beethe

Text: John 1:1-18
Hymn: 347, Comfort, Comfort, Ye My People
Kretzmann Commentary: John 1:1-18
Bonus Bumper: In the Beginning Was the Word

Dr. Kretzmann has a wealth of commentary regarding John 1, so Episodes 148-150 will be devoted to John 1. There is so much Christology that it’s worth slowing down and taking in chunks.

“Comfort, comfort, ye my people”…or as we could phrase it today: you, who are my people, be comforted. We see very little in this life but sin at our door and the devil lying in wait seeking to devour us.

Do not despair. Repent, and believe the Gospel. Confess your sin, and be absolved. His Word is never broken.

 
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Text: Luke 1:57-80
Hymn: 344, On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist’s Cry
Kretzmann Commentary: Luke: 1:57-80
Bonus Bumper: G.P. Telemann, Benedictus Dominus, Deus Israel

Luke 1 finishes with the Song of Zechariah, a prophecy to the son of Zechariah, John the Baptist. The setting of this text in the LSB Matins service is quite beautiful.

The last time we played 344, Iggy commented:

It’s an interesting progression between Stanzas 3 and 4. We go from “Like flow’rs that wither and decay” to “Till beauty springs in ev’ry place.”

Without Christ, we are Stanza 3.
Because of Christ, we are Stanza 4!

Can we say “now / not yet?”

 
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Text: Luke 1:1-56
Hymn: 333, Once He Came in Blessing
Kretzmann Commentary: Luke 1:1-56
Bonus Bumper: Bach, Magnificat

The first chapter of Luke is so long that it needed to be broken up into two episodes. We will conclude Luke 1 next week.

“Blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.” Contrast this with Zechariah’s doubt. The Word of the Lord gives life; it can be trusted, even when we don’t see how. Let His salvation be done to us as God has commanded.

333 is one of my favorite Advent hymns, and the tune is very versatile: it almost asks to be played by a symphony with some trumpet overtones. I also like the reference to the Lord’s Supper in verse 2: “With Himself He feeds us.” Brilliant.

 
Setting from Lutheran Service Book © 2006 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission.
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Text: Matthew 1
Hymn: 512, At the Name of Jesus
Kretzmann Commentary: Matthew 1
Bonus Bumper: Handel, Messiah, Symphony

The pronunciation of the names in Matthew 1 were verified at netministries.org. If there’s a better source, I’d appreciate it.

Matthew 1 does have a lot of names, but one of the things that the list drives home is that the Christian (and Old Testament Judaism) faith is one set in history. Our faith wasn’t an attempt to explain or describe the universe. It starts and ends with Christ, prophesied from the beginning and fulfilled in real time.

The story of the Nativity is good, too.

512, “At the Name of Jesus,” is one of the first hymns Cantor Beethe and I did together. The vocals have been reworked, with two years of lessons learned the hard way. It’s a cool hymn with Law and Gospel, resolve and hope.

 
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