dear christians one and all rejoice shortened version

Long story short, the book has a little bit of something for everyone.We always hear Christians say things like “I have been doing everything right. My youngest daughter (who can’t say but five words) always tries to turn back to the page of the Nativity, where I ask her to point to “the sheep” or “the baby” or “the mommy” or “the daddy” or “the star” whereby she delightfully obliges. My wife and my son both like the amazing illustration that accompanies stanza four that visually unites The Fall to the Crucifixion. Each one of them was drawn to a different part of the book while trying to sing or hum along with their father. I sang this book with my children-ages 8, 5, 3, and 1 respectively. Thus, the artistic expression accurately conveys the theological reality, which in turn corresponds to the hymn’s final stanza. It’s a fantastic illustration of 1 Corinthians 11:26 which says, “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” The host is functioning as the bridge, between the crucified reality of our Pascal Lamb, and the certain future promise of Christ’s return. On the chasuble itself is an embroidered depiction of the crucified Christ, and visually located above the host is a painting of Christ coming again in glory. It shows a chasuble wearing pastor elevating the host during the Words of Institution. The final stanza’s accompanying illustration is my favorite one in the book. Other depictions include the Nativity (not to be confused with the Incarnation), Jesus’ crucifixion, death, and resurrection, and a picture of the host and chalice conveying the truth of Jesus Christ being our “rock and castle” as all times. Stanzas 4–9 tell the story of Christ’s earthly ministry, an overview of God’s plan of salvation leads the way, which then gives way to Christ’s work portrayed chronologically, beginning with the incarnation of Jesus (visually presented as a fetal-positioned Christ encased within the bright jewel of the Father’s crown) and concluding with the ascension of Christ and the sending of the Holy Spirit. The accompanying paintings depict Martin Luther specifically, thus capturing the autobiographical nature of the hymn. In stanzas 2 and 3, Luther poetically conveys the despairing futility of a life apart from God’s grace in Christ. The last stanza shows the same congregation at worship during the Words of Institution (more on this later). Stanza 1 shows a congregation during the procession of the cross-with a nice depiction of the accompanying attendance of the Church Triumphant. The hymn is bookended with paintings of Christians in worship. Stanzas 1–3, and 10 are stanzas that depict Reformation era Christians. The hymn has ten stanzas and each stanza is accompanied with a corresponding painting. Riojas’s artwork reflects this hymn’s Reformation origins. The recently published Lutheran Service Book: Companion to the Hymns says, “The earliest printing of this hymn carried the following superscription: ‘A Christian hymn by Doctor Martin Luther, setting forth the indescribable grace of God and the truth faith’” (p. The hymn “Dear Christians, One and All Rejoice” was the second hymn composed by Martin Luther and appeared in sources as early as 1524.

For those familiar with “Higher Things,” a Recognized Service Organization (RSO) of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, they will immediately recognize the artwork of this book to be of the same vintage as the artwork that Higher Things uses to advertise their conferences. Ed is very transparent about his artistic process, philosophy, and theology, blogging about it frequently at The Art Curmudgeon. Kloria Publishing has enlisted the artistic talents of Edward Riojas and added another artistically depicted hymn to their already existing catalog of “God’s Own Child I Gladly Say It”, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God”, and “Lord, Thee I Love With All My Heart.”Įdward Riojas is probably the most prolific artist that Kloria has used thus far.

Dear christians one and all rejoice shortened version