Lord Jesus, excite the proper thirst in our soul, and refresh us with thy Spirit. Amen.
John 7, 37-40. In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet.
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Jesus must needs suffer and die, and make atonement for the world, and break down the middle wall of partition between heaven and earth, and in his transfigured human nature enter the glory of the Father, before he could pour out the Holy Ghost. Now, however, all this has come to pass, and the pouring out of the Spirit is begun. — At the feast of tabernacles a priest brought water from the pool of Siloah in a golden bowl, and carried it into the inner court of the temple; and here he was received by the other priests with the blowing of trumpets, while all the people sang: “With joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.” (Isaiah 12, 3). The priest thereupon carried the water to the altar and mixed it with the wine of the drink-offering; and then it was poured out, and ran through underground tubes into the brook Cedron, while the Levites, to the accompaniment of all manner of musical instruments, sang the great Hallelujah (Psalm 113–118). — Christ is our priest and our altar. The waters of Siloah represent the love of God, the life of Christ. This has passed through the altar, through the sacrificial fire, through the death of atonement, and flows out over the earth as living water to quench our thirst and heal the waters. (Ezekiel 47). Therefore the Lord cries out on the last great day of the feast of tabernacles: “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.” The feast of tabernacles is a reminder of the journey through the wilderness; and this, again, is typical of our journey to the heavenly Canaan. Christ is the rock out of which gushes water to refresh the dry places of the earth. He stands in the midst of the church and shouts: “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” — Are you wretched and poor, and do you thirst after righteousness and love; come to Jesus; he has water to give you, and he invites you to come unto him. When you hear this, “if any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink,” you hear his own voice; it reaches your ear, because his invitation is meant for you also. But to come unto him, and drink, means the same as to believe in him. For he adds: “He that believeth on me, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” And, in John 4, 14 he says: “Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” Believe his love, and it shall enter your heart and be the guiding principle of your life. Think of the rivers of living water which flowed out of the apostles! But this was because of the fact that they believed. Dear friend; the Spirit is here, Christ is here, there is abundance of water, and you stand on the bank of the river; drink, and give the others to drink with you. Believe in him, and let your thought, your speech, your deed, be his love. — Help us to this end, merciful God; and give us the spirit of faith and love in Christ Jesus. Amen.*
I heard the voice of Jesus say, “Behold, I freely give The living water: thirsty one, Stoop down and drink, and live.” I came to Jesus, and I drank Of that life-giving stream; My thirst was quenched, my soul revived, And now I live in him. [TLH 277; LSB 699]
* 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 stanza is not sung, it may be read in its proper place before the impromptu petition and the Lord’s Prayer.
Lord God, heavenly Father, quicken us by the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Isaiah 44, 1-5. Yet now hear, O Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen: Thus saith the Lord that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen. For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground; I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring; and they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses. One shall say, I am the Lord’s; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord, and surname himself by the name of Israel.
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This is another of those glorious promises which would make us rich and happy, did we but believe them. The Lord here speaks to the poor and thirsty. You are his “Israel,” his “chosen servant,” born of his Spirit, and fashioned to be his servant. It was God himself, and none other, who excited hunger and thirst in your soul, kindled the spark of faith, and created a new life in you. Your longing after God and your love for his children are not of flesh and blood, but of the Spirit of God. You feel parched, and you thirst after the water of life. Is this true of the world? No; your knowledge of sin, your longing after God, and your fervent desire to have a heart full of charity, are the work of the Holy Spirit in you. It is the Holy Spirit who moves your heart to breathe the prayer: “Come, rain from on high, and refresh the earth, that the work of Jesus may bring forth abundant fruit. Slake the thirst of our parched souls with the water of life proceeding out of the throne of God.” And the Lord makes answer: “Hear, my beloved, whom I have elected; my own, whom I have chosen for myself; I, who have made thee and will help thee, I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground; I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring.” To whom is this spoken, if not to the wretched, who thirst after the water of life from on high? Why is it that you read this? Or, why has the Lord given you this promise? Of a truth, it is to you that he speaks; and you should pay attention. He has planted you; and he will care for his tender shoots, and water them, that they may live and thrive. They shall stand as willows by the water courses, and bear witness that the Lord is faithful. He says this, in order that you may believe; and by this means he accomplishes his purpose. The Spirit comes through his word; and faith in the heart is the secret of life. Hear, then, O Jacob; and make answer: “It be to me according to thy word!” When he says, that he has created you, and formed you to be his child, and that he will help you; then you shall say: “I am the Lord’s,” and subscribe with your hand unto the Lord, and surname yourself by the name of Israel. — Pentecost is near; and that which the Lord has promised shall come to pass. Expect it with confidence; but do not anxiously inquire, whether or not you are to feel the wondrous coming of the Spirit. Wait upon the Lord; he comes, and kindles faith in the heart, working in secret, but with marvelous power; but the sound of the Spirit may be heard, and the seed is scattered far and wide. Are not the promises of the Lord more to be trusted than our sensations or our sight? And is not our unbelief our great unhappiness? Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ! The Lord has spoken, and he shall do it; he shall make his church to blossom, — through times of heavy trouble and much tribulation. Fear not, thou worm Jacob; for thou art the Lord’s, and he shall bless thee. — Our God, our faithful and merciful God; give us grace to believe thy word, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.*
Holy Ghost, with light divine, Shine upon this heart of mine! Chase the shades of night away, Turn the darkness into day.
Let me see my Savior’s face, Let me all his beauties trace; Show those glorious truths to me, Which are only known to thee. [TLH 234; LSB 496]
* 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.
1 John 3, 1-6. Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God; and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth, hath not seen him, neither known him.
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“This is the greatest and warmest love, which burns like a fiery furnace, that Jesus has loved us unto death on the cross, and been obedient to his Father, who gave him to us as our Savior. And not only do we become the sons of God, but we are also to be called and known by this title before God and his angels.” When Missionary Ziegenbalg in Trankebar was translating the New Testament, and came to this passage, “we should be called the sons of God,” his native assistants would not write it down, but substituted in its place the statement that “God will permit us to kiss his feet.” However, God himself has written that “we should be called the sons of God;” and his words shall remain in force. He has elected us in Christ, and bestowed upon us the adoption of sons. He has regenerated us, given us his Spirit, and made us partakers of his divine nature; and thus our hearts belong to him in childlike faith and devotion. How great our glory shall be when we are perfected, and come into full possession of our inheritance, not even Saint John is able to say. “But we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” And Paul says, 1 Corinthians 13, 12: “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face; now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.” Here all is as yet but dimly visible, and love is kept down by the flesh. The clearest minds and the most noble hearts have the most fervent longing after more light and after deliverance from this body of death. The light and deliverance shall come; we shall reach a full understanding of the truth, and become like God in pure love. To “see him” is the bliss of heaven itself. “In thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” (Psalm 16, 11). — “And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” If any man hope for salvation, but do not purify himself from sin, his hope is vain. He that is in Christ cannot endure the uncleanness of sin, but strives to attain perfect holiness. If we were not saved from sin, we would of necessity continue in it, and could not purify ourselves. On the other hand, if we were already without sin, it would be idle to talk about being purified. The world knows neither us nor the fountain in which we are cleansed; for it knows neither the Father nor the Son. But let us, by a holy life, prove to the world that we really have been saved from sin, and that we in truth have a living hope! “If the Father is to be known in the children, if our conduct is to be such, that it can endure the light, the flame of love must burn in us and be able to work miracles; we must glorify God by deeds of charity toward our enemies.”
We thank thee for thy great love, heavenly Father. We heartily confess that we are not worthy of it. Enlighten us by thy Spirit, that with our whole heart we may believe in thee and thy Son, our Lord Jesus; that we may hold fast the hope of seeing thee in eternal bliss, and that we prepare for it by purging ourselves of all sin. O that we might become more like thee every day, and soon stand before thee face to face in heaven! Amen.*
There is an hour of hallowed peace For those with care oppressed, When sighs and sorrowing tears shall cease, And all be hushed to rest.
’Tis then the soul is freed from fears And doubts that here annoy: Then they that oft had sown in tears Shall reap again in joy. [cf. TLH 617; sing line 3 of every stanza twice]
* 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.
Grant, O Lord, that our souls may wait upon thee. Amen.
Psalm 62, 1-8. Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defense: I shall not be greatly moved. How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be slain all of you: as a bowing wall shall ye be, and as a tottering fence. They only consult to cast him down from his excellency; they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah. My soul, wait thou only upon God: for my expectation is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defense: I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation, and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.
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David was able to bear witness that “many are the afflictions of the righteous; but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.” (Psalm 34). How full of trouble was not his life even in his youth, when for a long time he was compelled to flee as a chased roe before Saul, and be in constant danger of his life! How sad was not the revolt of Absalom, and his miserable fate! And what grief was not brought upon David by his other children! But he emerged out of his troubles with a purified soul as the prize. Thus he became the sweet singer of Israel and the servant of the Lord to comfort and instruct us in our afflictions; and he could have become this in no other way.
When one does not have God before his eyes, and does not turn to him in prayer, no stormy sea is as turbulent as is the human heart; for then terror, sorrows, and impatience follow hard upon one another, until the wretched soul sinks at last as a dismantled hull into the depths of despair.
— Joh. Arndt
How sorely we need such instruction as that which the Holy Spirit through David gives us in this and other psalms! “Truly my soul waiteth upon God; he only is my rock and my salvation.” Mark these two important lessons: 1) The soul must cling to God as its only Savior, and expect help from none other. When our enemies with wicked malice plan our destruction, and employ all their devil’s cunning in tempting us to unbelief, the Lord is to be our only hope, the only source from which we are to look for help. All our thoughts and all our strength of soul must center in him. We must have no other God beside the true God. Learn well this “only” on which the psalmist lays so great a stress. 2) The Lord is a sure and safe refuge; and hence it is of no account, if the enemies be many and mighty. In order to strengthen his own faith and to cheer our hearts, the psalmist repeats again and again the assurance: God is my salvation, my rock, my glory; wait upon God, my soul; he is my expectation, my rock, my salvation; I shall not be moved; in him is my salvation and my glory; the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. — He that knows these two lessons has help in every need. But they cannot be learned to perfection all at once; wherefore God little by little increases the trials of his children, and thus brings them promotion in his training school. — The diseases of the souls under the Lord’s care are many; and he is compelled to use many painful remedies in order to bring about a cure. If he did not, we would with self-willed perverseness hide our distresses in our own breast, and allow our disappointments and foolish desires and our sorrows to gnaw at our hearts, until our souls would be sick unto death. On the other hand, our afflictions teach us to pour out our hearts before God, and hopefully wait upon him.
Merciful God, we thank thee for all which thou dost in thy dealing with us; and we ask thee to chasten us and heal us. Teach us to hope in thee only, and to trust firmly in thee at all times. Amen.*
Jesus Christ, my sure defense And my Savior, ever liveth; Knowing this, my confidence Rests upon the hope it giveth, Though the night of death be fraught Still with many an anxious thought.
Jesus, my redeemer, lives! I, too, unto life shall waken; He will have me where he is: Should my courage then be shaken? Should I fear? Or can the head Rise and leave its members dead? [TLH 206; LSB 741]
* 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.
Lord, command that we love; and give us that which thou dost command. Amen.
John 15, 17-21. These things I command you, that ye love one another. If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.
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A Christian does not make it his endeavor to be hated of the world; but he becomes an object of the world’s hatred because he follows Jesus, and confesses his name. For the world hates Christ, and the testimony, and them that confess him. The distinctive feature of God’s people is love, while the spirit of the world is hate and enmity. It is not possible that Christians, whose hearts are full of love, should desire the hatred of the world; on the contrary, they are sorry for the sake of those who hate them. They endeavor to be kind and patient in their dealings with all men; and they endure reproach and derision, and pray for their enemies. They seek also to choose the opportune time for the giving of their testimony, and they give it in a reverent manner, even when dealing with the most lowly of mortals. For they remember that all have been bought by Christ with a price, and they hope that the testimony concerning him will transform them into children of God. Neither do they regard themselves as too good to associate with the world; though they cannot take part in, but must testify against and reprimand the world’s sinful life. — It is no easy matter to walk thus among worldly-minded men. The faithful are themselves imperfect. They are tempted not only to neglect their duty as witnesses, but also to be hasty and injudicious; and they commit many blunders which injure their testimony. Thus their heart is grieved and their conscience wounded; and they blame themselves for the unbelief of the world. “If I were such a witness as I should be, they would repent; if I were a shining example of true love in my whole life, they would know Christ and come to him.” We are sorry that the world hates us; but it is a comfort to reflect that the Lord himself was treated in the same way; and he has told us to bear this in mind. Let it only in truth be for his sake that we are hated, not on account of our own want of wisdom, and especially not by reason of hypocritical sanctimoniousness on our part! Let it be for the reason, that the Lord has chosen us; that we are like him; and that they do not know us, because they do not know him and the Father!
Give us, O God, the love of Jesus Christ in our hearts; that our whole life may bear witness that we are thy children, that we love one another, and that we walk in the light. Give us courage to proclaim thy truth, and give us joy in tribulations for Jesus’ sake. Take pity on the world, and let our testimony bring many to repentance. Give us this grace, merciful God. Amen.
Through the night of doubt and sorrow Onward goes the pilgrim band. Singing songs of expectation, Marching to the promised land. Clear before us through the darkness Gleams and burns the guiding light; Brother clasps the hand of brother, Stepping fearless through the night. [TLH 481]
Lord, let the Comforter come and bear witness in us. Amen.
Gospel Lesson, John 15, 26–16, 4. But when the comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning. These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me. But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.
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Jesus Christ is to be preached in the world. The holy Ghost shall testify of him. The world shall have testimony concerning Jesus Christ; and the Holy Ghost is the witness; for he is the truth. His testimony is so convincing that even they who deny the truth of the Christian religion feel the sting of the truth in their hearts. He testifies through the written word, but also makes use of the faithful as his servants down through the ages in the office of bearing witness. The holy apostles, who were with Jesus from the beginning, are eyewitnesses. They speak that which they have seen, and which their hands have felt; and their testimony is mighty to put down all falsehood. The truth of the statement which Jesus makes, that, even as the Comforter testifies of him, so shall the apostles also bear witness, comes right home to us; for we ourselves hear them testify, and we feel the power of their testimony, and it has to us a value beyond price. Yet it is not the apostles only who bear witness by the Holy Spirit; but the same is true of all believers. The glory and affliction of being a witness belong to every Christian. He that believes in Jesus knows him; and shall testify of him to others by leading a Christ-like life. He is to be the image of Christ, his living and true presentment by the Holy Ghost. The Lord himself says: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may glorify your Father which is in heaven.” And again: “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love to one another.” And the apostles exhort the saints to shine as celestial lights among the world’s children of darkness. The Christian church shall fulfill its office as a witness, in part by a faithful administration of the means of grace, and in part by the saintly lives of its members. — Let, then, everyone who by the grace of the Holy Spirit knows the Son and the Father testify at all times and places concerning that which he has experienced, and in his every word and deed confess Christ. Our likeness to the Savior is as yet far from being perfect; but if we are his disciples, the resemblance cannot fail to be plainly visible; even an unfinished portrait by a master will clearly reveal the original. “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” Let the Spirit of God permeate your whole life and govern your conduct even in its minutest details. You shall live in holiness, suffer with patience, and not allow yourself to be led astray from the path of self-denial, though all the world entice and threaten you, and rob you of all that you have. This is not the old commandment which is weak through the flesh, but “the new commandment, which is true in him and in you; for the darkness is receding, and the true light shines already.” — Heavenly Father, strengthen thy weak children. Give us life and grace to bear witness. Give us the great honor of being among Christ’s witnesses, and of suffering for his name’s sake. Keep us from all manner of hypocrisy; let our lips and our lives preach truth from the heart, and do thou bless the testimony to the coming of thy kingdom. Amen.
O Holy Spirit, enter in, Among these hearts thy work begin, Thy temple deign to make us; Sun of the soul, thou light divine, Around and in us brightly shine, To strength and gladness wake us. Where thou shinest, life from heaven There is given: We before thee For that precious gift implore thee. [TLH 235; LSB 913]
226. Sixth Sunday after Easter. II.
Lord, give us thy Spirit. Amen.
Epistle Lesson, 1 Peter 4, 7-11. But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. Use hospitality one to another, without grudging. As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
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The Comforter, who glorifies the Lord Jesus, is the Spirit of love; and love is the life of the church of God. Love, however, rejoices in well-doing; it seeks not its own, but the happiness and welfare of others. The whole life of Jesus is love, and so should our life be. Then we would be truly happy! This is the will of God; and that we may lead such a life, he has bestowed upon each of us his gift of grace. In this life love must express itself through various services for the upbuilding of the whole church and its individual members. You must be actuated by love; the Spirit must lead you, or that which you do is nothing but dead works, which may have a form of godliness, but will be found mere hay and stubble in the fire of the coming day. — Minister one to another in fervent charity with the manifold grace of God! This is the sum and substance of the apostle’s admonition in our epistle lesson. You and all that you have are the Lord’s, as are also your brethren in Christ; and he has brought you together, that you may minister one to another and be of mutual assistance in working out your salvation. If you have a call to speak in the congregation, speak “as the oracles of God.” Bear in mind always that the gospel which you speak is God’s own word; teach it in its purity, according to the scripture; divide it rightly, according to the behoof of the souls; preach it with full confidence in its truth and effectiveness, and present it in a form worthy of its sacred character. Speak the word of God, and speak as the oracles of God. — If it be some other office which you have in the church or in the household, do your duty faithfully, and remember that it is the Lord whom you serve when you minister to his members. Do your work with the zeal of love, that God may thus be honored in all things. Never forget that as a Christian you are called to devote yourself to the exercise of charity throughout your whole life. While the world must hate and quarrel and tear asunder and cause all manner of sin, because it is in the service of the wicked spirit, you shall all the time love, bless, cover a multitude of sins, and call forth charity, thanksgiving and praise, for the glory of God and the happiness of man. The life of the church of God in the Spirit is beautiful and rich; but to the flesh, how bitter! It is nothing but self-denial, and cross and death. — Pour out this Spirit into our hearts, O God, that while we live we may lead a holy life in ministering charity, feel the comfort of life in the midst of our many afflictions, and rejoice in the knowledge that the end of all things is drawing nigh. Amen.
Grant that our days, while life shall last, In purest holiness be passed; Our minds so rule and strengthen That they may rise o’er things of earth, The hopes and joys that here have birth; And if our course thou lengthen, Keep thou pure, Lord, from offences Heart and senses; Blessed Spirit, Bid us thus true life inherit. [TLH 235; LSB 913]
Psalm 110. A Psalm of David. The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth. The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath. He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries. He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head.
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“Sit thou at my right hand” means this: Rule in my strength over all things in heaven and on earth. “The Lord hath prepared his throne in heaven; and his kingdom ruleth over all.”
This, “sit thou at my right hand,” is at all times infinitely rich in comfort for the church of God. He that can but lay hold on and keep this one scripture passage in his heart rises superior to every haunting dread; and it is immaterial to him whether his enemies are many or few, strong or weak; he can look with perfect composure at their fury and their vain efforts. He says with Joh. Arndt: “I know One who sits on the right hand of God; he is strong enough to prevail against all my enemies and all my distress”.
— Hengstenberg
The Lord has said to my Lord: “Sit thou on thy throne, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.” The Lord has spoken it, and his statement is final. All his enemies shall either be laid at his feet, or be laid under his feet. Believe this, and you shall rule with him; or refuse to believe it, and it is true just the same. Addressing the Messiah the Psalmist declares: “The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion; the throne of the ruler of heaven shall stand in the midst of the congregation, and thou shalt rule in the midst of thine enemies.” — We see the enemies, and we hear the uproar made by the unbelievers; but who can see the throne of his omnipotence in their midst? Have no fear. The cause of truth triumphs through defeat only. Over the head of the Crucified One is written: “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews;” and this writing remains, regardless of the fury of the high priests. He ruled in the midst of his enemies without their knowing it; and he does the same still. His enemies will all the time mock him in his members. We shall suffer with him, and reign with him. There always are enemies round about who seem to gain the victory; but he reigns in their midst; their noise and din only prove his victorious and ruling presence, even as the waters seethe and surge around the immovable rock.
He does not lack people when he needs them. In this Psalm they are likened to the dew of the morning. Only a few moments ago the earth was covered with a gray mist; but now the day is come, and on grass and leaf you see countless pearls, pure and brilliant, sparkling in the rays of the morning sun. They appear suddenly as by enchantment, but they had been fashioned and were there before we knew it. Thus it is with the Lord’s people. At the proper time they appear in countless numbers, pure and fresh and sparkling in the light of the sun; that is, in the beauty of the Lord. They are nothing in themselves; he is their all. Without the sun there is no beauty in the dewdrop. They are willing, happy and cheerful, and young even in their old age; for he is not their king only, but also a priest, according to what the Lord hath sworn, who ever intercedes for us and puts on us garments of holiness. — Are you, dear reader, one of this multitude who now, while the church is in its state of lowliness, are making ready to share his glory on the day of his power? Is Christ the king of your heart? Is his merit your robe of honor, and his strength your armor? Woe to all who defy him! In the day of his wrath he shall strike down kings, the great and proud spirits who make war on his kingdom. He fills the land with dead bodies; pray God, our people be not among the chief sufferers! There are already many dead bodies, and there is much fatal poison in the atmosphere. Choose your place. To which camp do you belong?
Lord Jesus, rule in our hearts. Help us to believe in thy power and grace. Clothe us with thy purity, and arm us with thy righteousness. Thy power be our strength, thy merit our comfort, thy love our life; that we may be willing in thy service, and that we may fight manfully in thy army. Amen.
Hail him, ye heirs of David’s line, Whom David Lord did call; The God incarnate, man divine, And crown him Lord of all!
Ye gentile sinners, ne’er forget The wormwood and the gall; Go, spread your trophies at his feet And crown him Lord of all! [TLH 339; LSB 549]
Lord Jesus, bless us; even us do thou bless! Amen.
Luke 24, 50-52. Acts 1, 13-14. And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphæus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.
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While in the act of blessing his disciples Jesus was carried up to heaven. It is as one who dispenses blessings that he sits on the right hand of God; it is thus that the disciples see him with the eye of faith, and this is the picture of him on which our minds should dwell. Then we have a true picture of him in our soul; for his hands are lifted up day and night to bless the church. What does he do on his throne of glory save to bless his people? He lifts up his hands to intercede for us, and to protect us; and he gives us his Holy Spirit. The priestly blessing of the fathers on their children was of great effect; the words of blessing pronounced by Noah on Shem and Japheth brought them good fortune, while his curse brought disaster to Ham; the old and blind Isaac blessed Jacob, and thus made him a lord over his brother; the blessing of Jacob made Judah the chief among his brethren; — how great, then, must be the power of the blessing which Jesus pronounces on his church! Through the Spirit, whom he sends from the Father in the word and sacraments, he bestows upon us heavenly gifts; life of his own life, celestial light, power which is stronger than death, and a peace which passes understanding. For the blessing of the Lord is not idle words, nor a meaningless motion of the hand; when his hands are lifted up to bless they are full of life and strength and every good gift, which they drop down into the souls of those whom he blesses.
The fellowship in prayer among the disciples in Jerusalem is itself one of the results of the Lord’s blessing. They all prayed with one accord, and they continued without ceasing until they received the Pentecost gift. Let us do likewise! Alas, we are in such sore need of the fire of Pentecost, the baptism of the Spirit! But we may receive it. Here we are, a gathering of disciples; and the Lord lifts up his hands to bless us, and we keenly feel the need of having the power of the Holy Ghost in greater measure. “Come, Holy Spirit, power divine, and fill this hungry heart of mine; Thou seest how in tears I stand, And ask a blessing of thy hand. In every need my comfort be; Refresh my soul, and strengthen me.” Shall not the Lord, then, give us his Spirit? Let us, however, pray with one accord, and cling to his promise that he will send us the Holy Ghost; let us desire that only which he promises to give; and let us continue in prayer until we receive. Let these last days before Pentecost be a time of fellowship during which the whole church of God prays as with one voice!
Open our eyes, Lord Jesus, that in faith we may see thee as thou art in thy glory; in that thou dost bless us with thy wounded hands. Give us grace to pray with one accord and continually; and give us, O, do give us the Pentecost blessing, that we may receive the gift of love into our hearts, and joyfully confess thy name. Amen.
Him though highest heaven receives, Still he loves the earth he leaves; Though returning to his throne, Still he calls mankind his own.
See, he lifts his hands above! See, he shows the prints of love! Hark, his gracious lips bestow Blessings on his church below! [TLH 213]
Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive; thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also; that the Lord God might dwell among them.
Gospel Lesson, Mark 16, 14-20. Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen. And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved; but he that believeth not, shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe: In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And they went forth and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.
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“Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” These are words of majesty. He commands these poor mendicants to go to all the principalities and kingdoms of the world, and to speak openly and confidently to all creatures, in order that all men may hear this preaching. This is a command so strong and mighty that its like has never before gone out into the world. Now, the word “gospel” means neither more nor less than glad tidings, or a message announcing something which one is glad to hear. “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”
This is in truth a kind and comforting message, and can rightfully be called a “gospel”. For this one word tells you that heaven is opened, hell closed, the sentence of God’s wrath annulled, sin and death buried; while life and truth are let down into the very lap of all men, if they will but believe it. O, that we might fully understand the meaning of these words, “believe” and “be saved”! There is in these few letters a power which the world cannot comprehend; for this preaching gives us grace and riches beyond measure; and this without any merit whatever on our own part, as we have done nothing to gain possession of these blessings, nor even so much as had any knowledge of them. Could the children of the world but believe it, they would come in great multitudes to praise and thank God that they had lived to hear a Christian sermon.
There is not one of us but falls far short of having a perfect faith. For the grace and riches contained in the gospel are great beyond comprehension. The human heart cannot help being terrified when it considers that the high and eternal King opens his heaven so wide, and pours out such a wealth of grace and mercy over my sins and misery, and over those of the whole world, and that this glorious gift is brought to us in and through the word only.
Besides, we are always inclined to make our justification before God depend, in a measure at least, on our own works, thus placing obstructions in the way of faith.
