1 Peter 1:20-23; Hebrews 7:25; John
13:34-35—Sunday’s Hymn of the
Day is Son of God, Eternal Savior (LSB #842). This hymn is a prayer asking the
Savior to direct us. We pray that He in love and pity would heal our wrongs and
help our need. Each of us has burdens cares and struggles. Take these needs to
your Savior in prayer. He knows your situation. He is more than able to address
your need.
“Son of God, Eternal Savior” (Lutheran
Service Book, #842)
From
the beginning of His ministry, although the authority and divinity of Christ
had been quite clear to some, it was at the same time been questioned and
mocked by others. This of course stands true to this day. In this regard, it is
interesting to note the Gospel stories where even the evil spirits and demons
recognize Christ’s authority and divinity. Such is the case for the Gospel
reading for the Fourth Sunday after Epiphany (Mark 1:21-28). In this reading,
Jesus exorcises an evil spirit from a man. When confronted by Christ, the evil
spirit cries out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you
come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.”
This
proclamation makes “Son of God, Eternal Savior” a great choice for this
Sunday’s Hymn of the Day. In no uncertain terms, Stanza 1 firmly proclaims the
authority and divinity of Christ by recalling Bible passages such as John
1:1-14 and 1 Peter 1:20-21.
Source of life and truth and grace,
Word made flesh, whose birth among us
Hallows all our human race,
The
next two lines remind us that Christ is our Intercessor who pleads for us
(Romans 8:34 and 1 John 2:1). The final two lines of this stanza remind us of
the compassion of Christ praying that it may become a part of our lives as well.
Stanza
2 recognizes that when Christ exercised His authority, He did it in service to
others. It furthermore states that nothing that we have is ours anyway, but
rather all that we have has been given to us by God (Psalm 24:1).
Stanza
3 is a prayer for authority of Christ to dwell in our lives and mold us to His
will.
Stanza
4 begins by repeating the first four lines of Stanza 1 thereby restating the
authority and divinity of Christ. It concludes by mirroring the Third Petition
of the Lord’s Prayer: “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” To that
end it is good to recall what Martin Luther says about this petition in his
Small Catechism:
“The
good and gracious will of God is done indeed without our prayer; but we pray in
this petition that it may be done among us also. How is this done? When God
breaks and hinders every evil counsel and will which would not let us hallow
the name of God nor let His kingdom come, such as the will of the devil, the world,
and our flesh; but strengthens and keeps us steadfast in His Word and in faith
unto our end. This is His gracious and good will.”
Since
first published in 1894, “Son of God, Eternal Savior” has been sung to various
tunes including EBENEZER, which many will know as the tune for “Thy Strong
Word,” a text by the sainted Martin Franzmann. In recent years the text has
been paired with the tune IN BABILONE which, at least for me, seems to be a
better fit.
Originally
a five stanza poem by the Rev. Somerset Corry Lowry (1855-1932), the original
Stanza 2 has not been included in recent hymnals. Nonetheless, it provides
another heartfelt prayer for a servant’s heart.
In Thy Church’s sacred fold,
Weak and healthy, poor and wealthy,
Sad and joyful, young and old.
Is there want, or pain, or sorrow?
Make us all the burden share.
Are there spirits crushed and broken?
Teach us, Lord, to soothe their care.[2]
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