve any will but yours alone.

All Who Believe and Are Baptized

1. All who believe and are baptized
   Shall see the Lord’s salvation;
   Baptized into the death of Christ,
   They are a new creation.
   Through Christ’s redemption they shall stand
   Among the glorious heavenly band
   Of every tribe and nation.
2. With one accord, O God, we pray:
   Grant us thy Holy Spirit;
   Help us in our infirmity
   Through Jesus’ blood and merit.
   Grant us to grow in grace each day
   That by this sacrament we may
   Eternal life inherit.

1 Peter 1:6-7 has an interesting answer for theodicy, or why God allows bad things to happen:

In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

It reminds me of a story whose moral is, “the sweetness was so sweet because the bitter was so bitter.”

412 is simple and joyful, giving us in one hymn the scriptural content of two of Handel’s songs from Messiah.

1. The people that in darkness sat
   A glorious light have seen;
   The light has shined on them who long
   In shades of death have been,
   In shades of death have been.
2. To hail Thee, Sun of Righteousness,
   The gath-’ring nations come;
   They joy as when the reapers bear
   Their harvest treasures home,
   Their harvest treasures home.
3. To us a Child of hope is born,
   To us a Son is giv’n,
   And on His shoulder ever rests
   All pow’r in earth and heav’n,
   All pow’r in earth and heav’n.
4. His name shall be the Prince of Peace,
   The Everlasting Lord,
   The Wonderful, the Counselor.
   The God by all adored,
   The God by all adored.
5. His righteous government and pow’r
   Shall over all extend;
   On judgment and on justice based,
   His reign shall have no end,
   His reign shall have no end.
6. Lord Jesus, reign in us, we pray,
   And make us Thine alone,
   Who with the Father ever art
   And Holy Spirit, one,
   And Holy Spirit, one.

Words and melody can be found in the supplement.

Many people do not find the name Phillipp Nicolai familiar yet recognize this tune.

I can understand why some of the text was updated: men generally do not like to admit their hearts are pining for a Bridegroom. The reference isn’t made to us personally but to the church, which is the bride in Ephesians 5:25-27.

Happy New Year!

LSB 395, “O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright,” has text and setting under copyright, so we are going with Hymn 343 from The Lutheran Hymnal, “How Lovely Shines the Morning Star.” Kantor Beethe has once again made available a PDF with words and melody.

TLH 343 – Melody

Again, too many good Christmas hymns out there, even just in public domain.

If you are following along in the Lutheran Service Book, there is a one-note rhythm change in the second line and a difference in the key, but the text is still usable.

The third hymn starts out with the first verse in German, then all three verses in English.

We are thankful for the feedback from the podcast and are glad you’ve made it part of your routine. Merry Christmas.

All My Heart Again Rejoices

1. All my heart again rejoices
   As I hear Far and near
   Sweetest angel voices.
   “Christ is born,” their choirs are singing
   Till the air Everywhere
   Now with joy is ringing.
2. Hear the Conqueror has spoken,
   Now the foe, Sin and woe,
   Death and hell are broken.
   God is man, man to deliver;
   And the Son Now is one
   With our blood forever.
3. Should we fear our God’s displeasure,
   Who, to save, Freely gave
   His most precious Treasure?
   To redeem us He has given
   His own Son From the throne
   Of His might in heaven.
4. See the Lamb, our sin once taking
   To the cross, Suff’ring loss,
   Full atonement making.
   For our life His own He tenders,
   And His grace All our race
   Fit for glory renders.
5. Softly from His lowly manger
   Jesus calls One and all,
   “You are safe from danger.
   Children, from the sins that grieve you
   You are freed; All you need
   I will surely give you.”
6. Come, then, banish all your sadness,
   One and all, Great and small;
   Come with songs of gladness.
   We shall live with Him forever
   There on high, In that joy
   Which can vanish never.

