Stand down, O "men of God"

Stand down, O “men of God,”

To war is not your call;

Brothers in Christ, this is your work:

To love and to serve all. 

 

Stand down, O “men of God,”

No more of lesser things.

Live as our Jesus showed us how

So his true witness sings.

 

Stand down, O “men of God,”

Your work is not to hate;

This does not glorify our God

Whose love for all is great.

 

Stand down, O “men of God,”

Don’t lord it over all;

Women and men are both alike 

Ordained in Jesus’s call. 

 

Stand down, O “men of God,”

Alone is not your call;

To serve together is your work,

Brothers and sisters all.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, February 2025,

MUSIC: Tune ST. THOMAS, Aaron Williams, 1763.

 

Not a hymn for a worship service, at least not one I can immediately imagine. More like a teaching hymn? Self-instruction? Chastisement? I don't know, but I couldn't stop myself from writing it. 

If Christ has not been raised

If Christ has not been raised, 

Your faith has been in vain; 

You still are in your sins with no more hope to gain.

Refrain:

But Christ is raised up from the dead!

The firstfruits of those who have died.

 

If Christ has not been raised,

Our word has been in vain;

Our proclamation brings no more than grief and pain.

Refrain

 

If Christ has not been raised,

False witness is our shame;

That God has raised up Christ has been our word and claim.

Refrain

 

If only for this life

Our hope in Christ is placed,

We of all people should be pitied and disgraced.

Refrain

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, February 2025, after 1 Corinthians 15:12-20.

MUSIC: Tune LOVE UNKNOWN, John Ireland, 1918. Copyright 1924 Trustees of the John Ireland Charitable Trust. 

 

 

Iti is my firm belief that 1 Corinthians 15:19 would be the most heart-wrenching, soul-breaking verse in scripture ... if it were not for 1 Corinthians 15:20. (Tune not reproduced due to copyright.)

Our Christ is not a weapon

Our Christ is not a weapon

For spewing hate and fear.

His name is not for smashing 

Those whom the Lord holds dear.

Christ's enemies may hasten

To injure whom they please,

But those who follow truly

Will love "the least of these."

 

Internments or invasions,

Lies meant to harm or kill,

Or massive deportations

With hatred raging still; 

Those who commit such violence

May reap great power and fame,

But in truth cannot ever

Do these in Jesus's name.

 

The work of Christ can only

Be done in holy love,

Relentless and unyielding

Like that of God above.

Our Christ is not a weapon

For spewing hate and fear;

Let such lies be forever

Denounced for all to hear.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, February 2025.

MUSIC: Suggested tune VALET WILL ICH DER GEBEN, Melchior Teschner, 1614; harm. William Henry Monk, 1861.

Something had to be said.

Christ died for our sins

Christ died for our sins, as scripture has said,

Was buried but then was raised from the dead. 

Appeared to disciples, then five hundred more;

And so came this witness now and evermore.

 

Now siblings in Christ, keep this news at hand,

Good news you received in which you now stand. 

Hold fast to this message that you now believe, 

Which through God's own messengers you did receive.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, January 2025, after 1 Corinthians 15:1-11.

MUSIC: Tune LYONS, Joseph Martin Kraus, 1784; alt.

 

 

In the case of this text a bit of slimming down and focusing seemed necessary to keep the text from becoming unwieldy and unworkable. The tune has its own pretty fascinating story to it, about how long its composer took to be recognized and credited for it. 

Now without love

Now without love, my words are nothing

But clanging cymbal, noisy gong.

If, with no love, I speak great mysteries

And teach of faith, my words are wrong.

If without love I give up all things,

Nothing I gain here or above;

Faith, hope, and love, these three abiding - 

But still the greatest one is love.

 

Now love lives patiently and kindly,

Not envious, arrogant or rude. 

In truth all love is found rejoicing,

But doing wrong is sore eschewed.

Love bears, believes, and hopes through all times,

Endures with grace given from above;

Faith, hope, and love, these three abiding - 

But still the greatest one is love.

 

Prophetic words are not forever,

And tongues also will one day cease.

Now even knowledge is but passing.

Love never ends and will increase.

For now we see, but only dimly;

We will see fully from above.

Faith, hope, and love, these three abiding - 

But still the greatest one is love.

 

I was a child, my thoughts were childlike;

As I grew up that fell away. 

Our sight is dim, as in a mirror;

We will see face-to-face one day.

When that day come, we will see fully

As we are known by God above.

Faith, hope, and love, these three abiding - 

But still the greatest one is love.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, January 2025, after 1 Corinthians 13.

MUSIC: Tune WAYFARING STRANGER, US folk melody.

A continuation of the set of hymns for the 1 Corinthians readings in the RCL for this season.

One body, one Spirit, united in love

One body, one Spirit, united in love,

And joined for the service of our God above;

But many and varied the parts that are found

All joined in one body, by one Spirit bound.

 

Each part of this body is given in God's name;

Each gift is distinctive, no two are the same.

No part is enough if it functions alone,

But all joined together, God's purpose is shown.

 

This body of Christ, by the Spirit alive,

Needs all of these parts for God's mission to thrive.

No parts are alike, no two gifts are the same, 

But all work together in God's holy name.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, January 2025, after 1 Corinthians 12:12-31 (Epiphany 3C)

MUSIC: Tune ST. DENIO, Welsh folk melody; arr. Caniadau y Cyssegr, 1839.

Continuing with the post-Epiphany cycle of lectionary readings from 1 Corinthians. Also very much continuing with the theme of "Gifts of the Spirit," the previous hymn in this developing set.

Gifts of the Spirit

Gifts of the Spirit God gives all around,

So that God's witness may sound and resound.

Many and varied the gifts God will give;

All are from God for the lives that we live.

 

One receives wisdom for our souls to heed;

One receives knowledge for our minds to read.

Some faith, some healing, some gift to discern;

All gifts God-given to each one in turn.

 

All gifts are given for our common good,

So we bear witness the way that we should. 

So many gifts, from one Spirit the same; 

Praise to the Spirit who moves in God's name.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, January 2025, after 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 (Epiphany 2C)
MUSIC: Tune SLANE, Irish ballad.

 

 

Hopefully the beginning of a series of hymns on the epistle readings from 1 Corinthians that follow Epiphany in year C.