JESUS SHALL REIGN WHERE'ER THE SUN...

From the regional pastor | Rev. Robert Mohns

“Jesus shall reign where’re the sun does its successive journey’s run. His kingdom stretch from shore to shore till moons shall wax and wane no more.

To Him shall endless prayer be made and endless praises crown His head; His name like sweet perfume shall rise with every morning sacrifice.” - LSB 832

As the sun sets in my part of the world, in another part of the world it is rising. The sun is always shining somewhere, and somewhere there is darkness. The sun is not a product of human creation, but is of God—given to us, as Scripture says, to order His creation.

Have you ever thought how the sun also orders the worship and ministry of God’s Church? The hymn “Jesus Shall Reign,” expresses in musical stanzas the meaning of Psalm 72, in which the psalmist tells of the Divine Liturgy of God continuously taking place unendingly throughout the whole world. The book of Revelation reveals its fulfillment. The cause of this unending worship is the eternal reign of God and of His Son, Jesus, this world’s Saviour, over all of creation.

As you and I end our day in evening prayer in whatever time zone we reside, brothers and sisters somewhere else are rising with morning prayer. In fact, the prayer and praises of God’s people crown the head of our God in every moment of time, and we, dear brothers and sisters, have our part in it.

A professor who has studied the movement of Christianity globally has noted that we live in an interesting time.

In the past, the light of the Gospel has made its appearance in one place or another. Martin Luther, for example, noted that the Gospel was in Egypt, then it was gone; furthermore, it had been in Greece, in Italy, in France, and now it was in the land of Germany. In our day, however, there has been a great equalizing. The Gospel has made its appearance in every corner of the globe. In some areas it has decreased, but in other places where it had not previously shone, it has made its appearance and steadily increases. The light of the Gospel continues to overcome the darkness, burning ever brighter, despite rising persecution and the pervasive darkness.

Immigration has brought the nations to our Canadian shores, including Christians from all corners of the world. And they are bringing missionaries and pastors, teachers, and theologians with them! Not only to provide for their own language groups, but also to support the wider Holy Christian Church—including you and me. Through our brothers and sisters, and their connection to brothers and sisters across the globe, we have become more intimately connected to the ongoing worship of God across the whole world.

Despite our flaws and foibles and our sinful unworthiness, North American Lutheranism is a vast and deep depository of the Gospel that is not available in many other places on the globe. This could also be said of Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC). In LCC, for example, we have two seminaries. We often think of seminaries as places where church workers are formed, and that is their primary

purpose. But they do more than that. They are part of that great depository of the Gospel that has been given to us so that all members of the body, including our new members who have come from different lands, are enriched and the light of the Gospel sustained.

Seminaries form and enrich church workers, pastors, deacons, and lay people so that they can stand on the front lines sharing the Gospel and partnering with various language communities across the world. It seems like every day I discover another community of faith that has partnered with members of LCC. A good resource is the LCC Missions website, which reminds us of what is happening as God exercises His reign.

Luther’s words of warning to his brothers and sisters are relevant to us today. He noted that the movement of the Gospel is now among us, but our ungratefulness and scorning of the Divine Word, our pettiness, and decadence make it so that it will not remain long. God is answering our prayers that this may not happen among us. The Lord continues His Epiphany, the revelation of His reign, yes, even to the very ends of the world—and you and I are part of it.

Remain faithful to the Divine Word of God, remain faithful in participating in the Divine Liturgy. Remain faithful in living your life to the glory and honour of God and in service to His people.

“To Him shall endless prayer be made and endless praises crown His head; His name like sweet perfume shall rise with every morning sacrifice” (LSB 832).

May it be so among us also.

Rev. Robert Mohns is Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC)'s West Regional Pastor.