If I am to believe, I must exclude from the consideration every work of mine, and I must not have the effrontery to come before God with my own merit. For these two things cannot be brought into harmony; that is, we cannot believe the grace of God for Christ’s sake without our own merit, and at the same time hold that we are justified also by our own works. If we could ourselves earn salvation, we would have no need of Christ. When the children of the world nevertheless despise this doctrine and regard faith as being of but little account, the reason for it is that their sin causes them no uneasiness, and that they know nothing of the agony and terror experienced by a frightened conscience. But when death or some other horror overtakes them, they can find no means of escape; then they at once fall into the depths of despair, and learn that faith is something entirely different from what they had supposed; that it is not empty and soulless talk, nor an idle idea or opinion, but a dauntless courage, which is able to confide wholly in Christ in the teeth of sin and death and hell.
— Martin Luther
“He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.” This is eternally sure and true, and able to kindle and strengthen true faith in the heart; and it attracts us with the gentle and strong power of divine grace. Blessed be the Lord for the wise and great purpose of his love concerning us lost sinners! “But he that believeth not shall be damned.” This is equally certain; for it is faith only that saves. Consider, my friend, that salvation is ready to your hand; you are baptized, and have access to the grace of God, and may believe. Will you, then, despite all this, walk in unbelief to eternal perdition? Will you throw away your only chance? The declaration is final: “He that believeth not shall be damned.” Let none of us, dear readers, again call down upon himself the judgment of God’s wrath.
Lord Jesus, send witnesses able to preach thy gospel in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, and let it create faith in the hearts everywhere. Amen.
Draw us to thee, Lord Jesus, And we will hasten on; For strong desire doth seize us To go where thou art gone.
Draw us to thee; nor leave us, Till all our path be trod; Then in thine arms receive us, And bear us home to God.
222. Ascension Day. II.
Lord Jesus, give us a childlike faith, and show us thy glory. Amen.
Acts 1, 1-11. The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen. To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion, by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God; and being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me: For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost, not many days hence. When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem, and in all Judæa, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven, as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
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When Jesus took his life again out of death, his body was transfigured; and thus he walked on earth during the forty days. He had been glorified, and was therefore invisible; but he could show himself whenever he wished, could suddenly appear to the disciples behind closed doors, and then as suddenly disappear. But he still was on earth, and had not as yet begun the exercise of his power as ruler over all things. He had mounted two rounds on the ladder of his exaltation; but before going farther he was to reveal himself many times to his disciples, instruct them in regard to the kingdom of God, and prepare them to receive the Spirit. Today he mounts the third round. He now assumes dominion, and employs all power in heaven and on earth, that he may bestow on us the salvation which he had won, and thus lead us to eternal glory. That Christ “sitteth on the right hand of the Father” means that, with the Father, he possesses all power and glory. He, who is God and man in one person, and who died for the sins of the world, reigns forever over all things. Daniel “saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of Man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.” (Daniel 7). The sitting of Christ on the right hand of the Father means, then, his omnipresent omnipotence and power of dominion as the Savior of the world. — Nevertheless, we must hold fast the truth that the habitation of God in heaven, high above all creatures, is an actual place; but in an eternal and heavenly sense, and not according to our earthly conceptions of locality.
As the ascended Savior he sends us the Spirit, who establishes the kingdom of God within us, and thus gathers the church of the Lord on earth. It was not the eleven apostles only who were to receive the Holy Ghost, but all who should believe through their word. He has not promised supernatural gifts to all of us; for they are not necessary to salvation; but the light and power of the Spirit unto faith and regeneration he has promised to everyone who will obey the truth. — Then, when all these have been gathered in, he shall come again; and then the kingdom of glory, which the disciples in a way longed after, and concerning which they inquired, shall arise in its celestial splendor, beautiful and blessed beyond the power of man to conceive. We, also, yearn for this consummation. May the Lord come quickly, and perfect his kingdom! In the meantime, let us believe without having seen, and patiently follow the way of the cross under the blessed protection of our exalted Lord.
Have you, dear reader, experienced on your heart the regenerating power of the Spirit? Is your eye directed upward, where dwells the bridegroom of the souls; and do you wait with longing for the time when he shall come again? — Draw us after thee, Lord Jesus. Take our hearts, and fill them with thy love. Give us, we earnestly beseech thee, thy Holy Spirit, and let each of us be one in the army of thy witnesses. Amen.
Hail the day that sees him rise To his throne above the skies! Christ, the lamb for sinners given, Re-ascends his native heaven.
There the glorious triumph waits; Lift your heads, eternal gates; He hath conquered death and sin; Take the king of glory in! [TLH 213]
Lord, let the Spirit make thy word sure in our heart. Amen.
1 John 5, 13-15. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
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It is the purpose of St. John to encourage us to believe and to pray with a trusting heart. If our hope were based on our own works, we never could be sure of our salvation; we all the time feel our imperfection, and would of necessity be all the time doubtful of reaching heaven. We would be continually asking ourselves: “Are you sufficiently pious to expect God to accept you? Do you worship God well enough to make him overlook your faults?” — Now, however, the Spirit has made it clear to us that we deserve nothing but eternal death, and that salvation by works is out of the question; but he has also taught us, thank God, that we are saved by the merit of Jesus, for his sake only, and for none other cause whatever. The Son of God has done the work and suffered death for us; his name is Jesus, and he has saved us; we have received the Son and the life, and all is finished. We do not deceive ourselves when we trust in him. Or do you think that his work also is imperfect; or that his blood is of too little value? Verily, he has fulfilled his office, and is an eternally sure foundation on which to build. God wishes us to know that we have life everlasting, and firmly to believe in the name of his Son. — It is a terrible lie, it is unbelief worthy of the devil, which rejects him who is truth and love itself!
With the prayer of the heart we reach out the hand of faith after the gifts of God in Christ; and the Holy Spirit has taught John to write this, in order that we may pray in full certainty of faith. When our heart desires enlightenment, faith, forgiveness of sin, love, purity, patience, meekness; or when we pray for the extension of the church, the success of the word, and the coming of the kingdom; or when we ask God to give us daily bread and a contented mind, victory in temptations and a blessed death; in short, when we pray for anything whatsoever which Jesus has told us to pray for, or which God has commanded us to have, we ask something according to his will, and then himself is the author of the prayer in our heart. Then it is the Spirit of the Son in us which prays; and shall we, then, not receive that which we ask? It is the will of God to give it us; and he has created in us the wish to have it. He has already given us the gift in his Son; and he is now able to put us in possession of it, since we have a heart to receive it. Must not, then, our prayer have been heard? “We have the petitions that we desired of him,” says the apostle; but God keeps them for us until the right time is come. Note this: “If we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.” John is not dreaming when he says that we have them already. A prayer from the heart according to the will of God never remains unanswered. Do have confidence in the word of God!
Make our will one with thy will, gracious God. Mortify our fleshly lust, and draw our hearts to thee. Assure us of thy fatherly grace and the certainty of our heritage, and help us to pray with childlike confidence in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Yea, indeed, he bids us pray, Promising to hear us, E’er to be our staff and stay, Ever to be near us. Ere we plead, will he heed, Strengthen, keep, defend us, And deliv’rance send us. [ELH 381; TLH 446; LSB 663]
Lord, open our eyes to see that which thou hast given us in thy word. Amen.
John 15, 7-11. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
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The Lord says, John 16, 23: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.” And here he says: “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” These passages teach us that prayer in the name of Jesus is prayer in the fellowship of Jesus. He who is and abides in the Lord; he who lives in his love, for his kingdom, as did the apostle Paul, who says: “I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me;” — he is the one who can pray in the name of Jesus. This is a mercy beyond measure, and gives most precious peace to the soul. When we have it we take part in Christ’s work for the salvation of men and the perfecting of his kingdom in glory; and we taste his own joy, the joy of divine love, in the salvation of sinners. Let none think that this is given to only a favored few of exceptional piety and learning. The Lord has not spoken these words for the benefit of his apostles only, but for us all who believe in him. All the faithful are branches of the vine; their life is the spirit and love of Christ. But we allow the devil to deceive us by reason of the infirmities of the flesh and the cares of this world, so that we do not see what God has given us in his Son. You, who believe, have in truth the spirit and love of Christ; his will is your will; your desire is that his kingdom may come; you are in him, and have his word in you. You are able to pray in the name of Jesus, and live in the joy of the Lord until it is full in you. However, you are like a man who has received the key to a vault containing immense wealth; but who does not believe that the key will fit the lock. Or you may be likened unto a man who has inherited a great and undisputed claim against the richest house in the world; but who makes no use of it, and dies of want because he does not believe that the claim has any value. It is the devil who deceives you, when you imagine that you cannot pray in the name of Jesus. Ponder the word of the Lord in our text and in the gospel lesson of last Sunday, in connection with the Lord’s Prayer; keep it in your heart; it all belongs to you since the time of your baptism; and the Spirit which it contains shall give you faith, and strengthen your faith.
Lord Jesus, give us the light and power of thy Holy Spirit, that we may pray in thy name and taste of thy joy. Lead us into thy death, to the foot of thy cross, that our pride and unbelief may die, and thy love reign in us. Thou hast loved us, as the Father hath loved thee! How astounding are these words: “As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you!” They contain unutterable mercy; and do we still refuse to believe? Help us to believe, and teach us to pray; pour out thy love in our hearts by thy Holy Spirit, that we may keep thy commandments and abide in thy love. Amen.
Father, fix my soul on thee; Every evil let me flee, Nothing want beneath, above, Happy in thy precious love.
O that all may seek and find Every good in Christ combined! Him let Israel still adore, Trust him, praise him evermore.
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer. Amen.
Matthew 6, 5-8. And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask him.
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Prayer is a matter of the heart; the heart alone is able to pray. The prayer which does not proceed from the heart is no prayer at all. Do you imagine that mere idle words can be a prayer to the Lord? In this Bible lesson Jesus teaches two things: 1) When you pray, present yourself before God, and deal with him only; keep close to him with all your thoughts and feelings. Let nothing else in the world be in your mind; whether it be the beams in the ceiling, or the stars in heaven; your daily business affairs, or your earthly joys and sorrows, — unless, indeed, you happen at the time to be speaking of them to the Lord. Neither shall you be thinking of the people who surround you, nor of the eyes that see you; but you shall be alone with your God, whether you are in your chamber or in the midst of a congregation. The Pharisees prayed in order that they might be regarded as pious men. You are guilty of the same hypocrisy when you want people to know how diligently you pray, and when you rejoice in being praised of men for the fervency and eloquence of your prayer. — How, then? do the saints never have any irrelevant thoughts in their mind during prayer? Yes, nearly always, alas; but it grieves and humbles them, and they earnestly beseech God to give them grace to pray with proper devotion. 2) Be not concerned about the words in which your prayer is couched; and do not think that you can move God, as you can move men, with eloquent phrases. Speak straight from the heart, whether your words be many or few. It is immaterial whether you often repeat a thought, because your heart is so full of it that you cannot do otherwise; as was the case with David and Hannah; or you but breathe a few words, as did the publican. I have heard long prayers which were so earnest from beginning to end that they seemed not to contain a superfluous word; and I have heard short prayers which laid the whole case before God in a few words. But I have also heard long and idle prayers, from persons with a glib tongue, and from persons who made up for their lack of words by a constant repetition of God’s name. The Lord does not prohibit the use of many words; but he prohibits “vain repetitions”; and he forbids us to think that God is to be moved by much speaking. “God is a Spirit; and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” What an abomination is that soulless, idle talk which people sometimes call prayer! But how excellent a thing is true prayer; how strong to force its way into the heart of God, and how sweet and blessed for the hearts out of which it issues! “The best of all the hours we spend / While here on earth above the sod / Are those in which our way we wend / In earnest prayer to meet our God.” The Lord will and shall teach us this lesson.
Give us, O God, the Spirit of grace and prayer! Forgive us all the sins committed while praying to thee. Let thy Spirit work in us groanings that cannot be uttered. Our own condition strikes us with terror when we appear before thee, thou holy God. Have mercy on us; and let us nevermore come to thee with idle words, but let us always pray in spirit and in truth. Amen.
Come, my soul, thy suit prepare, Jesus loves to answer prayer: He himself has bid thee pray, Therefore will not say thee nay.
With my burden I begin: Lord, remove this load of sin! Let thy blood, for sinners spilt, Set my conscience free from guilt. [TLH 459; LSB 779]
Gospel Lesson, John 16, 23-28. And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father. At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you: For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God. I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.
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To pray in the name of Jesus is to pray in his service; or, which is the same thing, in his stead, together with him, for his cause, and trusting in his word and his merit. When I send my servant to a neighbor for something which he has promised me, the servant asks for it in my name. He must be in my service, say what I have commissioned him to say, and ask for that only which I have told him to ask for. But if the neighbor knows that the messenger comes from me, and if he wants to give me that for which I ask, he does not concern himself about the worthiness or the unworthiness of the servant. If the messenger has proof that he is commissioned by me, and if he knows that the neighbor is willing to give me the article for which I ask, he does not doubt that he will receive it, even if the neighbor does not like him. You, dear Christian, who in baptism have been made a member of the kingdom of Christ, and who believe in him; you are of his household, in his service; you are wholly his child, and also the child of the Father, and you have his love and favor. Jesus has told you to go to the Father on his business. “Thus ye shall pray for me,” he says: “Our Father who art in heaven; hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come, etc. Tell the Father that I have said it; that you are under orders from me, and come about my business.” How happy you would be, did you but understand and believe this as you should! All those things which Jesus has told us to ask for, such as all that which is contained in the Lord’s Prayer, and everything which he has taught us to regard as necessary to salvation, we can ask in his name; — but not all those things which we may happen to think that we should like. Pray in simple faith, holding up before the Father that which Jesus has said; and do not doubt that for his sake you shall receive. Do not consider your own unworthiness, — although, for the matter of that, the Father is well pleased in you for Jesus’ sake; — but remain a petitioner at the throne of grace until your prayer is answered, or until your faith has received the needful assurance. When you do this you pray in the name of Jesus, and you shall receive, and your joy shall be full. For he declares and affirms: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you;” and this promise is a draft on the Father, more safe than a government bond. When you own the bond you own the gold; but it is still more certain that you own those things which Jesus says that you may ask of the Father. All things needful to salvation and to the promotion of God’s kingdom, as well as daily bread and the necessaries of life, are given you in the name of Jesus. Ask, and you shall receive!
Eternal thanksgiving and praise be to thee, dear Lord Jesus, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, for thy wonderful and precious promises! Heavenly Father, give us grace to believe and to pray in faith, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
Lord, teach us how to pray aright With reverence and with fear: Though dust and ashes in thy sight, We may, we must draw near.
Burdened with guilt, convinced of sin, In weakness, want, and woe, Fightings without and fears within, Lord, whither shall we go?
God of all grace, we come to thee With broken, contrite hearts; Give what thine eye delight to see, Truth in the inward parts.
217. Fifth Sunday after Easter. II.
Lord, give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart. Amen.
Epistle Lesson, James 1, 22-27. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father, is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
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The word of God is able to save your souls; but it must enter your hearts; and this is effected when you not only hear it, but do it. The desire and the strength to “do” must, it is true, be given you by the word itself; and doing must be preceded by hearing. When you “hear,” however, you thereby receive the strength to “do;” and then it will be your fault if you will not do it. If you then obey the word, as far as the grace of God makes this possible, it works in you knowledge of sin, faith, regeneration, and sanctification. But if you neglect this obedience, you become merely a forgetful hearer, who learns to know neither himself nor God, and who has neither liberty nor peace, but remains in sin, and deceives his own self; the truth makes a certain impression on you, but it is not lasting. Therefore, dear friend, obey the word of God, live it, follow it, do it; for Jesus’ sake! You understand, I hope, that we are not speaking of the mere outward “doing,” but of the heart’s obedience to the word of God. Let your conduct, inwardly and outwardly, in thought and in deed, conform to the word of God. You may safely do this; for the word will never lead you wrong. The Lord shall thereby give you wisdom which is worth having. You shall learn to know yourself, your sin and your need; and you shall learn to know the cure to be found in the gospel. You shall be permitted to look into the “perfect law of liberty;” that is, into the eternally sure and merciful counsel of God, that whosoever believes shall be saved. This law of the Spirit, which gives life in Christ Jesus, shall set you free from the law of sin and death. The life of love gives you liberty, and makes you to be blessed in your deed; — not blessed by reason of your deed, but blessed in your deed.
Our text closes with a two-fold lesson: 1)You who live the life in God, bridle your tongue! Is it not a piece of the devil’s own cunning that even the children of God are careless about guarding their tongue, although this is a matter of the highest importance? 2) Ye doers of the word of God; do not forget that he wants you to serve him by serving his needy, lonely, and suffering children, the widows and the fatherless. It is as it should be that you worship God, and edify yourselves by hearing his word; but — read once more the last verse of our epistle lesson in connection with the first.
Lord, thou who dost work in us both to will and to do of thy good pleasure; prompt us to do that which thou dost command. Let it be our constant endeavor to live according to thy word, and always to do that which is pleasing in thy sight. Give us love in our hearts, and let holiness adorn us in our every word and deed. Amen.
God, my Lord, my King, thou art, Take possession of my heart; There thy blood-bought right maintain, And without a rival reign.
Show me what I have to do; Every hour my strength renew; Let me live a life of faith; Let me die thy people’s death. [TLH 459; LSB 779]
Psalm 51, 10-19. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free Spirit: Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation; and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. For thou desirest not sacrifice, else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem. Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering, and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.
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Every believer is weak, and commits sin daily; and sometimes he does worse, and grieves the Spirit of God. Watch, then, dear Christians, and be on your guard. Never dally with sin; for the end may be eternal death. When you nevertheless fall, then accept correction from the Spirit of God, feel your sin with sincere regret, and go at once to Jesus with an honest confession; for this is the course followed by the true children of God. The heart suffers, and writhes in pain, and cannot be still, before it has received the assurance from the Lord that the sin is forgiven. Then the joy of his salvation is restored, and with it the willing spirit which is necessary for the preservation of faith and the practice of holiness. When the Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God; when our heart has righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost; when we are sure that, in Christ, the Father is well pleased in us; — then we love him in return, and serve him in a willing spirit. In this wise only can we offer sacrifice pleasing to God, and stand fast in his grace.
He that himself has tasted the joy of God’s salvation, and sits daily at his table, desires to bring others also to the Lord, and devotes his heart, his lips, and all that he has, to the Lord’s service. When Andrew had found Jesus he sought out his brother Simon, told him with joy of the discovery which he had made, and brought Simon also to the Lord. (John 1, 41-43). He that converts a sinner saves a soul from death, and hides a multitude of sins. (James 5, 20). Promise your God to confess him diligently, and to offer him holy fruit of your lips. But remember always that a heart which is humble, poor in spirit, broken and full of grief on account of your own sins and the sins of others, — that such a heart is the best sacrifice to God. Without this sacrifice he does not desire our words and deeds; but with it they are pleasing to him. With the prayers of the contrite heart for Zion and Jerusalem, with the loving prayers of the quickened spirit that the kingdom of God may come, our poor words and deeds are a sacred and pleasing frankincense ascending to the Lord in heaven. — Again we pray: “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.” Keep me humble, and give me ardent love, that I may be a pleasing sacrifice to thee, and that I may consume my strength in thy service. Amen.
Love divine, all loves excelling, Joy of heaven, to earth come down! Fix in us thy humble dwelling, All thy faithful mercies crown. Jesus, thou art all compassion, Pure, unbounded love thou art; Visit us with thy salvation, Enter every trembling heart. [TLH 351; LSB 700]
Dear Lord, let thy word create in our hearts a firm and living faith. Amen.
Hebrews 5, 5-10. So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, today have I begotten thee. As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedek. Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications, with strong crying and tears, unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedek.
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Our salvation through Christ stands firm as a rock. God himself has appointed him our high priest; his call is in due and proper form in accordance with the eternal counsel of God, and certified to by the oath of God himself. And it is the “glory” of Christ to be made an high priest for us. Shall the arrangement which God has made fail of its purpose? Does not our faith rest on a firm foundation? Do you think that Christ can fail to discharge with honor the duties of his office? Must not our salvation be a matter of the highest concern to God, since his Son, the only begotten, regards it as his glory to be our high priest? Our salvation rests on so sure a foundation that the gates of death are powerless against it; and the heaven prepared for us, our salvation and glory, is high above the devil’s reach. Our high priest has performed his whole office and brought the sacrifice which was necessary as an atonement for our sin. As he had taken upon himself to be at once the sacrificing priest and the lamb to be sacrificed, he could not fail to make complete satisfaction for our sin; and there was not the slightest abatement of the claim, although he is the only begotten Son of the Father. He willingly charged himself with the duty of satisfying every demand of strict justice, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. There never was any disobedience in him; and yet he learned through his suffering what it is to be obedient; he stood the test of obedience, experienced the sensation of obedience, and received the reward of obedience, which is victory over death and entrance into glory. And now he is our high priest at the right hand of the Father, and is, both by reason of his humiliation and by reason of his exaltation, the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him. For it is by reason of the suffering which he has undergone and the blood which he has shed as a sacrifice, and which he offers to God for our benefit, that we are justified and have continual and full forgiveness of sin. To obey him, however, means, above all things else, to believe in him. Bow your heart by the grace of the Spirit in submission to this word of truth, that the very Son of God is your high priest, who saves you by his blood; then you are obedient to him. Hereto we exhort and admonish one another. O, that you would obey him, who for your sake was obedient unto death! He was obedient and willing to accept the wrath of God, and you are not even obedient and willing to accept his grace! If the bridge were unsafe on which we are trying to lead you, you might decline to go even to heaven; but it is in fact built on the firm foundation of God’s eternal decree, and on the office and the completed work of the Son.
Give us, O God, the light and the strength of thy Holy Spirit, that we may believe. Bend our will and intellect to sincere obedience in faith, that we may build on the strong rock of our salvation, the obedience of thy Son in suffering unto death. Amen.
Bold shall I stand in that great day, For who aught to my charge shall lay? Fully through thee absolved I am From sin and fear, from guilt and shame!
And when the dead shall hear thy voice, Thy banished children shall rejoice; Their beauty this, their glorious dress, — Jesus, thy blood and righteousness. [TLH 371; LSB 563]
Lord, instruct us in the word of thy righteousness. Amen.
Philippians 3, 7-11. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
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If you, also, know the Lord Jesus Christ, and know that you have in truth been justified by faith in him, you must learn more and more to prize and praise the excellency of this knowledge. It is counted as having but little value by many in our times; even by many who have made a beginning in the true knowledge of it. When an apostle of infidelity parades his would-be-wise theories, they are at once ready to discard Christ and the gospel, faith and the righteousness which is of faith, the death and the life of the Son of God, with everything that can save from sin and Satan; and in its place they take up with some false and shallow ideas about their own wisdom and virtue, which end in hopelessness and despair. Paul learned to prize the grace of God in Christ more highly from day to day; and indeed it could not be otherwise, as he was all the time coming into closer fellowship with the Lord. A true scientist who studies the works of God in nature does not tire of it, but rejoices in every new discovery of new depths in the wisdom of God. Now, in Christ are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge; in him are found the deep sources of life, the divine flood of love and righteousness. And the glorious feature of it is this, that in finding them we find exactly what the heart needs, true peace and the treasures of eternal bliss. Should not Paul, and we with him, zealously study these things, into which even the angels desire to look?
My own virtue from childhood is so absolutely worthless as a means of acquiring righteousness, and is such a paltry nothing in comparison with the merit of Christ, which he gives me precisely as though it were my own, that with Paul I do count all mine own righteousness but dung, and throw it away as foul uncleanness. Such a statement offends our reason and pride, and the whole world rises in revolt against it; but it is true for all that. My own righteousness is indeed filth, and I must throw it away. My whole heart follows after, if that I may be found in Christ, and in the righteousness which is of faith. Paul could not be without him. It is only in the power of Christ’s resurrection that I can live the life of love; it is only in the fellowship of his sufferings that I am purified and made fit to dwell in the holy city. Jesus is my wisdom, my righteousness, my sanctification, my redemption. He is all this; he and none other. In myself I am altogether unrighteous and wretched; but in him I am righteous and blest. Shall not the truth be the truth? I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. I live unto him who loved me, and gave himself for me. — Blessed be thou, Lord Jesus, who didst give me thy righteousness, and didst receive me into the fellowship of thy death and thy life. Let everything die in me which is not of thee, and let nothing but thy righteousness and love live in me. Sanctify me thereby wholly in spirit and soul and body, and let me be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord. Amen.*
O love, how cheering is thy ray! All pain before thy presence flies: Care, anguish, sorrow, melt away, Where’er thy healing beams arise. O Jesus, nothing may I see, Nothing desire or seek but thee!
From all eternity, with love Unchangeable thou hast me viewed; Ere knew this beating heart to move, Thy tender mercies me pursued. Ever with me may they abide, And close me in on every side.
[TLH 349 (listen here); or LSB 683; or ELH 372 (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.
Lord, open our eyes to see that which thou hast given us in thy gospel. Amen.
Romans 1, 16. 17. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation, to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
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There is no doubt that a time is near at hand in which the masses and the wise men of the world will oppress the church and revile the gospel as never before, and make it a shame to confess the faith. Then we shall learn to understand the words of Paul, in Romans 10: “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Besides, it is always the case, for that matter, that we are prone to be ashamed of the gospel; for it takes away every merit of ours; and, furthermore, Christ and his kingdom are in no wise glorious in the eyes of the world, but are unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness. Then the question is whether or not “the righteousness of God” is regarded by us as a matter of grave importance. If we understand that on it hinges our eternal fate, everlasting life or everlasting death, and that the gospel alone can save our soul, we overcome the feeling of shame, and esteem it an honor to suffer reproach with Christ. — None but the righteous are able to stand before the righteous God; where shall we, who are unrighteous, secure the righteousness which will satisfy his demands? “That is easy enough,” says the world; “I do in all things as well as I can, and God can ask no more of me. It would be foolish to worry on account of our sins when we do the best we can.” If this be so, then were Paul and Peter fools, to be consumed with anxiety for the safety of their fellows. And what shall we say of God’s own Son, who suffered unutterable agony and the most bitter of deaths, in order that he might acquire righteousness for us? It seems plain that Paul made no mistake when he declared that the foolishness of God is wiser than the wisdom of men. — Righteousness before God is not of our works, but of faith; it is a righteousness by faith alone. In other words, it is the atonement of Jesus Christ, which he brought about by his obedience, and which becomes ours when we believe; it is not a demand of God on us, but a gift of God to us. As it is a righteousness of faith only, and has no existence in us apart from faith; as it depends entirely on faith, and not on works, and belongs to the dispensation of faith, not the dispensation of the law, — therefore the apostle calls it “the righteousness of God from faith.” Then again, it is a righteousness “to faith.” For it is a gift to faith; to them that believe through the light and instruction of the gospel. The word creates faith in the heart, the faith which receives Christ and his righteousness, and by which man is justified and enabled to stand before God. Luther relates that he had gone through a long struggle in order to become righteous; he had fasted and prayed and almost destroyed his own life in hopes of finding peace; but it was all in vain. Then the Spirit of God taught him the meaning of this passage: “The just shall live by faith;” and he felt the pulsation of a new life in his heart. Then he understood that the righteousness which is valid before God is a gift of the grace of God in Christ, and is imputed freely to all poor sinners who believe, and that hence it is wholly and solely “from faith to faith.” “Then I at once felt that I had been born again, and had found an open door to paradise; and I now took an entirely new view of the precious word of God. While I had, in fact, hated the term ‘God’s righteousness,’ it now became the greatest pride and joy and comfort of my heart; and to me this passage from Saint Paul became in very truth the gate to paradise.” Luther is, to be sure, beyond question the greatest man who has trod the scene of history since the days of the apostles; but he is, of course, regarded as the merest tyro by the wise men of our times!
Help us, O God, to know sin and righteousness, death and life. Give us true faith, that we may never be ashamed of the gospel of Christ. Amen.
Thou sacred ardor, comfort sweet, Help us to wait with ready feet And willing heart at thy command, Nor trial fright us from thy band.
Lord, may thy power prepare each heart, To our weak nature strength impart, That as good warriors we may force, Thro’ life and death, to thee our course!
Lord Jesus, allow us once more to hear thee pray for us. Amen.
John 17, 20-26. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.
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This text is so beautiful, and its every word so precious, that we should keep it in our innermost heart, and rejoice in it as in a priceless treasure. Jesus prays for us also, who now live and believe in him; and in the Father and the Son we are one with his apostles and with all the saints. The love with which the Father is in the Son and the Son in the Father, is in us also; and thus we are in the Son and in the Father together with all them that believe. How blessed a truth this is! “The glory which thou gavest me I have given them.” Note this: He has given us the glory which the Father gave him. By reason of the fall in Adam we lost the glory of God; but we have found it again; found, indeed, more than we lost. For the glory which the Son received from the Father he has given us. We have it already, though we do not see it; we do not need to see it, since Jesus has said it. — Let me ponder this: Jesus has given me, a poor worm and a wretched sinner, the glory which the Father gave him! Is it not merely a dream? Jesus in us, even as the Father in him! Even though it be supported by no evidence whatever in myself, I have his word for it; and that is sufficient to dispel every dark doubt. In his early childhood Jesus himself was unconscious of his glory; and yet, was he not even then the Lord of glory? But now we have already begun to feel in our hearts this divine glory. We know of a certainty that Jesus loves us, and we know that we love him in return; we long after him, rejoice in him, grieve because of our sins against him, serve him, trust in him, live in him. There is in us a holy life of love, which is not of the flesh, but of God; we love the brethren, and have pity on our enemies. Is not this the image and glory of God in Christ Jesus? What is it, indeed, but that very love of which John says: “God is love; and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him.” Therefore Jesus also says in our text: “Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me; for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.” When we reach the home to which he is gone before us, and see that which we now believe, this glory in us shall become perfect. Then we shall become like him, and look into this mystery which now is but faintly reflected in our love toward the brethren: into this depth of mercy, that the Father has loved us, as he has loved his only begotten Son. Incredible as it seems, this is what Jesus says: “Thou hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.”
My God, what shall I say of this? I believe, and worship, and live of this love. Lord Jesus, have mercy on thy people; there are contentions and factions among those who are to be one in thee. Unite in thyself as many of us as believe in thee. Let thy love knit us together and make us one in heart. Let our whole life be love. This we ardently desire. Lord Jesus, let the love with which the Father loved thee be in us; and be thou in us, thy poor, unworthy brethren, for whom thou didst pay so great a price. Amen.
Praise to God, immortal praise, For the love that crowns our days! Bounteous source of every joy, Let thy praise our tongues employ. All to thee, our God, we owe, Source whence all our blessings flow.
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Lord Jesus, give us grace to hear thy most holy words to the Father, in that thou dost pray for us. Amen.
John 17, 11-19. And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
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The Father is holy; he is exalted above all creatures, and there is in him no trace whatever of the impurity of the fallen world. The Son is one with the Father, and is equally holy; as is also the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Ghost. That which is to have communion with God must be holy; without holiness none can enjoy the bliss which God gives. Therefore the faithful must be chosen out of the world, sanctified to the Lord, cleansed by the Spirit, and kept unspotted in the purity of Jesus. In order that this may come to pass, Jesus consecrated himself for us; that is, gave himself as a sacrificial lamb for our sins. To sanctify a thing to the Lord God means to set it apart, to give it and dedicate it as a sacrifice to him; as was done in the case of the priests and the sacrifices in the Old Testament. (Exodus 29. Leviticus 22). Jesus consecrated himself for us; surrendered himself wholly to God as a sacrifice and high priest for us. He laid down his life for us, thus making his whole life and his death, his holy will and obedience and work and suffering, ours. Of his own free will he delivered himself up to death in our stead. “This is that by means of which we are made holy: That he hallowed himself for us. It is a truth whose value is beyond all price. Briefly stated, it means that Christ is our priest and mediator, that on the cross he sacrificed himself to God the Father, and that by this sacrifice we are reconciled with God and have salvation. This is our chief article of faith and the source of all our comfort and riches as Christians.” By this means they that are one with Christ are holy, even as he is holy; they no longer are of the world, but are separated from its sin, and consecrated to be kings and priests before God. This separation from sin and the world is something widely different from that which is affected by pharisaical self-righteousness while the heart is full of egotism and the things of this world. Jesus does not take his disciples out of the world before the time appointed of the Father; but he takes possession of their heart, and sends them out into the world to bear witness concerning him, and to consecrate themselves to the work of extending his kingdom. He prays to the Father that the word of truth, which contains and brings his self-sacrificing love, the power of his life and death, may so entirely fill their souls that they may be sanctified, and willingly give themselves as an offering to God, and die from all sin. And as he prays, so it is in truth with them that believe in Jesus. — Blessed are they who through the word and faith are one in God! Blessed are they when the world hates them and casts them off, blessed in their sufferings, blessed in their death! Heavenly Father, may we be of those whom thy Son didst receive from thee! Do not suffer us to reject thy mercy by loving sin, thus rushing headlong into perdition. Holy Father, sanctify us by the word, in the fellowship of Jesus, to thy service; make us to understand the full meaning of his passion and resurrection, that our whole life, our will and desire and all that is in us, may be devoted to thee. Draw our hearts to thee, that we may hate even the garment spotted by the flesh, and that we may not tolerate any sin in ourselves. We earnestly beseech thee in the name of Jesus: Sanctify us through thy truth; thy word is truth. Amen.
Holy Spirit, strong and mighty, Thou who makest all things new, Make thy work within me perfect, Help me by thy word so true, Arm me with that sword of thine, And the victory shall be mine.
Come, heavenly Comforter, and explain to us the words of Jesus. Amen.
Gospel Lesson, John 16, 5-15. But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou? But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart. Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
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Be not sorrowful because that Jesus is gone to the Father, and that we no more see him. Let it make you glad. For by his going through death and resurrection he has taken away our sins, won for us a righteousness entirely valid before God, and overcome the devil. From his place at the right hand of the Father he sends the Holy Spirit, who guides us into all truth, and who reproves the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment. — In these last words the way of life is mapped out. The Comforter reproves the world of sin, because they believe not on Jesus. For the Savior has taken upon himself all the sin of the world; and hence the want of faith in him becomes the one sin which condemns. Unbelief is the sin which causes all other sins to be again imputed to the sinner. He that does not believe in Jesus despises the only means by which sin can be taken away, the Son of God, namely; together with his work of atonement. To show us this truth, to crush our hearts and make them penitent, is the work of the Spirit, without enlightenment by whom none can know the sin of unbelief. — Secondly, the Comforter reproves the world of righteousness; which righteousness consists therein, that Jesus is gone to the Father, and we see him no more. The obedience of Jesus, his suffering, his death, his resurrection; these, and nothing else, are the righteousness which suffices before God. Not that which the Spirit works in us, but that which Christ has done for us; not that which we can see and feel, but the going away of the invisible Savior to the Father, is the righteousness of the saints. We note two things in this connection; in the first place, that no work of man, but Christ alone, is our righteousness before God; and, secondly, that this righteousness is to be believed without being seen and felt; nay, in direct contradiction of that which is felt. At the very time when we feel nothing but sin and misery, the Spirit convinces us that we are justified before God through him who now is at the right hand of the Father, and who makes intercession for us. — Finally, the Spirit reproves, or convicts, the world of judgment; that is, that the prince of this world is judged. The devil lies when he represents to our conscience that, by reason of our sin, he still has some title to us, or power over us; for he is judged, and has lost this title and power. But he that will yet serve the devil is judged with him. He that chooses the devil as his master is with him under the judgment. This work of conviction was begun by the Comforter at the time of Pentecost, and he continues it until the end of time. He has overcome me with his truth, and by the persuasive power of his love he has forced conviction upon me. The world denies both sin and righteousness; but the word of God chastens me, and makes me to know my sin every day, and to believe his forgiveness. I am forced to be silent before him, and to surrender myself; and this chastening and victorious power of the Comforter over my soul through the gospel of Jesus is my blessed release from the bondage of the law and the flesh; for which reason I unceasingly pray him to bring my every thought and my whole soul into captivity to the obedience of Christ.
Holy Spirit, speak without ceasing to me and in me. Shew me the enormity of the sin of unbelief, and the perfect sufficiency of the righteousness of grace; and make me courageous in the war of the cross against the condemned prince of the world. Amen.
Come, Holy Spirit, heavenly dove, With all thy quickening powers; Kindle a flame of sacred love In these cold hearts of ours.
See how we grovel here below, Fond of these earthly toys; Our souls, how heavily they go, To reach eternal joys!
209. Fourth Sunday after Easter. II.
Lord, give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart. Amen.
Epistle Lesson, James 1, 17-21. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word which is able to save your souls.
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There comes no evil from the Lord our God. All that is from above is good and perfect, bright and pure. As everything which God did at the creation was very good, so is that which he now does altogether good. There is no variableness in the Father of lights. By reason of sin there is in nature a constant alternation of day and night, light and darkness. The sun rises and sets; but the countenance of God remains unchanged above us, shining with a brilliancy in which there is no variation. Whether it is to be our salvation or our doom will depend on the manner in which we receive it. He has given to us all his only Son, who is himself light and life; and with him he has given us all good things. Among these glorious gifts in Christ the greatest is the word and grace of regeneration; for by this the soul is translated from the kingdom of darkness to the fellowship of Christ, and is brought to life from the dead. It was according to the perfectly free counsel of his own good will in Christ that he begat us anew with the word of truth. We have not chosen him, but he has chosen us; he caused his word to come home to our hearts, received us into his favor and made us his children, and created the new life in us. The congregation of the regenerated children of God is to him a kind of firstfruits of all his creatures; it is his treasure which he holds dear above all other creatures, visible and invisible. Even as the husbandman takes greater pleasure in the first fruit of the season than in the later harvest, so God holds his Son’s bride more dear than he does his other creatures. For that which the Holy Spirit has wrought in the hearts of the faithful is God’s most excellent and marvelous work. — As the word is the instrument used by the Spirit in bringing about this wonderful miracle, the regeneration of the human heart, so it also is the means employed by the Spirit for the preservation and growth of the new life. Let us, therefore, hear the word with willing soul, and keep it faithfully in the heart. O, that each of us might be especially swift to hear the word of God! Let none be slothful and slow to hear when the Lord speaks; and let every man be careful to avoid all those things which might interfere with the work of God in him. Otherwise we prevent the Spirit from making us partakers of the good and perfect gifts of God; and we miss some of those sunbeams of mercy of which we, especially in this cold age, stand in sore need. Wrath disturbs the mind, and makes it impossible for the word to dispel the darkness; “all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness” covers the soul with slime, which shuts out the light of God’s countenance in his word. But a Christian who keeps careful watch over himself, who in patience resists temptation, and who walks his way with meekness, can receive and keep the word, that it may perfect the good work which it has begun in him. Then the end shall be the salvation of the soul and an eternal thanksgiving in our long home in heaven with the Father of lights.
Lord, make us swift to hear thy word. Grant that we may become its willing doers; and give us thereby more light and life in our souls from day to day, until we see thee face to face. Amen.
God’s word a treasure is to me, Through sorrow’s night my sun shall be, To faith a sword in battle; The Father’s hand hath written there My title as his child and heir, “The kingdom’s thine forever;” That promise faileth never.
Lord Jesus, grant us again the mercy, that we may hear thee pray. Amen.
John 17, 6-11. I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me. I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them. And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.
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Jesus here prays for us, his disciples; not for the world. To be sure, he prays for the world also, but not in this particular prayer. For there is an immense difference between the disciples of Jesus and the children of the world. The former are the Father’s especial gift to the Son. Jesus says: “Thou gavest me them; thine they were, and thou gavest them me.” Not until we are in heaven shall we fully understand exactly what is meant by this, that they were the Father’s, and that he gave them to the Son; but even now we understand at least this much, that it is something unutterably precious and great. The disciples of Jesus are, then, chosen and set aside from the world. When the children of the world hear the word concerning the Father and the Son their souls are enveloped in darkness, and they do not understand what they hear. The disciples of Jesus, on the other hand, grasp the truth in their hearts, and keep it. It has become clear and sure to them that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world; and they see the love which is herein revealed. They believe and confess that the Son is one with the Father; that in Christ the heart of God lies open before us; that Christ is the living way by which we have free access to the Father. These disciples of Christ are his dearly beloved treasures and the children of the Father. As the Father gave them to the Son, so they are again, through the Son, become the Father’s own; “for all mine are thine, and thine are mine.” For us, what infinite happiness and glory! And this grace belongs not only to the first disciples, but to all believers. For, in verse 20, Jesus says: “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word.” In consequence, the Father and Son are unspeakably great, glorious, and precious to them that believe. The election of the faithful, their redemption, the love of the Father and the intercession of Christ for them, the light of the word and the gracious gift of faith; — all these things are more precious to the believers than gold to the miser; they rejoice in it, but at the same time it humbles their hearts as they remember that they are entirely unworthy to receive this great mercy. — What divine goodness in the care with which Jesus guards his disciples! “I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.” This the Father will surely do; he has always heard the prayers of his Son. Hallelujah!
We thank thee for thy prayer, and for all things, Lord Jesus. We thank thee, heavenly Father, for thy unspeakably great gift. Blessed be the Holy Trinity forever and ever! Amen.
Thou who art three in unity, True God from all eternity, Though daylight vanish into night, Yet shines on us thy heavenly light.
We praise thee with the dawning day, To thee at eve for mercy pray; With our poor song we worship thee Now, ever, and eternally.
Let God the Father be adored, And God the Son, the only Lord, And God the Holy Spirit be Adored through all eternity.
Lord, let thy words chasten and humble us, and bring us to our knees before thy throne of grace. Amen.
Isaiah 55, 6-7. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him: and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
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Let these words ring in our hearts today, that we may keep them, follow them, and never more forget them: “Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near.” It is the voice of his love calling to us; hear it, and it will draw your heart to him. When he says to us that we are to seek him, his word gives us power to do it; by virtue of this word we are then able to seek him, and to find him. He goes to meet you, and he gives you grace to come to meet him. Do not neglect it, and do not let the devil hold you bound with his fetters, from which the word of God sets you free. Call on the Lord while he is near. He it is who inspires you to pray. Today, as you hear this, there is a prayer to God in your soul; do not suppress it, but call upon him; he expects you, and has inclined his ear to you! You have many things about which to speak with him. You went astray in your youth, and walked without God. You went farther and farther, farther and farther, away from him. But he did not lose sight of you, nor did he forget you. He called to you many a time and oft, but you would not hear. Now he again calls out to you: Thou wicked man, forsake thy way, and return unto me! You are wicked as long as your heart flees from God. The depraved and vicious are not the only ones who are wicked; the term here includes all who love the world. Your way leads to eternal perdition; repent, therefore, and return unto the Lord! Do this for Jesus’ sake; for his sake who died for you and reconciled you with God! Do not postpone it, but turn to the Lord now; go to him, and ask him to have mercy on you! Do it at once; for now he is near! Surely, you feel that you should do it. See how near he is; for this is his voice calling you to come. He will have mercy, and will abundantly pardon; you receive forgiveness for all your wickedness; he takes away your guilt; he teaches you to lay it where he has laid it; namely, on the Lamb; that you may be free and happy. The only thing required is that you return to him. If you do not turn to him, you are lost; your wickedness will carry you down to hell, whether you laugh and mock or no. Your conscience tells you that you are a miserable wretch and a fool, with your hardness and impenitent heart, as long as you remain a slave of Satan; and you understand that you are treasuring up unto yourself wrath against the day of wrath and the revelation of the righteous judgment of God. You have no excuse for continuing in your unrighteousness; for you may begin to seek the Lord; he draws you.
Lord, turn thou us, and we shall be turned! Draw us to thee, and do not let us go. We deplore and confess our wickedness; do thou have mercy on us, and pardon us, and lead us in the paths of righteousness for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
A broken heart, my God, my king! Is all the sacrifice I bring: But thou, O Lord, wilt ne’er despise A broken heart for sacrifice.
Then will I teach the world thy ways; Sinners shall learn thy sov’reign grace; I’ll lead them to my Savior’s blood, And they shall praise a pardoning God.
206. Day of Common Prayer. II.
Lord, let thy word turn our hearts to obedience toward thee. Amen.
Matthew 3, 8-10. Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
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Do not neglect to do sincere penance this very day; and let your life be evidence that you have turned to the Lord. Let none imagine that he is a Christian, merely because he belongs to a so-called Christian people, or because he uses the word of God and the sacraments, and leads a decent life. Neither must any comfort himself with the reflection that he did repent once upon a time, and that he no longer follows the multitude, but is one of the little flock. The Pharisees were very careful and exact in the observance of their worship and ordinances; but of true piety there was none whatever in their hearts. Do you bring forth fruits meet for repentance? Do you live in sincere humility, living faith, and true sanctification? Is Jesus your life, and do you walk honestly before your God? Do you practice self-denial and charity? We will not ask if you are perfect in these things; but we do ask in all earnestness if you live every day in genuine repentance, if you are a new creature in Christ, and if you press on toward perfection. Even the true Christians are deplorably weak; but they daily confess their sin with penitent heart, and pray for mercy. Many unregenerate persons, on the other hand, foolishly try to solace themselves with the infirmities of the Christians; and commit sin, in order that grace may the more abound. There is an immeasurable distance, however, between the upright man of the world and the weak Christian. The hearts of the unregenerate are strangers to God. They do not seek Jesus with heart-felt longing; for they neither know their sin nor feel their wretchedness. They love and seek their own, and mind the earthly things. The Christians, on the other hand, turn continually to God, seek him with sincere hearts, and strive all the time to live as he would have them live. They feel and regret their sin, and their only hope is the grace of God in Christ. Do not imagine that this is a matter of little importance. If you are a barren tree, the ax is laid to the root, and you shall be hewn down, and cast into the fire. The withered branches of the vine can neither bear fruit, nor have any value as building material; they are good for nothing but to serve as fuel. Repent, then; turn over a new leaf, and become a new man! O, that we might be able to impress on ourselves with all the emphasis which the gravity of the subject demands, how absolutely necessary this is! Do not postpone this; hear and follow the Lord’s call now, today!
Ye believers, humble yourselves and do penance, one and all, for your own sins and for the sins of the church; and let it be seen in your lives that you have today had an audience with the Lord. Live hereafter, with greater care than heretofore, irreproachable and pure lives as God’s blameless children in the midst of the wicked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world. Let us all make this day a day of repentance! Let us all together prostrate ourselves before the throne of grace with sincere confession of our sins and earnest appeals for mercy! Give us to this end the power of thy Spirit, merciful God. Grant that we may bring forth fruits meet for repentance, to the glory of thy name and to the salvation of our souls. Amen.
Hasten, sinners, to be wise, Stay not for the morrow’s sun; Wisdom if thou still despise, Harder is it to be won.
Hasten mercy to implore, Stay not for the morrow’s sun, Lest thy season should be o’er Ere this evening’s stage be run.
Lord Jesus, show us this great favor that we may hear thee pray. Amen.
John 17, 1-5. These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. And this is the life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self, with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
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This Bible lesson is the first part of the pontifical prayer of Jesus; and there is nothing in the whole Bible which, for simplicity and depth, is more marvelous than this prayer.
In these five verses Jesus himself prays as the Savior of the world; that the Father will glorify him, in order that he may glorify the Father, and may give eternal life to all them whom the Father has given him. The hour was come; he was to suffer death, in order that he might be glorified, and that he might glorify the Father, and give us eternal life. He had power to lay down his life, and power to take it again. Herein is revealed the eternal, wise, and loving counsel of the holy Trinity in respect to the world; here we are met by a glory so overwhelming, and at the same time so gentle and gracious, that it melts the heart; here are righteousness and wisdom, and above all, love, so mighty that they draw unto themselves all whose eyes have been enlightened by the Spirit. “And this is life eternal.” He that knows the one true God, who is revealed on earth by his only begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ; he that knows the Father and the Son through the coming, the passion, the death, and the victory of the Son; knows him as a result of being enlightened by the Spirit, whom the Son after his ascension sends from the Father; he that knows God in such a way that the knowledge fills his heart, or that he knows him with the knowledge of love, even as the Son knows the Father; — he has life eternal. Love, which is stronger than death, is come to him, into his heart; he lives in Jesus, and Jesus in him. This is life eternal, and this only; but this is, in very truth, eternal life, “that they know thee — know thee, the only true God — the only — only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” How unutterably important is this! This, and this only, is life eternal, everlasting life. In order to give us this life, and thereby honor the Father, Jesus must through death enter into his glory; and this he wishes to do, and for this he prays. He is willing to accept this as a gift from the Father, though he is the only begotten Son, and as such had this glory before the world was. What a marvelous prayer this is! When we hear it every fiber in us is stirred to worship and thank him.
Blessed be thou, Lord Jesus, who didst renounce the use of thy glory, and didst pray the Father to glorify thee through the suffering of death, in order to translate us from death to life. Thou seest that we as yet understand but little of the depth and height of this truth; but give us, we pray thee, thy Holy Spirit, and shew us the Father, that we may in truth be possessors of life eternal. May we know thy love, which passeth knowledge. Glorify thyself in us, precious Savior; and glorify us with thee, that we in heaven may praise thy glory forever and ever. Amen.
Jesus, priceless treasure, Source of purest pleasure, Truest friend to me: Long my heart hath panted Till it well-nigh fainted, Thirsting after thee. Thine I am, O spotless lamb! I will suffer naught to hide thee, Ask for naught beside thee.
In thine arms I rest me, Foes who would molest me Cannot reach me here; Though the earth be shaking, Every heart be quaking, Jesus calms my fear; Sin and hell, in conflict fell, With their heaviest storms assail me, Jesus will not fail me.
Lord, make us glad with the comfort of thy word. Amen.
Psalm 126. When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them. The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad. Turn again our captivity, O Lord, as the streams in the south. They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.
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The people of Israel had been delivered out of their Babylonian captivity; and though they had believed the promise and expected its fulfillment, their deliverance came to them in the nature of a surprise, and seemed to them such a glorious thing altogether that they were beside themselves with wonder and delight. But captivity and affliction again came upon them, as we read in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. Now their cry once more is: “Turn again our captivity, O Lord, as the streams in the south.” The heart of the psalmist is full of hope. The sower sows his seed with sweat and labor; there is a long drouth; the seed and the labor seem to have been wasted; the heart is held in suspense between hope and fear; the tears flow. O God, send rain, send rain from on high! And are we, then, after all, to have a bountiful harvest? Yes; the seed that is sown with sweat and tears shall be reaped with exultation and songs of joy. — This is the common experience of God’s people, of the individual Christian, and of the Lord’s church. Here on earth captivity and deliverance, lamentation and songs of joy, alternate; but they are followed at last by eternal bliss. — The Lord hath done great things for us. He has converted us, delivered us out of captivity, released us from the bondage of sin, and led us into the Canaan of his grace. What a change! What a wondrous change to be turned from death to life, from the power of Satan to God! We say with our whole heart: “The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.” However, there still are drawn swords round about us. And what is the situation now? The windows of heaven seem to be closed above the land. There falls no rain; the soul is parched with thirst in the fiery heat of spiritual trials. “I once was in the state of grace, was a child of God, tasted his life, lived in his love, had peace and joy, served the Lord willingly and hopefully. Now, alas, this happiness has fled. Again I am in captivity and sore trouble; the streams have run dry, the earth is parched, the seed dies.” Thus sounds the complaint; but even in this there is hope and prayer, because the faithful Holy Spirit has not permitted the heart to sever itself from the word of God. Be of good cheer, dear friend, and fear not; you shall surely come again with rejoicing, bringing your sheaves with you. You long, and you pray; which proves that there is faith in your heart. And the Lord is the God who works wonders. The tears of faith always yield at last a bountiful harvest of joy. This never fails.
How long, O Lord, how long? Thou seest how I am assailed by unbelief. Have mercy, and turn again our captivity as the streams in the desert. Lord, may it please thee to do it quickly. Amen.
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, But trust him for his grace; Behind a frowning providence He hides a smiling face.
His purposes will ripen fast, Unfolding every hour; The bud may have a bitter taste, But sweet will be the flower.
Blind unbelief is sure to err And scan his work in vain; God is his own interpreter, And he will make it plain.
Lord Jesus, let thy word today kindle and strengthen faith in thee in our hearts. Amen.
John 14, 7-13. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
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Here we again have the assurance from his own lips that he is true God, one with the Father. “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father. Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me.” How could he speak thus, were he not one with the Father, true and eternal God? If Jesus Christ be the truthful teacher, he just as certainly is the true God. For he declares it in language which admits of no dispute; and it must be true, or he would be a liar. But in the latter case, how could he at the same time be the greatest of the world’s wise teachers, as he is conceded to be even by the adherents of infidelity? And what explanation could be offered of the works which he did? How would you explain the wonders which he wrought in his disciples after his death and resurrection? It cannot be denied that his disciples, after his ascension, did works which are greater than all that he did in his state of humiliation. During his life on earth he went about in Judea, and healed the sick, and raised the dead, and preached the word of life. These were works which proved that he was in the Father, and the Father in him. But since that time he has, through his disciples, created the world anew, and changed the whole form of the earth. From his place at the right hand of the Father he has sent the Holy Ghost, and has equipped his witnesses with power and grace to convert thousands, nay countless souls, and rescue them from death and the devil. How could the poor, unlearned, terrified and timid disciples have accomplished such results, if he had remained dead, and they had been left dependent on their own resources? It is impossible. The existence of the church, the life that it has lived and the deeds that it has done, are so conclusive of the divinity and resurrection of Christ, that he must indeed be stone blind who does not see that Christ is the Son of God, and that he hears the prayers of the faithful. He says that himself will do whatsoever we shall ask of the Father in his name. Every word is evidence that he speaks in the consciousness of being one with the Father. — How blessed are we who have so great and mighty a Savior! He has given us glorious promises, and he is able to fulfill them. Away with unbelief, the accursed lie!
Lord Jesus, thou true God; give us grace to believe in thee, and to pray with all confidence, nothing doubting. Give us the assurance of the Spirit in our hearts, for thy name’s sake. Amen.
Approach, my soul, the mercy-seat, Where Jesus answers prayer; There humbly fall before his feet, For none can perish there.
Thy promise is my only plea, With this I venture nigh; Thou callest burdened souls to thee, And such, O Lord, am I.
John 14, 1-6. Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
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“In my Father’s house are many mansions.” In other words, there is room enough in heaven for all the friends of Jesus; and each of them shall there receive his own special measure of glory. They shall all be gathered there; and all shall have perfect bliss, but shall not have the same measure of glory. The splendor with which we shall shine in heaven shall be greater or less according to the gifts which we have received of God, and the manner in which we have used them. Some have the brilliance of the diamond, others of the ruby, and still others of the emerald; but all fit beautifully together. There is no envy in heaven, and no discordant note is heard in the song of praise before the throne of the Lamb.
Whosoever believes in Jesus, and continues in faith unto the end, cannot be lost, but must and shall inherit salvation. For the heart of the believer clings to Jesus, and remains where he is; and thus Jesus takes the believer with himself to heaven. The Lord himself has gone through death and overcome it; but he did this for us. Himself is the life and the light which never can be quenched; and this he is for us who believe in him. “I am the way,” he says. He is our bridge from death to life. He has thrown himself into the awful gulf of damnation; and over him we are thus carried home to the Father’s house. “He is the living way, the great current on which the ship freighted with human lives is floated out into the sea of a blessed eternity.” “I am the truth and the life.” It is, therefore, not possible that any who is one with him in heart can be lost. He that has the Son has life already. No death can henceforth destroy him. And is not Jesus, in very truth, your life, your heart’s delight and desire, dear Christian friend? We know the way, then, and have the life; and we are certain that we shall be gathered into the mansions of glory. For “we know that the Son of God is come, and has given us understanding to know the true God; and we are in him, in his Son, Jesus Christ, who is the true God and eternal life.” — On the other hand, “he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” (1 John 5, 12).
We must, then, learn to regard and know the Lord Jesus as the one who always is and remains with us and in us, especially in the hour of death; nay, who is so near to us that he alone is in our heart. This I know when I fully and firmly believe in him as my Savior, who for me has gone through death to the Father, in order that he may receive me unto himself. When I have this faith I am on the right way which leads from this life to the next. For faith clings to Christ. Where he is it must be and remain also; and the stronger the faith is, the more secure do we walk along the way. To walk on the way simply means, then, to have a steadfast faith and to become all the time more fully assured of eternal life in Christ. When I continue in this faith to the end, and death then attacks and overcomes me, and my consciousness is lost, the journey has already been completed, I have reached the goal, and I begin the new life in the world to come.
— Martin Luther
Lord Jesus, help us to hold thee fast in faith, and not to know anything unto salvation save thee crucified. Amen.
Thou seest my feebleness; Jesus, be thou my power, My help and refuge in distress, My fortress and my tower.
Myself I cannot save, Myself I cannot keep; But strength in thee I surely have, Whose eyelids never sleep.
Lord, teach us to understand that which thou shalt speak to us this day. Amen.
Gospel Lesson, John 16, 16-22. A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father. Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father? They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith. Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them, Do ye inquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me? Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world. And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.
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“A little while; and again a little while.” Our gospel lesson uses these words several times, and then concludes by making mention of a joy which shall be without end. In our present life we are happy one hour and sad the next. But in the midst of the rapidly shifting joys and sorrows of this life there gushes forth for the disciples of Jesus a current of joy which grows ever greater and stronger, and flows on through all eternity. — “A little while, and ye shall not see me.” This sounded strange and harsh in the ears of them to whom it was addressed. In the beginning of our discipleship we feel little else than the joy and wonder of walking with the Lord. He speaks to us of tribulations; but we do not understand, and we turn a deaf ear to him. Now, this cannot last; the mortification of the flesh cannot be an altogether pleasurable sensation. Hours of sadness must come; for we are to become like unto Jesus. He goes away from us, and we are left in loneliness and sorrow. You then blame yourself for your want of vigilance and for your disobedience; and with good reason. Your soul is heavy, your devotion lacks warmth; drowsiness and darkness are upon the heart. To be sure, this is not exactly the unavoidable, but it is the usual experience of the disciples of Jesus. Is, then, the joyous beginning to have this sad end? No, thank God, dear reader; this is not the end. This is only the second “little while.” Whatever may transpire, do you keep together with the brethren, continue to study the word and obey it! I have no doubt that you wish to follow this advice; but I also know that you are tempted to give up hope, and to leave the church and the society of the brethren, which now seem to you to be the home of disappointment. Continue in the congregation of the brethren gathered around the word of God; and the Lord will again let you see him; though after a different manner, for he is dead and risen again. “Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” The first sense of exuberant happiness is gone; but you learn to believe the Lord’s presence, and then you experience that he gives genuine peace and joy and victory over sin. You hold fast the Invisible One as though you saw him; but you do not ask to see, since it is the will of God that here we shall walk in faith; but you do see him with the eye of faith, and your sorrow has been turned into joy. — Nevertheless, do not feel assured that you are henceforth to experience no spiritual travail. The words, “a little while,” are used no less than seven times in our gospel lesson. Whatever it may be your lot to endure, all your troubles combined shall last but “a little while;” soon you see the Lord Jesus face to face in eternal glory. “Ye shall be sorrowful, and ye shall weep and lament.” Thus saith the Lord to his disciples. The statement is grave and impressive, yet there is comfort in it; for he adds: “Your sorrow shall be turned into joy.” On the other hand, when he says that “the world shall rejoice,” there is nothing but darkness and terror; for the joy of which he speaks shall last but a little while, and then be turned into endless lamentation.
Lord my God, I long for the blessed happiness of peace; I cry out for that peace which thy children enjoy, whom thou dost illumine with thy words of comfort. If it please thee to give me peace and to pour joy into my heart, the soul of thy servant shall be filled with song; and shall praise thy name with warm devotion. But if thou withdraw thy presence, as thou ofttimes dost, thy servant is too weak to follow after thee; he can but fall on his knees and beat his breast; — for his heart is not as it was yesterday, when thy light shone above his head, and he was sheltered under the shadow of thy wings against all the temptations that assailed him. When thy friend suffers afflictions in the world it is one of the mercies which he receives from thy hand, no matter how great the measure of his affliction may be. Nothing happens on earth without thy counsel and thy prescience. It is expedient for me that thou dost humble me, in order that I may know that thy judgments are righteous, and that I may cast out of the heart all pride and conceit.
— Thomas à Kempis
Lord Jesus, may thy Spirit support us in our faith and make us to understand that it is but for a little while that we do not see thee. Make us to rejoice in hope, to be patient in tribulation, continuing instant in prayer; grant us constancy, and make us partakers with thee in eternal bliss. Amen.
O mighty rock! O source of life, Let thy dear word, ’mid doubt and strife, Be so within us burning, That we be faithful unto death In thy pure love and holy faith, From thee true wisdom learning. Lord, thy graces on us shower! Be thy power Christ confessing, Let us win his grace and blessing.
200. Third Sunday after Easter. II.
Give us, O God, the spirit of true liberty and obedience. Amen.
Epistle Lesson, 1 Peter 2, 11-20. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; Having your conversation honest among the gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king as supreme; or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king. Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.
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You that believe in the Lord Jesus are not of the world, but have your true home in heaven; and this should be seen in you during the little while that you sojourn here in a strange land. Your heavenly descent, your saintly way of thinking, the truth and glory of your eternal calling, are to be manifested by saintly conduct in your earthly affairs and duties. While the children of the world strive to gather wealth, it is to be your object to become rich in good works and lay up treasures in heaven. While the spirit of the world causes people to covet power over others, it shall be your ambition that the spirit of Christ may make you submissive, as people who are truly free, and who have power to compel obedience from the rebellious flesh toward the dictates of the spirit. It is more and more becoming the fashion to pride oneself on being superior to governments and magistrates; and this is called “liberty.” The Christians, however, have received power of God to resist the evil spirit of the age, and to submit themselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake. The liberty of those who thirst after power is genuine slavishness and meanness; but the Christian submission to authority, on the other hand, is mastery over oneself and the world, and is true liberty. When the unbelievers deride you, Christian servants, on account of your obedience and respect toward your temporal masters, do you remember that it is Christ, not men, whom you serve; and make it your business to prove by your faithfulness and loyalty that you have learned to master yourselves and the world and the devil. But you will surely fall short and be caught in the world and the toils of the enemy, if you do not diligently and constantly watch and pray; for much grace is required, together with spiritual wisdom and a heavenly mind, in order to resist the alluring spirit of the age. It is, therefore, highly necessary that you take to heart the admonition of the apostle, and that you have the light of God’s Spirit on the affairs of life. Never forget, dearly beloved, that you are strangers and pilgrims on earth; and never forget that you are here to serve the Lord in all things. Seek your glory with him, never on any account with men. Then shall they deride you for his sake, revile you and him; but he shall nevertheless be honored through you, and be glorified in the day of visitation; and you shall be glorified with him.
When thou makest us free, Lord Jesus, we are free indeed. We heartily beseech thee, give us this glorious freedom. Amen.
The powers ordained by thee, With heavenly wisdom bless; May they thy servants be, And rule in righteousness. O Lord, stretch forth thy mighty hand, And guard and bless our fatherland.
Psalm 100. A Psalm of praise. Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness; come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves: we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good, his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.
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Three reasons are here given why we should come before the presence of the Lord with thanksgiving and songs of joy. 1) The Lord our God is the true God; beside him there is no God. He it is whom we shall fear and love and trust with our whole heart. He is Lord of all creation; and the gods of the heathen are nothing. Should not we, then, who know him, make a joyful noise unto him, and let our shouts of joy be heard in all the world? Is it not a great happiness to know the one true God, and to have him for the God of our heart? 2) This great happiness is ours by reason of his mercy alone. “It is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves, to be his people and the sheep of his pasture.” We would have been dwelling as servants in a strange land, filling ourselves with husks as do the swine, if he had not ransomed us and led us into his courts, the holy Christian church. Against our will he dragged us away from the land of lusts with its satanical allurements, and led us onto the green pastures of his mercy. 3) This mercy is everlasting. We enjoy it every moment, we live of his love all the time; and this shall never cease. His mercy is as indispensable to our spiritual and to our physical life as is the air we breathe to our bodies. We live and move and have our being in the love of God; and we can rely on its enduring forever. When we no longer enjoy it in faith we shall enjoy it at the wedding feast of the church in heaven. “Come, then, ye faithful, the Lord’s chosen people; know that the Father is gentle and mild; call him with confidence Abba, your Father; rest in his arms with the faith of a child. Give thanks for the wonderful honor that ye his sons and his daughters forever shall be!”
Proclaim it to all the world with shouts of joy that the Lord he is God, the fount of goodness and of life. Let the good tidings be proclaimed everywhere, in order that all peoples may thank him and bless his name!
O our God, give us this mercy, that we praise thee in this life and in the life to come. Loosen our tongue, that it may give thee thanks; and let thy great and gracious name be known and lauded throughout the world. Amen.
We’ll crowd thy gates with thankful songs, High as the heavens our voices raise; And earth, with her ten thousand tongues, Shall fill thy courts with sounding praise.
Wide as the world is thy command, Vast as eternity thy love; Firm as a rock thy truth must stand, When rolling years shall cease to move.
Isaiah 40, 9-11. O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God! Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd, he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.
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God wants us to lift up our voice and cry out to the world: “Behold your God!” He wants this done, in order that people may wake up and give heed to that which the Lord does. For their sleep is heavy; Satan has hypnotized the souls. But the word of God is mighty to wake them up. Lift up thy voice, thou messenger in Zion; thou servant of the Lord, get thyself up on the heights, and shout to them that dwell on the earth. Fear not; for thou bringest good tidings, better than the message of Jonah to Nineveh. Thou art to announce the victory of the stronger over the strong, and the salvation of the souls by his mighty arm. Jesus has overcome the devil; and behold, here he is with the prize which his victory has secured; that is to say, with life and salvation for us lost sinners. Awake, ye people, and behold him. He has triumphed over death and hell, and now goes onward to extend his kingdom over all the earth. Awake; and you shall find him already at work in your heart on life’s great miracle, your regeneration and sanctification. — He provides with great care for them that belong to him; heals and leads and carries them with the love of the faithful shepherd. The weak and timid lambs he gathers with his arm, and carries in his bosom. Do you hear this, you poor sinner? Your place is in the arm and bosom of the Lord, at the heart of Jesus; there is your place, not under the feet of the devil. — They that serve under Jesus in the church, feeding and caring for his lambs, may count on his special guidance; for it is declared in express words that he “shall gently lead those that are with young.” He provides a glorious heritage for them that are his own, using his great might, in the service of his eternal love, for their salvation. Their names are written in his hands with the nails by which he was fastened to the cross. O, how zealous he is for their salvation! Lift up your voice with strength, and let the good tidings be heard in all the world! Fear not, and be not ashamed; but be partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God.
Lord Jesus, make thy witnesses fearless and zealous, and give them strength to lift up the voice unto the cities of Judah, that they who sleep may be awakened, and that the faithful may be strengthened. We thank thee, our divine Shepherd, for thy love toward us unworthy sinners; and we know that thou wilt, according to thy promise, protect and keep us. Blessed be thy name. Amen.
Let the world despise and leave me; They have left my Savior, too; Human hearts and looks deceive me — Thou art not, like them, untrue. Man may trouble and distress me, ’Twill but drive me to thy breast; Life with trials sore may press me, Heaven will bring me sweeter rest.
Holy Spirit of God, give us ardent love in our hearts. Amen.
1 Peter 5, 1-5. The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder: yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
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They whom God has ordained elders and overseers in the churches, that is to say ministers of the word, shall “feed the flock of God.” This calling of pastor is glorious; but it is one of great responsibility; for they shall render an account of the souls to the Lord, who bought them with his blood. Love is the great prince to whom everything belongs, and to whom all owe allegiance, and love alone can make the true pastor. The hireling has no care for the sheep. If God has ordained us overseers of the flock, and has given us love for his sheep, we are as careful of them as though they were our own. We willingly take the oversight of them, and care for them with joy and delight as for the beloved of Jesus Christ, whom he has bought with a price. If we in faith know his suffering, and in hope know his glory, we love him, and love the souls which he has redeemed with his blood and committed to our care. But how small is the number of the elders who take no thought of worldly gain, but solely of the welfare of the flock; and who in self-denying love gladly sacrifice everything for the eternal weal of the souls committed to their charge! Such pastors are the leaders of the church, not its rulers; they are the servants of God, who has placed them in their office; but they serve the church, and in the work of building it up they consume their strength. They are at the front in every good work, and lead the people in their battle with falsehood and sin; but they regard themselves as being the least of all, and to all they are an example in humility. God give us pastors of this class! At the same time, the congregations are not to sit in supercilious judgment on the pastors whom we have. Let them submit to the elders; for these are ministers in God’s stead. Note that the word of God says: “Submit to the elders,” and “be clothed with humility.” Pray earnestly for one another that you may do this! We have the necessary grace to do so in the word and promises of God. Make use of this grace, and become every day less in your own eyes! This admonition is especially needful in our day. Pride and the desire to be lord over others assail us with more persistence than ever before. Now, let all submit to one another, all to one another! and let all be clothed and adorned with humility! May this admonition be followed, for Jesus’ sake! Thus only can we expect to receive the crown of glory, that fadeth not away. — Give us to this end thy Holy Spirit, merciful God. Pour out the love of Christ into our hearts, and give us his spirit of humility. Amen.
O thou that hear’st when sinners cry, Though all my crimes before thee lie, Behold them not with angry look, But blot their memory from thy book.
O may thy love inspire my tongue; Salvation shall be all my song, And all my powers shall join to bless The Lord, my strength and righteousness.
O Lord God of hosts, cause thy face to shine, and we shall be saved. Amen.
John 10, 23-30. And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon’s porch. Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one.
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Even as all who believe with childlike faith receive light to know the Lord, so we may say, on the other hand, that all who receive light to know Jesus believe in him. We have a Savior who is truth and love itself. If you see him with the eye of the spirit and hear his voice in your heart, he wins your confidence, and you commit yourself into his keeping with trust and love. When people do not believe in Jesus the reason is that they do not know him and do not hear his voice. Our hearts cannot resist him, if the darkness of unbelief does not hide him from us. O, that all might open their eyes and see the Lord, incline the ear to hear his voice, and open wide the heart to receive the precious Savior! Then they would know of a certainty that he is the bountiful giver of life, the everlasting God, one with the Father, great in power, mighty to save. You that believe in him; you the sheep of his fold; you, at least, cannot refuse to hear his voice and follow him! When the devil entices you with evil lusts and the seductions of the world, attend to the warning voice of the shepherd. Call to mind his life and his words while he was here on earth; and do not let the devil lead you wrong, but deny and renounce him. Your soul will, no doubt, at times be troubled by reason of temptations to sin and unbelief; but by means of his word and sacrament the Lord gives you comfort and peace, and exhorts you strongly to charity and good works. Every word of solace, every encouragement which your heart receives, every force and impulse urging you to that which is good, is his voice. This voice is in the word, out of which the Spirit takes it and causes it to be sounded in your soul. Nothing holy that is in you is of the flesh; your new life is created by his word, and lives and breathes in and of this word. Thus do you follow him, and thus does he save you. He says: “I give them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” With these words he most wonderfully strengthens and quickens our hope of salvation. But in case that even this should not be sufficient to man our poor heart with courage and resolution, he adds: “My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one.” Shall not, then, the sheep of Jesus be fully assured of inheriting eternal life?
Lord, almighty and faithful God, may we be of thy fold. Draw us after thee, and establish our hearts in faith on thee unto the end. Blessed are thy sheep, thou good Shepherd! We earnestly beseech thee, draw us to thee, and let none pluck us out of thy hand. Amen.
We are thine, do thou befriend us, Be the guardian of our way; Keep thy flock, from sin defend us, Seek us when we go astray. Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus! Hear, oh hear us, when we pray.
Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock.
Ezekiel 34, 11-16. For thus saith the Lord God, Behold I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out. As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country. I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel. I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord God. I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.
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In every part of his word we learn that the Lord takes pity on the wretched, but overthrows the proud of heart; and this is also evidenced by his whole life on earth. Hear this, ye poor sinners who are scattered and driven away by the devil. Jesus himself stands in the sight of all and declares: “Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.” The places whither you have been scattered are the prison houses of sin. Zacchæus has allowed himself to be deceived and led away into the prison of covetousness; the woman of Sychar, into unchastity; Saul, into self-righteousness; the prodigal son, into sensual lust; Onesimus, into false liberty. The proud and carnally minded shepherds, the Pharisees in Israel and the worldly minded clergy of every age, have lent their assistance as the loyal servants of the devil. Woe to such as these; for the Lord will require his flock at their hand. — Jesus himself is seeking you, poor sheep, who have been led astray. You belong to him. The devil has no title to you, even if you have surrendered to him; for Jesus has redeemed you with his blood, and you are his. He seeks each individual sheep, seeks them one and all with the loving desire to save them. He seeks you, that he may draw you to himself, into the good fold. He seeks that which is lost, brings back that which was driven away, binds up that which was broken, and strengthens that which was sick. Not one, not even the most utterly wretched, does he forget. When your conscience is troubled, and you tremble at the thought of death and the judgment, it is the voice of the shepherd calling to you and drawing you to him. Do answer the call; turn your heart to him, and ask of him to have mercy on you and give you true repentance. Come, then; by all means come, thou soul gone astray!
Gather, Jesus, thy sheep that are scattered here and there; gather them all into the good fold, feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and protect them from the attacks of the wolf. Amen.
Savior, who thy flock art feeding With the shepherd’s kindest care, All the feeble gently leading, While the lambs thy bosom share:
Never, from thy pastures roving, Let them be the lion’s prey; Let thy tenderness, so loving, Keep them through life’s dangerous way.
Prosper, O God, the work of thy word upon our hearts. Amen.
Psalm 23. A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
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It was in one of the happy hours of his life that David wrote this psalm. The children of God have many dark hours; but the clouds roll away, and the upright again enjoy the bright sunshine. The strings of the heart are stretched until they seem ready to break; but this happens, in order that the joyful tones may thereafter sound with the greater clearness. In this psalm the Holy Spirit plays a grand anthem of praise on the harp of the psalmist.
The Lord, the strong and faithful God, is Israel’s shepherd. And in the term Israel you are included, if you have the true faith. He cares for you, and gives you all good things; and hence you shall not want. He feeds, restores, leads, comforts, protects you. He is able and willing to do this; for you are one of the dearly purchased sheep of his hand.
1) Through the gospel and remission of sins he feeds and nourishes your soul, and he gives you the bread necessary for the sustenance of your body. His word and grace are the green pastures. 2) When you need it, and can bear it, he will give you great joy by allowing you to taste in advance something of the bliss of heaven. You shall have intervals of rest in the midst of your struggles; and in the heat of battle you shall be refreshed at the wells of water under the palm trees of Elim (Exodus 15, 27). This is what is meant by the “still waters.” 3) He brings you back whenever you are about to be lost in the desert of sin and unbelief; he keeps you in the fear of him and in discipline; guides, admonishes, comforts, and instructs you by his Spirit, and is always at hand when you need him. You would soon plunge yourself into misery; but he hedges you in with tribulations and leads you in the paths of righteousness. That he will do this is vouched for by the everlasting name which he has made for himself in the revelation of his eternal nature through his works unto this day (Isaiah 63, 12). 4) The way leads through the valley of the cross; and none of God’s children shall be exempt from pain and distress. It is their lot to bear many infirmities, and they are assailed by many temptations. They would soon lose heart, did not his rod and his staff comfort them. But when they are able to say, “thou art with me,” they walk through the darkness without despairing; for they know that they need fear no evil. 5) The strongest enemy is powerless to injure them that are in the fold of Jesus. Their shepherd is a wall of fire around them, within which they sit, secure from all danger, eating and drinking of a cup that runneth over, their heads anointed with the oil of gladness. “In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength.” Happy are you, if Jesus is your shepherd! Only goodness follows you, and you shall inherit life in the house of the Lord for ever.
Lord Jesus, let me be of thy fold. My prayer is answered! Hallelujah! Amen. Thou hast bought me, and baptized me, and drawn my heart to thee.
The Lord’s my shepherd, I’ll not want; He makes me down to lie In pastures green; he leadeth me The quiet waters by.
Goodness and mercy all my life Shall surely follow me; And in God’s house for evermore, My dwelling place shall be.
Gospel Lesson, John 10, 11-16. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
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Of a certainty, he has given his life for us. Now, we had at one time belonged to him, but had sold ourselves to the devil. So the precious Lord and Savior determined to make us his own once more by purchasing us with his life and blood; and hence we now belong to him as his special and peculiar property, bought with a great price. But who are his sheep? He gave his life as a ransom for all; from which it follows that all might be his sheep. But are they? Alas, many will not be; and they refuse to be gathered into his fold. In our gospel lesson he mentions two marks by which they who belong to him may be known. The first is, that they know him; the second, that they hear his voice.
1) If you do not know him, you are not one of his sheep. There is between him and them an intimate acquaintance, even as there is between the Father and him. Is not this a truth to impress us with its gravity, as well as to give us the greatest joy? “I know mine, and am known of mine, even as I know the Father, and am known of the Father.” How intimate the knowledge, and how close the relation! He knows them by name; he knows their condition and their needs, their longing and love and sorrow; knows each one of them as if he were the only one, and understands them better than they understand themselves. And the sheep know the Lord in faith. They do not see him, but they know him; know him better than they know any other; for they experience in their heart that he is love and mercy and life itself, holy and righteous, great and mighty, patient and faithful, and that in him the heart has all that it needs. They do not know the whole depth of his nature, and they do not know the full greatness of his grace; neither do all know him equally well; but each of them knows him as his Lord and God, and gives himself to him, and trusts him with heartfelt confidence. It is not a superficial and slight acquaintance, but a daily, unceasing, confidential intercourse, a communion of life and heart in spirit and in truth. After a short acquaintance they have put his kindness, his faithfulness, and his patience to the test so often that they can say with truth that they know him, and in truth must say that he surpasses all knowledge.
2) The second mark is that they hear his voice, and let him gather them into the fold. The sheep follow the shepherd, and obey him. The sheep of Jesus answer to his call, and obey him; they are willing to receive chastisement and comfort and instruction from him, and they congregate where his word is to be heard. If you do not love the word of Jesus, it is certain that you are not of his fold. If you do not delight in them whose delight is in him, you are not of his fold. But come for all that; he calls you, and he will receive you.
Lord Jesus, thou great Shepherd of the souls; thou alone canst save from the wolf and from death. Let us be thine own, and do not surrender us to our own foolish devices. Call us to thee, and keep us in thy fold. Amen.
