God Chose the Foolishness of Christ

Written to the glory of God for the 50th anniversary of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  It was sung there for the first time this past Sunday and I had the joy of being present as guest preacher for the occasion.  The text is set to the tune IN ARMOUR BRIGHT by Edward Norman Hay (1889-1943).  The text is based on 1 Corinthians 1:26-31, which is the appointed epistle lesson for The Baptism of our Lord in the one-year lectionary.

1.  God chose the foolishness of Christ,

     To shame the worldly wise;

     To shame the strong, God chose the weak,

     The lowly and despised.

2.  God chose the folly of the cross,

     That Christ be crucified:

     To bear sin's curse, to die man's death,

     That all be justified.

3.  God chose each one of us in Christ

     Before the world began,

     Adopting us by lavish grace

     According to His plan!

4.  God chose that water with the Word

     Should cleanse us from our sin:

     Baptized into Christ's death and life,

     His Spirit lives within.

5.  God chose that preaching of the cross--

     His wisdom from on high--

     Should be the Church's mighty pow'r

     To grow and multiply.

6.  God chose that simple bread and wine

     Christ's Word should thus decree:

     "This is My body and My blood,

     From sin to set you free."

7.  God chose for us in Christ the best

     Our world has even known;

     For all His good and perfect gifts,

     We boast in God alone!