Romans 13, 1-7

1. Dear Christians, one and all, rejoice, With exultation springing, And, with united heart and voice And holy rapture singing, Proclaim the wonders God hath done, How His right arm the victory won; Right dearly it hath cost Him.

Every year around October 31st, Reformation Day is celebrated. The Reformation Festival is the only festival day in the Protestant church year that is dedicated to an event from church history. Martin Luther, the reformer, is still fascinating today. There is still a lot to learn from him; be it for your own religious life, be it for social commitment and coexistence

He was not only a gifted speaker and writer. He was also a gifted poet and musician, says Johannes Lähnemann in his sermon for this year's Cantata Sunday. Martin Luther put the Good News into song lyrics and encouraged his fellow campaigners to compose songs. And so in 1524, 500 years ago, a book of 8 songs was created in Nuremberg, and shortly afterwards in Erfurt, a handbook with 26 songs. They were quickly printed and widely distributed – the best advertisement for the new faith! These first evangelical songs spread rapidly. Book printing and the book printer Jobst Gutknecht helped with this

Some consider “Now rejoice, dear Christians,” to be the theologically strongest of Luthers songs. No other song speaks so profoundly about faith. Yet it was his first work.

It's a spiritual song. And Luther probably thought of it exactly this way: people should sing their way into the great words of the Gospel. In this way they should feel with body and soul what power lies in it. It literally spread from mouth to mouth. According to Luther, this is how it should be with the Gospel. In the native language, it is intended to "go under the crowd" and have a tangible impact on everyday life. It is a ballad-like narrative song, with reference to God's act of redemption and was not intended for church and worship, but for the markets and streets. The Reformation folk song was sung by merchants, craftsmen and maids and played a major role in the spread of Reformation ideas.

Luther was inspired to write this song by the martyrdom. Hendrik Vos and Johannes van Esschen were Augustinian monks who converted to the Reformation. As heretics they were executed at the stake in Brussels on July 1, 1523. These were stormy and difficult times for Luther and his followers. Since the Reichstag in Worms in 1521 he has been subject to imperial ban and is considered an “outlaw”. His teaching is forbidden. He owes the fact that he is still alive to his sovereign, the Elector Friedrich the Wise. Luther is convinced: We need songs that everyone can sing along to. And he uses tunes that sound like a folk song melody, yes, it can even be a dance melody.

“Now rejoice, my dear Christians”: That’s what we sang. “We are happy”: That’s what we want to do today too. Luther's song about the fundamental joy of a Christian becomes a real heartbreaker. You have to take the time to internalize it line by line. They express what their writer recognized as true and liberating. The melody underlines the content, and the whole thing became a catchy tune in those days, and also for me in the last weeks of preparation. When the heart is full, the mouth overflows. Those who are overwhelmed by joy and happiness sing, hum, dance, jump. A song to rest along the path of life. That's how it affects me, says Karsten Loderstädt in a sermon.-. It's wonderful to be able to enjoy this break. The view wanders into the distance. The country is in front of you. We look back. The route up to here was not without its problems.

Luther sings about God's attention to us humans, about his “sweet, miraculous deed”. God turns to us with a miracle: his salvation, his redemption for us lost people and for our lost world through Jesus Christ. Luther begins his song with this happy prelude. But in the next verses this joy is clouded: there is talk of the devil, sin, death and hell. For Luther it is still clear: in order for joy to be truly joyful, one must also face this sad reality.

2. Fast bound in Satan's chains I lay, Death brooded darkly o'er me, Sin was my torment night and day, In sin my mother bore me; Yea, deep and deeper still I fell, Life had become a living hell, So firmly sin possessed me.

3. My own good works availed me naught, No merit they attaining; Free will against God's judgment fought, Dead to all good remaining. My fears increased till sheer despair Left naught but death to be my share; The pangs of hell I suffered.

First Luther speaks in the first person – “I was a prisoner to the devil”. He sings of his own experience as a monk who tried to win God's gracious attention through a blameless and pious life, and yet failed and therefore despaired. Nothing other than despair and fear were the consequences of his pious life. Praying, fasting, working to the point of total exhaustion and physical punishment did not give him a satisfactory answer to the question that had plagued him until then and left him with no peace: “How do I get a merciful God?” he asked.

