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No man has experienced the bitterness of death in such measure as did the Son of Man, Jesus, God's Son.

He was torn out of the land of the living. He endured death's frightful torments on the cross, and his soul suffered labored. He wrestled with death to the point of drawing blood. He tasted all the terrors of death, of eternal death, tasted hell, wrath, and damnation in Gethsemane, on Golgatha, in those final, fearful, gloomy hours. Heaven and earth were appalled at this horrible death.

But it was just for us that he tasted death. And whosoever at the end of his life takes comfort in Christ's death, cross, blood, and wounds and sees the Redeemer's misery on the cross, that one conquers the terrors of death, that one will never see death.

Christ by His death has overcome the power of death. He died, really died and saw and tasted death and yet in dying amid the terrors of death and hell He has throttled death, has broken its sting, has crushed the head of the serpent, Himself died, gave up His own life.

But He was not doomed to death; before he voluntarily commended his spirit into the hands of his Father with his victory cry, “It is finished,” He laid at his feet death, sin, curse, hell. As the Living, Eternal One He died and then rose from death, took His life back again and lives and rules in eternity.

And now he calls to us: “I am the Resurrection and the Life. He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.” And whoever approaches death with such words on his lips and upon dying looks towards the Prince of Life, whom they slew on the cross, will not die, will never see death.

In the power of Christ and His Word, we must already on earth, make our way into the heavenly existence; we must be earthly yet heavenly. We must walk before that God and with that God upon whom our hope is focused. He who believes from his heart and keeps Christ's Word has already passed from death into life.

To whom the Gospel has become a power of God, a power of God to the overcoming of the sinful, mortal existence, a power of God unto salvation, that one then in the power of Christ and his Gospel, at life's end, lays aside with little trouble the last vestige of the mortal. And he takes hold of eternal life, unto which he is called, which he has already laid hold of in faith. And he comes to God, to whom he was joined already on earth. He never sees and tastes death.

Therefore, with all diligence listen to the Gospel; it deals life or death. Believe it, keep it so that the promise of life will be yours!

Rev. George Stoeckhardt

In the Christian tradition colors are used for vestments and paraments, but a unified system of colors developed only gradually until and through the Middle Ages.

Today, the Lutheran Church provides a system of colors for its congregations which is for the most part, the same system used by many Christian churches around the world.

The colors serve to adorn the worship space, and to call attention to the nature of the season or festival being celebrated as follows:

Advent: Blue is used for its references to hope. It originated in Scandinavia, probably because purple dye was too expensive for churches to use. The alternate color for Advent is purple, the royal color of the coming King (note that this is a different meaning than when it is used in Lent; see below).

Christmas: White is used, as a reference to the holiness of Christ, and as the light of the world.

Epiphany of Our Lord: White (see Christmas).

Baptism of Our Lord: White (see Christmas).

Sundays after the Epiphany: White (see above) or green is used for its symbolism of our growth in Christ.

Transfiguration of Our Lord: White (see Christmas).

Ash Wednesday: Purple is the color for this first day of Lent, but black is sometimes used, since it is the color of the ashes.

Lent: Purple is indicated, as the stark color of repentance and solemnity.

Days of Holy Week: Purple is used for Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of Holy Week.

Maundy Thursday: For this fourth day of Holy Week, celebrated as the institution of the Lord’s Supper, white is used.

Good Friday: Black

Easter Day: On this one day of the church year, white is used.

Sundays of Easter: White.

Day of Pentecost: Red as the color of fire is used on this day when we remember the tongues of fire descended on the crowd in Jerusalem.

The Holy Trinity: White is appointed, the expression of joy in the mystery of the Triune God.

Other Sundays after Pentecost and Trinity: Green is used, to indicate our growth in faith as we follow the teachings and ministry of Christ.

Christ the King: The final day of the church year uses white, a festive color of light, joy, and the celebration of our Lord.

Lesser festivals and commemorations are white, unless a martyr is celebrated, in which case bright red is used.

2. Make me see Thy great distress,
Anguish, and affliction,
Bonds and stripes and wretchedness
And Thy crucifixion;
Make me see how scourge and rod,
Spear and nails, did wound Thee,
How for man Thou diedst, O God,
Who with thorns had crowned Thee.

3. Yet, O Lord, not thus alone
Make me see Thy Passion,
But its cause to me make known
And its termination.
Ah! I also and my sin
Wrought Thy deep affliction;
This indeed the cause hath been
Of Thy crucifixion.

4. Grant that I Thy Passion view
With repentant grieving
Nor Thee crucify anew
By unholy living.
How could I refuse to shun
Every sinful pleasure
Since for me God's only Son
Suffered without measure?

5. If my sins give me alarm
And my conscience grieve me,
Let Thy cross my fear disarm,
Peace of conscience give me.
Grant that I may trust in Thee
And Thy holy Passion.
If His Son so loveth me,
God must have compassion.

6. Grant that I may willingly
Bear with Thee my crosses,
Learning humbleness of Thee,
Peace mid pain and losses.
May I give Thee love for love!
Hear me, O my Savior,
That I may in heaven above
Sing Thy praise forever.

2. This Lamb is Christ, the soul's great Friend,
The Lamb of God, our Savior;
Him God the Father chose to send
To gain for us His favor.
"Go forth, My Son," the Father saith,
"And free men from the fear of death,
From guilt and condemnation.
The wrath and stripes are hard to bear,
But by Thy Passion men shall share
The fruit of Thy salvation."

3. "Yea, Father, yea, most willingly
I'll bear what Thou commandest;
My will conforms to Thy decree,
I do what Thou demandest."
O wondrous Love, what hast Thou done!
The Father offers up His Son!
The Son, content, descendeth!
O Love, how strong Thou art to save!
Thou beddest Him within the grave
Whose word the mountains rendeth.

