167. Tuesday in Holy Week.
Lord, may we know the power of thy resurrection,
and become partakers of thy sufferings! Amen.
John 12, 23-32. And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world, shall keep it unto life eternal. If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honor. Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. The people therefore that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him. Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes. Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
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Jews and Greeks wanted the Savior to make a splendid appearance in the world. And alas for us all, we much resemble them in this particular. It is a part of our corrupt nature to reach out after worldly fame and power and pleasure. Let all who follow Jesus search their hearts, and discover if these are the things which they seek in him. Let every man examine himself. We are ready enough to walk with him to the wedding feast, but prefer not to be with him in danger. We have no objection whatever to being with him in the glory of his kingdom; but we find it hard to learn the lesson that the way to heaven is the way of the cross. To deny self, to be humble always, to hate life and lose it, to suffer death on the cross; this was the life of Christ. This path he trod, and in this path the faithful follow him. In this way only could he become our Savior, and in this way only can you be a partaker of his suffering and his glory. Had he not died the death of the cross, he could not have delivered us from the devil and made atonement for our sin; and had he not been cut off out of the land of the living, he could not draw us unto himself in heaven. Through death and the grave he is gone to the Father, and who shall number the many whom he has saved? (Isaiah 53, 8). The grain of corn now brings forth much fruit; the cross is become a ladder to heaven. It is the only ladder which reaches up into the better world; the only way to heaven leads through suffering; there is none other bridge from death to life. This way of the cross to the glories of heaven has been prepared for all men; and whosoever will, let him come. Hanging on the cross, and sitting on the throne of heaven, the will of the Savior is to draw all men unto himself. But he that will not die with him cannot live with him. Our own life, or, in other words, our evil nature, all our sinful lusts, which Paul calls “the body of sin” (Romans 6, 6), the combined force of wicked desires, whose root is willfulness, and whose strength is pride and deceit; — this life of the world in you must die, if you are to live. In the name of God, sacrifice all this! You have been baptized into the death of Christ, and your old man is crucified with him. Let the efficacy of your baptism prove itself. If you believe in the Lord, be assured that you shall not want the grace to mortify the flesh and lead a new life in him. To this end he helps us by means of our many trials and tribulations from without and within, vexations, temptations, sickness, suffering; but the strength itself comes from the death and resurrection of Christ. There are the roots of your new life; and thence it must receive nourishment, if it is to increase. In his word and sacraments he gives to his believers the strength of his life and death; and through these means we of a truth receive grace to mortify the flesh, to take up the cross, and to live for heaven. Help us herein, O God, that we also may bring forth much fruit. Amen.
May earthly feelings die,
And fruits of faith increase,
And Adam’s nature prostrate lie
Before the Prince of Peace.
Endue us, Lord, with strength
To triumph over sin,
That we may with thy saints at length
Eternal glory win.
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