Old Lutherans

426. Friday after Twenty-second Sunday after Trinity.

Lord, let the word
which thou wilt now speak to us
strengthen our faith. Amen.

Isaiah 42, 1-4. Behold my servant, whom I uphold, mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him; he shall bring forth judgment to the gentiles. He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.

❦

The spirit in the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ is mighty and victorious mercy. Himself has taken upon his own shoulders our sins, and made our cause his own, and made himself answerable for us against all accusers; and thus we have to do with him only. And he deals with us like the merciful Savior that he is, and continues his efforts until he has healed us, and completed the work of saving us. He shall save all who accept the gospel invitation, of all peoples on the face of the earth, no matter how sorry the plight into which the devil may have brought them. Even if our faith be most deplorably weak, yet will he not reject us. “A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench.” Thus we read in our text; and it is thus that we find him always. We all have many a time felt thus bruised and weak, and have disclosed our troubles to him, and received comfort and help. He is become the servant of the Lord, and was anointed to this very end, with meekness to help the afflicted. How carefully does he not take us in his hand; how indulgently does he not deal with us; how patiently does he not continue his efforts, even though the long course of treatment seem to effect no improvement in us! The bruised reed should become whole and vigorous. The faith in our heart should be strong and fearless; but alas, it is fragile and weak, and would fall to pieces at once, did not the hand of him who is meekness itself sustain us. The smoking flax should be ablaze; it should shoot its flames as high as heaven in the pure atmosphere of grace; but it smokes and smokes, and is on the point of being quenched; yet he continues to add oil and keep the spark alive, that it might burn brightly at the last. He shall not cease his efforts, until the victory has been forever won. — In thus saving us individually he preserves and perfects his kingdom. “He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth; and the isles shall wait for his law.”

Ye servants of the Lord, do ye also bring forth judgment to the afflicted! Israel is one with their Lord; and to them, as to him, it is said: “I have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and will give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the gentiles; to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house. I, the Lord, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein. I the Lord thy God have spoken it.” If it seem to you that your labor is in vain, remember that the Lord makes the earth to bring forth fruit, and will make darkness light before you.

Lord, we praise thee; we bless thy glorious name, and pray thee for grace to believe in thee, serve thee, and give thee honor forevermore. Amen.*

Hail to the Lord’s anointed,
Great David’s greater Son!
Hail, in the time appointed,
His reign on earth begun!
He comes to break oppression,
To set the captive free,
To take away transgression,
And rule in equity.

[TLH 59, LSB 398 (listen here); or ELH 103 (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.