4. From morn till eve my theme shall be
Thy mercy's wondrous measure;
To sacrifice myself for Thee
Shall be my aim and pleasure.
My stream of life shall ever be
A current flowing ceaselessly,
Thy constant praise outpouring.
I'll treasure in my memory,
O Lord, all Thou hast done for me,
Thy gracious love adoring.

5. Of death I am no more afraid,
New life from Thee is flowing;
Thy cross affords me cooling shade
When noonday's sun is glowing.
When by my grief I am opprest,
On Thee my weary soul shall rest
Serenely as on pillows.
Thou art my Anchor when by woe
My bark is driven to and fro
On trouble's surging billows.

6. And when Thy glory I shall see
And taste Thy kingdom's pleasure,
Thy blood my royal robe shall be,
My joy beyond all measure.
When I appear before Thy throne,
Thy righteousness shall be my crown,-
With these I need not hide me.
And there, in garments richly wrought
As Thine own bride, I shall be brought
To stand in joy beside Thee.

2. O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest
away the sin of the world, have mercy
upon us!

3. O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest
away the sin of the world, grant us Thy
peace! Amen.

2. Come hither now and ponder,
'Twill fill thy soul with wonder,
Blood streams from every pore.
Through grief whose depth none knoweth,
From His great heart there floweth
Sigh after sigh of anguish o'er.

3. Who is it that hath bruised Thee?
Who hath so sore abused Thee
And caused Thee all Thy woe?
While we must make confession
Of sin and dire transgression,
Thou deeds of evil dost not know.

4. I caused Thy grief and sighing
By evils multiplying
As countless as the sands.
I caused the woes unnumbered
With which Thy soul is cumbered,
Thy sorrows raised by wicked hands.

5. 'Tis I who should be smitten
My doom should here be written:
Bound hand and foot in hell.
The fetters and the scourging,
The floods around Thee surging,
'Tis I who have deserved them well.

6. The load Thou takest on Thee,
That pressed so sorely on me,
t crushed me to the ground.
The cross for me enduring,
The crown for me securing,
My healing in Thy wounds is found.

7. A crown of thorns Thou wearest,
My shame and scorn Thou bearest,
That I might ransomed be.
My Bondsman, ever willing,
My place with patience filling,
From sin and guilt hast made me free.

8. Thy cords of love, my Savior,
Bind me to Thee forever,
I am no longer mine.
To Thee I gladly tender
All that my life can render
And all I have to Thee resign.

9. Thy cross I'll place before me,
Its saving power be o'er me,
Wherever I may be;
Thine innocence revealing,
Thy love and mercy sealing,
The pledge of truth and constancy.

10. How God at our transgression
To anger gives expression,
How loud His thunder rolls,
How fearfully He smiteth,
How sorely He requiteth,-
All this Thy sufferings teach my soul.

11. When evil men revile me,
With wicked tongues defile me,
I'll curb my vengeful heart.
The unjust wrong I'll suffer,
Unto my neighbor offer
Forgiveness for each bitter smart.

12. Thy groaning and thy sighing,
Thy bitter tears and dying,
With which Thou wast opprest,-
They shall, when life is ending,
Be guiding and attending
My way to Thine eternal rest.

2. Men mock and taunt and jeer Thee,
Thou noble countenance,
Though mighty worlds shall fear Thee
And flee before Thy glance.
How art thou pale with anguish,
With sore abuse and scorn!
How doth Thy visage languish
That once was bright as morn!

3. Now from Thy cheeks has vanished
Their color, once so fair;
From Thy red lips is banished
The splendor that was there.
Grim Death, with cruel rigor,
Hath robbed Thee of Thy life;
Thus Thou has lost Thy vigor,
Thy strength, in this sad strife.

4. My burden in Thy Passion,
Lord, Thou hast borne for me,
For it was my transgression
Which brought this woe on thee.
I cast me down before Thee,
Wrath were my rightful lot;
Have mercy, I implore Thee;
Redeemer, spurn me not!

5. My Shepherd, now receive me;
My Guardian, own me Thine.
Great blessings Thou didst give me,
O Source of gifts divine!
Thy lips have often fed me
With words of truth and love,
Thy Spirit oft hath led me
To heavenly joys above.

6. Here I will stand beside Thee,
From Thee I will not part;
O Savior, do not chide me!
When breaks Thy loving heart,
When soul and body languish
In death's cold, cruel grasp,
Then, in Thy deepest anguish,
Thee in mine arms I'll clasp.

7. The joy can ne'er be spoken,
Above all joys beside,
When in Thy body broken
I thus with safety hide.
O Lord of life, desiring
Thy glory now to see,
Beside Thy cross expiring,
I'd breathe my soul to Thee.

8. What language shall I borrow
To thank Thee, dearest Friend,
For this, Thy dying sorrow,
Thy pity without end?
Oh, make me thine forever!
And should I fainting be,
Lord, let me never, never,
Outlive my love for Thee.

9. My Savior, be Thou near me
When death is at my door;
Then let Thy presence cheer me,
Forsake me nevermore!
When soul and body languish,
Oh, leave me not alone,
But take away mine anguish
By virtue of Thine own!

10. Be Thou my Consolation,
My Shield when I must die;
Remind me of Thy Passion
When my last hour draws nigh.
Mine eyes shall then behold Thee,
Upon Thy cross shall dwell,
My heart by faith enfold Thee.
Who dieth thus dies well!

2. We may not know, we cannot tell,
What pains he had to bear,
But we know that it was for us,
He hung and suffered there.

3. There was no other good enough,
To pay the debt of sin,
He only could unlock the gate
Of heaven to let us in.

The Children's Hymnal
#43