SERMONWRITER
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Proper 28
Ordinary Time 33
Year C
November 17, 2019
Volume 23, Number x
ISSN 1071-9962
CONTENTS:
A Thought on Preaching
Title
Sermon in a Sentence
Scripture
Biblical Commentary
Children's Sermon
Sermon
More Sermons on this Text
Thought Provokers
Hymns & Hymn Story
Bibliography
A THOUGHT ON PREACHING: Beware of creating tedium! I know no guard against this so likely to be effective as the feeling of the writer himself. When once the sense that the thing is becoming long has grown upon him, he may be sure that it will grow upon his readers. (Anthony Trollope)
TITLE: By Your Endurance
SERMON IN A SENTENCE: Christ calls us to faithful witness in the midst of adversity, and promises, "By your endurance, you will win your lives."
SCRIPTURE: Luke 21:5-19
BIBLICAL COMMENTARY:
LUKE 19-21. IN THE TEMPLE
Since his triumphal entry into Jerusalem (19:28-40), Jesus' activities have centered on the temple, where he:
• Cleansed the temple (19:45-46).
• Taught and answered hostile questioners (19:47-48; 20:1-8, 20-40).
• Gave the Parable of the Wicked Tenants, pointing to his death at the hands of the keepers of the temple––and concluding with the verse about the stone that the builders rejected becoming the cornerstone (20:9-19).
• Denounced the scribes (20:45-47).
• Commended the generosity of the poor widow (21:1-4).
The discourse, beginning at 21:5, continues through the chapter. Our Gospel lesson takes in the first half of the discourse.
Luke wrote this Gospel a decade or more after the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in 70 A.D. To gain an appreciation of the impact that those events must have had on the early church, we have only to remember September 11. What if all of New York City had been destroyed instead of just two buildings! Even a decade afterwards (Luke writes this Gospel a decade after the fall of Jerusalem), that would be fresh in our minds as a turning point in our history.
This story has parallels in Mark 13:5-37 and Matthew 24:1-36. Mark was the first of the Gospels to be written, and Matthew and Luke use it as one of their sources.
LUKE 21:5-6. EVERY STONE WILL BE THROWN DOWN
5As some were talking about the temple and how it was decorated with beautiful stones and gifts, he said, 6"As for these things which you see, the days will come, in which there will not be left here one stone on another that will not be thrown down."
"As some were talking about the temple and how it was decorated with beautiful stones and gifts" (v. 5). This is the third temple. Solomon built the first temple, which was destroyed by the Babylonians in 587 B.C. When the Jews returned from their captivity in Babylonia, they built the second temple––a remarkable work of faith but inferior to the original temple. Herod tore down that temple in 20 B.C. to make room for his temple––the one that the disciples admire here.
Herod's temple, already under construction for forty-six years (John 2:20), will not be completed until 63 A.D, but is nonetheless magnificent. It is sited on a prominence in Jerusalem, which itself is sited on a mountain. Josephus tells us that the facade is a hundred cubits (150 feet––45 meters) wide and high––as high as a fifteen-story building. He tells of huge white stones as large as 25 x 8 x 12 cubits (37 x 12 x 18 feet or 11.5 x 3.5 x 5.5 meters). Furthermore, he says that, "being covered on all sides with massive plates of gold, the sun was no sooner up than it radiated so fiery a flash that persons straining to look at it were compelled to avert their eyes, as from the solar rays." Its furnishings are as lavish as the building itself.
"As for these things which you see" (v. 6a). The disciples see the external adornment, but fail to see the spiritual bankruptcy behind the facade––the hypocrisy (11:37-54)––the oppression (18:7; 20:47)––the rejection of the Messiah and the Gospel (13:33-34; 20:13-18; Acts 13:46-48; 18:5-6; 28:25-28)––and the impending death of God's Son at the hands of the religious authorities (9:22; 18:31-33; 19:47; 20:14-19; 22:1-2, 52; 23:1-25) (Stein, 521; Bock 334).
"the days will come, in which there will not be left here one stone on another that will not be thrown down" (v. 6b). Six centuries earlier, God called Jeremiah to warn the people of Jerusalem to change their ways so that God would continue to dwell with them. Jeremiah was to proclaim, "Don't trust in lying words, saying, The temple of Yahweh, the temple of Yahweh, the temple of Yahweh, are these" (Jeremiah 7:4). God asked, "Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes?" (Jeremiah 7:11)––a verse to which Jesus alluded in his own cleansing of the temple (Luke 19:46). The people failed to heed Jeremiah's warning, and the city and temple were destroyed and the people taken into captivity.