“How do I get a merciful God?”: This question seems belong to the Middle Ages. Who is asking this question today? Aren’t people still looking for salvation today? Not with God and not in the afterlife, but here and today? Don't prosperity, fitness, health, diets, and success at work, promise heaven on earth? More and more, bigger, better and faster? Many people today don't seek the ultimate meaning for their lives? Aren’t they, driven by the longing for a happy and long life, they seek salvation in what they themselves are and do? But what if they realize that everythingthey are and do is not enough to guarantee a fulfilling life? But what if they can't find an answer to the ultimate question about a life that endures even in the face of death?

The question of a merciful God may no longer be asked today, but it is still relevant. Even though the world today is very different than it was in Luther's time and we have different questions today, we too need salvation today: salvation from the powers within us and in this world that want to destroy ourselves and our relationships. Do we depend on God and his grace?

4. But God beheld my wretched state Before the world's foundation, And, mindful of His mercies great, He planned my soul's salvation. A father's heart He turned to me, Sought my redemption fervently: He gave His dearest Treasure.

5. He spoke to His beloved Son: 'Tis time to have compassion. Then go, bright Jewel of My crown, And bring to man salvation; From sin and sorrow set him free, Slay bitter death for him that he May live with Thee forever.

6. This Son obeyed His Father's will, Was born of virgin mother, And God's good pleasure to full fill, He came to be my Brother. No garb of pomp or power He wore, A servant's form, like mine, He bore, To lead the devil captive. Here God laments for eternity / my misery is excessive, / He thought of his mercy, / he wanted to help me. He turned his father's heart to me.

Suddenly the song jumps into a new situation. God's history and human history come together. God connects with people. With you and with me. And let it “taste its best”. In verse 5, God speaks to Jesus. What we humans cannot do for ourselves, God does for us out of pure mercy. In his mercy he decides to let his son become human so that he himself can free people from their entanglement of guilt and death.

And in the 6th verse he sings about the incarnation of God in Jesus Christ. In Jesus Christ, God became our brother, who humbled himself and took the way of the cross. In Jesus Christ, God reconciled the world with himself and thereby opened the way to him. Christ is the face of the gracious God. In Christ God looks at us graciously, through Christ we see God in his gracious face.

Finally, in verses 7-10, Jesus speaks to me, to the man.

7. To me He spoke: Hold fast to Me, I am thy Rock and Castle; Thy Ransom I Myself will be, For thee I strive and wrestle; For I am with thee, I am Yours, And evermore thou shalt be Mine; The Foe shall not divide us.

8. The Foe shall shed My precious blood, Me of My life bereaving. All this I suffer for thy good; Be steadfast and believing. Life shall from death the victory win, My innocence shall bear thy sin; So art thou blest forever.

9. Now to My Father I depart, The Holy Spirit sending. And, heavenly wisdom to impart, My help to thee extending. He shall in trouble comfort thee, Teach thee to know and follow Me, And in all truth shall guide thee.

10. What I have done and taught, teach thou, My ways forsake thou never; So shall My kingdom flourish now And God be praised forever. Take heed lest men with base alloy The heavenly treasure should destroy; This counsel I bequeath thee.

A song to rest in the church service. “What I have done and taught, you shall do and teach, so that the kingdom of God may be increased to His praise and honour!” (verse 10) ¬Although the ground shakes, we can stand firm.

Maybe we will be able to get people to notice the inner joy of an existence freed to live. Because we start the day prudently. Because we try to see our neighbour as God sees us. Because we reflect and know: “It is the goodness of our Lord that we are not exhausted; his mercy has no end yet, but it is new every morning, and great is your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22f. )

Martin Luther still fascinates today. There is still a lot to learn from him; be it for one's own religious life, be it for social commitment and coexistence. (Benjamin Hasselhorn)

“Now rejoice, my dear Christians.”

Rejoice! We have reason to rejoice: a faith to ease, not to burden. A God who lifts up and does not push down, a space that is open for good things to unfold. We can celebrate this and sing along and pray to God for his miraculous work. May he himself be among us and bless what we do in his name, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen