28. Tuesday after Fourth Sunday in Advent.
Lord, let thy work
wake us and enlighten us,
that we may believe on thee
in spirit and in truth. Amen.
John 3, 27-36. John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven. Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease. He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all. And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony. He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true. For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
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John the Baptist is extremely lovable in his sincerity and humility. Here we again see how he makes himself of no reputation; he desires no honor for himself, and will not draw away the disciples after himself. He confesses that he is of the earth, but that Jesus is of heaven; he rejoices because the bridegroom has the bride, and he turns all men away from himself and directs them to Jesus. Truly, the Baptist is a man to be much beloved; but we would be acting quite contrary to his spirit if we were to rest satisfied and stop with him and become enamored of his beauty. Not John, but Jesus! John cannot give us life, but Jesus is come from heaven with life for us children of death. No man would have risen out of sin and death, if God had not shown mercy and let his Son become man. Before we had any knowledge of it, he had resolved to give us his only begotten Son as a savior. Who could have brought him down from heaven, if he had not come of his own accord? Now he is here, thank God, and has won the human race, the daughter of Adam, as his bride. For with his blood he has redeemed us all from the power of the prince of death, the devil; life has overcome death and is now present in the gospel offering itself to each and all. He that believes the gospel has this life in his heart. By this means there is already a new generation of the sons of Adam, a new and true humanity, the Christian church. And, through the means of grace in the church, God is ever adding to the number of them which believe. No man can believe by his own strength, but the Son gives us the Holy Spirit in the word and sacraments of the church, and creates faith in all who do not stubbornly resist him. You can no more believe or receive the Spirit by your own strength, than you could have brought Christ down from heaven. But as the Son came, sent by the Father, even so the Spirit came, sent by the Father and the Son. Therefore none can say: “I would believe, but I cannot.” Of yourself you cannot, but the Holy Ghost calls you by the gospel and enlightens you with his gifts; and by his grace you can believe in Christ with the true and living faith of a contrite heart. Be affrighted, then, at your unbelief, but ask God to give you faith. He that in sincerity and truth prays God to give him grace to believe has already begun to believe, and has received a portion in the kingdom of grace of Jesus Christ. There heavenly gifts are bestowed upon you; righteousness, peace, joy, life and salvation; all in Jesus Christ, who is himself the life of the believing soul, and is infinitely more precious than all other gifts.
O God, we fervently pray thee, give us faith, the true, living faith in our hearts, that we may belong to the church of thy Son and have life in his name. Amen.*
Faith is a living power from heaven,
That grasps the promise God hath given,
A confidence in Christ alone,
Whose grace cannot be overthrown.
Faith in the conscience worketh peace,
And bids the mourner’s weeping cease;
By faith the children’s place we claim,
And give all honor to One Name.
* 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.