Shepherd of Israel, from above Thy feeble flock behold; And let us never lose thy love, Nor wander from thy fold.
Thou wilt not cast thy lambs away; Thy hand is ever near To guide them, lest they go astray, And keep them safe from fear.
192. Second Sunday after Easter. II.
Lord, make us acquainted with thy sufferings. Amen.
1 Peter 2, 21-25. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
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You who are returned to the Lord are called to endure suffering. For Christ suffered for us, and we are to walk in these his footprints, not elsewhere. For the flesh it is a hard road to travel; but that which makes the flesh wince is the very best thing for the soul. — However, there is no virtue in suffering, if you do not endure it in the right spirit. Jesus suffered patiently, uttering no complaint. In this way only can suffering be said to be holy. But in order that we may be able to suffer in this way, we must above all know and believe in the grace contained in the suffering of Christ. He suffered for our sins, not for his own; and yet he did not murmur. How much more reason for us to endure suffering, and hold our peace, we who have so richly deserved to suffer! His example is striking; but that alone does not give us the needed strength. Another circumstance in connection with his suffering is the one which gives us strength to follow his steps: “His own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree.” He took away our guilt by suffering our punishment. When we believe in him our suffering is, therefore, not a punishment under the lash of the judge, but a correction administered by a loving father. Understand this; and the sting which especially tempts to impatience is taken away, and in its place you will find that suffering soothes the soul. Christ took away also the power of sin; he sacrificed himself with our sin on his shoulders; the pure fire of his holy love, which consumed him, consumed our sins also; and hence in Christ you are dead from sin, and live in righteousness. His stripes are your healing. Faith knows this mystery, and possesses this grace. — Thus the Christians are able to shew forth the power of Christ’s sufferings. But the greater number of those who call themselves Christians are such in name only; and they neither will nor can suffer as Christians. — Ye are the ones whose lot it is to suffer, ye believers, who are returned unto the Shepherd of your souls. For even hereunto were ye called. Suffer patiently, and praise God, thereby giving proof that your Christianity is genuine.
God, give us this great mercy that we may suffer afflictions and thank thee for them. Amen.
Lead, kindly Light! amid th’ encircling gloom, Lead thou me on; The night is dark, and I am far from home, Lead thou me on; Keep thou my feet; I do not ask to see The distant scene; one step enough for me.
I was not ever thus, nor prayed that thou Shouldst lead me on; I loved to choose and see my path; but now, Lead thou me on. I love the garish day, and spite of fears, Pride ruled my will. Remember not past years.
Lord, give me grace gladly to carry thy cross after thee. Amen.
John 21, 20-23. Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved, following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee? Peter, seeing him, saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him, if I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou me. Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?
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“Follow me,” says Jesus to Peter; meaning: Follow me in suffering and death. Then the Lord rises, and leaves the table; and Peter follows him. In like manner he shall follow him in dying on the cross. John also follows him. Peter then asks; either on behalf of John, in order that he also may know the fate which awaits him, or by reason of surprise and curiosity: “Lord, and what shall this man do?” Jesus, however, dismisses the question, and says that is a matter which he himself will dispose of. Was John, then, not to go the way of the cross in following the Lord? Certainly he was. There is no other way on which the Lord’s footsteps may be followed. “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow me.” “Whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.” But the cross is not the same for all. Peter has one kind, and John another. The Lord gives to each that which best fits his shoulders. He can, if it be his will, exempt his dearest friend from the death of the martyr, thereby exempting him from the martyr’s crown also; or he can give him other sufferings and other honor equally great. The duty of each to take up his own cross is the very thing which Jesus here emphasizes by dismissing the question which Peter asks. Do not be dissatisfied and curious to learn whether others suffer less than you, or whether there be more honor connected with their cross than with yours; or why your path must be more narrow, or your strength less in proportion to the size of the cross. No believer has a cross which is too heavy or too light. None could afford to exchange it for any other. There is a self-willed and obstinate dissatisfaction, which murmurs against God and envies others; be careful not to let it gain a foothold in you. If you were permitted to make the exchange, you would soon discover that your neighbor’s yoke does not fit your neck. Take up your own cross, and follow Jesus. There is an obedient devotion, which teaches us to suffer without complaint, to be grateful for everything, and gladly to bear the burden for others. “Follow thou me,” says the Lord. We will take this word with us, and then go and do it. In that case none of us shall want the conflict and the suffering of the cross; but neither shall its happiness and honor, its eternal blessing, be wanting.
Draw us after thee, Lord Jesus; thou knowest that it is our wish to follow thee, and thou knowest how reluctant our flesh is to bear the cross. Draw us after thee. Give us grace to walk in thy footsteps, and to bear our cross willingly and gladly, that thy name may be honored, and that the brethren may be strengthened. Amen.
Bane and blessing, pain and pleasure, By the cross are sanctified; Peace is there that knows no measure, Joys that through all time abide.
In the cross of Christ I glory, Towering o’er the wrecks of time; All the light of sacred story Gathers round its head sublime.
O God, fill our heart with the love of Christ. Amen.
John 21, 15-19. So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.
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This surely is one of the grandest of gospel lessons. There is a wealth of edification in this colloquy between the Lord and Peter. There is a powerful appeal to the heart in the Lord’s question: “Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?” And what a loving reproof in the addition, “more than these?” The answer of Peter reveals to us the secret depths of his heart, especially when viewed in connection with his courageous declaration at Cedron. How much of instruction is there not in the connection between the Lord’s question, “lovest thou me?” and the direction, “feed my lambs!” The Savior preaches a great penitential sermon by his thrice repeated question addressed to “Simon, son of Jonas.” At the same time, the Lord is so lenient as to omit the words “more than these” from the second question; and in the third he substitutes another word for “love,” namely the one which Peter had used in making reply. There is a close relation between the humiliation of the apostle and his re-appointment as chief of the apostles. In the whole conversation the hearts meet and embrace each other in wonderful wise, with ever increasing tenderness. In the Lord we are impressed by the sublime love and wisdom of the divine teacher; and in Peter, by the humble, honest, reverent, and trusting spirit of the obedient disciple. How blessed thus to lay one’s soul at the feet of Jesus, and be taken into his embrace! But how solemn a warning in that which the Lord adds in regard to the trials which love must undergo in trouble and affliction and self-denial unto death! May the Spirit of God expound this to your heart, dear reader. I will only ask you above all to hear and answer the Lord’s question: “Lovest thou me?” This question is not addressed to Peter only. In his love the Lord addresses it to us all. If you could but apply it to your heart, you might by this means receive the greatest of all blessings, a soul filled with the love of God. “Lovest thou me?” the Lord asks you, because he loves you. If your dearest friend on earth speaks your name, so precious and sweet to him, and in tones of the most tender affection asks you: “Lovest thou me?” you rejoice in assuring him of your love, and the fire on the altar of your hearts burns the brighter. In the eternal love with which he desires to save your soul Jesus now asks you if you love him. You know that he does this because he loves you; you know that he prizes your love so highly that, in order to win it, he suffered death for you. Do you love him? Answer; answer at once! It is Jesus who asks: “Lovest thou me?” Blessed is he whose innermost heart is made to throb by this question, and who is able to make answer: “Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee.” O, that all the world were so blest as to be able to reply: “Yes, my heart burns with love of thee, my Lord Jesus!” But, alas, the greater number would not speak true, if they made this answer. Unhappy they who do not love him! I hope that you, dear reader, know the penitent spirit of Peter, and that you have his humble and true answer in your heart: “Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee.” Speak out as Peter did; answer the Lord honestly, and tell him that he has won your heart: then shall his love more and more become the very life of your soul.
We earnestly beseech thee, O God, and we cannot let thee go, except thou hear us: Give us a heart full of the love of Jesus. Amen.
Oh, grant that nothing in my soul May dwell, but thy pure love alone! Oh, may thy love possess me whole, And be my treasure, and my crown! Strange flames far from my heart remove; May every act, word, thought, be love.
Teach us to say with all our heart: Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory. Amen.
John 21, 7-14. Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher’s coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea. And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes. As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread. Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught. Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many yet was not the net broken. Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord. Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise. This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.
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John, the apostle of love, has the clearest vision, and is the first to recognize Jesus. His writings also bear witness to the depth of his knowledge of the Lord. The eye of love sees more clearly than any other. Peter, however, is at all times the most ardent and courageous. On the morning of Easter day he was the first to enter the sepulchre. The other five disciples who are in the ship quietly ply their vocation of drawing the net. This episode has been interpreted as illustrating the diversity of gifts with which the Lord’s people are endowed. One has the tender love and the clear eye of John; another has the zeal and courage of Peter; while still others have their strength in the quiet, patient endurance with which they follow their humble vocations. — We have here also a picture of the work of the apostles and the whole church for the saving of souls, according to what the Lord himself said on the occasion of that former draught of fishes by Peter: “From henceforth thou shalt catch men.” (Luke 5, 10).
However, what we especially want to impress upon one another as the lesson of this gospel is the declaration of John: “It is the Lord.” It is the Lord who says: “Cast the net on the right side of the ship.” The Lord has commanded all his disciples to cast the net of the word. The Lord sent the apostles out into the world; and the same Lord has sent you, who are now engaged in casting the net of the gospel out into the sea of humanity and down into the depths of the heart. You would not have been his witness, if the Lord had not issued this command to his church: “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” It is the Lord who has made you one of his witnesses. — Furthermore, it is the Lord who makes the draught a successful one. When a minister of the word is given grace to add many converts to the number of the saints, the honor belongs not to him, but to the word of God, which he preaches. Let him beware of priding himself on his achievement; for it is not his own. Let him also beware of despising others who are engaged in the same work, but who seem not to be equally successful. It is possible that they may be working more patiently and faithfully, even though they do not draw a multitude of fishes to the shore. If the Lord were not with you in his word, you would accomplish nothing; when you do, “it is the Lord.” When we lose heart let the spirit of John whisper into our soul: “It is the Lord.” Then shall we gather courage anew. When we become slothful this word shall inspire us with fresh zeal; and when we are puffed up it shall humble us. Truly, it is the Lord who has given you your work, if you are a servant of Christ; and he is with you, and blesses you.
To the apostles of infidelity the world cries out: “Cast the net on the left side, on the banks of human reason, and draw many with you away from the faith.” But is this of the Lord, do you think? These apostles want no Lord; they wish to be their own masters. They do not know that their inspiration comes from their Lord below.
Grant that we may hear thy voice, and know thee, Lord Jesus. Give us charity and wisdom and faithfulness in thy work, and give us grace to save many souls by means of thy word. Amen.
Baptize the nations; far and nigh The triumphs of the cross record: The name of Jesus glorify, Till every kindred call him Lord.
God from eternity hath willed, All flesh shall his salvation see; So be the Father’s love fulfilled, The Savior’s sufferings crowned thro’ thee.
Teach us, Lord Jesus, to go whither thou hast said, there to meet thee. Amen.
John 21, 1-6. After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed he himself. There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples. Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing. But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No. And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.
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The Lord had told the disciples that he would shew himself to them in Galilee; and hence we now find them at the sea of Tiberias. Still, though he lives in them, and is in their thoughts and on their lips, they do not expect him to shew himself just now; and they therefore go a fishing. Even when he stands on the shore, and addresses them as “children,” and bids them cast the net on the right side of the ship, they do not know him. For the apostles had not yet celebrated Pentecost. — Does not the same thing often occur in our case? He says to us: “I will meet you in the gospel, in the Gennesaret of holy baptism, at the holy communion table.” We come to the tryst, and he is there, but we do not know him. He has said that he will shew himself to us in poor and despised Galilee; that is to say, he will meet us in his needy members on earth; and he leads us thither, and is there before us, and yet we do not see him, or do not see that it is he. — The apostles found happiness in obeying him. He had told them to go to Galilee, and they had gone; he found them there when he came, and they found him. He was their dearest treasure, their life. They could not fail to keep the appointment; and in the end they could not fail to know him. Let us follow them, and we shall have the same experience. Let us go and meet the Lord at the places which he has appointed; namely in the means of grace, on the path of self-denial at the foot of the cross. Should we do as the apostles did; that is, should we know him to be there, and yet forget it; should we expect him to make himself known to us, but not in the manner in which he had said; should we fail to recognize him at once; should our spirit be faint, and our eyes dim; — he will be with us for all that. He never fails to keep his appointment; he comes before we know it, and is at hand when we least expect it. And he makes himself known to us when it is necessary; reveals himself, not to our senses, but to our spirit; disciplines us, and confirms our faith. But do not forget that everything depends on our being upright, as were the disciples, and going to Galilee, as he has directed. There we shall find him. And the stranger on the shore, whom we dismiss with a brief “no, we have nothing,” gives us a greater draught than we are able to draw. — Cast the net on the right side, brethren: cast the net on the right side of the ship!
Praise be to thee, Lord Jesus, for that thou art ever near to thy disciples, who are needy, and whose faith is so weak! Now we will in truth believe without having seen, and will ever thank thee, and serve thee, and never lose heart. Help us herein; of thy mercy grant us this blessing! Amen.
O God, our help in ages past, Our hope in years to come, Our shelter from the stormy blast, And our eternal home!
Under the shadow of thy throne Thy saints have dwelt secure; Sufficient is thine arm alone, And our defense is sure.
“Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.” God grant us this mercy. Amen.
Colossians 3, 1-6. If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry; for which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience.
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To be united with Christ is the one thing needful. Vital Christianity is the communion of the heart with him. Then we have died with him, and have been raised again from the dead with him. Christ is the life of the true believers. He that does not live in Christ is no Christian. What sort of Christianity may that be which is not life? But what life could Christianity be, if it be not the life of Jesus Christ? Let none deceive himself with a vain or dead hope in Christ! For Christ has overcome death; he is the living God, who quickens all them that are his own, and gives them a living hope. As Christ is in heaven, the heart of the faithful, which live in him, must likewise be in heaven. “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” “God has raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2, 6). Mind and heart have been set free and endowed with high aspirations. The soul’s longing reaches out beyond this life, and its goal is eternal communion with God in perfect holiness. Then you are dead to the world, its honors and pleasures, its riches and benefits, its poverty and misery, its dogmas and ordinances, its nursery tales and its thraldom. And the world regards you as lost and dead. The life which you live is the life of Christ, and it is hid with Christ in God. As Christ is invisible to the world, so also is his life in the faithful. Their faith in the Lord, their hope and peace and joy in him, their love, their holy longing after heaven, their zealous endeavors to keep their lives clean, their self-denial and their resistance to the devil, their prayers in the sanctuary of the heart; in a word, their life in God, is wholly hid from the world, which neither sees it nor understands it, but regards it as being nothing more than an idle dream. The glory of the Christians is covered over with troubles and poverty and afflictions and tears; nay, with sin and many infirmities. — But Christ shall appear, then shall you also appear with him in glory. Rejoice in this hope, and be not led astray by reason of your afflictions in this world. Your members, which are of the earth, are to be mortified; and herein the Lord assists you by means of the cross. The evil lusts are the members and joints of your old Adam, who by your conversion to the Lord has been mortally wounded, but has not as yet been entirely annihilated. They will seek to drag you down to the earth again; therefore mortify them with the cross of Christ; mortify them, for Jesus’ sake!
Lord Jesus, knowest thou me, that I live in thee, and thou in me? Grant me this boon, most merciful Savior. “O take my heart and soul and might, and fill them with thy heavenly light.” Amen.
Not for any worldly pleasure Doth my thirsty spirit pine; Not the earth with all its treasure Could content this soul of mine; For its Savior yearning ever: I will leave my Jesus never.
From that living Fountain drinking, Walking always at his side, Christ shall lead me without sinking Through the river’s rushing tide, With the blest to sing forever: I will leave my Jesus never.
Lord Jesus, overcome our unbelief; give us grace to believe. Amen.
John 20, 24-31. But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. And after eight days, again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and Jesus stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that, believing, ye might have life through his name.
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How dark the soul of Thomas while he walked in unbelief! Was the Lord, then, not risen from the dead, and did he not live? Was he not near? Were the thoughts true which Thomas harbored in his unbelieving heart? Many, alas, who hear the word and use the sacraments have much less faith than Thomas had, and know nothing whatever of the peace of Christ, although of a truth the Lord is in our midst with his gifts that bring salvation. The other disciples, who believed the testimony of them that had seen him after his resurrection, who believed without having seen; these disciples had the truth, and obtained the peace which he pronounced on them. Dear reader, if you should see Christ dying for you; if you should see him hang on the cross and die, and should see him after his resurrection with the print of the nails and the wound of the spear; if you should see him come to you with open arms, and should hear him call you in his own voice; would you then fall down before him and say with Thomas: “My Lord and my God”? Would you with all your heart surrender yourself to him, and serve him with all your soul? Would you rejoice in his love, turn with terror from your sin, believe his forgiveness, and trust confidently in his mercy? Let us hope so. Now, precisely in this manner he is near to you in his word, and yet you continue to live without peace in your heart! Verily, it is his very voice which you hear in the preaching of the gospel, in absolution, and in the words of the sacraments. Do you dare to believe that your unbelief, which denies or doubts this, is truth, and that the Lord’s own promise is a lie? What was right and true, the declaration of Jesus in regard to his resurrection, or the unbelief and denial on the part of Thomas? What is right and true, the Lord’s promise that he will be present in the midst of his own with his grace and peace unto the end, or your unbelief which denies this? Do you understand this, poor soul, that he still could reveal himself to our bodily eye, if he would; but he has decreed, that “blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” Be satisfied to let the provisions in the Lord’s gracious counsel for our salvation remain as they are. Believe without having seen, and you are saved. You may do it by the power of God in his word; for this word is the means by which the Spirit creates and preserves faith in us. — Away with this wretched unbelief, which makes the eternal and truthful God a liar! Yes, away with unbelief, which is a lie of the devil’s own invention!
We beseech thee, merciful God, preserve us from the dead faith of the world, which takes thy grace in vain; and preserve us from the doubts of our own unbelieving heart, which refuse to let thee have full sway over us with thy living truth. Give us faith, the true and living faith which trusts in thy word, partakes of thy grace, confesses thy name, and mans the soul with courage in life and death. Amen.
I now have found the ground that ever Shall hold my anchor firm and fast; I cannot be deceived, no never, For on my Savior it is cast; This ground unmoved and firm shall stay When heaven and earth have passed away.
Gospel Lesson, John 20, 19-23. Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus, and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.
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It is entirely certain that Jesus has earned everlasting life for us all. He has in truth redeemed us all from sin and death and the devil, and gained for us eternal salvation. Now, if any man would reap the benefit and possess this salvation, he must come to Jesus and accept his grace, that he may, in reality, experience salvation, and live. For this also the Lord has made provision. He has given to us the ministry of reconciliation, and he sends his servants out into all the world with the word of salvation. “As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.” He was the messenger of his Father to carry out his purpose, and he brought about pardon and peace. The ministers of the word then do his errand, bringing forgiveness and peace to all who will repent. In the word he is himself present with his atoning death and his resurrection. As the crucified and risen Savior, about to ascend to his glory, he says: “Behold I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” Note well that he says, “alway, even unto the end of the world;” hence not only with the apostles, but with their successors in the ministry. He does not stand in the midst of the ten apostles, only, pronouncing peace on them, but in the midst of every company of believers who are gathered together in his name; that is to say, gathered around his word and sacraments for edification in the faith. — When he pronounces peace it is not an empty word, but a divine reality which brings comfort and strength into every soul that is opened to receive it. The words of absolution are not the words of man, but are in very truth the words of the Lord himself; and they are, therefore, able to give that which they pronounce, namely remission of sins. It is the Lord who says to you that your sins are forgiven you. Must it not, then, be true? If you will but receive it in faith, you in truth have remission. The word of man may deceive, but the word of God never. Do you not hear Jesus say that he sends his servants, even as the Father had sent him? When a minister, then, who has the true word of God offers you the gift, it is your business to receive it as coming from Christ himself. If the word be there, the Lord is there with his gift; if it be the proper word, it contains the proper gift. Do not let it give you any concern whether the servant who brings you the gift be or be not a believer, if he do but have the true word of God; for it is not the faith of the minister, but the will and word of Christ which gives you the treasure. If the minister be one in whom I can have no confidence, I cannot open my heart to him as my pastor, when I am struggling with difficulties, or torn with doubts, or assailed by temptations; but there is no reason why I may not through him receive absolution which shall be a blessing to my soul and assist me against sin and death. God shall judge the unbelieving and faithless servants; do not let this be your concern. But let it be your care, when you receive absolution, that your heart may believe that which you hear, may believe the words of forgiveness from the lips of the Lord. For then you have in truth that which the word promises you; while all who do not believe make God a liar; from which the Holy Spirit preserve us! Amen.
O faithful God, thanks be to thee, That thou forgiv’st iniquity, And helpest me in sin’s distress, And dost my soul and body bless.
Now, Lord, us all thy Spirit give, Help us in holiness to live; Preserve to us, till life is spent, Thy holy word and sacrament.
184. First Sunday after Easter. II.
Speak, Spirit, in my heart, and say that Jesus is my life alway. Amen.
Epistle Lesson, 1 John 5, 4-12. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God, which he hath testified of his Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son, hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God, hath not life.
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On the occasion of the baptism of Jesus the Spirit bare witness that he is the Son of God. But the water in which he was baptized — to suffer death, — and the water which flows from his side, together with the blood which he shed in death as an atonement for us; these two, the water and the blood, must be added, in order that he may be our Savior; and hence the Spirit and the water and the blood together bear witness that God has given us his Son for our Savior. The testimony of the Spirit cannot be dispensed with; he is the principal witness. But the blood and water also are indispensable. (Note in this connection the words used by John in his Gospel 19, 34 and 35: “But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out water and blood. And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true; and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe.”) If we did not have these three, the Spirit and the water and the blood, we could not know of a certainty that God has given his Son for us. But now that we have these three as ever living witnesses before the eye and ear of faith, we through them have the full assurance that the Son of God died for us, and lives for us. The voice of the Spirit, which gave testimony when Christ was baptized, still comes to our ears through the word which we have received of God. The water in which Jesus was baptized, and the water that flowed from his side, together with the blood; these we have in our baptism. Furthermore, we have the blood which he shed, together with his body, in the Holy Supper. He who does not believe this testimony of God must, it would seem, find it extremely difficult to answer the question, how it is possible that these three, the word and baptism and the sacrament of the altar, can have survived so long, and how they can have continued to exert such divine power among men. On the other hand, he that believes has the witness in himself that the Spirit has created a new life in him. — This life, dear Christian friend, is life everlasting. For your new nature, your sanctified mind, which loves God and the brethren, but which hates sin, and brings the body into subjection, and overcomes the world; what is this but Christ himself in you? Without seeing him you hold him fast by reason of these three witnesses; he is yours, and you love him with your whole heart; the Son of God is in you, and you in him. If you have this life, dear reader, you are truly blest; if you do not, you have no life at all. But come and hear; the three witnesses are still giving their testimony; make haste to hear it before it is too late! You must be born of God, and overcome the world, or you are lost.
Lord Jesus, open our eye and ear. Help us to believe; overcome our unbelief by the testimony of thy Spirit; and draw our heart to thee, that thou, thou mayest be our life. Amen.
I build on this foundation, That Jesus and his blood Alone are my salvation, The true eternal good: Without him, all that pleases Is valueless on earth: The gifts bestowed by Jesus Alone my love are worth.
Give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever. Amen.
Psalm 118, 14-24. The Lord is my strength and song, and is become my salvation. The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand of the Lord doeth valiantly. The right hand of the Lord is exalted; the right hand of the Lord doeth valiantly. I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord. The Lord hath chastened me sore: but he hath not given me over unto death. Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the Lord; this gate of the Lord, into which the righteous shall enter. I will praise thee; for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation. The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
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This psalm was sung at the time when the foundation of the temple was laid in the days of Ezra, an account of which is given in his book, Ezra 3, 10-13. Israel had been in exile; but the Lord had again received them into favor, and had made them the cornerstone of the world’s development. But it is through Christ that Israel is what it is. He is the stone which was rejected, and which then was made the chief stone of the corner. The Jews, the builders of God’s kingdom, despised him; but it was by the death which they caused him that he became the substructure of his church, which is the habitation of God among us and the tabernacle of life on earth. As the people of Israel exulted when they had been delivered out of Egypt, while their enemies sank like lead into the deep waters; as they shouted aloud for joy in the gate of the Lord at Jerusalem when they had returned from Babylon; thus the church of Christ sings of victory and life and salvation through the death and resurrection of Jesus, by which death and hell have gone down into an eternal grave, so that we nevermore shall see them. To be sure, the voice of weeping still is mingled with the voice of gladness, as in the days of Ezra; but the rejoicing shall prevail; for “the glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts.” (Haggai 2, 9). — “Open to me the gates of righteousness.” The doors were opened to the court of the temple, and the people streamed in with their joyful songs of praise. To us the gates of righteousness are opened; the entrance to heaven itself through the merit of Jesus; and we go in, and stand before his throne. This we now do in faith; but later on we shall see that which we now believe. This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. Let us rejoice and be glad in him!
Can any others sing, as do the faithful: “I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord”? “Not die, but live.” These words are a present to you from the Lord, faithful Christian. “I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.” This is the lot which the Lord has given you. The sickle of death mows down everything on earth; the throne and the cottage, the scholar and the clown, the virtuous and the vicious; but the church of Christ breasts the storm without being shaken, and lifts its golden spire toward heaven. And in this church is life, and the voice of rejoicing and salvation. When the eternal gates of death open to receive the unbelievers, the righteous shall enter their perfect and everlasting home of joy.
Lord, thou hast chastened me sore; but thou hast not given me over unto death. I will praise thee; for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation. Save now, I beseech thee, O Lord; O Lord, send now prosperity. Thou art my God, and I will praise thee; thou art my God, I will exalt thee. Give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever. Amen.
Oh, bless the Lord, my soul! His grace to thee proclaim! And all that is within me join To bless his holy name.
Oh, bless the Lord, my soul! His mercies bear in mind! Forget not all his benefits! The Lord to thee is kind.
Lord, show us the excellence of our heritage, and strengthen our hope. Amen.
