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hymn

Adult Object Lesson: Colossians 1:15-28

Sing a New Song

We’ve discussed the Mary/Martha Gospel story before, so this week we are going to offer an adult object lesson based on the epistle lesson. 

This passage isn’t easy to read and realistically it will not resonate with your listeners when it is read in church. It’s all sort of “cosmic.” Complicated!

The letter is often attributed to Paul, but scholars suspect that a follower of Paul wrote it, (despite the claim in verse 23 and the opening verse of Colossians).

Part of the reason this passage does not easily connect with today’s listeners is that we are not in on a cultural “secret.”

The passage is referencing passages of scripture that would have been known to the first recipients of this letter. Among these passages is Proverbs 8:27-31.

I was there when he set the heavens in place,

when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep,
when he established the clouds above
   and fixed securely the fountains of the deep,
when he gave the sea its boundary
   so the waters would not overstep his command,
and when he marked out the foundations of the earth.

Then I was constantly at his side.
I was filled with delight day after day,
rejoicing always in his presence,
rejoicing in his whole world
   and delighting in mankind.

Theologians today refer to the passage from Colossians as a “Christ hymn.”

It might help your congregation to understand it by examining well-known hymn that is more modern but similar in structure—Christ Is Made the Sure Foundation.

Calling this hymn “modern” is a bit of a stretch. The words date back to the 7th century, but they were translated and put to new music in the 19th century when so many of the hymns we use today were first sung. 

Your congregation is likely to know or at least have heard this hymn before. 

Read it with your congregation before your sing it. Point to the similarities in message and structure.

This hymn cuts to the chase without referring to the ancient scriptures proving he is the firstborn of all creation. This is already proved! So this proven belief takes the place of the first verses of this passage from Colossians.

Christ is made the sure foundation,
Christ, our head and cornerstone,
Chosen of the Lord and precious,
Binding all the Church in one;
Holy Zion’s help forever
And our confidence alone.

The second verse addresses relationship with Christ—similar to verses 19-23a in today’s Epistle.

To this temple, where we call You,
Come, O Lord of hosts, and stay;
Come with all Your loving kindness,
Hear Your people as they pray;
And Your fullest benediction
Shed within these walls today.

The hymn then moves to the “cosmic” and our long-term relationship with God and the hope of glory (like verse 25-31 of the Colossians text).

Grant, we pray, to all Your faithful
All the gifts they ask to gain;
What they gain from You, forever
With the blessed to retain;
And hereafter in Your glory
Evermore with You to reign.

As is typical in hymn structure, this ancient hymn closes with praise for God in all His forms.

Praise and honor to the Father,
Praise and honor to the Son,
Praise and honor to the Spirit,
Ever three and ever one:
One in might and one in glory
While unending ages run!

And so with this unending history of hymns in praise to God, your congregation will have studied three hymns today. The hymn from Proverbs, the Christ Hymn from Colossians and the more modern hymn, Christ is Made the Sure Foundation.

They can feel proud of themselves and sing with joy.

It Is Well with My Soul

Our Ambassadors Advent Journey

Our Ambassadors are a loyal group of Lutherans. They amaze me with their fortitude. They amaze me even more with their spirituality and goodness.

They inspired our 52 visits. They go with open hearts, truly enjoying worship. They also feel true sadness and wonder at the way they have been treated within the church. They rarely talk about it. They are much more interested in the congregations we visit then the congregations have interest in us.

Keep in mind that The SEPA/Redeemer conflict is not a distant game to us to be trusted to others to solve. Eleven members of Redeemer stand to lose their homes and livelihoods because of this conflict which we entered with good grounds. The courts even agree on that. There was room for dispute. Had the church truly taken the time to hear and weigh the issues, a better solution would have been found that would have avoided five years of fighting in public. A few evenings or afternoons working with us would have pointed to so much good. Instead, the Church has opted for years of wrangling.

Sadly, the courts didn’t give the issues much time either. They thought it was the Church’s job.

I opened my email this morning and saw a note from one of our ambassadors — an 80-year-old woman, devoted to her church, who stands to lose her home and income because of synod’s greedy actions against our congregation. I opened it with concern.

There I saw the story behind the well-known hymn, “When Peace Like A River” or “It Is Well with My Soul.”

I knew this story, but it is good to hear it again, especially coming from someone facing similar circumstances.

As you read it remember that the problems facing Redeemer NEVER had to be and can still be curbed.

The song “It Is Well With My Soul” was written by a successful Christian lawyer. He had two daughters and a wife. The family planned a summer trip overseas. He had a lot of work to complete and sent his family ahead, planning to follow them on a later ship. While traveling, he heard the news that the ship his family had boarded had capsized. All souls lost.

On his return home, he found that his place of business had been destroyed by fire. Insurance ruled it an act of God and would not pay. Without a place to work, he soon lost his house. While pondering his plight, he turned to the Lord and penned the now familiar words— Whatever my Lord, you have taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul.

What a testimony! Both from the hymn’s author, Horatio Spafford, and our Ambassador.

But acceptance of misfortune is not an excuse to take advantage of church members’ spirituality. We are supposed to help one another. This travesty can still be stopped.

Don’t offer to pray, although prayer is always welcome. It is so often an excuse for failure to act. Offer to do. (Click to tweet)

Our Ambassadors have decided to spend our Sundays enjoying seasonal spiritual offerings. Concerts. The Messiah, etc. It’s just too hard to worship with the Lutherans who are suing us. There’s a new year coming! We’ll be back!