287. Thursday after Fifth Sunday after Trinity.
Lord Jesus, reveal thyself
to us through faith. Amen.
Acts 26, 12-18. Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, at midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me. And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; delivering thee from the people, and from the gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
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“I am Jesus whom thou persecutest,” says the Lord to Saul. Is it not, then, the church which Saul persecutes? Certainly; but here we are again told that the Lord and his disciples are one. Wrong them, and you wrong Jesus; do good to them, and you do good to him. As Paul now becomes a servant of Christ, the Lord himself is in and with him also. That which Paul does is the Lord’s doing; that which he suffers is the suffering of Christ; that which he accomplishes is the honor of God. He is chosen to be a minister of the gospel; the Lord appears to him, and calls him; and the Lord goes with him, and delivers him.
Every servant of the Lord has from his mother’s womb, nay from eternity, been “made,” or chosen, for this office. He, or she, was created and equipped for the position as pastor of that church, missionary at that station, or teacher in that school; or for the calling of a mother, as Jochebed and Eunice; or to be the wife of a missionary, as Priscilla. A wise master always selects the proper material. Let this truth encourage, gladden, and comfort you. — To Paul the Lord says: “I have made thee a minister and a witness of me.” The apostles had seen the Lord with their own eyes, and their hands had felt him. Herein their case is different from ours. But in faith we also have found him; to us also he has appeared, thus enabling us to bear witness concerning him. He who cannot of his own experience witness of eternal life in the Son of God is not a fit person to be a minister of the gospel. He only who has himself found mercy can properly preach the word of mercy. He who does not know our Lord Jesus cannot truly praise his glory. The power is in the word itself; but this must be rightly divided. Let us preach it with full confidence in the power of the Lord, which it contains. As a minister of the word of God shall be certain of his call, so shall he also be sure that the word which he preaches, as the word of the Lord, is mighty and living, and accomplishes the Lord’s purpose. He shall preach it in faith. He must not doubt that it opens the eyes of the blind, and causes them to turn from the power of Satan unto God. Such a minister can go confidently to his work; the Lord shall save him from the fury and anger of the devil. “Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” Even yet many a furious persecutor becomes a zealous confessor.
Blessed be thou, Lord Jesus; thy name will we praise and confess unto the end of the earth. Amen.*
Then let us sing of Jesus,
While yet on earth we stay,
And hope to sing of Jesus
Throughout eternal day:
For those who here confess him
He will in heaven confess.
And faithful hearts that bless him
He will forever bless.
[suggested tune: Jeg vil mig Herren love, TLH 655; listen here]
* Here the head of the family says a short morning or evening prayer in his own words, and closes with the Lord’s Prayer and the Benediction. This is to be done every day. If the stanzas are not sung, they may be read in their proper place before the impromptu petition and the Lord’s Prayer.
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