In 19:41-44, Jesus predicted the fall of Jerusalem. Now he predicts the destruction of the temple. Once, again the problem is the faithlessness of the people. Jesus' prophecy will be fulfilled a few decades later, in 70 A.D. in when the Jews will rebel against the Romans and will be punished by a siege. The city, initially a refuge for its citizens, will become a trap as the siege tightens. The inhabitants will be reduced to cannibalism. Most of them will die; the rest will be taken into captivity; and the temple will be utterly destroyed (Barclay, 269).
"But in the providence of God the end was not yet. Another temple was even then being fashioned, 'built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets' (Eph. 2:19-22). Another people were being called (Rom. 9:24, 26). Before ever the old was laid waste, the walls and battlements of another city were rising (Gal. 4:25-26)" (Scherer, 361).
As we examine these verses, we must find the Golden Mean between those, on the one hand, who would say that Jesus intended these words for New York City and the World Trade Center buildings, and those, on the other hand, who would say that there is nothing of importance here for today. What lessons might we draw from these verses? Consider the following, and then compile your own list:
• God reserves especially harsh judgment for those who hide behind a facade of empty religious practice.
• Even the finest religious buildings have no value unless people faithfully do God's will. Our cities are cluttered with once magnificent but now nearly empty church buildings whose congregations failed in their Great Commission––failed to reach out with the Gospel––failed to love their neighbors and to serve their community.
• Even our most magnificent works––even those that seem most enduring––are but for a moment.
LUKE 21:7-8. WHEN?––WHAT SIGN?
7They asked him, "Teacher, so when will these things be? What is the sign that these things are about to happen?" 8He said, "Watch out that you don't get led astray, for many will come in my name, saying, 'I am he,' and, 'The time is at hand.' Therefore don't follow them."
"Teacher, so when will these things be? What is the sign that these things are about to happen?" (v. 7). Faced with any disaster, we ask: When? What should we watch for? How will we know? How can we prepare? What can we do? How can we escape?
In verses 9-11, Jesus gives the disciples three signs for which the disciples can watch:
• False prophets
• Political chaos and
• Natural disasters
The question is whether the events of verses 8 ff. point to the destruction of Jerusalem or the Second Coming. Scholars tend to agree that it is the destruction of Jerusalem (Evans, 307; Henrich, 450; Stein, 514).
"Watch out that you don't get led astray, for many will come in my name, saying, 'I am he,' and, 'The time is at hand.' Therefore don't follow them" (v. 8). The destruction of Jerusalem will be brought about by people following false prophets. Zealots will lead an insurrection against the Romans––a fatal move. Rome will destroy them.
Luke, in the book of Acts, records three instances of false prophets: Theudas led four hundred followers to a disastrous insurrection (Acts 5:36). Judas the Galilean did likewise (Acts 5:37). An unnamed Egyptian led four thousand followers to insurrection (Acts 21:38).
Our nation has no dearth of false prophets, both religious and political. Some claim to know when the world will end. Others predict disaster. Some are demagogues, preying on our fears. Others promote a Prosperity Gospel––"believe and grow rich." Some promote secular materialism––a gospel of stocks, bonds, real estate, and quick-rich schemes––as if money were the answer. Still others promote hedonism, such as "The Playboy Philosophy," as if pleasure were the answer. Others promote fitness, as if health were the answer. All ultimately fail us, some disastrously.
LUKE 21:9-11. TERRORS AND GREAT SIGNS FROM HEAVEN
9"When you hear of wars and disturbances, don't be terrified, for these things must happen first, but the end won't come immediately." 10Then he said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11There will be great earthquakes, famines, and plagues in various places. There will be terrors and great signs from heaven."
Verse 28 promises a great banquet in Christ's kingdom, but first there will be terrible times––war, political chaos, and natural disasters. Knowing that redemption is coming we need not be terrified. Jesus does not, however, promise life without pain. Rather than promising escape from hardship, he offers spiritual resources to cope with it.
