4 minute read
Hymns Are for Proclamation
By Rev. Gaven M. Mize
“The devil, the originator of sorrowful anxieties and restless troubles, flees before the sound of music almost as much as before the Word of God. Thus, it drives out the devil and makes people cheerful. Then one forgets all wrath, impurity, and other devices.” Martin Luther
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Many pastors every week take a look at biblical texts, pray for faithfulness to those texts, and proclaim those texts in clear, concise, and beautiful language—the sermon. This is no small task. It’s not easy nor is it something to take lightly. Yet pastors who are rightly called, sit and pore over the glorious and holy word of God. Soon the keyboard is clicking away and the Times New Roman is flying across the screen. Maybe you think that it should be easy to write a sermon: Just type stuff. But there is more than just the communication of sounds to the ears of the listener. There is an even more important use: Proclamation of the faith in beautiful language.
The Proclamation of God’s Word from the pulpit convicts us of our sins, brings us the balm of the Gospel, edifies our faith, makes the heart glad, and drives the devil from our ears. Why can’t our hymns do the same thing? Well, the reality is that they do those very same things. Hymns are sermons—sermons set to wonderful melodies and beautiful timing. And if Luther is correct about music making the devil run for the hills almost as much as the Word of God, then imagine how far the devil must run from you when God’s Word is set to beautiful music.
Take, for example, this lyrical proclamation from Luther:
Luther is writing from the perspective of Christ, who is to soon be crucified and is speaking directly to the singer/hearer/baptized child whom He has claimed by His own blood. Christ did not come to hand out lollipops and wax poetic about rainbows. Christ came to rescue us from the grasp of the devil and break the shackles of sin that bind us to death. We deserve death and hell, but Christ in His innocence and perfection has taken on all of the pain and the death we have piled upon our heads. In this hymn, Christ is singing to you.
When your pastor steps into the pulpit you can be assured that he is prepared to proclaim God’s perfect Law to you and proclaim your rescue from the pit of despair with the sweet Gospel of Christ. Our Lutheran hymns are likewise prepared with the painstakingly laser-focused confession of our faith that you are able to proclaim each and every Lord’s Day. It is His day and we rejoice and are glad during that day with hymns that echo the truth present in the sermon delivered from the pulpit.
Your pastor also holds the responsibility to preach the whole truth to his flock. This is no small task. The Lutheran pastor needs to make every sentence count. There is a stress upon each sentence to lead to the conviction that the Law brings and the sweet balm that the Gospel delivers. I myself have slaved over a single sentence for quite some time only to turn to hymnody for a simple and concise proclamation. In times like those I find myself turning to Paul Gerhardt. Take, for example:
Each of these sentences packs a huge punch. Even the assumption/implication of each sentence declares salvation’s history. Our sin, that can be traced back to Adam, brought Christ to earth and by the same love that motivated God to create us, Christ reconciled us to the Father. These words were penned during a cultural period where Lutheranism was confessed and proclaimed freely to people who hungered for the Gospel. There is a treasure trove to be found in these words and it is vital to use them in the liturgy.
As Lutherans, we have a rich and proud heritage in our hymnody. Lutherans in Germany at the time of the Reformation were even called, “the singing church.” Let us not stop being that church. Pray. Confess your faith handed down to us
from the Apostles. Join in on the confession now being proclaimed by the angels in heaven. Sing. Sing the hymns of our fathers, because when we get right down to it, the faith hasn’t changed.
Christ has filled us with good things. He has given us the faith and the peace that surpasses all human understanding. So, when the devil approaches you, dear Christians, simply sing the faith. Proclaim that Christ has triumphed over the devil. He has won the victory. And He daily and richly gives us all good things in His presence, including strengthening us for what lies ahead. Dare to profess your faith. Dare to receive Christ’s gifts that are surrounded by these angelic hymns. Dare to be Lutheran. Dare to sing!
Rev. Gaven M. Mize is the pastor of Augustana Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hickory, North Carolina. A graduate of Concordia University of Wisconsin and Concordia Theological Seminary, Rev. Mize is in his second year of CTS DMin program. He is married to Ashlee Mize, who is awesome.
