443. Saturday after Twenty-fourth Sunday after Trinity.
Lord, today we again beseech thee,
make us to rejoice in hope. Amen.
1 Corinthians 15, 20-27. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first-fruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order; Christ the first-fruits; afterward they that are Christ’s, at his coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.
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The Father has given the world to the Son; and the Son has undertaken to save it. By his death and resurrection he overcame our enemies; but he must deliver every individual who is to be saved from the power of the vanquished enemies; and this work he continues until the end of time. A patient has already been rescued from sickness and death when a physician who can be absolutely relied on to effect a cure has taken him under treatment, and administered the infallible remedy. So it is in the case of believers; sickness and death have been destroyed. But as the patient in the case supposed must for a time continue to feel the effects of the disease, which disappear gradually, so Christians continue to feel the ravages of sin and death, as long as they remain in this tenement of clay. Now, in what way is this brought about? The dominion of the devil over my heart is destroyed; but the power of death in my body increases and finally obtains complete victory, and delivers my body to the grave! Death consumes my strength, making me more weak from day to day. Now, why is this? Should I not become more healthy and strong? No, says the apostle; it is as it should be; for “the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.” This enemy must go on sapping the strength of your body, in order that you may be humbled by continuing to dwell in this ever more frail tenement; in order that your heart may die from the world; and in order that you may at last through death be wholly quit of “flesh and blood.” What though death be strong in your body; it was strong in the body of Christ also; yet Christ rose again; and you shall rise again with him. — To every earnest Christian who knows the nature of death it is an “enemy”; and I am glad that the apostle calls it by this name. For though I am able to look it in the face without fear, nay rejoice in its coming, because it must be my servant to “ferry me over to the shores of eternal life”; yet I never can do otherwise than hate it and revolt against it in the innermost recesses of my being; for it comes from hell, is the devil’s offspring, and is the enemy of everything which is of God. And it shall be utterly destroyed; Christ has done it, and shall do it; he “hath abolished death” (2 Tim. 1, 10). When the new humanity of all the saints shall have been perfected; when the dead shall have been raised up, and heaven and earth shall have been transfigured; then shall the Son return to the Father his sceptre; then his work as a Savior is finished, and all things brought back to their original state of innocence; but to us the conditions shall be much more glorious than they would have been, had no Savior been necessary. Through the Son God is forevermore all in all. — Grant to us also this blessed experience, that we may see these things clearly in the light of heaven. Do this, merciful, faithful, and almighty God, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.*
O Jesus! shorten the delay,
And hasten thy salvation,
That we may see that glorious day
Produce a new creation;
Lord Jesus, come, our Judge and King!
Come, change our mournful notes, to sing
Thy praise forever. Amen.
[suggested tune: Es ist gewisslich (TLH 611), 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.