The funeral yesterday for a long time pastor began with the hymn, “For All the Saints.” The order of worship directed clergy only to sing verse 5. “And when the fight is fierce, the warfare long, steals on the ear the distant triumph song, and hearts are brave again, and arms are strong. Alleluia! Alleluia!” Laypeople and clergy can identify with that, but pastors hear it in the circumstances of our own calling.
The funeral was for Robert H. King. After a most exemplary career in the service of our Lord Jesus, he was called home at age 94. A pastor and university professor, Rev. Dr. King was highly esteemed by his fellow black pastors, and rightly so. In testimony to his service, an endowment for minority students was established at Concordia Seminary years ago. Accompanying me to the funeral were two recipients of the King scholarships. They are recent graduates of our Seminary whom I would be honored to have as my pastor.
The burden on my heart – and these are not just words but sincere – my burden is to enroll more African-American students at Concordia Seminary. Would Ferguson have happened if everyone truly knew Jesus? When our eyes see today’s seminarians who want to take the Gospel into every neighborhood, and when our ears hear the echo of “the distant triumph song,” then “hearts are brave again, and arms are strong.” May more and more people from every nation, tribe, people and tongue sing “Alleluia!” (Revelation 7:9).
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