Psalm 16. Michtam of David. Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust. O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee; but to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight. Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: their drink offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips. The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage. I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel; my reins also instruct me in the night seasons. I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
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This psalm was fulfilled in Christ when he rose from the dead. But the head, which is raised up, will not let the members remain in the grave. As many as are united with Jesus through a living faith can sing this psalm as applying to themselves; and they shall thereby stir their soul to rejoice in the Lord. What are the riches and honors of the world worth as compared with the bliss of living in God? The human heart multiplies its sorrows when it hastens after other gods; but whosoever can say that “the Lord is the portion of his inheritance and of his cup,” has received “an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away.” Together with all the saints he shall have fulness of the purest joy in the presence of the Lord for evermore. — As surely as Jesus lives, all his believers shall live with him; as surely as he has entered heaven, we shall be gathered to him in the pleasant mansions at the right hand of God. Let us remember this, and praise the Lord, who gave us so goodly a heritage, and caused our lines to fall in pleasant places. His Spirit shall remind us of these things when we walk in darkness; at night, in the deepest darkness, he shall speak to us concerning them in the innermost chamber of the heart. Be assured that the Lord will maintain your lot, dear Christian. It is of his mercy that you can say: “The Lord is my portion; I have set the Lord always before me!” How shall you be moved, when he is at your right hand? Or how shall death be able to hold you fast, now that you are a member of the body of Christ? Be obedient to the Spirit of God; remember your hope! Train yourself to set the Lord always before you! Do not let unbelief, or a slavish spirit of fear, or the cares of this world, choke the joy which the Holy Ghost pours out in your innermost heart by showing you the path of life and reminding you of your goodly heritage.
Preserve me, O God; for in thee do I put my trust. Let me no more grieve thy Holy Spirit, whereby thou hast sealed me unto the day of redemption. Help me to be “rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing instant in prayer.” Let me not lose my goodly heritage, but reach it, in heaven. Amen.
O Lord of heaven and earth and sea, To thee all praise and glory be; How shall we show our love to thee, Who givest all?
Thou didst not spare thine only Son, But gav’st him for a world undone, And freely with that blessed one Thou givest all.
John 20, 11-18. But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, and seeth two angels in white, sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master. Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.
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The Lord had rescued Mary Magdalene out of the most wretched condition, into which she, by her sins, had plunged herself. He had saved her; had driven seven devils out of her. Now she was a new person, and she loved him with a living love. To her was given also the great honor and mercy of being the first to see him after his resurrection. Still, she had not as yet reached the perfection of saintliness. She clings too fondly to the earthly aspect of the Savior, though not, to be sure, in the same manner as the apostles. It is not probable that her mind was especially bent on seeing the Lord as a king, in order that she might reign with him; but her love still savored somewhat of the senses, though we must by no means think of it as being in any way a carnal affection; and it had its roots in sight and sense, rather than in faith. “Tell me where thou hast laid him,” she says, “and I will take him away.” And Jesus says to her: “Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father.” She was to see his holiness and greatness and divine majesty in a new light, and learn to say: “We know Christ no more after the flesh.” Her love was in need of being purified; the Spirit of God must unite it with a holy reverence for the exalted Son of God. And yet, how gently does he not correct her! He speaks her name, “Mary;” and in the tone there is nothing but kindness. Then he adds only, “touch me not;” and her heart quakes with awe, and does penance.
It were to be wished that all Christians had a mind as zealous and pure as that of Mary Magdalene. The kind of carnality which Paul especially rebuked in the Corinthians, namely, envy, contentions, and heresies, is not the only one among us. There are various kinds of sensuality more secret and more dangerous. We are acquainted with it, and we know how it gnaws at the heart unless we fight against it with all our strength; but we also know and testify that the Spirit of God gives victory to the upright. All the old leaven must be purged out, and by the grace of God it shall be done; for Christ is dead and risen again for us, we are baptized into his death, we eat and drink his body and blood, and our life in him is spiritual and heavenly. Make no terms, brethren, with any sort of carnality in you; but have a pure bridal spirit toward our heavenly bridegroom. Love him of your whole soul with a holy devotion, proclaim his death and resurrection everywhere, and love one another tenderly of a pure heart! Then shall you have great peace.
Lord, chasten us, and cleanse us, and draw our mind to thee in heaven. Amen.
Now let the heavens be joyful, Let earth her song begin, Let all the world keep triumph, And all that is therein: In grateful exultation, Their notes let all things blend. For Christ the Lord hath risen, Our joy that hath no end.
O God, let our hope of resurrection be grounded in the resurrection of Christ. Amen.
John 20, 1-10. The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him. Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre. So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. And he, stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, and the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed. For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead. Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.
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The stone is rolled away, and the sepulchre is open; the Lord is not there; the linen clothes remain, and the napkin is wrapped together in a place by itself. Everything contradicts the assumption that enemies have despoiled the grave; nor is it possible that his friends have removed his body. — The grave is a tenement of death no more; nothing remains in it save the trappings of death. This is the grave of Jesus; but his grave is my grave. For whose sin did he die? It must have been for ours; for himself had none. It is, then, our death which he dies; but then it also is our grave in which he is buried. Does anyone doubt that the eyes of Mary and Peter and John told them the truth; that the sepulchre was empty? That is a fact about which there can be no question, whether or no. But who can be supposed to have opened the grave and removed the body? The disciples could not have done it; for a watch had been set, and the stone had been sealed. Besides, such a thing would never have occurred to them; for they had no idea that he would, in fact, rise again from the dead. No; this is what has transpired, and to us it means eternal life: He is risen; the grave is rent asunder; for the wages of sin has been paid, and death is swallowed up in life. The scripture speaks true; and Jesus was in the right when he said that he would rise again on the third day. My grave still looks, to be sure, as though it were the tenement of death. The casket and the shroud and the napkin are there, and my body also, for a time; but my Jesus, who lay in the grave and arose again, has said: “I am the resurrection and the life; he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.” (John 11, 25). The truth of this is evidenced to me by his open and empty sepulchre. My heart lives in Jesus; I may say that I feel, that the life which he gave, and which throbs in my innermost heart, is eternal and cannot die. Nevertheless, that which is more sure and certain, a thousand times more certain than all things else, is his promise: “Because I live, ye shall live also.” (John 14, 19). Because he is risen, we shall rise from the dead also.
Thou wilt shew me the path of life, O God; in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Give us grace to believe; give us the light of the Spirit, that we may have a true and living faith. Amen.
Jesus lives! thy terrors now Can no longer, death, appall me; Jesus lives! by this I know, From the grave he will recall me. Brighter scenes will then commence: This shall be my confidence.
Jesus lives! henceforth is death But the gate of life immortal; This shall calm my trembling breath, When I pass the gloomy portal. Faith shall cry, as fails each sense, “Lord, thou art my confidence.”
Luke 24, 36-48. And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet. And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honey-comb. And he took it, and did eat before them. And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, and said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things.
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Jesus showed the disciples his hands and feet with the print of the nails by which he had been suspended to the cross, that they might make sure of its being he and none other. When he comes again we shall know him by these same prints. The Lord really has his wounds still, but in transfigured form. He is the same on the throne as on the cross, God and man in one person, the crucified and risen Savior. After death he might have resumed his body without its scars, had he wished it; but it was his will to show them to the Father and the angels, as well as to his accuser; and, as for us, we have reason to hold them dear; for they speak our cause before God. He that died for us, the same lives for us with the atoning and saving grace of his death.
In the meantime, our eye cannot see him; for this is precisely the condition which God has fixed in regard to our salvation, that we must believe without having seen. “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” But how, then, shall we find him, and be assured that we are with him, and that he is with us, and that it is he himself? For on this our life depends, and here we must not build on dreams, nor on human wisdom; here, if anywhere, it is necessary that we have a sure foundation under our feet. O that the Spirit might declare this truth to your heart! Pay attention, then, to that which you read in this gospel text. He sends his apostles, who were eyewitnesses of his death and resurrection, out into the world to gather people to him; and he promises to be with them in this work. But they could no more than we point to the print of the nails and exhibit his scars to the eye; they could and should only preach the gospel and baptize. Herein his scars are plainly enough to be seen by the eye of faith. Where repentance and forgiveness are preached he is himself present and creates faith, as surely as he was with the ten disciples and brought conviction to them and caused them to believe. Let us not, as did the Pharisees, seek a sign from heaven; but let us hear the word and study the scriptures. Are not these all the signs that we need? They are precisely the right signs, certain, clear, and infallible. For the Lord himself is in them. Through them Jesus is in truth come to us with his death and resurrection, with peace and pardon. What more do you desire? By these means the Holy Spirit creates faith in your heart, if you do not stubbornly resist him. What more do you need? If you refuse to believe, that will be your condemnation. Whosoever believeth hath life in his name.
Precious Savior, thou art at the right hand of God and dost make intercession for us; and thou art here and dost reveal thyself to our heart. We thank thee for thy holy word and thy worthy sacraments; we will ask no other sign, and will seek thee in no other place. Nevertheless, thou knowest how hard a fight we still have against the unbelief in our heart. We pray thee, increase our faith, open the scriptures to us, give us a simple and childlike spirit, keep us by thy side, and give us grace to confess thee, and never to be offended by reason of thy cross. Amen.
He closed the yawning gates of hell; The bars from heaven’s high portals fell; Let hymns of praise his triumphs tell; Hallelujah!
Lord! by the stripes which wounded thee, From death’s dread sting thy servants free, That we may live, and sing to thee, Hallelujah!
Gospel Lesson, Luke 24, 13-35. And behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. And it came to pass, that while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. But their eyes were holden, that they should not know him. And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these, that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, today is the third day since these things were done. Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; and when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not. Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses, and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. And they drew nigh unto the village whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures? And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.
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You never walk alone, dear Christian, but at all times in the grandest company. You have, no doubt, made the acquaintance of many most excellent men; and while traveling together you have conversed piously, as Christians should. When you have done this, he who is greater than all has been with you. Where two or three believers speak together of the Lord, he is always near; and the hearts, of a certainty, receive a blessing. But you have also often walked alone with him, in the bright morning of the new day and at night in darkness and gloom. In the scripture he has spoken to your heart, and you have taken courage to speak to him. He has resolved your doubts, and changed your lamentation into a song of joy. At times you have forgotten him, but still he has walked with you, and has never for one moment forgotten you. He often disappeared from your view; but still he was near; and he always revealed himself anew to you, either in the congregation of the brethren when you were hearing the word or partaking of the sacrament, or in the secrecy of your chamber when you read the word and bent the knee in prayer. — If you have a wife, or a husband, who loves the Lord, or if you live with other friends in God, do not let Satan hinder you from speaking with one another concerning those things which came to pass in Jerusalem at the time of Easter. Let him who is the fulfillment of the scriptures, and who in these same sacred writings reveals himself to us, obtain a hearing among you. In other words, seek light and counsel in the Bible in regard to every concern of your soul; and he shall surely speak to you, and guide you into all truth. You shall see more and more clearly that Christ is that Sun of righteousness whose light, according to the eternal and loving purpose of God, was to flood the world after the multitude of beams more or less bright which had pierced the darkness during the times of the Old Testament. You shall see that this Sun must rise on the world in this way; that in him righteousness and mercy kiss each other, and that hence he ought to suffer and die. As God’s eternal nature and will are, so is his eternal decree; as it was decreed, so it is written; and as it is written, so it ought to be, and so it has come to pass. And your heart shall, on occasion at least, burn within you. — If you walk alone, dear reader, remember that you are not alone, if you have the scriptures and believe them. Open your eyes, and see. Verily, the living Savior is with you. Do you not see him? Do you not believe that he is near, and that he sees and hears you? Walk with him; speak to him; pray to him, saying: “Abide with me, Lord. Abide with us; for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent!” He tarried with the two disciples in Emmaus; and in the evening he walked with them, though not in visible form, when they returned to Jerusalem. He will do likewise with us. Through the world’s darkness we go, in company with the Invisible One, to the brethren in Jerusalem; — there we shall see him as he is. We thank thee, precious Savior, for this mercy; and we pray thee: Expound to us the scriptures, that our hearts may burn within us. Amen.
Abide with me! fast falls the eventide; The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide! When other helpers fail, and comforts flee, Help of the helpless, O abide with me!
Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day; Earth’s joys grow dim, its glories pass away; Change and decay in all around I see; O thou who changest not, abide with me!
177. Easter Monday. II.
O God, give us honest hearts. Amen.
Acts 10, 34-41. Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him. The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:) That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judæa, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power; who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil: for God was with him. And we are witnesses of all things which he did, both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree: Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly; not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.
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Jesus went about in Galilee and all the land doing good, and healing all that were oppressed. Not one sought his assistance in vain. He received all that came, of all sorts and conditions, and never once refused aid to one who needed it. Let all note this: There is not one single instance in which Jesus failed to relieve misery when it came to him. Grace and mercy shine forth in his every act. After his death and resurrection he is no longer in Galilee, or in the whole land of the Jews, only; but he is in all places where human hearts, of whatever race, long for him. For he loves all; he has redeemed all by his death on the cross, and he has healing and salvation for one and all. The preaching of peace through Jesus Christ unto the children of Israel is to be continued; but the glad tidings shall be proclaimed to all gentiles also; and himself is with his witnesses alway unto the end of the world. The apostles eat and drink with him after his resurrection. In invisible form he is in their midst everywhere, and reveals himself whenever it pleases him to do so. After the ascension and the outpouring of the Spirit they see him no more; but do you think that he is not with them? In their preaching he manifests his power in glorious fashion, gives them victory everywhere, tears down the ramparts of Satan, and makes manifest through his disciples the sweet savor of his knowledge in every place. — Go out confidently, then, with the words of the Savior, ye his witnesses! You shall never, never go alone. Live all the time with him in faith; and preach his death and resurrection as something in which you have your life, as something which you have yourselves experienced. His peace shall obtain victory in your heart; and he shall manifest his victorious strength in his word, which you preach. Shall not he, who even in his lowly estate on earth healed all that were oppressed of the devil, send out his power from his throne of glory, and force the devil to retreat before the truth and life in the gospel of peace? Or, peradventure, he no longer desires to save man? “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13, 8). God help us, that we may no longer be faithless, but believing!
O praise the Lord, all ye nations; praise him all ye people. For his merciful kindness is great toward us; and the truth of the Lord endureth forever. Hallelujah! Amen.
Let every kindred, every tribe, On this terrestrial ball, To him all majesty ascribe, And crown him Lord of all.
O that with yonder sacred throng We at his feet may fall; Join in the everlasting song, And crown him Lord of all!
The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous.
Gospel Lesson, Mark 16, 1-7. And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun. And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great. And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted. And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him. But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.
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“Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?” anxiously inquired the women; but “when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away; for it was very great.” The stone which imprisons us in death and the grave is sin. It is so large and heavy that no man and no angel could have removed it. It would without any question have held us forever in the cave of death, separated from God, shut out from all life and light. But Jesus has taken away sin, and burst open the grave; then the angel rolls the stone away, that the victory may become known. Go to the grave of Jesus; and behold, the stone is rolled away! He who died for the sins of the world, and who said, “It is finished,” he is risen, and the truth of his announcement has been established. If he had not in truth fully paid for our sins and fulfilled all things for us, the death to which he delivered himself would have held him bound. Now we know of a certainty that he is risen; and hence it is clear that the cup of death has been drained to the dregs, and that the whole burden of sin has been taken away. The stone is rolled away. Should sin still rest heavy on your conscience, and death still have terrors for you, then bear in mind that you are baptized into him who was dead and is alive, and that hence you are dead with him and risen again with him. Sin has no more any right to cause you death. In Christ death has already been suffered; it is finished. — Neither shall death be able to make your heart a grave filled with death’s ugly brood, a habitation for the evil powers of darkness. You are united with the living Christ; you are one with him, over whom death has no authority whatever. Christ is risen; therefore the stone is rolled away. Christ is risen; and thereby sin is vanquished, and death destroyed. To me there is nothing, and can be nothing, more grand than the declaration of Paul (2 Tim. 1, 10), that “Jesus Christ hath abolished death.” Death, this terrible reality; death abolished, done away with! Hallelujah! O, that we might make our shout of victory heard in all the earth! Verily, death is abolished, death for us and death in us. We are saved from the greatest of all terrors; for we are members of his body, who died and rose again, and are one with him in his death and in his resurrection. To be sure, our faith still is weak; but it is founded on the word of God, and is therefore stronger than all the gates of hell.
The grave of Jesus is the door to all graves in which the bodies of the faithful are laid to rest. The seal is broken, and the stone rolled away; he is the resurrection and the life. “He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.” (John 11, 25. 26). My reader, believest thou this? There is no doubt whatever of its truth; himself, who is the truth, has spoken it, and you may trust in it with absolute safety. Blessed are you, if you believe! Yes, blessed is everyone who in truth believes, even though his faith be weak and he be obliged to fight continually against unbelief. — How shall I thank thee, Lord Jesus, for thy victory over death and the devil, and for life, everlasting life, which thou hast given me! Grant me grace to live for thee while life endures, to confess thy name by walking in godliness, and to bring forth much fruit for thy kingdom. And let me then forever lie at the foot of thy throne with praise and thanksgiving. Thou knowest that it is my innermost heart which says: Blessed be thy glorious name evermore! How blest shall I be to praise thee with a new tongue in thy kingdom forever and ever! Amen.
Christ the Lord is risen today, Sons of men and angels say; Raise your joys and triumphs high, Sing, ye heavens, and earth reply.
Lives again our glorious king; Where, O death, is now thy sting? Dying once, he all doth save; Where thy victory, O grave?
175. Easter Day. II.
Lord Jesus, our living Savior; quicken us, and sanctify us with thee. Amen.
Epistle Lesson, 1 Corinthians 5, 7. 8. Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
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The use of leaven was, under penalty of death, prohibited among the children of Israel during the Easter festival. They ate the passover every year; and with the faith of our heart we eat the true passover all the time. Christ was sacrificed for us, and they that believe in him live in communion with him alway, and celebrate Easter without ceasing. “Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.” (John 6, 63). Reference is here had to the union of the heart with Jesus. In this union only is there life. But do you hear what the apostle says in regard to the leaven? Do you remember that the leaven is prohibited, and that it is death itself? “The old leaven” is the nature and life of the natural man. War must be made on all the lusts of the flesh, even as the Israelites were to have no leaven in the house at the time of Easter. It means death, if you again conclude peace with any of your carnal lusts. “The leaven of malice and wickedness” means an evil and deceitful mind. Is it possible, do you think, that hate and anger, the spirit of Esau and Saul, can be united with Jesus, who is all love? Or how should malice, deceit, and craftiness be connected in any way with our holy and blameless Lamb of the passover? No, sincerity and truth shall be our bread. You, the Lord’s believers, are a new lump, unleavened and pure; and this is what you should be. The passover is sacrificed; and thereby you are become a new lump, says the apostle. How happy we would be, did we but understand the word of God and believe the truth! As you are a new lump, you can and shall purge out the old leaven. Your whole life shall be a life in sincerity and truth. It shall be lived in the power of Christ’s resurrection and in the fellowship of his suffering. Your whole life shall be on a high plane; you shall not wallow in the mire of sin, but climb the heights, bathe in the sunshine of truth and holiness, and breathe the pure and heavenly spirit of Jesus. In like manner as a leaven leavens the whole lump, so shall the new life, the life of Christ’s resurrection, be manifest in all that you do. It is a life of the heart, and must be seen in every act down to the least important, even as the heartbeat sends the blood coursing through the body out into the tips of the fingers.
God help us to be true believers, and to lead a life of true holiness. Amen.
The strife is o’er, the battle done! The victory of life is won; The song of triumph has begun, Hallelujah!
The powers of death have done their worst, But Christ their legions hath dispersed; Let shouts of holy joy outburst, Hallelujah!
Lord Jesus, make it clear to our faith that thou hast made of the grave a place of pleasant slumber. Amen.
Matthew 27, 57-66. When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathæa, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus’ disciple: he went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed. And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre. Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead; so the last error shall be worse than the first. Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can. So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.
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None of the disciples of Jesus had the courage or the strength to inter his body. Shall it, then, be thrown into the valley of Hinnom to be eaten by the dogs? The mere question wounds us and seems sacrilegious. Have no fear; for it is written by the prophet Isaiah that his body would be delivered to a rich man, and that a watch of wicked men would be set to guard his sepulchre. (Isaiah 53). The Father in heaven has caused a rich man, a member of the high council, to hew out in the rock a tomb for himself in his garden near Calvary; and now God puts it into this man’s mind to ask for the body of Jesus and to give it burial in his own new tomb. But the high priests are to fulfill the prophecy in regard to the watch; and thus they are compelled, against their will and in more ways than one, to make more sure our faith in the resurrection of our Lord. For not only does the setting of the watch at the grave furnish proof of the truth of scripture; but all that transpired, with the flight of the soldiers and their lying account of what had taken place, is most conclusive evidence that the Lord is risen and the sepulchre empty.
Set a watch, and seal the stone well; — the earth shall tremble, and your seal be broken, and the stone thrown aside. The situation is changed, and the power is yours no longer. All that you could do was to deliver him into the hands of the governor to be crucified. Now that the soul of Jesus has found rest in paradise, and has vanquished death; now that all the saints in heaven are making ready for the joyous Easter jubilee, your power even over the body of Jesus is at an end. You may seal the grave, if you like; him you shall see no more. Go your ways; and fare well, if you can. Soon you shall hear something, and be forced to step aside to make way for the triumphal car of the Crucified One. You have rejected the precious stone; but he is become the chief stone of the corner. He shall crush you, or you shall be broken on him, if you do not soon wake up and repent.
Gentle Jesus, victorious Hero; thy body lies in the grave from Friday until Sunday! Who can say why thou didst rest so long, or why thou didst not rise again sooner? Who knows what took place in paradise during these three days? Blessed mystery, which thy Spirit shall explain to us in the next world. Certain it is that thou didst not shun or avoid the condition in which the blessed dead now are, and into which we soon shall enter. For thou wast out of the body, as other souls are, and thy body rested as a deserted habitation of God, alone and lifeless in the grave. If thou art become like unto us, we shall become like unto thee; and no fear shall keep us back from the path which thou didst tread; for thou hast sanctified it and robbed it of every danger and terror.
— Wilhelm Loehe
To the unbelievers death is terrible, and the grave full of horrors. They are forced to tell themselves that the dark, cold tomb is the end and all of their course, the comfort and reward for all their labor and their struggles, the unutterably sad and hopeless answer to their longing and groping and questioning. Alas they are forced to go further, and to tell themselves that there is beyond the grave something yet more dark awaiting them because they serve sin. — But rejoice, ye believers! Your grave is the grave of Jesus, and his grave is yours. For was it not for our sin that he died? He died our death, and he slept in our grave; what is our burial, then, but the laying of our bodies to rest in the grave of Jesus? — God give us faith! The grave still seems so dark to me. I am weary and wish to go to rest; but I would like to have another bed. And yet; where could I hope to find a better bed than the one in which thou didst rest, thou who art the resurrection and the life? Praise be to thee, Lord Jesus, for thy burial; for this and for all other benefits! Amen.
Teach us to know that Jesus died, And rose again, our souls to save; Teach us to take him as our guide, Our help from childhood to the grave.
Then shall not death with terror come, But welcome as a bidden guest, The herald of a better home, The messenger of peace and rest.
O, thou Lamb of God that didst take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
John 19, 30. Luke 23, 46. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.
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Every prophecy in regard to the work and the passion of the Messiah in his estate of lowliness has now been brought to its conclusion; Jesus has fulfilled everything which the law demands of us. He has made complete satisfaction for us all. “It is finished.” This truth is the one which I need more than anything else in the world. “For that he hath done this,” says the Twenty-second Psalm, therefore the kingdom is the Lord’s, and there is salvation for Jew and gentile, for high and low, from the first sinner to the last on earth, for all, from one end of the earth to the other. All is finished, for me and for all men. The law condemns me; for I have disobeyed it; but Christ sets me free, for he has kept it in my stead, and has suffered the punishment which I had deserved. He has redeemed me; his is the kingdom, and I belong to him. The work of Christ embraces every work necessary for our justification; all is finished, and there is no room for any work of ours by which we might hope to attain righteousness. He has done it all; and in his kingdom, therefore, the questions as to any merit on our part, or as to the power of the law to save or to condemn, have been finally disposed of; for that which he has done is done, and is not to be done by any other. Hence he says: “Come; for all things are now ready.” This will I proclaim aloud; O, that it might resound to the ends of the earth! This will I confess while I live; and when my last hour comes I will bid the world farewell, bow my head in death, and commend my soul to God, trusting in his declaration: “It is finished.”
The first words spoken by the Lord on the cross, and the last, were a prayer to the Father. What he said, from the first word to the last, we have heard. How much he suffered none can say, nor even faintly surmise. And all was done for our sake. By reason of his having done this for me, and having baptized me into his death, he is with me and in me; and in every affliction and in my dying hour I therefore can say: “Heavenly Father, hear my prayer, and save me.” Thus Stephen in the midst of death was able to pray: “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” And Luther: “Into thy hand I commit my spirit; thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.” (Psalm 31, 5). Whosoever believes in Jesus and lives in him, the Victor over death, shall with him go from earth to paradise. Live and suffer every day trusting in these shouts of victory from the lips of Jesus: “It is finished,” “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.” When you do this you are absolved and dead from the law; and in your dying hour the faithful Holy Spirit shall whisper these words of Jesus into your soul. Then you cannot perish; but, as God lives, you shall enter into life everlasting.
“May my soul be calm and fearless As I lie expecting death; May thy love so great and peerless Lauded be with my last breath. When at last I fall asleep, Dearest Jesus, may I keep Firm the faith that life and heaven By thy death to me were given.” Amen.
For thy sorrows we adore thee, For the pains that wrought our peace; Gracious Savior! we implore thee, In our souls thy love increase.
Here we feel our sins forgiven, While upon the land we gaze; And our thoughts are all of heaven, And our lips o’erflow with praise.
172. Good Friday. II.
Lord Jesus, may our faith in thy blood be firmly established on the truth of the scriptures. Amen.
John 19, 31-37. The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: but one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came thereout blood and water. And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true; and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe. For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken. And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced.
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As the Victor over death Jesus commits his spirit to his Father, and his body to the grave. Nevertheless he felt the inevitable agony at the moment of dissolution; for this, also, was a part of the wages of sin. But this was the end of his sufferings; and his head sinks upon his breast; life has departed from the sacred body. The soul has winged its flight to paradise. How did the angelic host receive him? What say Death and Hell now? Do they still refuse to admit defeat? The fight is over whether or no; the victory is the Lord’s and — ours forevermore!
