April 21 - This is the Feast

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Welcome to Devotions for Worship where we meditate on the appointed Scripture readings for the upcoming Sunday. I am Pastor Eric Tritten from Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Hudson, OH. Thank you for being with me today.

On Saturdays we look at a hymn for our devotional meditation. This might be a helpful devotional habit because the hymns we sing are expressions of faith and often teach us important lessons. They are, in a sense, God’s Word rearranged and set to music. It is good for us to look closely at what we sing. There are beautiful and inspiring biblical messages contained in the hymns.  

The hymn we will look at today is This Is the Feast. (You can listen to it here.) In the Lutheran Service Book from Concordia Publishing House it is in the liturgy on p. 155.

The Hymn:

This is the Feast is based on passages found in Revelation 5:12-13 and 19:5-9. It is a beautiful setting of songs that are sung in heaven praising Jesus, the Lamb who was slain, but who now lives and reigns to all eternity. Here are the lyrics.

This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Worthy is Christ, the Lamb who was slain, whose blood set us free to be people of God.
This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Power, riches and wisdom and strength, and honor and blessing and glory are his.
This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Sing with all the people of God and join in the hymn of all creation.
Blessing and honor and glory and might be to God and the Lamb forever. Amen.
This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

For the Lamb who was slain has begun his reign. Alleluia.
This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

So stop and consider what this song is saying – what the saints in heaven are singing, and we join them in singing in these verses.

First, we acknowledge Jesus’ worthiness as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. This isn’t something that we consider and then judge that Jesus is worthy. He is worthy, and in awe and wonder we are impressed with the fact and confess with angels and archangels that the Lamb who was slain is worthy. In the context of Revelation 5, the Lamb, Jesus, is worthy to open the scroll, which means that Jesus is worthy to be Lord over all of history and to bring salvation to those who believe in Him. His blood set us free, and we respond in worship and praise.

Of course power, riches, wisdom, strength, honor, blessing and glory are His. He has defeated sin, death and the devil and now He lives and reigns to all eternity. So what should we do with this news? We should sing with all the people of God and join in the hymn of all creation – notice that, all creation, not just all people. If we don’t cry out the very rocks will because the Lamb that was slain has begun his reign. So we sing, “Alleluia,” over and over again, crying out the ancient Hebrew word, Hallelujah, in an Anglicized formation. We sing that word over and over again which means, “Praise the Lord!”

And how else should we respond to this incredible good news that Jesus, who died for our sins, rose from the dead and lives forever? It’s just right that we would sing over and over again, “Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!”

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, You are the Lamb who was slain, and who now lives and reigns to all eternity. You are worthy – not because we think so, but just because You are! Power, riches, wisdom, strength, honor, blessing, glory and might are Yours now and forever. When we stop and consider that You chose to die for our sins and that You have defeated death on our behalf we look upon You with awe and say, “Praise the Lord! Praise You, Lord Jesus.” Amen.

Memory Verse: 1 John 3:23 - And this is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as He has commanded us. (1 Jn. 3:23 ESV)

Thank you so much for using Devotions for Worship, I pray that our time together has blessed you and given you something to meditate on – some reminder of God’s grace to rattle around in your brain – for the rest of the day.

One more thing: If you got something out of this devotional time, would you share it on social media or just tell someone about it? It stands to reason that if this blessed you, it will bless someone else.

Thanks again and God bless you!

Devotions for Worship: This Is the Feast - audio: https://soundcloud.com/pastor-tritten/april-21-this-is-the-feast - text:  #devotion #devotional #devotions #devos

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