"O Christ, Who Called the Twelve" - LSB #856

"O Christ, Who Called the Twelve" - LSB #856

1      O Christ, who called the Twelve to rise and follow You,

        Forsaking old, familiar ways for ventures bold and new:

        Grant us to hear Your call to risk security

        And, bound in heart and will to You, find perfect liberty.

2      O Christ, who taught the Twelve the truth for ages sealed,

        Whose words and works awakened faith, the ways of God revealed:

        Instruct us now, we pray, by Your empow’ring Word.

        True teacher, be for all who seek their light, their life, their Lord.

3      O Christ, who led the Twelve among the desolate

        And broke as bread of life for all Your love compassionate:

        Lead us along the ways where hope has nearly died

        And help us climb the lonely hills where love is crucified.

4      O Christ, who sent the Twelve on roads they’d never trod

        To serve, to suffer, teach, proclaim the nearer reign of God:

        Send us on ways where faith transcends timidity,

        Where love informs and hope sustains both life and ministry.

5      O Christ, the_apostles’ Lord, the martyrs’ strength and song,

        The crucified and risen King to whom the saints belong:

        Though generations pass, our tribute still we bring,

        Our hymns a sacrifice of praise, our lives an offering.

This hymn was sung in our services this past weekend. It is a newer text, written in 1993 by Herman G. Stuempfle. Because it is a more recent addition to our Lutheran hymnody, LSB is the first hymnal to include this hymn. Stuempfle wrote the texts of other hymns in our hymnal as well, including “O Christ, You Walked the Road” (#424), “Who Are You Who Walk in Sorrow” (#476), “Voices Raised to You We Offer” (#795), and “For All the Faithful Women” (#855). The tune Stuempfle pairs with “O Christ, Who Called the Twelve” is an old English melody – you might know it as “This is My Father’s World”. (The latter is included in the ELCA hymnal, Lutheran Book of Worship, #554 – however it is not included in any of our LCMS hymnals.)

In looking at the text, notice that the stanzas are set up using the same format: the first half of each stanza talks about something that Jesus did either for or to the disciples (O Christ, who called the Twelve…taught the Twelve…led the Twelve…sent the Twelve). The second half of each stanza is a prayer that Jesus would do the same thing for us (“Grant us to hear your call”…“Instruct us now, we pray”…“Lead us along the way”…“Send us on ways”), that he would help us be followers of Him. The reality is that we do need help, because being a disciple of Jesus is not easy by worldly standards – Jesus warns us of this. This text gives us the encouragement that, just as Jesus was with the disciples when they were sent out, He will be with us too as we proclaim and spread His love.

The final stanza is our commitment to Christ that we will be faithful to Him and honor Him with our time, talents, and treasures: “Though generations pass, our tribute still we bring, our hymns a sacrifice of praise, our lives an offering.” I encourage you to re-read this text, meditate on it, and ask God how He can use you to further His kingdom!