Now Sing We, Now Rejoice

1. Now sing we, now rejoice,
   Now raise to heaven our voice;
   He from whom joy streameth
   Poor in a manger lies;
   Not so brightly beameth
   The sun in yonder skies.
   Thou my Savior art!
   Thou my Savior art!
2. Come from on high to me;
   I cannot rise to Thee
   Cheer my wearied spirit,
   O pure and holy Child;
   Through Thy grace and merit,
   Blest Jesus, Lord most mild,
   Draw me unto Thee!
   Draw me unto Thee!
3. Now through His Son doth shine
   The Father’s grace divine.
   Death o’er us had reigned
   Through sin and vanity;
   He for us obtained
   Eternal joy on high.
   May we praise Him there!
   May we praise Him there!
4. Oh, where shall joy be found?
   Where but on heavenly ground?
   Where the angels singing
   With all His saints unite,
   Sweetest praises bringing
   In heavenly joy and light.
   Oh, that we were there!
   Oh, that we were there!

Silent Night, Holy Night

Stille Nacht, heilege Nacht!
Alles schläft, einsam wacht
Nur das traute, hochheilege Paar.
Holder Knabe im lockigen Haar,
Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh,
Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh.

1. Silent night! Holy night!
   All is calm, all is bright,
   Round yon Virgin Mother and Child.
   Holy Infant, so tender and mild,
   Sleep in heavenly peace,
   Sleep in heavenly peace.
2. Silent night! Holy night!
   Shepherds quake at the sight;
   Glories stream from heaven afar,
   Heavenly hosts sing, Alleluia.
   Christ, the Savior, is born!
   Christ, the Savior, is born!
3. Silent night! Holy night!
   Son of God, love’s pure light
   Radiant beams from Thy holy face,
   With the dawn of redeeming grace,
   Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth.
   Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth.

It’s Christmas Eve. Gotta read Luke 2, especially if your highly anticipated viewing of “A Charlie Brown Christmas” got bumped. I like the first two verses of the passage, because it’s a reminder that we are dealing with real history. This isn’t a vision that some guy got in a cave.

Merry Christmas, Time Out listeners!

1. Lo, how a rose e’er blooming
   From tender stem hath sprung!
   Of Jesse’s lineage coming
   As prophets long have sung, (sic)
   It came, a flow’ret bright,
   Amid the cold of winter,
   When half-spent was the night.
2. Isaiah ’twas foretold it,
   The rose I have in mind;
   With Mary we behold it,
   The virgin mother kind.
   To show God’s love aright,
   She bore to us a Savior,
   When half-spent was the night.
3. This flow’r, whose fragrance tender
   With sweetness fills the air,
   Dispels with glorious splendor
   The darkness ev’rywhere.
   True man, yet very God,
   From sin and death He saves us
   And lightens every load.
4. O Savior, child of Mary,
   Who felt our human woe;
   O Savior, King of glory,
   Who doest our weakness know:
   Bring us at length we pray
   To the bright courts of heaven,
   And to the endless day.

O Emmanuel, our king and our Lord, the anointed for the nations and their Savior:

Come and save us, O Lord our God.

Text from LSB 357, “O” Antiphons.

Psalm tone from the Brotherhood Prayer Book, published by Emmanuel Press. Used with permission.

O King of the nations, the ruler they long for, the cornerstone uniting all people:

Come and save us all, whom you formed out of clay.

Text from LSB 357, “O” Antiphons.

Psalm tone from the Brotherhood Prayer Book, published by Emmanuel Press. Used with permission.

O Dayspring, splendor of light everlasting:

Come and enlighten those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.

Text from LSB 357, “O” Antiphons.

Psalm tone from the Brotherhood Prayer Book, published by Emmanuel Press. Used with permission.

O Key of David and scepter of the house of Israel, You open and no one can close, You close and no one can open:

Come and rescue the prisoners who are in darkness and the shadow of death.

Text from LSB 357, “O” Antiphons.

Psalm tone from the Brotherhood Prayer Book, published by Emmanuel Press. Used with permission.

