This week the choir will sing “Jesus Is the Living Stone,” which perfectly expresses the centrality of Jesus as the firm foundation of our faith, and that His blood alone atones for our salvation. As we commemorate the Reformation of the Church, begun in the year 1517, this anthem perfectly describes Jesus as the Rock of our salvation, the Living Stone – solid but also alive and constantly relevant and timeless (“yesterday, today, forever, His love reaches every man”).
We also find that Rock theme in the classic German hymn of the Reformation, “Ein feste Burg” (“A Mighty Fortress is Our God”) which Martin Luther composed in the early years of the Reformation, to inspire and teach Bible truths to the German people in their own language. When those people sang hymns together 500 years ago, the experience was exciting, invigorating, and motivating! As we remember those 16th century Christians and the challenges they faced, perhaps we can capture some of their fervor and passion for learning and worshiping together. After all, we have the same Lord who has always been and will always be our Mighty Fortress, the Living Stone.
by Becky Solomon for October 25, 2026