"When you hear of wars and disturbances, don't be terrified, for these things must happen first, but the end won't come immediately" (v. 9). "They should not be terrified by what seems to be a chaotic unfolding of events, because such are not simply manifestations threatening to engulf them. Far from it! They represent the necessary unfolding of the divine plan" (Nolland, 993).
"Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines, and plagues in various places. There will be terrors and great signs from heaven" (vv. 10-11). Jesus' imagery here is rooted in Old Testament prophecies (Isaiah 29:6; 51:19; Ezekiel 36:29-30; 38:19; Amos 8:11; Zechariah 14:5)
"It is possible to understand these verses as a description of the time leading up to the Jewish-Roman war, for even the 'great signs from heaven' correspond to signs in the sky recorded by Josephus.... However, it is also possible to understand (these) disturbances...as encompassing the whole time up to the end, connecting the 'great signs from heaven' with the description in verses 25-27" (Tannehill).
LUKE 21:12-15. THEY WILL PERSECUTE YOU
12"But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and will persecute you, delivering you up (Greek: paradidontes––from paradidomi) to synagogues and prisons, bringing you before kings and governors for my name's sake. 13It will turn out as a testimony (Greek: marturion) for you. 14Settle it therefore in your hearts not to meditate beforehand how to answer, 15for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to withstand or to contradict."
"But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and will persecute you" (v. 12a). "before all these things" means "before the destruction of the temple" rather than "before the Second Coming." In the book of Acts, Luke will report the fulfillment of these prophecies:
• The arrest of disciples (Acts 4:3; 5:17-18; 12:1-5; 21:27-36).
• Persecution of Christians, with Saul as one of the chief persecutors (Acts 7:52; 8:3; 9:5; 12:1-2; 22:4, 7-8; 26:9-11, 14-15)
• Problems with synagogues (Acts 6:9; 9:2; 13:44-51; 17:1-5; 18:4-7; 19:8-9; 22:19; 26:11)
• Problems with kings and governors (Acts 12:1; 23:24, 26, 33; 24:1, 10; 25:13-14, 23-24, 26; 26:2)
The phrase translated "arrest you" in the NRSV is literally "lay their hands on you." Luke will use this same phrase to describe the desire to lay their hands on Jesus (20:19) and to lay their hands on Christians (Acts 4:3; 5:18; 12:1; 21:27).
"delivering you up" (paradidontes––from paradidomi) (v. 12b). The Greek word, paradidomi, is used frequently to speak of the betrayal of Jesus (9:44; 18:32; 24:7) and the betrayal of Jesus' followers (21:12, 16; Acts 21:11; 28:17). It is sometimes translated "betrayed" or "handed over."
"to synagogues and prisons, bringing you before kings and governors for my name's sake" (v. 12c). "The apposition of both 'kings and governors' and 'synagogues and prisons' portends the persecution of Jesus' followers among Jews as well as among Gentiles" (Green, 736).
"It will turn out as a testimony (marturion) for you" (v. 13). Arrest and persecution will provide the disciples with opportunity to testify (marturion––transliterated "martyr" in English because of the martyrdom of early Christians).
"Settle it therefore in your hearts not to meditate beforehand how to answer" (v. 14). Jesus counsels the disciples not to worry about what they will say when the time comes. Any human preparation that they might make will prove far inferior to the divine inspiration that Christ will provide them as it is needed. Their best preparation will not be in compiling a defense but in aligning themselves with the will of God.
"for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to withstand or to contradict" (v. 15). Christians need not worry about what they will say, because Jesus will give them unassailable words of wisdom. Again, this is fulfilled in Acts:
• Peter and John will be arrested and will use the occasion to witness to the council (Acts 4:1-22). The council will be amazed at their testimony and will order them not to speak of Jesus further, but fear of the people will thwart them from imposing more severe measures.
• Peter and the apostles will be arrested, but an angel will release them so that they can continue teaching in the temple. When re-arrested, they will say, "We must obey God rather than men," and proceed to preach to the council. The council will want to kill them, but Gamaliel will persuade them to let them go, saying, "…if this counsel…is of men, it will be overthrown. But if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow it" (Acts 5:17-42).
• Stephen will preach a long and powerful sermon to the council, leading to his martyrdom (Acts 7).