O Root of Jesse, standing as an ensign before the peoples, before whom all kings are mute, to whom the nations will do homage:

Come quickly to deliver us.

Text from LSB 357, “O” Antiphons.

Psalm tone from the Brotherhood Prayer Book, published by Emmanuel Press. Used with permission.

Kantor Beethe, Time Out’s regular accompanist and director of parish music at Grace Lutheran Church in Little Rock, AR, will chant each of these. The words come from the “O” Antiphons listed at the end of LSB Hymn 357, and the psalm tone comes from the Brotherhood Prayer Book, published by Emmanuel Press. Psalm tone used with permission.

The first “O” Antiphon, O Wisdom, was included in the previous edition of Time Out.

O Adonai

O Adonai and ruler of the house of Israel, who appeared to Moses in the burning bush and gave him the Law on Sinai:

Come with an outstretched arm and redeem us.

Instead of a collect separating the Bible passage from the hymn, Kantor Beethe sings the first of the “O” Antiphons, O Wisdom.  The text is from the LSB, included with Hymn 357, but the psalm tone is from the Brotherhood Prayer Book, published by Emmanuel Press. Psalm tone used with permission.

The other “O” Antiphons will appear here over the next six days.

O Wisdom

O Wisdom, proceeding from the mouth of the Most High, pervading and permeating all creation, mightily ordering all things:

Come and teach us the way of prudence.

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel!

O come, Thou Wisdom from on high,
Who ord’rest all things mightily;
To us the path of knowledge show,
And teach us in her ways to go.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!

O come, O come, Thou Lord of might,
Who to thy tribes on Sinai’s height
In ancient times didst give the law,
In cloud and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!

O come, Thou Branch of Jesse’s tree,
Free them from Satan’s tyranny
That trust Thy mighty pow’r to save,
And give them vict’ry o’er the grave.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel!

O come, Thou Key of David, come
And open wide our heav’nly home:
Make safe the way that leads on high
And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel!

O come, Thou Dayspring from on high,
And cheer us by Thy drawing nigh;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel!

O come, Desire of nations, bind
In one the hearts of all mankind;
Bid Thou our sad divisions cease,
And be Thyself our King of Peace.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!

Hebrews 11 is a long chapter but worth it. All these wonderful deeds in the Old Testament happened by faith, yet those who have faith don’t necessarily have a victorious life. There is no promise of a “best life now.”

344 is simple and pretty, and one is tempted to belt out the last three notes of the first phrase.

On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry
Announces that the Lord is nigh;
Awake and hearken, for he brings
Glad tidings of the King of kings!

Then cleansed by every life from sin;
Make straight the way for God within,
And let us all our hearts prepare
For Christ to come and enter there.

We hail Thee as our Savior, Lord,
Our refuge and our great reward;
Without Thy grace we waste away
Like flow’rs that wither and decay.

Lay on the sick Thy healing hand
And make the fallen strong to stand;
Show us the glory of Thy face
Till beauty springs in ev-’ry place.

All praise, eternal Son, to Thee
Whose advent sets Thy people free,
Whom with the Father we adore
And Holy Spirit evermore.

There are just too many good Advent hymns out there for four weeks of Time Out, so we did three more.

Kudos to the LSB (and LW?) committee for cleaning up pietistic language and using promise language: for example, changing “He may shield us” in 345 to “He will shield us.” I have to be honest, some of the TLH lyrics made me cringe.

341, Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates

1. Lift up your heads, ye mighty gates!
   Behold, the King of Glory waits;
   The King of kings is drawing near,
   The Savior of the world is here.
   Life and salvation He doth bring,
   Wherefore rejoice and gladly sing:
   To God the Father raise
   Your joyful songs of praise.
2. A righteous Helper comes to thee,
   His chariot is humility,
   His kingly crown is holiness,
   His scepter, pity in distress,
   The end of all our woe He brings;
   Therefore the earth is glad and sings:
   To Christ the Savior raise
   Your grateful hymns of praise.
3. How blest the land, the city blest,
   Where Christ the ruler is confessed!
   O peaceful hearts and happy homes
   To whom this King in triumph comes!
   The cloudless Sun of joy is He,
   Who comes to set His people free.
   To God the Spirit raise
   Your happy shouts of praise.
4. Fling wide the portals of your heart;
   Make it a temple set apart
   From earthly use for Heav’n’s employ,
   Adorned with prayer and love and joy.
   So shall your Sov’reign enter in
   And new and nobler life begin.
   To God alone be praise
   For word and deed and grace!
5. Redeemer, come and open wide
   My heart to Thee; here, Lord, abide!
   O enter with Thy grace divine;
   Thy face of mercy on me shine.
   Thy Holy Spirit guide us on
   Until our glorious goal is won.
   Eternal praise and fame
   We offer to Thy name.

345, Hark! a Thrilling Voice is Sounding

1. Hark, a thrilling voice is sounding!
   “Christ is nigh!” we hear it say;
   “Cast away the works of darkness,
   All you children of the day!”
2. Startled at the solemn warning,
   Let the earth-bound soul arise;
   Christ, her Sun, all sloth dispelling,
   Shines upon the morning skies.
3. See, the Lamb, so long expected,
   Comes with pardon down from heaven.
   Let us haste, with tears of sorrow,
   One and all, to be forgiven.
4. So, when next He comes in glory
   And the world is wrapped in fear,
   He will shield us with His mercy
   And with words of love draw near.
5. Honor, glory, might, dominion,
   To the Father and the Son,
   With the everlasting Spirit,
   While eternal ages run!

347, Comfort, Comfort Ye My People

1. Comfort, comfort, ye My people,
   Speak ye peace, thus saith our God;
   “Comfort those who sit in darkness,
   Mourning ‘neath their sorrows’ load.
   Speak ye to Jerusalem
   Of the peace that waits for them;
   Tell her that her sins I cover
   And her warfare now is over.”
2. Yea, her sins our God will pardon,
   Blotting out each dark misdeed;
   All that well deserved His anger
   He no more will see or heed.
   She hath suffered many a day,
   Now her griefs have passed away;
   God will change her pining sadness
   Into ever-springing gladness.
3. Hark, the herald’s voice is crying
   In the desert far and near,
   Calling sinners to repentance
   Since the Kingdom now is here.
   Oh, that warning cry obey!
   Now prepare for God a way;
   Let the valleys rise to meet Him
   And the hills bow down to greet Him.
4. Make ye straight what long was crooked,
   Make the rougher places plain;
   Let your hearts be true and humble,
   As befits His holy reign.
   For the glory of the Lord
   Now o’er earth is shed abroad,
   And all flesh shall see the token
   That His Word is never broken.

I had read somewhere that some Alleluias were suppressed during the Advent season like during Lent, but nobody told Charles Wesley.

This portion of John 5 isn’t typically an Advent text, but note how Jesus keeps saying he does nothing of his own. That puts a nice spin on the upcoming incarnation. Christ is completely obedient, keeping all of the Father’s demands in our stead.

John 5 is also a nice place to note how all the scriptures are about Jesus. The Scriptures are all read through the atonement of the Son of God. All of the miracles and things we debate today, e.g. creation, the flood, the sun standing still in Joshua, not to mention the resurrection itself, all point to a God who sees our sin and suffering and seeks to bring us back to life with Him without compromising His own holiness.

He comes with clouds descending, for a second time.

Lo! he comes, with clouds descending,
Once for our salvation slain;
Thousand thousand saints attending
Swell the triumph of his train:
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Christ the Lord returns to reign.

Every eye shall now behold him,
Robed in dreadful majesty;
Those who set at nought and sold him,
Pierced, and nailed him to the tree,
Deeply wailing, deeply wailing, deeply wailing,
Shall their true Messiah see.

Those dear tokens of his passion
Still his dazzling body bears,
Cause of endless exultation
To his ransomed worshipers;
With what rapture, with what rapture, with what rapture
Gaze we on those glorious scars!

