"Ah, Holy Jesus” | Good Friday

Sing to the Lord

ZACHARY'S NOTES:

Stanza 1 // Christ was crucified not only by enemies or “foes” but by His own! This echoes the first chapter of St. John’s Gospel - the Word was not received by His own people. It is this lack of offense [save for our sin] which demands the poet begin this chorale not with a text of praise or prayer, but of wonder.

Stanza 2 // It is easy to listen to the Passion account and push everything to the past - the guilty must have been Judas, Pilate, or the crowd. But Christ comes to save us from sin, and does so by taking the sin of the world to the cross.

Stanza 3 // Christ is the “Good Shepherd” who lays down his life for His sheep. While we [as helpless sheep] could do nothing, God interceded for our atonement.

Stanza 4 // This stanza places the death of Christ in the context of His life and our own. Jesus’ incarnation, sorrow, offering of his life, death, and passion are all for “our salvation.” This same “offering” we give today - bread and wine - are sometimes called the Church’s sacrifice. In this, God gives the same - new life and salvation.

Stanza 5 // God’s constant love - “unswerving” the hymn says - is our joy and adoration, even as we remember our Lord’s death. At the cross, we stand empty - unable to offer anything to Christ - yet Christ gives everything He has to us.

OTHER SUGGESTIONS

ELW 349 - Ah, Holy Jesus - HERZLIEBSTER JESU

ELW 342 - There in God’s Garden - SHADES MOUNTAIN

ELW 345 - Jesus, I Will Ponder Now - JESU KREUZ, LEIDEN UND PEIN

ELW 349 - Ah, Holy Jesus - HERZLIEBSTER JESU

ELW 351/352 - O Sacred Head, Now Wounded - HERZLICH TUT MICH VERLANGEN

ELW 355/356 - Sing, My Tongue, the Glorious Battle - PANGE LINGUA // FORTUNATUS NEW

ELW 750 - Lord, Thee I Love with All My Heart - HERZLICH LIEB

ELW 811 - On My Heart Imprint Your Image - DER AM KREUZ

LBW 93 - Jesus, Refuge of the Weary - O DU LIEBE MEINER LIEBE

LBW 102 - On My Heart Imprint Your Image - DER AM KREUZ

LBW 112/113 - Jesus, in Thy Dying Woes - ACK VAD ÄR DOCH LIVET HÄR

LBW 114 - There Is a Green Hill Far Away - WINDSOR

LBW 116/117 - O Sacred Head, Now Wounded - HERZLICH TUT MICH VERLANGEN

LBW 118 - Sing, My Tongue - FORTUNATUS NEW

LBW 123 - Ah, Holy Jesus - HERZLIEBSTER JESU

LBW 124/125 - The Royal Banners Forward Go - HERR JESU CHRIST, WAHR MENSCH UND GOTT // VEXILLA REGIS

LBW 325 - Lord, Thee I Love with All My Heart - HERZLICH LIEB

LSB 423 - Jesus, Refuge of the Weary - O DU LIEBE MENIER LIEBE

LSB 439 - O Dearest Jesus, What Law Hast Thou Broken - HERZLIEBSTER JESU

LSB 422 - On My Heart Imprint Your Image - DER AM KREUZ

LSB 447 - Jesus in Your Dying Woes - SEPTEM VERBA

LSB 448 - O Darkest Woe - O TRAURIGKEIT

LSB 449/450 - O Sacred Head, Now Wounded - HERZLICH TUT MICH VERLANGEN

LSB 451 - Stricken, Smitten, and Afflicted - O MEIN JESU, ICH MUSS STERBEN

LSB 453 - Upon the Cross Extended - O WELT, ICH MUSS DICH LASSEN

LSB 454 - Sing, My Tongue, the Glorious Battle - FORTUNATUS NEW

LSB 455 - The Royal Banners Forward Go - VEXILLA REGIS NOVA

LSB 708 - Lord, Thee I Love with All My Heart - HERZLICH LIEB

RH 52 - On My Heart Imprint Your Image - DER AM KREUZ

RH 133 - Ah, Holy Jesus - HERZLIEBSTER JESU

RH 149 - O Sacred Head, Now Wounded - HERZLICH TUT MICH VERLANGEN