The Lutheran church enjoys a long tradition of identifying one “Hymn of the Week” for every Sunday of the church year. Such a hymn should reflect the unifying theme of the service, and is intended to be sung on that Sunday every year. In this series, Pastor Nathanael Mayhew gives us a brief overview of the Hymns of the Week for the coming month.
Throughout the Trinity season we learn about the impact the work of Christ has on the daily life of a redeemed child of God through the Holy Spirit. In our September worship services we began to look at some of the characteristics which the Holy Spirit works in the Christian’s daily life. Over the next three weeks we will look at the freedom that we have in Christ.
- October 5 – On the Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity our theme focuses on the blessing of freedom from fear. In a world of sin, there are many things that cause us to be fearful. Fear can be caused by things that threaten (or seem to threaten) our physical or spiritual safety. But Jesus demonstrates His power over anything that threatens us and gives us absolute confidence in our safety and security in Christ. The hymn, “The Will of God is Always Best” (TLH 517; LSB 758), is a wonderful testament of God’s grace and a call to trust in the Lord even in the darkest of circumstances. The hymn masterfully weaves together many Scripture passages of hope and comfort. Our confidence rests in our Savior-God.
- October 12 – On the Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity the church reflects on the freedom we have from pride and selfishness. The freedom that the Holy Spirit works in God’s children is not one which demands service or respect, but frees us to serve others in love. Such freedom to live, love, and serve others is used by God to support His people and His Church. Nikolaus Selnecker’s Reformation-era hymn, “Lord Jesus Christ, with Us Abide” (TLH 292; LSB 585) is a prayer based on the request of the Emmaus disciples for Jesus to remain with them after their walking Bible class on Easter Sunday afternoon. Selnecker constantly stresses the power of the Word to protect us from enemies internal (our own sinful nature) and external (Satan, sin, and false teaching).
- October 19 – Freedom from poverty is the theme of the Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity. The readings for this weekend highlight the true riches that are ours in Christ. Those riches include faith, knowledge of the truth, righteousness before God, and a life of love toward God and our neighbor. For all these riches of His grace we give thanks to our merciful God! The hymn, “Thee Will I Love, My Strength, My Tower” (TLH 399; LSB 694) is the prayer of those who have been set free from spiritual poverty, and love God “because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19)
In the final weeks of the Trinity season, our focus shifts from the freedoms we have received in Christ to the Holy Spirit’s work of preparing the Christian for eternity.
- October 26 – The Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity emphasizes the true righteousness and holiness the Holy Spirit bestows on us which replaces our sin before God. This righteousness is not just in the future when we stand before God on the Last Day, but is also seen in the lives of God’s people through the Spirit’s work in this life! In the hymn, “Lord, Thee I Love With All My Heart” (TLH 429; LSB 708), we ask that God would not forsake us, that He would continue His good work in us throughout this life, and that He would finally fulfill His promise to take us to heaven, where “I will praise Thee without end.”
Lord Jesus, thank You for the rich blessing of Your grace and the certainty of eternal life with You!
is a pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Mankato, Minnesota.