Yea, amen, let all adore thee,
High on thine eternal throne;
Savior, take the power and glory;
Claim the kingdom for thine own:
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Thou shalt reign, and thou alone.

Words and lyrics can be found in the supplement.

Some may wonder why Psalm 139 for this podcast. This Psalm reveals the omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence of the Lord, the Living God, who is coming again. Glorious and tremendous he comes to bring the world and its inhabitants mercifully out of sin into everlasting life. The God of the Psalms, the prophets, and the writers of the New Testament is the only one able to save and the only one who loves us enough to do it.

No vision ever brought, no ear hath ever caught, such great glory. For those who confess they are sinners, repent, and receive forgiveness, this is a very exciting time. Come, Lord Jesus.

If you don’t have a copy of The Lutheran Hymnal, Kantor Beethe has prepared a PDF with melody and lyrics. They are just different enough from LSB that you won’t want to use LSB for this hymn.

TLH 609 – Melody

A special shout out to Pr. Todd Peperkorn, who has published a book on depression and pastoral care entitled, I Trust When Dark My Road. I have yet to read the book myself, but it has garnered much attention and is likely worth your time.

Lots of good stuff in Galatians 2: Paul’s doctrinal comparison with the Christians in Jerusalem, Paul’s calling out of Peter for hypocrisy, and the beginning of the doctrine of justification by faith alone that blooms into Galatians 3.

I don’t recall singing this tune with near the frequency of most of the German hymns. It needs a comeback. It manages to be emotional and descriptive about the singer while focusing on Christ; in this way it’s like reading Johann Gerhard.

Kantor Beethe got to pull out what sounds like vertical chimes for the introduction: beautiful.

This hymn is nice because it is truly a prayer. We are asking our God for grace, Word, blessings, and so forth. It lacks the “this is what we are doing for you” that many songs and hymns have these days.

Mark 13 refutes end-times theories such as secret rapture and anyone who thinks they know when the end of the world is coming — sorry, Mayans. It seems pretty clear that we are in the Close of the Age with wars and rumors of wars, kingdom vs. kingdom, etc.  Come, Lord Jesus.

When I sing this one I always think of Grandma, since it was one of her favorites. Having sung both the TLH and the LSB version in recent memory, I can say that I prefer the version in TLH in E flat if you have parts. The text got a major rewrite, too. Kantor Stephen Hoffman and I performed this at the dedication of the new sanctuary for Trinity-Rock Springs.

Listening to that performance, I see we’ve made a decent improvement in recording quality.

A hymn like this reminds us that this life now is not our “best life.” We’re in the great affliction. We’re despised and scorned. Some Christians are martyred. We look toward the new heaven and earth, to the endless rejoicing at the heavenly banquet of the blest, welcome only because we are washed in the blood of the Lamb.

The Battle Hymn of the Reformation, Kantor Beethe and I had seen so many good renditions of this hymn that we were reluctant to create our own. But Kantor changed his mind, so we stepped up. I think it turned out well. The two readings are among the scripture that the hymn references.

At the end of the third verse, the lyric is, “one little word can fell him (Satan).” We dropped the volume on the phrase, and I almost sing-song-taunted the line. What little word fells Satan? There’s no official answer. Some have said, “Jesus”; others have said, “Liar!” “Jesus” works, but “Liar” is great because it goes to the core of the problem of the devil. He is the deceiver. He doesn’t care if we believe in him, just that we don’t believe that Christ died to save us. The Pharisees of the New Testament time didn’t worship Satan outright, and yet they were of their father, the devil (John 8:39-47).

He’s judged. The deed is done. Amen.

It pains me that the hymn is so short, but as was pointed out to me, it is Trinitarian.

Last November this hymn was discussed on the blog of Pr. Stephen Starke, a major contributed to the Lutheran Service Book.

In the comments, it was noted that in the original German, the second line, “Curb those who by deceit or sword,” is written, “Und steur des Papsts and Türken Mord,” or “And curb the Turks’ and papists’ sword.” While we may not receive threats from Roman Catholics any more, Christians continue to be persecuted and martyred around the world.

