Almighty God, Your Word is Cast
Almighty God, Your word is cast
The hymn emphasizes the power of God's Word as the means of grace and the necessity of receptive faith for spiritual fruitfulness, reflecting Lutheran theology of justification through faith in Christ. It celebrates the sovereignty of divine proclamation while acknowledging human responsibility in receiving the Word.
History & Background
Written by John Cawood, an English clergyman, in 1819 as a hymnic treatment of the Parable of the Sower from Matthew 13. The text has been widely adopted in Lutheran hymnals since its composition.
Hymnal Appearances
- Evangelical Lutheran Worship — 507
- Glory to God — pickup
- Lutheran Book of Worship — 234
- Lutheran Service Book — 577
- Lutheran Worship — 342
- New Century Hymnal — 313
- The Lutheran Hymnal — 49
Bulletin Note
Composed by John Cawood in 1819, this Common Meter hymn employs the sower parable to confess God's sovereignty in proclamation and human responsibility in faith—hallmarks of Lutheran soteriology.
Preaching Connection
This hymn embodies the Lutheran conviction that God's Word is the active agent of transformation; use it to show how Law exposes our barren hearts while Gospel creates the faith that receives grace.
Stanza Arc
The narrative or theological arc traced by this tune's stanzas: God's Word as divine seed: planted in human hearts (1-2), assured of efficacy (3), culminating in eschatological vindication (4). Movement from present sowing through divine promise to final harvest.
Themes
Word of God Proclamation of the Gospel Parable of the Sower Faith and response Spiritual growth