Our passover is sacrificed; and now come the soldiers to break the legs of the two thieves. Shall they not break his also? No; the scripture forbids it. (Exodus 12, 46). His body is not to be mutilated; they are not permitted to maim it. Thus they are made to fulfill yet another passage of scripture, Zechariah 12, 10, — all parts of the Bible are linked together in Christ. They pierce his side, and bring the water of life for our souls to flow from his heart. The lamb was to be sacrificed for us; but we may at all times sprinkle its blood on our hearts and be safe from the angel of death. The words of the gospel are: “And forthwith came there out blood and water.” In his epistle the same John writes: “This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood; . . . there are three that bear witness in earth, the spirit, and the water, and the blood; and these three agree in one.” (1 John 5). St. Augustine writes: “Even as from the side of the sleeping Adam a rib was taken and made into a woman, to whom Adam said that she was bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh; in like manner did Christ, the heavenly Adam, fall asleep on the cross; and from his side came there out blood and water, the sacraments of the new covenant, by which he builds up his bride, the church; concerning which the apostle says: ‘For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.’” Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins; “he died for our sins according to the scriptures.” This is certainly true; for God has said it. John did not doubt it; and Paul and all the other apostles were equally confident. But it is quite as certain, according to the testimony of the apostles and of all the scriptures, that we, who are baptized into him, have a part in the blood and water which flowed from his side in the hour of his death. On so sure a foundation does our faith rest; and there is nothing can shake our hope of everlasting life through the death of the Son of God. But whosoever does not believe, and does not surrender his heart to this truth, makes God a liar in the highest revelation of his love, and tramples the blood of Jesus under foot. God deliver us from this danger.
I thank thee, Lord Jesus, for thy death; for the blood and water from thy side; for thy full and perfect atonement; and for the holy means of grace, through which thou dost make me a partaker in thy salvation. Thou knowest that I yearn after thee; thou knowest that of my heart I ask of thee this favor, that I may have a place among the needy sinners who stand at the foot of thy cross, and who are cleansed by thy sacred blood. Thou knowest how precious these fountains of life are to my soul, how happy I am to dwell in thy church on earth and there enjoy them. But, alas, Lord Jesus, sin and unbelief still have a strong hold on me. Precious, faithful Savior, increase my faith; and let me daily die with thee, and live in thee alway. Lord Jesus, be thou my life. Sanctify me, and wash me, and kindle the fire of thy love in my poor soul. How blest I would be, if I could of my whole heart live for thee. Grant me, grant us all this blessing, thou most loving and precious Savior. Amen.
Sweet the moments, rich in blessing, Which before the cross we spend; Life, and health, and peace possessing, From the sinner’s dying friend.
Truly blessed is this station, Low before his cross to lie, While we see divine compassion Beaming in his gracious eye.
Lord, teach us to understand that which thou doest. Amen.
John 13, 1-15. Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him; Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; he riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean. So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
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There are no words of ours which can do justice to this grand text, or can bring out its wondrous beauty. Do thou therefore, O Lord, explain it to us. — The sinner who has been justified is pure and spotless in the sight of God, all his guilt is taken away, he is robed in the seamless and undivided garment of Christ; “there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.” God has justified them; who, then, shall lay anything to their charge? The justified sinner has been born again, and lives in righteousness and purity. He has a new heart, which loves God and does his will. But he also has flesh and blood, and his life is therefore as yet imperfect; there is more or less of dust which clings to his feet. “Ye are clean,” said Jesus to his disciples; but see how their pride causes them to sin. Each of them wants to be first. In like manner all believers have many open and secret faults. Therefore we all the time stand in need of forgiveness and renewal. This is what the Lord means by the ceremony of washing the feet. If he did not grant us every day new forgiveness for the sins which still cling to us, we could not continue in fellowship with him. If we say that we have no sin we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (John 1, 8). If you do not feel the need of daily forgiveness and continued sanctification, you are not a child of God, and cannot from your heart pray the Lord’s Prayer; for in this prayer we say: “Forgive us our trespasses.” You cannot receive forgiveness, if you do not ask it; for in that case you are not in the estate of grace, and have no part in Jesus. O, how important it is that we know our sin and obtain mercy! It is the only way in which we can continue in grace, increase in holiness, and become every day more pure in all our conversation. — But he whom the Lord has made clean, and whose feet are washed by him from day to day, can and shall also wash the feet of others. That is to say: He must serve the brethren in devoted love, bear with their faults, hide their infirmities, and help them to become better. This is what the Lord would have us do. Let none of his disciples regard himself as too good to bend down and wash a brother’s feet, however unclean they may be; and let none look on with unconcern when his brother strays into filthy paths and defiles himself with sin. Do as the Lord did. He was conscious of being the Almighty God, and yet he washed the feet of his sinful disciples. The greatest man is most humble. None save Jesus can make us clean; yet we also shall wash one another. He that understands this, let him practice it! He will find herein the true joy of life. — O, that I may be pure in thy sight, O Lord, and that I may have need only to wash the feet! Let me not be among those unhappy ones who will not allow thee to wash them. Sanctify me, O Lord; wash my feet. Let no filth of sin cling to me; sanctify me wholly and entirely, in spirit and soul and body. Give me humility and charity, that I may cheerfully wash the feet of the brethren. Give me to be like-minded unto thee, that I may do that which thou hast done. Amen.
Loving Jesus, gentle lamb, In thy gracious hands I am: Make me, Savior, what thou art, Live thyself within my heart.
I shall then show forth thy praise, Serve thee all my happy days: Then the world shall always see, Christ, the holy child, in me.
170. Thursday in Holy Week. II.
Wash us, O Lord, and clothe us, and make us worthy guests at thy table. Amen.
1 Corinthians 11, 23-29. For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread: and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat; this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come. Wherefore, whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.
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Among the things which the Lord revealed to Paul was instruction in regard to the Holy Supper. How important a matter is this sacrament, and how full of meaning! It was instituted in the most solemn night of the Lord’s life on earth; and after his ascension to heaven he gives Paul instruction concerning this sacrament, at the time of calling him to the office of an apostle. To Paul he repeats the exact words which he used when instituting the sacrament. The account which Paul gives after his meeting with the Savior tallies exactly with what the other apostles report in regard to the events of the night in which he was betrayed. Let us understand that the Holy Supper is of more importance in our Christian life than words can express; and let us therefore hold it in highest esteem, and approach it with reverence.
It was on this Thursday evening that he sat with his disciples in a room in Jerusalem. He had already sacrificed himself, and had been anointed as one who had already died for our sins. And now, before finally yielding up his spirit, this night, while eating the passover with his disciples, it is his will to institute this sacrament, which gives us his body and blood to eat and drink, and which carries us back to the time and place of his death of atonement for our sins. In the hour of his death it must be done, that we may not only receive his body and blood, which he sacrificed for us, but may also sit at the altar on which the sacrifice was made, and shew the Lord’s death. He took bread, gave thanks, brake it, and said: Take, eat; this is my body which is broken for you. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying: This cup is the new testament in my blood; this ye do, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. The Lamb of the passover in a striking way represents Jesus; but that is all. Here, in this new sacrament, we surely must have something more than a mere sign or symbol; and the Lord declares in express words: This is my body. With divine omnipotence he gives the disciples his glorified and heavenly body, even while he still sits among them in the form of a servant; and by his almighty word he commands that the bread and wine of the sacrament shall, for all time, give us his true body and blood. As surely as Jesus is truthful and almighty, the Sacrament of the altar is “the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, under the bread and wine.” But while the bread does not merely represent the body of Christ, neither does it cease to be bread, and become the body of the Lord instead. No; when you eat the bread of the sacrament, the Lord gives therein his body. He makes no mention of the bread, he speaks as you would in administering medicine to the sick. You call it after the healing drug which it contains, and say nothing about the water in which you give it. Because the body and blood of Christ is united with bread and wine in the sacrament, Paul says: “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?” What a precious thing is this sacrament! And it shall remain unchanged and unchangeable to the end of time; and the Christians who partake of it thereby proclaim their faith, that Christ, the Son of God, died, and lives, and shall come again in his glory.
The Christians of our day do not come as often as they should to the Lord’s table. The earliest Christians partook of this sacrament much more frequently. Is it not highly necessary in our case also to be strengthened in faith, quickened in love, to be more firmly established in hope, to come nearer to Jesus, to taste his divine goodness, to have a powerful reminder of his death, to be led deeper into communion with him in his suffering, to be more closely knit together in brotherly love, to be made more zealous in bearing witness concerning our Savior; in short, to become more Christlike? O, how great is our need of all this! Therefore, dear brethren in the Lord; make more diligent use of this sacrament than has heretofore been your practice. There is no other place here below where Christ comes so near to us. In this sacrament he has agreed to meet you; here he gives himself to you; here you are with him in that awful night of his suffering and death; here the fire of love sets your soul aglow; for himself has said: “He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me, and I in him.” Blessed supper, in which my Lord Jesus himself is set before me! I will come often to this thrice blessed feast.
Now, since the Holy Supper is the body and blood of the Lord, by virtue of his own word, so that all, believers and unbelievers, who partake of it, eat and drink the body and blood of Jesus; it is of paramount importance that we examine ourselves. The Spirit of God testifies that if you receive this sacrament unworthily, you are guilty of the Lord’s body and blood. You outrage the Lord himself, you betray him, you give him the kiss of Judas, you crucify and blaspheme him; you eat and drink damnation to yourself! In God’s name, examine yourself! He will give you the necessary light. But if you know yourself as one indeed unworthy, and sincerely desire to be cleansed of sin; and if you believe that the gifts received are the body and blood of Christ, then you are properly prepared to partake of this Supper. Do not neglect it, as do the many who despise the Lord’s command: “Do this in remembrance of me.”
Help us, O God, to come often and in the right way to thy Supper, there to be strengthened in our faith, to be made sure of thy favor, and to enter into a closer communion with thee and with all the saints. Guard us from the danger of eating and drinking damnation to ourselves. Forgive us the sins which we have committed when partaking of Holy Communion; and, when we come to thy Supper, do thou carry us back over time and space, that we may be with thee and the twelve on that Thursday night in the room in Jerusalem, and there may forget all things else, and taste nothing save thy love. Amen.
Come, ye disconsolate, where’er ye languish, Come to the mercy-seat, fervently kneel; Here bring your wounded hearts, here tell your anguish; Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal.
Here see the bread of life; see waters flowing Forth from the throne of God, pure from above; Come to the feast of love; come ever knowing: Earth has no sorrow but heaven can remove.
“While the king sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof.”
Matthew 26, 1-16. And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples, Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified. Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, and consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him. But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people. Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, there came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat. But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste? For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor. When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me. For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always. For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her. Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, and said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver. And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.
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The council assembled in the palace of Caiaphas decides that Jesus must die. Not, however, on the feast day; for at that time Jerusalem is crowded with visitors from Galilee and elsewhere, and there might easily be a riot. But in the high council of God it had been decreed from everlasting that his death should occur at this very time, at the feast of the passover, and in the sight of all the people. The Lamb of the passover is to be made an Easter sacrifice in the presence of Jews and Greeks; for it is the office of Jesus to save from death both Jew and gentile. While the chief priests now take counsel together in the palace of Caiaphas, saying, “not on the feast day,” Jesus is being anointed in Bethany. Judas strongly disapproves of this waste, and goes out to replenish the purse; and thus it comes about that the catastrophe takes place at the time of the feast. Though Satan lay his plans with all the cunning of which he is master, and though the wicked take counsel together with all possible caution and prudence, yet the Lord “taketh the wise in their own craftiness.” Though it is against their will, they all must serve his purposes. How much more, then, must it be true in regard to the faithful, that they are instruments for the working out of his purposes. This woman loved the Lord. She regarded no ointment as too precious to be poured out for him. Her heart was full of the love which is fragrant of heaven. She cared nothing for the money value of her offering; her delight was to be near Jesus, to serve and please him. And thus she did more than she was aware of; she anointed him for his burial. She loved him for that he loved us with the love that caused him to lay down his life for us; and her love was a precious ointment to his heart, and comforted him for his loss of the unhappy Judas. In the most stupendous event that heaven and earth have witnessed, the passion and death of the Son of God, this woman holds a place of such importance that her deed is recounted wherever the gospel is preached. And why? By reason of her love; the love that gladly gives all that it has, and does not think of the cost when buying ointment for Jesus. The council in the palace of Caiaphas and the company in Bethany are curiously correlated; and the one sheds light on the other. The woman pours out on the head of Jesus ointment to the value of three hundred pence; Judas sells him for thirty pieces of silver.
Avarice is always poor, and robs the heart of every noble impulse; love always has abundance, and is able to fill the house with its divine perfume.
Lord Jesus, give us love, the greatest and best of all things in the world. Amen.
Dear Lord, and shall we ever live At this poor, dying rate? Our love so faint, so cold to thee, And thine to us so great?
Come, Holy Spirit, heavenly dove, With all thy quickening powers, Come shed abroad a Savior’s love, And that shall kindle ours.
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.
Lord, cleanse our hearts, and teach our lips to show forth thy praise. Amen.
Matthew 21, 10-16. And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? And the multitude said, This is Jesus, the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee. And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves; and said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves. And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them. And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the son of David! they were sore displeased, and said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea: have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?
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Though the meekest of all kings, Christ is nevertheless filled with fiery zeal against wickedness, and does not tolerate ungodly men within the borders of his kingdom. The gentleness in which he deals with the afflicted who wish to be cleansed of their sin is no more pronounced than is the sternness with which he drives out of his church all self-confident and impenitent sinners. He does not crush the broken reed; but he brings low the proud and the stiff-necked. He that will not humble himself shall be cast out; for the kingdom of Christ is the home of humility and meekness and love. He heals the blind and the lame, and the Hosanna of babes is sweetest music to him; but he whips the money changers and traders out of his house, and the haughty scribes he rebukes with the two-edged sword of the word. The temple of burnt offerings is destroyed, and in its place is erected a temple of living stones, a temple in which God is worshiped in spirit and in truth. Let it be fully understood that only such as repent and become little children shall enter this temple. Humility and faith secure admission, while the doors are shut against the worldly, the vain, and the self-righteous. In a great house there are, to be sure, not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; but the former are unto honor and the latter unto dishonor. The tares are, indeed, allowed to grow in the field together with the wheat until the harvest; but they do not belong there, and they shall in due season be separated from the wheat with merciless severity. Let each of us examine himself and find whether or not his heart has been made humble and is cleansed in the blood of Jesus, thus enabling us to give the answer of a good conscience toward God, and to worship him in spirit and in truth; for none other shall be able to stand before him on the day of judgment. Jesus gave himself for us, that he might save us from the ways and works of the devil; and he let water and blood flow from his side for the purification of his peculiar people. Shall we not, then, follow holiness, and be zealous of good works? Now then, by the power of the blood of Christ, leave the ways of darkness; be not unequally yoked with unbelief. Purify your soul in the obedience of truth; let your heart be a holy temple, and your whole life a stainless service devoted to him whom “zeal for the house of God hath eaten up!”
Grant us this grace, merciful God, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
Return, O holy Dove! return, Sweet messenger of rest! I hate the sins that made thee mourn, And drove thee from my breast.
So shall my walk be close with God, Calm and serene my frame; So purer light shall mark the road That leads me to the Lamb.
Let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice; let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them; let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.
Gospel Lesson, Matthew 21, 1-9. And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, Tell ye the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass. And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, and brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David! Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest!
❦
The kings of the nations are distinguished by their glory and splendor; Christ, on the other hand, by his lowliness and humility. The princes of this earth purchase victories with the blood of their subjects; Christ did it with his own blood. Other rulers have climbed into high places in order to gain power and dominion for themselves; Christ has descended to the lowest depths, that he might win glory and salvation for us. How? is he, then, not grand and great? Does he not possess dominion and glory? He upholds all things by the word of his power, and all the hosts of heaven do homage to him. It was not by reason of weakness that he became the least of all, but by reason of his omnipotence and infinite love. Still, his lowliness is by no means a pretense, or a mere assumption of humility; he has in very truth made himself of no reputation, — descending to the depths in order to slay our enemy and snatch us out of the jaws of death. His kingdom is not of this world, the blessings which he bestows on us are not of earth, but of heaven; not for the body, but for the soul. Humility, meekness, patience, love, mercy, peace, and eternal salvation are his gifts to his people.
He makes this entry into Jerusalem as a king at the very time when he goes there to suffer and die. This was the necessary order of things. It is by his death on the cross that he is to destroy the power of the devil and found his own kingdom. He now comes to Jerusalem, that he may be lifted up and draw all men unto himself. (John 3, 14; 8, 28; 12, 32). It is done. He was crucified, and he ascended to the right hand of the Father. He sits on the throne of God, and has all power in heaven and on earth; and yet, gentle and meek, he stands in our midst. All that believe in him are saved from the power of darkness, and dwell within the ramparts of that kingdom in which lovingkindness and meekness hold sway, where “mercy and truth are met together, and righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” In faith we now enjoy this grace. A blessed thing for us is his entrance into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, when he came and was made a sin offering for us. A blessed thing for us is the power of his grace to conquer sin and all evil in our poor hearts. The time is coming when we shall see him; he shall come once more; and this coming shall be the occasion of such joy to the faithful that their shouts of gladness shall continue throughout ages everlasting. — And now, we thank thee for thy royal pageant on Palm Sunday, we do thee homage as the king of our hearts; we worship thee as our God; and we humbly ask of thee this great favor, that we may lay ourselves, with all that we are and all that we have, at thy feet. Take all that we have, Lord Jesus, and make use of it for the extension of thy kingdom. Lead us along the way of the cross; and in all things make use of us for the victory of thy truth and grace on earth. Amen.
Paschal Lamb, by God appointed, All our sins on thee were laid; By almighty love anointed, Thou hast full atonement made. All thy people are forgiven Through the virtue of thy blood: Opened is the gate of heaven, Peace is made ’twixt man and God.
165. Palm Sunday. II.
Lord Jesus, teach us to know thee in thy humiliation and in thine exaltation. Amen.
Epistle Lesson, Philippians 2, 5-11. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God; but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
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Jesus descends to the lowest depths of humility; for he is to accomplish all that of which the name Jesus is earnest. It is his wish to save us from the devil, and free our hearts from sin; deliver us from endless agony, and make us forever blest; lift us up out of the deepest degradation, and give us eternal glory and honor in heaven. Therefore he renounces the use of his divine glory, and becomes the least and most humble of servants. When the Son of God became man it would naturally be expected that he must, as a matter of course, be a man of godlike grandeur; that his whole human nature must shine with the luster lent to it by its union with the divine. But this likeness unto God he put away, and of this glory he stripped himself, and lived on earth in the likeness of sinful flesh. Himself without sin or blemish, he bore our whole burden of sin with all its consequences, poverty, hunger, pain, and death. But when he had suffered all this, and had made full payment of our debt, and had bought us with his own life and blood, he was translated to glory; and now “the Son of Man” is highly exalted, and has dominion over all things in heaven and earth; and he shall come again on the last day to judge the quick and the dead. It was a condescension greater than words can express on the part of the Son of God when he took upon him the form of a servant. On the other hand, man is exalted beyond measure by the personal union with the Son of God. Not only does he deliver us from evil, but he endows us with all honor and glory. It cost him dear to prove his title to the name Jesus; but he knew this from everlasting, and was willing to pay the price. To us this name is more precious than tongue can tell. It does not seem possible that I could refrain from doing it reverence; neither shall any deny me this privilege. The hosts of heaven shall worship him in all eternity, and all principalities and powers above and below shall bow down before him. God is our Savior; the name of the Son of God is Jesus; therefore we have great joy. This name, which fills the heavens with rejoicing, is the name of our Savior. Him shall we worship in glory without end, and his beauty shall forever satisfy our soul’s desire. We had deserved to be scullions in the devil’s kitchen, and our Savior appoints us to places of honor among the angels around his heavenly throne. Should we not, then, be willing, nay even glad, to endure humiliation and suffering for a little while, and thus become like unto our meek and loving Savior? “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” These are the opening words of our epistle lesson; and with these words we close, saying to one another: “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.”
O Lord Jesus, grant us the gift of thy Holy Spirit, that we may believe in thee; that we may be like thee, and that we may worship thee and confess thy precious name, here on earth in tribulations and in lowliness, and thereafter in the eternal glory and bliss of heaven. Amen.
Worship, honor, power, and blessing, Thou art worthy to receive; Loudest praises, without ceasing, Meet it is for us to give. Help, ye bright angelic spirits, Bring your sweetest, noblest lays, Help to sing our Savior’s merits. Help to chant Immanuel’s praise.
[Editor’s NOTE: In Anno Domini 2024, the Feast of the Annunciation of Our Lord, celebrated on the 25th of March, takes place next week. In his BFP, however, Laache places Annunciation Day on the Fifth Sunday in Lent.]
163. Saturday after Annunciation Day.
Lord Jesus, give us to understand thy suffering of expiation, and to taste thy love. Amen.
John 19, 28. 29. Psalm 22, 14. 15. Psalm 69, 21. After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
❦
Christ bore all the evils which sin has brought upon us, without asking relief of men. The snares of death compassed him, the floods of ungodly men made him afraid, the sorrows of death overwhelmed him, the waters came in unto his soul, the floods overflowed him; the fierce anger of the Lord, and all horrors, swept over him; the wrath of God burned him like fire. God forsook him; yet did he cling to God. Though filled with the sense of God’s wrath, of having been forsaken by the Father, of the agony of death; he still looks to God, and in faith continues on the rock of his promises. That which is written in the Psalms and Prophets is his strength and deliverance. It did not exempt him from death; — for he should and would suffer death with all its pain and its terrors; — but it gave him strength to suffer patiently and without uttering any complaint, and it enabled him to cleave to God even when he felt in the fullest measure that he had been forsaken and was in the midst of the darkness of death. It is above all for his sake, for the support of his faith, that it is written in the Twenty-second Psalm: “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me; why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?” If there had been no such scripture passages to serve as his stay, he could not have gone through death in the manner in which he did, nor have become the prince of our faith. But it is written for the sake of our faith also; and therefore he uttered these words on the cross. We are to see that in him the prophecies concerning the sufferings of the Messiah are fulfilled to the letter in every detail; and among these prophecies are Psalm 22, 14 and 15, and 69, 21. For this reason he now says: “I thirst.” His preceding cry marks the climax of his soul’s agony; this expresses his most acute bodily pain. He has been suspended on the cross for five or six hours; his wounds are on fire, his blood is exhausted, “he is poured out like water, and all his bones are out of joint; his heart is like wax, melted in the midst of his bowels.” His strength is dried up, and the weakness of exhaustion comes upon him; but his faith and love gain the victory. Now vinegar with gall is put to his mouth. This is the last cup drained by the Son of God on earth; men have nothing else to give him in his last moments. — I keep silence, my dear reader, and only pray the Holy Spirit to explain this to you. — Precious Savior, blessed be thy name forever and ever! The rivers of living water in paradise are thine; yet dost thou thirst unto death and drink vinegar as an expiation for my sinful fleshly desires, in order that thou mayest give me the water of grace while I live, the cup of comfort when I die, and the sweet and blessed draught of eternal life in heaven. Again I say with all my heart: Blessed forever be the precious name of the Savior! Amen.
In the cross of Christ I glory, Towering o’er the wrecks of time, All the light of sacred story Gathers round its head sublime.
When the woes of life o’ertake me, Hopes deceive, and fears annoy, Never shall the cross forsake me: Lo! it glows with peace and joy.
[Editor’s NOTE: In Anno Domini 2024, the Feast of the Annunciation of Our Lord, celebrated on the 25th of March, takes place next week. In his BFP, however, Laache places Annunciation Day on the Fifth Sunday in Lent.]
162. Friday after Annunciation Day.
“My God, be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.”
Matthew 27, 45-49. Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias. And straightway one of them ran, and took a sponge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him.
❦
To be forsaken of God is to be damned. Was it the intent of God, then, to deal thus with his Son? Did this take place in accordance with the Father’s positive will? How could it be otherwise than in accordance with the will of him without whom not even a sparrow falls to the ground? The scripture expressly declares that when the Son tasted death for us all, this was done according to the gracious will of God. (Hebrews 2, 9). Or what power other than his love could have caused the almighty Father to forsake his well beloved Son? It was done for our sake, in obedience to his own gracious purpose. The Father forsook the Son in the agony of death, tempted, reproached and tortured by devils and men. And the Son knew that he was forsaken, and fully realized the horror of it; the darkness of eternal death settled down on him, and his soul was racked with all the terrors of hell. The whole penalty which the world had deserved is now executed on him; all the misery with which all men had deserved to be punished forever and ever is poured into one cup, and he empties it to the dregs, and tastes all the bitterness of God’s fiery wrath which it contains.
I know not what transpired in heaven and in the soul of the Redeemer to produce this sensation of being forsaken of God; but I shudder at the thought, and a dark dread falls on my soul, as it did on nature in those last hours. Here it becomes plain to me that there is no flaw in the doctrine of Saint Paul, and of Luther, in regard to the vicarious atonement of Jesus. He that does not see this is more blind than was the night which fell on the land when Jesus died.
— Wilhelm Loehe
The power of sin, the severity of justice, the agony of the damned, the greatness of mercy, the eternal value of my soul in the sight of God, — all these are in nothing revealed more clearly than in the words of the Lord: “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” But how can any poor words of mine, wretched sinner that I am, do justice to this subject? I sink down at the foot of thy throne with a profound sense of my unworthiness to be redeemed at so great a cost, and with my heart full of thanksgiving and worship.
Since thou, my Jesus, didst thus cry out, I am able in the midst of death to say with a glad voice: Blessed be thou for the ineffable grace of redemption. Justice is satisfied; condemnation has passed away. Nothing shall separate me from thy love; life everlasting is mine. Together with all the saints I shall be with thee, and praise and thank thee forevermore. Amen.
We held him as condemned of heaven, An outcast from his God; While for our sins he groaned, he bled, Beneath his Father’s rod.
His sacred blood hath washed our souls From sin’s polluting stain; His stripes have healed us, and his death Revived our souls again.