Wer Nur Den Lieben Gott is a great tune, but the quarter rests after every phrase would have led me to believe he had problems with his lungs, not his eyes.

I know Lutherans are supposed to have Galatians or Romans for a favorite book of the Bible, but Hebrews is becoming mine. All of the gospel behind the substitutionary atonement speaks of a holy yet merciful God. Thank God I don’t have to earn my salvation, and what a wonderful and holy place the new heaven and earth will be!

John 10 is a nice and direct chapter on the deity of Christ.

BW in a comment on NR notes that the latter half of John 10:10, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly,” is often quoted to suggest that Christ came to fulfill our earthly dreams. The context gives a different story. There is no mention of monetary wealth or power. One is either receiving eternal life by faith in Christ or trying to enter salvation through another means.

716 is another hymn that I hadn’t sung before recording for the podcast. I like how this hymn follows the pattern of other hymns like LSB 607, “From Depths of Woe I Cry to Thee,” where we have a looming Law problem up front for a couple of stanzas and then finish with Gospel stanzas. We go from walking in danger to walking heavenward.

Organist: Kantor Nathan Beethe, Director of Parish Music, Grace Lutheran Church in Little Rock, AR.

I couldn’t do this hymn earlier because a summer cold had really robbed me of anything above a D. Kantor again has done a great job both with the introduction and the doxological stanza.

Isaiah 11 is interesting to me because there are both fulfilled and unfulfilled prophecies in this text.  Christ was born from the lineage of Jesse (David’s father), but wolves don’t peacefully live with lambs yet.

Organist: Kantor Nathan Beethe, Dir. of Parish Music, Grace Lutheran Church, Little Rock, AR.

I must say the good Kantor outdid himself on this one. Thank you, Nathan!

Time Out sports a fresh introduction and wrap-up. I think they turned out well.

This hymn mentions Martin Luther by name, but the hymn isn’t about Luther.  It’s about keeping doctrine simple and true. The hymn itself is quite simple, to drive the point home.

Sound bite: “Take Time Out for Jesus,” by Eddie Owens.

Even when steeples are falling.

Go ahead and turn the volume up on this one, unless it would get you fired.  It wouldn’t sound good for me to belt it out, but it’s OK for you.

Psalm 22 is noteworthy for its prophecies about Christ on the cross, but the gospel at the end is a nice counter to the despair at the start.

I must give further “props” to Kantor Nathan Beethe, Director of Parish Music for Grace Lutheran Church in Little Rock, AR. Not only has he been a good player, but he has been playing hymns I hadn’t heard before, even as a lifelong Lutheran. I hadn’t heard “At the Name of Jesus,” which was two weeks ago, or this one.

Some comments on John 20:

I think that verse 9 is further proof that faith has to be granted by God. These were guys who were with Jesus the whole time, and they still didn’t understand? Didn’t Jesus practically draw them a picture, foretelling his death several times? No wonder we have problems in scriptural interpretation today.

Verse 22 and 23: the power of the Holy Spirit is in the forgiving and retention of sins. More powerful than making paralytics walk.

Finally verse 31: the big why, and proof that Jesus is not just another giver.

Sound bite: Atlantic Yards “Time Out” Protest.

Organist: Kantor Nathan Beethe, Director of Parish Music, Grace Lutheran Church, Little Rock, AR.

Good themes of inheritance and redemption in Hebrews 9.

Sound bite: “When God Calls Time Out,” by Tear Da Club Up Thugs.

Organist: Kantor Nathan Beethe, Director of Parish Music, Grace Lutheran Church, Little Rock, AR.

Kantor Beethe answered my search for “an organist with an LSB and MP3 recorder” on Facebook.  I think you’ll like the results.

Romans 6 is a nice combination of both law and gospel, leading off with a description of what baptism does.  Good stuff.

Sound bite: Time Out called by Jay Triano, coach of the NBA Toronto Raptors.

