The Church's One Foundation, ELW 654
1 The Church's one foundation
Is Jesus Christ, her Lord;
She is his new creation
By water and the Word.
From heav'n he came and sought her
To be his holy bride;
With his own blood he bought her,
And for her life he died.
2 Elect from ev'ry nation,
Yet one o'er all the earth;
Her charter of salvation:
One Lord, one faith, one birth.
One holy name she blesses,
Partakes one holy food,
And to one hope she presses
With ev'ry grace endued.
3 Though with a scornful wonder
This world sees her oppressed,
By schisms rent asunder,
By heresies distressed,
Yet saints their watch are keeping;
Their cry goes up: "How long?"
And soon the night of weeping
Shall be the mourn of song.
4 Through toil and tribulation
And tumult of her war,
She waits the consummation
Of peace forevermore;
Till with the vision glorious
Her longing eyes are blest,
And the great Church victorious
Shall be the Church at rest.
5 Yet she on earth has union
With God, the Three in One,
And mystic sweet communion
With those whose rest is won.
O blessed heav'nly chorus!
Lord, save us by your grace,
That we, like saints before us,
May see you face to face.
Devotion
Every generation has known schisms and heresies, but the church lives on as the precious bride of the Christ of Bethlehem. I learned this years ago, when I had an “a-ha” moment while a student at Luther Seminary back in the early 1970’s. The moment didn’t leave me where it found me, for I realized the church is not ours, and the church is not all about us. Christ is the foundation. The reason the Christ of Christmas came to Earth was to establish his church, a living organism that would represent him after he ascended to heaven and sent his empowering spirit. To this day, he continues to reveal himself and get his work done through his church.
As we go through major challenges of unity within the ELCA, let’s keep in mind that our unity is in Jesus and his powerful, life-giving gospel; not in any one social issue or value. Let’s also keep in mind that Jesus still is head of his body. As members, we lead and participate in his church as stewards of the mysteries of his grace. Historically, we’ve been a people who tend not to be schismatic. We’ve successfully lived with differences because we have been able to keep the main thing, the main thing.
Let’s move into 2010 with our eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and perfector of faith. Only in Jesus will we find a lasting, fulfilling unity.
Prayer
Gracious Lord, grant us the supreme grace this day to trust, surrender and relinquish all, so that we might receive what you have in store for us and respond with gratitude. Amen.