• Paul and Silas will be arrested and flogged, but they will sing hymns in prison. An earthquake will free them, but they will remain in prison, converting the jailer and his household. When the authorities try to release them, Paul and Silas will assert their Roman citizenship and protest their wrongful arrest, forcing the authorities to apologize (Acts 16:16-40).
• Paul will use various arrests to testify to his faith (Acts 22:1-21; 23:1-6; 24:10-21; 26:2-29).
"for I will give you a mouth and wisdom" (v. 15a). "Endurance must be based on more than sheer grit. This is no mere order…to fight to the last man. It is, instead, a promise that God will be with us in the midst of our suffering and that this present order of things is not the end of it all" (Diers, 81).
Christians have witnessed powerfully to their faith in the midst of persecution on countless occasions. Corrie ten Boom and Dietrich Bonhoeffer come immediately to mind, but much Christian witness today takes place unheralded today, especially in Third World countries. Even if not persecuted, we bear witness to Christ anytime we bear adversity with grace.
In Western nations, few of us have suffered for our faith, but we should not imagine that it could not happen. Fundamentalist Muslims are determined to impose their faith worldwide, and have proven willing to use violence to do so.
LUKE 21:16-19. BY YOUR ENDURANCE, YOU WILL WIN YOUR LIVES
16"You will be handed over even by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends. They will cause some of you to be put to death. 17You will be hated by all men for my name's sake. 18And not a hair of your head will perish. 19'By your endurance you will win your lives.'"
"You will be handed over even by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends" (v. 16a). Earlier, Jesus said, "My mother and my brothers are these who hear the word of God, and do it" (8:21). He warned, "If anyone comes to me, and doesn't disregard his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he can't be my disciple" (14:26). He calls us to put discipleship not just above bad things, but also above good things such as family.
There appears to be a contradiction in these verses. Jesus says, "They will cause some of you to be put to death" (v. 16b), but then promises, "And not a hair of your head will perish" (v. 18). In the book of Acts, Luke will record the deaths of Stephen (Acts 7:54-60), James (Acts 12:2), and possibly others (Acts 22:4), so it is clear that disciples will suffer and die for the Gospel. In v. 18, Jesus may be assuring them that the church will not be diminished by persecution––or that those who kill the body "no more that they can do" (12:4).
"By your endurance you will win your lives" (v. 19). If faced with persecution and/or death, how can we endure? It will help if we have counted the cost of discipleship rather than assuming that discipleship will be comfortable (14:26-33). It will also help to remember this promise––that by our endurance we will gain our souls.
CHILDREN'S SERMON: Things that Go Together
By Lois Parker Edstrom
Objects suggested: Use some of the items suggested below to add visual impact to the lesson.
Can you think of things that go well together? Here are some ideas:
• A baseball and a bat are needed to play baseball.
• Bacon and eggs are a tasty treat for breakfast.
• An umbrella is useful to have in the rain.
• Birthday cake and ice cream are a good combination.
• Turkey with dressing is served for Thanksgiving dinner.
• A book and a bookmark make a good pair.
• Red and green, the colors of Christmas, go well together.
The things we have listed fit together nicely and work well as pairs. They complement each other.
Now let's talk about something that goes well with words. The Bible teaches us that wisdom is a good thing to fit together with our words. Wisdom, or being wise, comes from studying and learning many things. Wisdom also comes from God.
We need to use wisdom with words because words are powerful and if we don't use them well they can hurt other people. Words also have the power to encourage others and cheer them up when they are feeling sad.
Have you ever been at a loss for words? Perhaps you have been so surprised by something that you didn't know what to say. Or, you may have found yourself in a difficult situation and didn't know what to say.
Jesus says, "I will give you a mouth (words) and wisdom" (21:15) two things that fit well together, especially during times of trouble. When you are at a loss for words think about listening for God's words and for the wisdom to use them well.
SERMON:
Our Gospel lesson today begins shockingly. Some of Jesus' disciples remarked about the beauty of the temple. Jesus responded by saying:
"As for these things which you see,
the days will come,
in which there will not be left here one stone on another
that will not be thrown down" (v. 6).
These words have lost their ability to shock us, because we have seen so many grand buildings destroyed––and because we know so little about the great temple in Jerusalem. But imagine for a moment how Jesus' disciples felt.
