Threats To The Christian Church: External & Internal

[Norman Teigen]

I am reminded of a profound prayer for the church from the work of J.S. Bach.  His cantata for Easter 2 (BWV 6) is based on the interaction between Christ and the disciples on the Road to Emmaus.  "Stay with us, for evening falls, and the day has declined." The German text is"Bleib  bei uns, denn  es  will Abend werden, und Der Tag hat such geneiget."  The imagery of the deepening day is broadened to a consideration of the Last Times.   The prayer is that "Your divine Word, the bright light, let it not be extinguished among us."  "In dieser letzt'n  betrubten Zeit/ Verleih uns, Herr, Bestandigkeit, (In these last troubled times/grant us Lord, perseverance). Dass wir dein Wort und Sakrament/ Rein b'halted bis an Unser End.  (that we may preserve Your word and sacrament pure until our end.)

[John_Hannah]

I am reminded of a profound prayer for the church from the work of J.S. Bach.  His cantata for Easter 2 (BWV 6) is based on the interaction between Christ and the disciples on the Road to Emmaus.  "Stay with us, for evening falls, and the day has declined." The German text is"Bleib  bei uns, denn  es  will Abend werden, und Der Tag hat such geneiget."  The imagery of the deepening day is broadened to a consideration of the Last Times.   The prayer is that "Your divine Word, the bright light, let it not be extinguished among us."  "In dieser letzt'n  betrubten Zeit/ Verleih uns, Herr, Bestandigkeit, (In these last troubled times/grant us Lord, perseverance). Dass wir dein Wort und Sakrament/ Rein b'halted bis an Unser End.  (that we may preserve Your word and sacrament pure until our end.)

One can only say to this, AMEN.

Peace, JOHN

[Weedon]

And then there is the prayer in this stanza:

The haughty spirits, Lord, restrain
Who o'er thy church with might would reign
And always set forth something new
Devised to change thy doctrine true.

[Norman Teigen]

Beweis dein Macht, Herr Jesu Christ,
Der du Herr aller Herren bist
(Reveal your strength, Lord Jesus Christ,
You who are Lord of Lords)
Beschirm dein arme Christenheit.
Dass sie dich lob in Ewigkeit.
(protect your poor Christianity,
so that it praises You in eternity.)

[Norman Teigen]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8S1U3bJakOE

Here is an interesting workshop on Bach's Cantata 86 which is consistent with this thread.  'Truly, truly I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father, in My name, so will it be given to you.'   (Ich will doch wohl Rosen Gretchen....)   "I will yet indeed pluck roses, even if they prick me with thorn.   For I have confidence That my prayers and my pleading go straight to the heart of God, because he gave me His word (Weil es mir sein Wort verspricht.). The beautiful concluding chorale contains the thought that "Hope awaits the right time, which God's word has promised...He knows well when would be best, and uses no cruel tricks on us;  therefore we should trust him.  (Des solln wir ihm vertrauen.)

If you cannot take time for the lesson go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubc2_3mj18U

[Randy Bosch]

Joel D. Hirst, an American and Christian author residing in Armenia for the past two years, has gained a perhaps wider view of the threats to the Christian Church than most of us have experienced:

https://joelhirst.blog/2021/05/08/on-oppression/  .

The vast majority of talk about threats to the Christian Church, whether external or internal, overlooks that Christ has only one Church here on earth, and often wrings hands about but downplays oppression when it occurs in far-off lands - even as far as "It could never happen here".