Romans 6:16-23 ¹⁶ Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? ¹⁷ But thanks be to God that you, having once been slaves of sin, have become obedient from the heart to the form of teaching to which you were entrusted, ¹⁸ and that you, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. ¹⁹  I am speaking in human terms because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to greater and greater iniquity, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness for sanctification. ²⁰ When you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. ²¹ So what advantage did you then get from the things of which you now are ashamed? The end of those things is death. ²² But now that you have been freed from sin and enslaved to God, the advantage you get is sanctification. The end is eternal life. ²³ For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

This week’s hymn: Lead On O King Eternal (NOT Lead on O Kinky Turtle!!!!)

Lyrics:

1. Lead on, O King eternal, the day of march has come; henceforth in fields of conquest thy tents shall be our home. Through days of preparation thy grace has made us strong; and now, O King eternal, we lift our battle song.

2. Lead on, O King eternal, till sin's fierce war shall cease, and holiness shall whisper the sweet amen of peace. For not with swords loud clashing, nor roll of stirring drums; with deeds of love and mercy the heavenly kingdom comes.

3. Lead on, O King eternal, we follow, not with fears, for gladness breaks like morning where'er thy face appears. Thy cross is lifted o'er us, we journey in its light; the crown awaits the conquest; lead on, O God of might.

History:

When Ernest Shurtleff's seminary class was preparing for their graduation, they turned to Ernest, who had written two volumes of poetry, and asked him to write a hymn for their graduation ceremony.  He wrote "Lead on, O King Eternal" for that occasion.  

This hymn is really a prayer -- a prayer for God's guidance.  It speaks of marching and "fields of conquest" and "battle song" -- not because it celebrates war, but because it acknowledges the daily struggle in which good people must engage against evil.  It looks forward to the celebration of victory -- not with clashing swords and stirring drums, but with "deeds of love and mercy" -- acknowledging that Christ calls us to conquer the world by demonstrating love and showing mercy rather than by using force.  

This hymn acknowledges the difficulties of the Christian life -- standing armed only with holiness against "sin's fierce war.  It acknowledges the reality of the cross, but celebrates the reality of the crown -- the reward of those who are faithful -- and closes, "Lead on, O God of might!"   –– Copyright 2006, Richard Niell Donovan (Lectionary.org)

God’s Peace,