A Mighty Fortress Is Our God was written by Martin Luther. It’s based on Psalm 46 and is the most powerful and inspiring hymn written during the movement started by Luther when he nailed his ninety-five theses to the Cathedral of Wittenberg, Germany. This hymn became the battle cry for the Protestant Reformation.
Think of this song in light of the world that we live in. Luther tells us that our God never fails. He points out in verse two that if we try to live by our own strength we will fail. In verse three he states that we have no need to fear the devil, our enemy. “One little word shall fell him.” Finally, no matter what comes our way, even if they kill this body, God’s truth remains steady and His Kingdom will last forever! This hymn, in my opinion, remains the most powerful hymn of the Church.
His Kingdom is forever and “His Love Endures Forever“. That is a line from our second song of the morning. Also this morning, I would like to teach you a brand new song. I am very careful about what songs I introduce to the body of Christ. I heard this song for the first time three weeks ago. It is called, “Jesus, Son of God”. The chorus says,
“On the altar of our praise
Let there be no higher name
Jesus Son of God
You laid down Your perfect life
You are the sacrifice
Jesus Son of God
You are Jesus Son of God”
Think about your “Altar of Praise”. We each have an altar of praise. We place the things most important to us on this altar. What is on your altar this morning? What are the most important things to you? Is there a name higher than Jesus on your altar? Do you lift the name of Jesus higher than any other name? I pray that this new song will be as meaningful to you as it is to me.
Before Pastor Al prays for us we will sing Mighty to Save and O How He Loves You and Me. Then the choir will sing Holy Holy Holy.
Let’s lift the name of Jesus Higher than any other name! Let His name be louder than any other name! There is no power that can come against His love for us. The power of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross was enough to carry us through whatever trials or tribulations we face each day. The Cross is enough! The Cross is enough!