Jesus and his disciples were in the temple courtyard, where Jesus was teaching and preaching. The surroundings were magnificent. Long rows of white marble columns created beautiful walkways and porches. Each column stood forty feet tall, and was carved from a single stone.
Above the entrance was a vine of gold, and hanging from the vine were clusters of golden grapes––clusters as tall as a man.
Josephus, the great historian, said:
"The outward face of the temple in its front...
was covered all over with plates of gold, of great weight,
and at the first rising of the sun,
reflected back a very fiery splendor,
and made those who forced themselves to look upon it
to turn their eyes away,
just as they would have done at the sun's own rays."
Josephus continued:
"The temple appeared to strangers,
when they were at a distance,
like a mountain covered with snow,
for, as to those parts of it that were not gilt,
they were exceeding white."
(NOTE TO THE PREACHER: Be sure to practice these long quotations ALOUD until the words come easily to your mouth. )
Keep in mind that the temple was built on a mountain––Mount Zion. It dominated the top of the mountain. When viewed from a distance, its white stones made it appear as if the mountain were snow-capped. Can you imagine!
Not only was the temple majestic, but it was also new. Its construction was the crowning achievement of King Herod's reign. They called him Herod the Great, because he managed a successful reign during which he built the temple and lots of other things.
But King Herod, who had been dead for many years by the time Jesus and his disciples gathered at the temple, was no angel. He was the king who had his soldiers kill all the infant boys in Bethlehem in an attempt to kill the baby Jesus. He had failed in that effort (although he did kill many babies), and Jesus was now saying that Herod's great new temple would soon lie in ruins.
The disciples must have been shocked when Jesus said that. They could look at the magnificent temple, constructed of huge stones, and wonder how anyone could destroy that magnificent building. They must have also wondered why Jesus would condemn a building dedicated to the worship of God.
But Jesus' prophecy fit in with what the Jews called "The Day of the Lord"––a concept often alluded to in the Bible. "The Day of the Lord" was to be a transition time between "The Present Age," an altogether evil time fit only for destruction, and "The Age to Come," the golden age of God's reign. "The Day of the Lord"––the transition time––was to be terrible and turbulent.
The events of which Jesus spoke did come to pass. Jerusalem fell to the Roman army in A.D. 70 after a desperate siege in which the inhabitants of the city were reduced to cannibalism. Once they gained entrance to the city, the Roman soldiers leveled it––leveled the city and leveled the temple.
The destruction of the temple meant more than the wrecking of a grand building. It meant the collapse of a people––of a way of life. Josephus, the historian, says that more than a million people died in the siege of Jerusalem––and another hundred thousand were carried into captivity. The Jewish nation came to an end.
Jesus told his disciples that they could expect terrible times––betrayal, persecution, and even death. He said, "It will turn out as a testimony for you" (v. 13). Then he added:
"I will give you a mouth and wisdom
which all your adversaries will not be able to withstand
or to contradict" (v. 15).
And, of course, it was not long before Christians were being persecuted. The blood of the martyrs soaked the ground, becoming the fertile ground from which the church has grown.
This passage bears testimony to the fact that our hardships enhance our ability to witness for Christ. When we experience hardship, we tend to lean on God for support, and our spiritual lives improve. Also, the testimony of a "Job," who remains faithful in adversity, is far more powerful than the testimony of someone who is comfortable.
In discussing this scripture, my wife and I commented on the fact that the churches that are growing rapidly around the world are those that are reaching out to the poor and the powerless. There are exceptions, of course. But even the really vital churches where the pews are cushioned and luxury cars fill the parking lots tend to be churches that challenge people to reach out to the poor and the powerless.
God really can use our adversities in a powerful way. In his book, Loving God, Chuck Colson recounts the story of Telemachus, a fourth-century Christian monk from a remote Asian village. One day, he thought he heard God telling him to go to Rome, so he set out on foot.
Weeks later he arrived in Rome, and found great crowds surging toward the Coliseum. He followed them into that great arena, and saw two gladiators stand before the emperor and say, "We who are about to die salute you." Telemachus suddenly realized that these men were about to fight to the death for the entertainment of the crowd. He cried out, "In the name of Christ, stop!"
As the games began, Telemachus pushed his way through the crowd, climbed the wall, and dropped to the floor of the arena. The crowd, hearing him shout, "In the name of Christ, stop!" thought that he was part of the show, and they began to laugh. Soon, however, they realized that he was trying to stop the fight, and they became angry.
