Saturday Prior to Easter 6

 

Psalm 145:15-16; Revelation 19:1; Titus 3:4-7—The hymn of the Day is “Alleluia! Let Praises Ring”{LSB 822}.The kindness of God, His undeserved mercy, and His grace is the reason why God did not simply banish fallen man but acted to save Him. When using the word love, Titus will use the Greek word philanthrapia, the love for mankind. God so loved the world that He sent His Son Jesus. Thus this hymn will fit in nicely with the theme for the Day.    

The melody of this hymn was written by Philipp Nicolai (1556–1608). Nicolai’s hymn was named Wie schon leuchtet der Morgensten, which translates as “O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright.” It was called the “Queen of Chorales.”Based on Psalm 45, these words were frequently used in weddings during Nicolai’s time.

Nicolai was born into a pastor’s family near Waldeck, Germany. He graduated from the University of Wittenberg in 1579 and received his Doctorate of Divinity in 1594. After working with his father for several years, Nicolai’s first call was to Herdecke, where he served until 1588 when he moved to Altwildungen. He worked as a tutor and court preacher for the Countess of Waldeck as well. In 1596 Nicolai went to Unna in Westphalia. He was pastor there during the time of the great plague, sometimes performing up to thirty funerals a day. During this tragic time in his pastorate, Nicolai wrote “Wake Awake for Night is Flying” and “O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright.” Clearly the pain of these years produced beautifully inspired music by Nicolai.

The musical preacher was called to Hamburg in 1608. He only lived seven more years in Hamburg, dying at the age of 52. He was remembered as a great preacher by all who knew him. We continue to enjoy his music today.

May 4, is the day the church remembers one of our pastors. Friedrich Wyneken is one of the founding fathers of The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod, along with C.F.W. Walther and Wilhelm Sihler. Born in 1810 in Germany, Wyneken came to Baltimore in 1838 and shortly thereafter accepted a call to be the pastor of congregations in Friedheim and Fort Wayne, Indiana. Supported by Wilhelm Loehe's mission society, Wyneken served as an itinerant missionary in Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan, particularly among Native Americans. Together with Loehe and Sihler, he founded Concordia Theological Seminary in 1846 in Fort Wayne, IN. He later served as the second president of the LCMS during a period of significant growth (1850-64). His leadership strongly influenced the confessional character of the LCMS and its commitment to an authentic Lutheran witness in the United States.

https://www.stjohnsfc.org/ministries/worship/1125-alleluia-let-praises-ring