Today is the commemoration of St. Johann Sebastian Bach, Kantor and 5th Evangelist (1685-1750). Bach is not only one of the most famous musicians of all time, but also and more importantly he was a faithful Lutheran who wrote beautiful music to glorify and magnify the Word of God. This is the gift music is to the church. Music is not something to be despised, but something to be praised as a great gift from God. As Dr. Martin Luther, of blessed and holy memory, once said, "I would certainly like to praise music with all my heart as the excellent gift of God which it is and to commend it to everyone...Next to the Word of God, music deserves the highest praise" (LW 53.321).

 Music is a gift from God that can lift up the burdened soul, or drag the proud into shame. Take our distribution hymn for Sunday, LSB 566 By Grace I'm Saved. The closing verse sings, "By Grace! On this I'll rest when dying; In Jesus' promise I rejoice; For though I know my heart's condition, I also know my Savior's Voice. My heart is glad, all grief has flown, since I am saved by grace alone." The words are beautiful and comforting, but add in the melody and the tune, and you have a hymn that delivers the greatest comfort as you eat and drink the Body and Blood of Jesus in the Lord's Supper. The music doesn't trump the Word of God, but rather amplifies it and delivers it in a different way to the conscience. As Luther said, "For whether you wish to comfort the sad, to terrify the happy, to encourage the despairing, to humble the proud, to calm the passionate, or to appease those full of hate-and who could number all these masters of the human heart, namely, the emotions, inclinations, and affections that impel men to evil or good? -what more effective means than music could you find? (LW 52.323). Music is that medium, better yet, that gift from God that helps in delivering the forgiveness of sins to the terrified conscience. 

Music does not trump the Word of God, but magnifies the Word of God for you. A good Kantor or organist knows this and uses the organ to magnify what words are being sung. Every verse in a hymn is not the same, but different. Some verses are the law condemning you, others gospel saving you. Some verses point to your failure, others to your forgiveness. Some verses point to Jesus humiliation, others to His glorification. Music helps in understanding what the Word of God is saying. This is why it is such a joy to be blessed with talented, humble, and knowledgeable church musicians who point us to Christ and Him crucified in their playing. This is why it is such a joy to be in Church where you hear this music as you sing words that are faithful to the Scriptures and the Confessions. I am very blessed to serve as one of Jesus' Sheepdogs at Zion where we have a fantastic Kantor who uses the music to point us to Christ and where the people desire to sing words that don't glorify their work, but that proclaim the great work of Jesus as the God who justifies us. Can't wait until this Sunday where we get to do Hear the Word of God, Receive the Word of God, and Sing the Word of God that declares us righteous and pure forever.

Peace be with you. May the devil be silenced, the world be hushed, and the Old Adam be drowned anew so that you hear only the voice of your Savior Jesus who says, "I forgive you. I love you. I claim you as My Own forever," Amen.

Jesus' Sheepdog,

Pastor Hull