As Telemachus pleaded with the gladiators to stop, one of them plunged a sword into his body and pushed him to one side. As he lay dying, his last words were, "In the name of Christ, stop!"
Then a strange thing happened. The gladiators stood looking at the little man lying on the arena floor. A hush fell over the Coliseum. Way up in one of the upper rows, a man stood and began to make his way to the exit. Others began to follow. In dead silence, the crowd made its way out of the Coliseum.
The year was 391 A.D., and that was the last battle to the death ever fought between gladiators in the Roman Coliseum. Never again did men kill each other in that great stadium for the entertainment of the crowd––and all because of one tiny voice of a courageous man. Telemachus was just one person, but he spoke God's word faithfully.
Our scripture text today is not an easy one, but it does have a note of Good News. This is the Good News.
• God is with us even in the most terrible of times, transforming the terrible times into times of opportunity.
• The cross looked like the end for Jesus, but was instead the beginning of the end for Satan.
• The Coliseum looked like the end for the thousands of Christians who died there, but it instead became a holy place for Christians who remembered their sacrifices.
• The destruction of the Jerusalem Temple appeared to put an end to a vital means of connecting God with God's people. But what really happened was that Jesus Christ became the new temple through whom God reaches out to us.
• The Good News is that we don't have to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem to experience God's presence. God's Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts, and is accessible to us day and night wherever we might be.
What sufferings you and I will endure, I cannot say. But I can say this: It is during our most difficult times that we have the greatest opportunity to witness for our faith. It might not be so much what we say as the manner in which we endure. Sometimes all that a person can do––and all that God requires––is that we continue to be people of faith even in the midst of adversity. That kind of endurance bears powerful testimony to those who know what we are suffering.
Our scripture today concludes with these words. Jesus says:
"And not a hair of your head will perish.
By your endurance you will win your lives" (vv. 18-19).
That cannot mean that Christians are exempt from physical harm, because Jesus also said, "They will cause some of you to be put to death" (v. 16).
No, we are not exempt from physical suffering or even from death. Instead, we have the promise that God is with us even as we journey through the valley of the shadow of death. James Ayscough puts it this way:
"Death is but a sharp corner
near the beginning of life's procession down eternity."
The Apostle Paul puts it this way:
"Death, where is your sting?
Hades, where is your victory?
The sting of death is sin,
and the power of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God,
who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ"
(1 Corinthians 15:55-57).
FOR MORE SERMONS ON THIS TEXT, GO TO:
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THOUGHT PROVOKERS:
If God sends us on stony paths,
he will provide us with strong shoes.
Alexander MacLaren
* * * * * * * * * *
To be thoroughly religious,
one must, I believe, be sorely disappointed.
One's faith in God increases
as one's faith in the world decreases.
The happier the person,
the farther he is from God.
George Jean Nathan
* * * * * * * * * *
Everyone knows how to be resigned
amid the joys and happiness of prosperity,
but to be so amid storms and tempests
is peculiar to the children of God.
St. Francis of Sales
* * * * * * * * * *
In 1555, Bishop Hugh Latimer and Nicholas Ridley were burned at the stake for heresy. As the executioner prepared to light the fire, Bishop Latimer said to Ridley:
"Play the man, Master Ridley;
we shall this day light such a candle, by God's grace...,
as I trust shall never be put out."
* * * * * * * * * *
The darker the world
and the deeper the virus of hate
the more glowing must be our Christianity
and the more triumphant the note of our faith.
Rufus M. Jones
* * * * * * * * * *
HYMNS:
Baptist Hymnal (BH)
Chalice Hymnal (CH)
Collegeville Hymnal (CO)
Common Praise (CP)
Evangelical Lutheran Worship (ELW)
Gather Comprehensive (GC)
JourneySongs (JS)
Lutheran Book of Worship (LBW)
Lutheran Service Book (LSB)
Lutheran Worship (LW)
Presbyterian Hymnal (PH)
The Faith We Sing (TFWS)
The Hymnal 1982 (TH)
The New Century Hymnal (TNCH)
United Methodist Hymnal (UMH)
Voices United (VU)
With One Voice (WOV)
Wonder Love and Praise (WLP)
Worship & Rejoice (WR)
GATHERING:
How Firm a Foundation (BH #338; CH #618; CO #452; CP #527; ELW #796; GC #606; JS #404; LBW #507; LSB #728; LW #411; PH #361; TH #636, 637; TNCH #407; UMH #529; VU #660; WR #411)
Lift Every Voice and Sing (BH #627; CH #631; ELW #841; LBW #562; LSB #964; PH #563; TH #599; TNCH #593; UMH #519; WR #729)
O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing (BH #206, 216; CH #5; CP #306; ELW #886; LBW #559; PH #466; TH #493; TNCH #42; UMH #57; VU #326; WR #96)
PROCLAIMING:
As a Fire Meant for Burning (GC #663; TFWS #2237; VU #578; WR #551)
By Gracious Powers (ELW #626; PH #342; TH #695-696; TNCH #413; UMH #517; WOV #736; WR #75)
Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies (CO #424; CP #5; ELW #553; LBW #265; LSB #873; LW #480; PH #462, 463; TH #6, 7; UMH #173; VU #336; WR #91)
Hold Me In Life (GC #599; JS #670)
Hope of the World (CH #538; LBW #493; LSB #690; LW #377; PH #360; TH #472; TNCH #46; UMH #178; VU #215; WR #404)
I Know Whom I Have Believed (BH #337; UMH #714; WR #407)
In the Midst of Work and Pain (CO #522)
In the Very Midst of Life (LBW #350; LSB #755; LW #265)
Also known as Even as We Live Each Day
It is Well with My Soul (BH #410; CH #561; ELW # 785; LSB #763; TNCH #438; UMH #377; WR #428)
Also known as When Peace Like a River
Lord, Speak to Me (BH #568; ELW #676; LBW #403; PH #426; TNCH #531; UMH #463; VU #589; WR #593)
Also known as Lord, Speak to Us
Marching to Zion (BH #524; CH #707; ELW #625; LSB #669; TNCH #382; UMH #733; VU #714; WOV #742; WR #67)
Also known as Come, We Who Love God's Name
Also known as We're Marching to Zion
Also known as Come, We That Love the Lord
My Hope is Built (BH #406; CH #537; ELW #596, 597; LBW #293, 294; LSB #575, 576; LW #368; PH #379; TNCH #403; UMH #368; WR #405)
My Lord, What a Morning (ELW #438; PH #449; UMH #719; VU #708; WOV #627; WR #537)
Nothing Can Trouble (CP #568; GC #639; VU #290; WR #421)
O Day of God, Draw Nigh (BH #623; CH #700; CP #92; PH #452; TH #600-601; TNCH #611; UMH #730; VU #688)
O Day of Peace That Dimly Shines (CH #711; CP #573; ELW #711; PH #450; TH #597; UMH #729; VU #682; WOV #762; WR #539)
O God of Every Nation (CH #680; CP #593; ELW #713; PH #289; TH #607; UMH #435; VU #677; WR #626)
Of the Father's Love Begotten (BH #251; CH #104; CO #220; CP #132; ELW #295; GC #351; JS #200; LBW #42; LSB #384; LW #36; PH #309; TH #82; TNCH #118; UMH #184; VU #61; WR #181)
Also known as Of Eternal Love Begotten
Save Me, O God (CO #407)
Save Us, O Lord (JS #695)
Soon and Very Soon (BH #192, ELW #439; GC #770; JS #496; UMH #706; WOV #744; WR #523)
Stand By Me (CH #629; UMH #512; WR #495)
Where Cross the Crowded Ways of Life (CP #592; ELW #719; LBW #429; PH #408; TH #609; TNCH #543; UMH #427; VU #681; WR #591)
SENDING:
All Who Love and Serve Your City (CO #467; CP #590; ELW #724; LBW #436; PH#413; TH #570-571; UMH #433; WR #625)
God Be With You Till We Meet Again (CH #434; ELW #536; PH #540; TNCH #81; UMH #672; VU #422; WLP #801; WR #716)
This is the Day the Lord Hath Made (Watts) (BH #358; CO #625; CP #373; LSB #903; LW #200; PH #230, TH #50; VU #175)
HYMN STORY: God Be With You Till We Meet Again
In 1880, Dr. Jeremiah Rankin, pastor of First Congregational Church in Washington, D.C., was looking for a farewell hymn to close the worship service. "Blest Be the Tie That Binds" was a possibility, but he wanted something less formal––more engaging.