Christ has the authority to forgive sins. Jesus comes, not to save Pharisees who need saving but won’t admit it, but to call sinners to repentance. The Christ is come, and it is appropriate to celebrate His arrival. The old Adam has no place in the life of the new Christian. All wonderful themes in Luke 5.

Jesus doesn’t care for His lambs by denying that certain transgressions are sins. I suspect that may be one way that we try to patch old clothes with new material or put new wine into old wineskins. Instead, He asks us to repent and believe the Gospel, and to leave our sins at the cross.

The audio is from the Higher Things 2009 Sola conference at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI. It is included with permission from Higher Things. You can hear the hymn by itself at their Sola 2009 page now, but it will eventually become part of the HT-Online subscribers-only page. When that happens, you will need to register at Higher Things for free and then add the premium service. The premium service will also contain other great audio from both Sola conferences.

Special thanks also to Evan Goeglein and Pr. Brian Wolfmueller, who provided the sound bite from their podcast and radio show, Table Talk Radio. It is my favorite Lutheran game show, too.

Organist: Mrs. Susie Singer, Zion Lutheran Church, Columbus, OH.

Normally I like to choose texts that preach themselves, because I’m not a preacher. 1 John 5 is a different animal. It’s Law and Gospel, emphasizing that we need to believe in the divinity of Jesus Christ, assuring us of our salvation while not downplaying the need to obey God’s commands.

I have not reworked another hymn for Time Out as much I have this one. Cantor Phillip Magness provided some objective and much-needed critiquing on how I was singing hymns, and I made some changes. I hope you enjoy it.

Also upon suggestion I have included the Collect for the week from the Lutheran Lectionary Project. Thank you, Stan Lemon!

Organist: Mrs. Susie Singer, Zion Lutheran Church, Columbus, OH.

Sound bite: Eric Cartman, South Park, “Cartman vs. Super Nanny.”

Twenty-three episodes in, and I’m still learning. I was using my Bose headphones to play the organ music while I sang, and I kept going flat in the bass in verse 3. It was driving me nuts, until I just used one ear with the headphones and figured out what was going on with my voice.

The text and the hymn are among my favorites. Paul comes right out and says it: Christ died for sinners.

Organist: Mrs. Susie Singer, Zion Lutheran Church, Columbus, OH.

Opening sound bite: “Time Out,” by Joe Walsh.

Ezekiel 37 is one of the coolest passages in the Bible, in terms of both Old Testament gospel and literary visuals.  I could just see Todd McFarlane animating the first 14 verses.

Organist: Bruce Ahlich, Trinity Lutheran Church, Traverse City, MI.

Sound bite: Scripps Memorial Hospital held a National Time Out Day to update their procedures and provide a checklist similar to airline pilots.

Organist: Mrs. Susie Singer, Zion Lutheran Church, Columbus, OH.

Our first Pirate Christian Radio podcaster to be conscripted into the Time Out soundbite is Pr. Bill Cwirla of The God Whisperers. Both Cwirla and Pr. Craig Donofrio do a great job, though once in a while they do earn that iTunes EXPLICIT flag.

Sound bite: Steely Dan, “Time Out of Mind”.

This is one of my favorite hymns. I confess I enjoyed enough while Bruce was playing that I failed to consider whether I could sing it as fast as he played it.

Organist: Bruce Ahlich, Trinity Lutheran Church, Traverse City, MI.

I have never heard 607 sung in Divine Service. I think the title scares people. The five stanzas are a cool framing of Law and Gospel, the first two being Law and the last three Gospel. Walther would be pleased.

Previously, when someone asked me if it was OK to deliberately sin because it was all going to be forgiven anyway, I used to use Romans 6:1-4 for an answer. Hebrews 10:26-34 hits the point harder, including a consequence.

Organist: Bruce Ahlich, Trinity Lutheran Church, Traverse City, MI.

Opening sound bite: Iron Chef America, Michael Symon and Alton Brown.