As Saints of Old Their Firstfruits Brought
As saints of old their firstfruits brought
The hymn articulates a Lutheran understanding of Christian stewardship as grateful response to God's boundless grace, transforming Old Testament firstfruits offerings into contemporary Christian practice. It emphasizes that all gifts belong to God and that believers offer their resources joyfully in response to divine generosity rather than from obligation.
History & Background
Written by Frank von Christierson in 1961 for stewardship emphasis in Lutheran worship. First published in Lutheran hymnals in the early 1960s and became a standard stewardship hymn in LBW and subsequent Lutheran hymnals.
Frank von Christierson (b. Lovisa, near Helsinki, Finland, 1900) stated the following about this hymn: Scripture References st. 1= Dent. 26:1-15 st. 2 = IJohn 3:18 ’ J As pastor of two new churches, with small memberships and great financial needs, I have been deeply concerned with stewardship, also because I am deeply concerned about missions and the out reach of the church to “all the world,” [and] also because stewardship is a very important phase of the Christian life. No one is deeply Christian until he is a “good steward.” This hymn text (more explicitly than 296) puts our human stewardship of money and other prized resources (st. 1) into the larger context of the worldwide mission of the church, in view of the coming of Christ’s kingdom (st. 2). We must always integrate our giving of gifts with our giving of ourselves for Christian service (st. 3). Christierson wrote the text in 1960 and submitted it to a hymn search conducted jointly by the Department of Stewardship & Benevolence of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA and the Hymn Society of America (HSA). It was accept ed and was first published in the HSA booklet Ten New Stewardship Hymns (1961). Altered (especially in st. 2) for publication in the Psalter Hymnal, the song originally began with the words “As men of old...” Christierson’s family immigrated to the United States in 1905. He received his education at Stanford University and San Francisco Theological Seminary and was ordained in the Presbyterian Church in 1929. A moderator of regional presbyteries, he served several Presbyterian churches in California and was founding pastor of the Trinity Community Presbyterian Church in North Hollywood (1944-1961). He wrote some 140 hymns, a number of which have been published by the Hymn Society of America as well as in his Make aJoyful Noise (1987). In 1982 Christierson was honored as a Fellow of the Hymn Society in the United States and Canada.
Hymnal Appearances
- Chalice Hymnal — 382
- Evangelical Lutheran Worship — 405
- Glory to God — 696
- Lutheran Book of Worship — 404
- Lutheran Service Book — 921
- Lutheran Worship — 435
- New Century Hymnal — 456
- Psalter Hymnal — 294
- United Methodist Hymnal — 711
Liturgical Use
As an offertory hymn; stewardship themes; emphasis on missions.
Bulletin Note
Written in 1961 by Frank von Christierson, this stewardship hymn grounds Christian giving in the Old Testament practice of firstfruits, reinterpreting ancient law through the lens of Gospel gratitude and Lutheran theology of vocation.
Preaching Connection
This hymn transforms the Old Testament law of firstfruits into a Gospel proclamation: freed by grace, we give not because we must, but because Christ's abundance has already claimed our hearts and loosened our hands.
Stanza Arc
The narrative or theological arc traced by this tune's stanzas: Universal call to worship → Recognition of God's sovereignty and care → Liturgical entry into God's presence → Affirmation of God's eternal goodness and faithfulness
Themes
Christian stewardship Thanksgiving for blessings Gratitude and offering First fruits/tithing Response to God's grace