Not finding the hymn he was looking for, he set out to write it. He took a dictionary from his bookshelf, and began looking at words such as "farewell" and "goodbye" to see if they would spark his imagination. The definition that he found for "goodbye" included the words "God be with you"––and so a hymn was born.
Dr. Rankin wrote a verse and chorus for his new hymn, and sent them to two people asking for a tune. He chose the tune written by William Tomer, a part-time church musician, and was so enthusiastic that he sat down and wrote seven more verses.
Ira Sankey, the music director for Dwight L. Moody, learned of the hymn and began using it as a closing hymn in Moody's evangelistic services, popularizing it worldwide.
"God Be With You" is a simple hymn that uses a good deal of repetition throughout. Perhaps that is part of its charm. It is like a simple prayer––words from the heart––expressing again and again the lovely sentiment, "God be with you till we meet again."
FOR MORE HYMN STORIES, GO TO:
Click on a letter of the alphabet to see hymns that begin with that letter.
SCRIPTURE QUOTATIONS are from the World English Bible (WEB), a public domain (no copyright) modern English translation of the Holy Bible. The World English Bible is based on the American Standard Version (ASV) of the Bible, the Biblia Hebraica Stutgartensa Old Testament, and the Greek Majority Text New Testament. The ASV, which is also in the public domain due to expired copyrights, was a very good translation, but included many archaic words (hast, shineth, etc.), which the WEB has updated.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Barclay, William, The Daily Study Bible, The Gospel of Luke (Edinburgh: Saint Andrew Press, 1953)
Bock, Darrell L., The IVP New Testament Commentary Series: Luke, Vol. 3 (Downers Grove, Illinois, Intervarsity Press, 1994)
Cousar, Charles B.; Gaventa, Beverly R.; McCann, J. Clinton; and Newsome, James D., Texts for Preaching: A Lectionary Commentary Based on the NRSV–Year C (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1994)
Craddock, Fred B., Interpretation: Luke (Louisville: John Knox Press,(1990)
Craddock, Fred B.; Hayes, John H.; Holliday, Carl R.; and Tucker, Gene M., Preaching Through the Christian Year, C (Valley Forge: Trinity Press, 1994)
Culpepper, R. Alan, The New Interpreter's Bible, Volume IX. (Nashville: Abingdon, 1995)
Diers, Lectionary Bible Studies, "The Year of Luke," Pentecost 2, Study Book
Edwards, O.C. Jr. and Taylor, Gardner C., Proclamation 2: Pentecost 3, Series C (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1980)
Evans, Craig A., New International Biblical Commentary: Luke (Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 1990)
Fitzmyer, Joseph A., S.J., The Anchor Bible: The Gospel According to Luke X-XXIV (New York: Doubleday, 1985)
Gilmour, S. MacLean & Scherer, Paul, The Interpreter's Bible, Volume 8. (Nashville: Abingdon , 1952)
Green, Joel B., The New International Commentary on the New Testament: The Gospel of Luke (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1997)
Henrich, Sarah, in Van Harn, Roger (ed.), The Lectionary Commentary: Theological Exegesis for Sunday's Text. The Third Readings: The Gospels (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2001)
Holladay, William L., Proclamation 6: Pentecost 3, Series C
Johnson, Luke Timothy, Sacra Pagina: The Gospel of Luke (Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 1991)
Lueking, F. Dean, "Gaining one's soul," Christian Century, Nov. 4, 1998
Nickle, Keith F., Preaching the Gospel of Luke (Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2000)
Nolland, John, Word Biblical Commentary: Luke 18:35 – 24:53, Vol. 35C (Dallas: Word Books, 1993)
Ringe, Sharon H., Westminster Bible Companion, Luke (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press)
Sloyan, Gerard S. and Kee, Howard Clark, Proclamation: Pentecost 3, Series C (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1974)
Soards, Marion; Dozeman, Thomas; and McCabe, Kendall, Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary, Year C: After Pentecost (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1994)
Stein, Robert H., The New American Commentary: Luke (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1992)
Tannehill, Robert C., Abingdon New Testament Commentaries: Luke (Nashville: Abingdon, 1996)
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