[Editor’s NOTE: In Anno Domini 2024, the Feast of the Annunciation of Our Lord, celebrated on the 25th of March, takes place next week. In his BFP, however, Laache places Annunciation Day on the Fifth Sunday in Lent.]
161. Thursday after Annunciation Day.
At thy cross, Lord Jesus, is the home of love; draw me thither. Amen.
John 19, 25-27. Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.
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After his baptism Jesus had addressed his mother as “Woman,” but had cared for her as for his mother. This is now to cease; for he is to be “cut off out of the land of the living” (Isaiah 53, 8), and shall not henceforth be known of any after the flesh. But he does not leave his mother alone and helpless. As he had, of his own free will, taken upon himself the condition of a son, and had shown filial love and duty to Mary, so he now places this love and duty on the shoulders of John; for he has authority in this matter, even while hanging on the cross. And he gives to Mary the rights of a mother in the home of John. He is Lord of the Fourth Commandment, but had obeyed it. He pays in full for all our transgressions of this commandment; and how sublimely does he not honor it, and teach us the duty of love toward our parents!
It was a splendid gift which John here received. He received as his mother the blessed of God among women; he is to maintain her, care for her, and, as far as possible, heal her sick soul, which had been pierced by the sword of grief. To John, the apostle of love, this was a beauteous and precious gift; but there be many who claim to love the Lord, and who yet refuse to accept from him such a gift as this. John led Mary away from the cross as his mother — presumably before the last terrible hours of darkness, — and it is said that she lived with him eleven years before going to her long home. — Now your parents and other old and friendless people are the mother of Jesus (Matthew 12, 48 and following verses) whom he gives to you; and he wants to give you filial love to receive and care for these. If you seek your peace in Jesus, and if his cross is your abiding place, then from his cross he points to them that stand about, and that need your help; and he speaks to you, saying: “Behold thy mother!” It is your crucified Jesus who commits them to your care; receive them from him; then shall they, with the love which follows them as his gift to your heart, become to you the most precious treasure which you can have in your earthly home.
Christ is a most generous testator. He bequeathed to us his body to be our food, his blood to be our drink, his soul to be our ransom, his wounds to be our healing, his arms to be our safe refuge, his cross to be our shield, his pierced heart to be our pledge of love, the water out of his side to be our bath, his sweat to be our cure, his crown of thorns to be our ornament, his word to be our guide, his life to be an example for our imitation; and his members, who believe in him, he appointed to receive the love of them that are beloved of him.
— Bernard of Clairvaux
Give to me also, Lord Jesus, grace to receive and care for them that are thine. Give me the priceless gift of charity in my poor heart, and let it rule in my house. Amen.
O blessed house, that cheerfully receiveth Thy visits, Jesus Christ, the soul’s true friend; That, far beyond all other guests, believeth It must to thee its warmest cheer extend; Where every heart to thee is fondly turning, Where every eye for thee with pleasure speaks, Where all to know thy will are truly yearning, And everyone to do it promptly seeks.
[Editor’s NOTE: In Anno Domini 2024, the Feast of the Annunciation of Our Lord, celebrated on the 25th of March, takes place next week. In his BFP, however, Laache places Annunciation Day on the Fifth Sunday in Lent.]
160. Wednesday after Annunciation Day.
Lord, give us repentance, and give us a portion in thy kingdom. Amen.
Luke 23, 39-43. And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering, rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.
❦
The penitent thief is the only person of whom the scripture relates that he was converted in his last hour. We infer that it is possible to be converted immediately before death; but it is an extremely rare occurrence. The greater number of these conversions are not genuine. We often observe that persons who have seemed to repent when they were sick and in distress, return to their former wickedness as soon as they regain their health. Let none of us reason in this wise: “I shall have time enough in which to sue for mercy before I die; and then I shall be saved.” With thoughts such as these in your heart you commit sin, that grace may the more abound; and if you continue thus from day to day, it is but too certain that you will not be able to turn to the Lord in the agony of your dying hour. — This thief on the cross also presents a remarkable example of sincere repentance. He recognizes his guilt, and confesses that he has deserved death. The contrition of his heart is the more conspicuous by reason of the contrast with the impenitence of the other thief. This is the true conversion, that one knows himself as not only sinful, but guilty, and of his heart confesses that he deserves the wrath of God and the sentence of death. Thereafter he declares his faith. While the disciples are offended; while the people and their leaders revile; and while the Lord hangs on the cross in deepest disgrace, the glory of the Savior shines so brightly into the soul of the penitent thief that he believes, and confesses, and worships him as the Son of God. “With the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” He that is able thus to pray of a contrite and believing heart shall be saved, as surely as God is just and truthful; they, and none other; for the only road to salvation is by way of repentance and faith.
And now, in words of sublime grandeur, Jesus bestows the gift of paradise upon the thief. With the death which even now he suffers he buys redemption and salvation for all sinners; and hanging on the cross, in the midst of his deepest abasement, he gives to the thief the paradise of glory; by his kingly word he snatches this soul out of death, and translates it into his heavenly kingdom. Is he not the Savior and the King, as is written above his head? Does he carry his crown of thorns in vain? Blessed be thou, Lord Jesus, for all things! We bless thee for that thou didst take the thief with thee from the cross to paradise! Condemned to death, as thou wast, thou didst take this malefactor, who also was under sentence of death, out of death, and didst carry him in triumph to heaven. Give us also of thy mercy true penitence and living faith, and take us to thyself in paradise when our time is come. Help us now, today, to seek thee and find thee in the right order of grace. Amen.
Jesus, may our hearts be burning With more fervent love for thee; May our eyes be ever turning To thy cross of agony;
Till in glory, parted never From the blessed Savior’s side, Graven in our hearts forever, Dwell the cross, the Crucified.
[Editor’s NOTE: In Anno Domini 2024, the Feast of the Annunciation of Our Lord, celebrated on the 25th of March, takes place next week. In his BFP, however, Laache places Annunciation Day on the Fifth Sunday in Lent.]
159. Tuesday after Annunciation Day.
Thou art worthy, Lord Jesus, to receive glory and honor and power forever and ever.
Matthew 27, 39-44. And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, and saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, He saved others, himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God. The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.
❦
“Our fathers trusted in thee; they trusted in thee, and were not confounded. But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. All that see me laugh me to scorn; they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying: He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him; let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.” In these words David has, in the Twenty-second Psalm, recorded that which Jesus felt and to which he gave utterance while hanging on the cross. In another of the Psalms he says: “As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me: Where is thy God?” (Psalm 42, 10). Let none imagine that the Lord shook off the reproach without feeling it. “Reproach hath broken my heart,” he declares, “and I am full of heaviness; and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none. They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.” (Psalm 69, 20 and 21). It was a part of his work of atonement to pay for all the reproach and mockery in which men indulge and delight on this poor earth. How many are there not whose pleasure and pride it is to mock and hold others up to derision. Jesus was to be loaded down with this sort of wickedness also. Let the flippant mockers see and hear that which takes place around the cross of the Lord; that should cure them of their abominable passion for scoffing. The weight of his sacred body, weary unto death, and suspended by the nails driven through his hands and feet, gave him unutterable agony; sufferings, such as none of us can imagine, coursed like a consuming fire through all his members, and every nerve was racked with the pains of death. But wounds yet more deep were inflicted on his soul by the reproach with which he was assailed. It must have been hard, beyond our power to conceive, for the Son of God to bear the foul ignominy and insults which were heaped upon him. My Jesus, if thou hadst descended from the cross, they that reviled thee would have seen with terror that thou art the Son of God. But the nails were forged in the scheme of the Eternal, and therefore they riveted thee fast; thou dost love us with the love that is stronger than death and greater than all the agonies of hell.
I would gladly, then, be despised and reviled for thy sake. I, also, feel how reproach and contumely have a mighty power to tempt one away from the cross; but I shall gain the victory through thee, and keep the flesh in subjection. To be reviled for thy sake shall to me be an honor a thousand times more great than any which the world can give. Grant me the grace that I may never dishonor thee by an ungodly life or by impatience in suffering; but let me suffer as a Christian should, and be reviled for that I have thy Spirit. — Save me from the awful crime of reviling thee in thy saints on earth. Amen.
Stricken, smitten, and afflicted, See him dying on the tree! ’Tis the Christ by man rejected; Yes, my soul, ’tis he! ’tis he!
Ye who think of sin but lightly, Nor suppose the evil great, Here may view its nature rightly, Here its guilt may estimate.
Mark the sacrifice appointed! See who bears the awful load; ’Tis the word, the Lord’s Anointed, Son of man, and Son of God.
[Editor’s NOTE: In Anno Domini 2024, the Feast of the Annunciation of Our Lord, celebrated on the 25th of March, takes place next week. In his BFP, however, Laache places Annunciation Day on the Fifth Sunday in Lent.]
158. Monday after Annunciation Day.
Lord, teach me to know the shame of my nakedness, and put on me the dearly bought robe of righteousness. Amen.
John 19, 23. 24. Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did.
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They strip the Lord of his garments; the Son of God is to hang naked on the cross, and thus atone for the world’s vanity and passion for all sorts of finery, and buy for us the robe of righteousness. — When parting his garments among them, and casting lots for his coat, the soldiers again unwittingly fulfill the decree of God and the words of the prophets. How could David, a thousand years in advance, know this and write it down in the Twenty-second Psalm, as accurately in all its details as though he had been present and seen it? Or were the soldiers acquainted with the scriptures, and did they do this thing with the purpose of fulfilling the prophecy? Not so; but God wants to help us to believe. If we knew and understood the scriptures well, the conviction that they are true would force itself upon us; for the Old Testament contains the New; human wisdom could by no possibility have written these things. None save the Spirit of God knew what would come to pass after thousands of years.
The coat without seam, woven from the top throughout, which could not be taken apart, and which God did not permit the soldiers to rend, reminds us of the seamless wedding garment of righteousness, which Christ gives to his believers, and which he bought for us when he divested himself of his glory and died for us on the cross in nakedness and disgrace. That garment cannot be parted. If you have the righteousness of Christ, you have it complete; not a part of it, but the whole garment. In other words, if you truly believe in our Lord Jesus, you are entirely justified before God, all your sins are forgiven you, he shelters you completely, there is no condemnation whatever for you; you may of a certainty be sure of everlasting life. The sin that you have, and the sin that you commit; your former transgressions, and your daily weaknesses; the disobedience of which you are aware, and your secret faults; — for all these Jesus has atoned, and all that he did and suffered has been given to you in your baptism; if you believe, all is yours. That which the law requires you to love and practice, perfect obedience and perfect holiness, has been done by him in your stead; and what he has done for you is set down to your credit; in this wise you have put on Christ when you were baptized into him. Blessed are you, if you believe; for in that case you have the wedding garment; the shame of your nakedness is taken away. Christ was lifted up naked onto the cross; you shall be lifted up to the seat of honor clothed with the robe of salvation.
We bless thee, Lord Jesus, for all that thou didst do and suffer for us, though as yet we understand but little thereof. Give us more and more of the light of the Spirit; make clear to our souls the significance of thy holy passion; and help us to believe with single hearts, in order that we may stand before thee clothed in thy righteousness, and praise thee forevermore. Amen.
O Lamb of God most holy! Who on the cross didst languish, E’er patient, meek, and lowly, Though mocked amid thine anguish; Our sins thou bearest for us, Else would despair reign o’er us; Have mercy on us, O Jesus!
O Lamb of God most holy! etc. Have mercy on us, O Jesus!
O Lamb of God most holy! etc. Thy peace be with us, O Jesus!
[Editor’s NOTE: In Anno Domini 2024, the Feast of the Annunciation of Our Lord, celebrated on the 25th of March, takes place next week. In his BFP, however, Laache places Annunciation Day on the Fifth Sunday in Lent.]
156. Annunciation Day. I.
“O, my Immanuel, come and be born in my heart.”
Gospel Lesson, Luke 1, 26-38. And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God, unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favor with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
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In the midst of the lenten season we shall consider this gospel lesson, and the divinity of Jesus, and his two natures in one person, that we may not forget who it is that suffers, but may ponder it earnestly and worship his love. Then shall we know this love in our heart, and the Lord himself shall assume shape in us, both as the King of the cross and as the King of glory. It is necessary that Jesus be conceived spiritually in our heart; — and it is a blessed thing, also.
The Holy Ghost testifies in the scripture with such clearness and emphasis concerning the mystery of the divinity in Christ, because it is so absolutely necessary that we recognize this truth. The church has understood this, and therefore it repeatedly presents this testimony of the Spirit for our meditation in our church services. — Can anyone who with an honest purpose reads the gospel of the conception of Jesus construe it otherwise than as meaning that the son to whom Mary is to give birth is the Son of God? Is it not stated with all possible clearness that he had no father after the natural order on earth? Does not the angel say repeatedly that he shall be called the Son of God? But in the scriptural use of language to be called the Son of God is to be the Son of God. This is what Mary understands to be the meaning of the words spoken by the angel. And does not the angel clearly call attention to the prophecies concerning the Messiah, in which his divinity is announced? We call to mind II Samuel 7, wherein the Lord gives David the promise: I will set up thy seed after thee; I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever; I will be his father, and he shall be my son. We are reminded of Isaiah 9, wherein the same heir to the throne of David is called “Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace,’’ with a government of peace without end, in which he reigns from henceforth even for ever. How can the Holy Ghost in the scripture, and how can the angels of the Lord speak in this wise, if this son of Mary be not the only begotten Son of God, very and everlasting God with the Father? The whole Bible teaches that he is conceived by the Holy Ghost, and that he is true God and true man in one person. We dare openly and aloud declare them to be fools who deny that Christ is true God; they read the scripture incorrectly, and do not perceive its true meaning, for the reason that they wish to appear wise above that which is written. When man is led by his own conceit he walks in darkness. — Let us rather bow in worship and thank God for his ineffable gift. It is a glorious thing to be fully assured of the divinity of Christ; for then he is unto us a perfect Savior, and his name is great and beautiful above every name. Why should it trouble me that his person is more exalted and wonderful than anything which my poor reason can grasp? On the contrary; the wisdom and power of God must of necessity be far beyond my comprehension; and here is the miracle of all the miracles of God; the highest, and the deepest, and the greatest; a mystery which the angels desire to look into. I therefore willingly and gladly bow to his power to do wonders, and believe that his love is immeasurably greater than all that we can conceive and understand. For with God nothing shall be impossible. — What, then, is to prevent us from saying with Mary: “Be it unto me according to thy word’’? God says: “I love you with love eternal; I give you my only begotten Son, and in him I give you life everlasting.” To this I make answer: “Be it unto me according to thy word.” Was Mary disappointed when she believed the word of the Lord? Shall we be disappointed, do you think, if we build on his word? No; it has pleased God in his everlasting love to give us his Son for our Savior, and to let him become man, in order that we may be given a part in his glory. Let the sages and champions of infidelity keep their Messiah, whom they regard as a mere man, whose person and doctrines have their day, and then drop forever out of sight; — such a Savior will not serve our turn; we must have one who is Lord over time and eternity, earth and heaven, life and death, sin and righteousness, men and angels and devils; and such a one we have, blessed be his name! With the whole Christian church we believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, true God and true man, who suffered and died, rose again and lives, and sits at the right hand of God.
God Holy Ghost, give us this simple and childlike spirit. Amen.
We believe in Jesus Christ, His own son, our Lord, possessing An equal Godhead, throne, and might, Thro’ whom comes the Father’s blessing; Conceived of the Holy Spirit, Born of Mary, Virgin-mother, That lost man might life inherit, Made true man, our elder brother, Was crucified for sinful men, And raised by God to life again.
157. Annunciation Day. II.
Lord, what is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
Lesson, Isaiah 7, 10-15. Moreover, the Lord spake again unto Ahaz, saying, Ask thee a sign of the Lord thy God: ask it either in the depth, or in the height above. But Ahaz said, I will not ask, neither will I tempt the Lord. And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David; Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign: Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.
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Our Lord Jesus is the true “Immanuel;” or, in our tongue, “God with us.” He is the true, eternal God, the second person of the holy Trinity, begotten of the Father from eternity; but at the same time he is true man, with body and soul, sprung from Adam, like unto us in all things, yet without sin. He is one with the Father in eternal divinity, and one with us in true human nature. His sacred person forms a wonderful connection between God and us. How near to us is God come, now that the one and same Lord Jesus is both God and man! His birth on earth is the birth of God’s Son by the woman Mary; his human sufferings are the sufferings of the Son of God; and the blood of the man Jesus Christ is the blood of the Son of God. How excellent is human nature become by the union of the Son of God with man in one person! A precious stone is not set in lead, but in gold; yet even to the gold the stone adds new luster and splendor. Much greater glory do we receive by the personal, indissoluble union of God’s only Son with man. The angels have transcendent glory; the thrones and principalities in heaven are close to God; but it is with man only that he is united in one person; the Son of God did not become an angel, but he became a man. How great is man by this means become! But we lay our glory at his feet: for not we, but he has done it. He has thus decreed; it was his will to love us in this way; of his free love he has chosen us. The glory is not ours; yet it is our glory. To us it is at once the deepest humiliation and the highest exaltation. This truth, that the Son of God was made man, is worth more than all our other knowledge, and it contains more of strength and joy for the soul than all else in the world that is beautiful and noble. In wonder and worship the apostle Paul exclaims, 1 Timothy 3, 16: “Great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.”
Another of the wonders of grace is this, that the mystery is revealed to the simple. It is for all, and is offered to all; but we must become as children, if we are to lay hold on it and keep it. The truth must rouse us out of our foolish dreams of pride, and teach us to know what we are become. Whosoever does not see that he is a lost sinner cannot know the excellence of the person of Jesus Christ. For his person and his offices cannot be separated. He is “Immanuel” in his offices as well as in his person. He, God and man in one person, is our Jesus, who takes away that which separates us from God. He is our Christ, the High Priest, who leads us into the presence of God; the Prophet, who brings the truth and life of God to our souls; and the King, who destroys our death, establishes the kingdom, and appoints us to live and reign with him forevermore. If the prophecy concerning “Immanuel” gave Ahaz and Judah sufficient assurance of the continued existence of the nation, because the people of which he was to be born could not cease to be; — how much more shall we, Immanuel’s very own people, be saved; we who are sprung from him, and born of him, and are the members of his body, flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bones! Be simple in heart, childlike in mind and spirit; so shall you grasp this in faith. — God help us, that in truth we may be of the people of Immanuel. Amen.
Glory to God in highest heaven, The Father of eternal love; To his dear Son, for sinners given, Whose watchful grace we daily prove; To God the Holy Ghost on high, — O ever be his comfort nigh, And teach us free from sin and fear, To please him here, And serve him in the sinless sphere.
The kingdom is the Lord’s. Thou, thou art the king of Israel!
John 19, 19-22. And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, Jesus of Nazareth the king of the Jews. This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin. Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews. Pilate answered, What I have written I have written.
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The governor wished to mock and insult the Jews, who had caused him so much vexation and uneasiness of conscience, and who had in such a scandalous way forced him to become their obedient servant. He had said to them: “Behold your King!” Now he fastened above the head of the Crucified One a writing which said: “Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews.” We may see and admire God’s glorious providence in all things, but it is especially wonderful in every detail of the passion of our Savior. The surliness of Pilate puts on his lips an answer which was to be proclaimed and heard throughout all the world. “What I have written I have written, and it shall so remain; it shall not be changed. Jesus, the Nazarene, is the King of the Jews, the Messiah. This despised branch out of the root of David, this Jesus, who hangs on the accursed tree, is the King of the house of Jacob, and for this reason he dies; not because he calls himself, but because he is in very truth the King of the Jews.” The writing, “Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews,” placed above the head of the Savior who was crowned with thorns and crucified, is a summary, as it were, of the prophecies concerning the Messiah as the King of Israel who was to be victorious through suffering and death.
The writing is in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin. The word of the cross is to be preached not only in Hebrew, that is, in the language of the Jews; but also in the several tongues of the gentiles. The furious Jews forced Pilate to crucify the Lord of glory; but no clamor or threats on the part of earth or hell shall be able to tear this truth down from the cross, or prevent its being preached in all tongues. This gospel shines like the sun over all the earth: This man of Nazareth, who hangs on the cross, is Jesus, the Son of God, the Savior of the world, the King who was to come to his people; and for this reason he dies. This is the cause of his death. By his death he acquires the kingdom; he thereby renders the prince of death powerless, and thus he makes the preaching of the cross his sword of state. — Be a son of Jacob, an Israelite without guile, dear friend; then it is an established fact that Jesus is your King, who with his royal grace as your Savior, a power stronger than the omnipotence that sustains the heavens and the earth, stretches out his sceptre over you to govern and protect you, and writes with indelible letters in your soul: I am your King; the kingdom is mine, and you are of my blessed people.
Precious Savior, Lord of glory, let this come to pass. Extend thy royal power over all the earth; gather thy Israel out of all peoples. Amen.
On my heart imprint thine image, Blessed Jesus, King of grace, That life’s riches, cares, and pleasures, Have no power thee to efface; This the superscription be: Jesus, crucified for me, Is my life and glory ever; Nothing me from him shall sever.
Lord Jesus, may we hear the voice of thy intercession for us from the cross. Amen.
Mark 15, 25. Luke 23, 34. Isaiah 53, 12. And it was the third hour; and they crucified him. Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
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The following thoughts are suggested to me by the intercession of Jesus for his murderers: 1) There is nothing save love and mercy in his soul; not a spark of anger, not a drop of bitterness. They inflict on him the most dreadful suffering; but he excuses them and prays for them. He prays for the soldiers, for Pilate, for the priests, and for all who take part in crucifying him. 2) While praying for others he sheds his blood. Naked and bloody, in the garb of shame and affliction, the Pure and Holy One hangs on the cross, and prays that for the sake of his suffering the Father will forgive them that inflict these sufferings on him. “Wholly and entirely compassed about by the waves of affliction, he descends into the depths of distress in the souls of his enemies, and seeks to rescue them.” In the service of wickedness they stretch out his hands and nail them to the cross; but thus he is enabled to stretch out his hands in prayer for them. His first words on the cross are the words of the high priest. 3) He earns and asks full forgiveness for all; and thus the pardon has been made out and is ready, if the sinner will but seek it and accept it. Here he does not pray with the condition, “Father, if thou wilt.” On the contrary, he asks without any condition, “Father, forgive them.” His blood and death is a perfect, entirely valid payment of the whole world’s debt. These men certainly should have known what they were doing; they have no excuse. Yet the Lord makes excuses for them, and provides grace for them, if they would accept it. Such is our high priest, Jesus Christ. My heart praises and worships him. He extends the grace of his vicarious atonement to the most hardened sinners; he takes upon himself the guilt of all, and hence there is in him forgiveness for all. Many of the blind instruments of Satan for whom Jesus prays continue in their unbelief, and are lost; but the reason for this is not that there was no forgiveness for them; had they but repented and turned to him, the blood of Jesus would have cleansed them from all their sin. Thousands of Jews and gentiles have experienced the power contained in the intercession of the crucified Savior, and are now returning thanks to him in everlasting bliss.
We, also, took part in nailing the Son of God to the cross; for our sins, also, he died. To us, as to all others, he extends the grace which is embraced in his prayer as our high priest; and we may have the full assurance that all our sins are atoned for and wiped out by his blood. Come, my soul, into the sanctuary, before the face of God; receive full pardon for everything, out of the fullness of his merit, and receive likewise the ornament of his priestly purity, patience, and mercy, that you, also, may be of those in whom the Father is well pleased, and that you may love and bless your enemies. Help us, O God, and give us thy blessing herein through thy Holy Ghost. Amen.
See, from his head, his hands, his feet, Sorrow and love flow mingled down! Did e’er such love and sorrow meet, Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
Were the whole realm of nature mine, That were a tribute far too small; Love so amazing, so divine, Demands my soul, my life, my all.
Lord, let there be silence, that we may hear; and dispel the mists that cloud our vision. Amen.
Matthew 27, 33. 34. John 19, 18. Mark 15, 28. And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull, they gave him vinegar to drink, mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink. Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst. And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors.
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The Lord did not wish to taste anything which would blunt his senses; it was his will to taste death for us in all its bitterness. And now the hour is come; now the Lamb of the Passover is to be slaughtered; now the Son of Man is to be lifted up; now all the prophecies concerning his passion in atonement for us are about to be fulfilled; now he is to become the accursed for our sake, as it is written: “Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.” — Blessed Son of God, my Savior, dearest beloved of my soul; I see thee, as thou art being led to the place of execution for criminals, between two other malefactors. Thou, who didst not know sin, hast been made to be sin for me; but thou art the same alway, love and righteousness itself; and thy divine purity sparkles with undiminished lustre in the fiery crucible of God’s wrath. I see thee, as thou dost permit them to lay hold on thy sacred body, again strip it of its robes, lay it down, stretch it on the cross, and drive the nails through hands and feet. They were fastened to the cross with nails, these hands which were never raised to heaven except to bless us and intercede for us, and which were never moved on earth except to do good. I see them raise the cross; and thou, my Jesus, the only begotten of the Father, the glory of all the heavens, dost hang on it, a curse for the sake of us accursed sinners. Dost thou love us so well, thou everlasting, blessed God? Dost thou regard us as being worth so much that thou art willing to become a malefactor and die the death on the cross on Golgotha for our sake; for us wretched and wicked men, for me and all other sinners, who in ourselves are but venom and gall, and are among them that crucified thee, and that walked around the cross and mocked thee? Take, then, my soul as thy spoil; take my heart, and fill it with thy love; take my every vital emotion, my every drop of blood, my every heartbeat; take me wholly and entirely, and let me be thine alway, to serve thee forever, and to live for thee, for thee only! Crucify everything in me which is displeasing to thee, that I do not henceforth live unto myself, but unto thee, who didst love me and give thyself for me! Precious Lord Jesus, I heartily beseech thee, grant me this grace: have mercy on me, even me, miserable sinner that I am, Lord Jesus! Thou didst let thyself be crucified for me; and I am thine, bought with a price. Let me never, never lose thy cross and the nails that pierced thy hands and feet. Amen.
When I survey the wondrous cross On which the Prince of glory died, My richest gain I count but loss, And pour contempt on all my pride.
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast, Save in the death of Christ, my God; All the vain things that charm me most, I sacrifice them to his blood.
Matthew 27, 31. 32. Luke 23, 27-31. And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him. And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross. And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him. But Jesus turning unto them, said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us. For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?
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He is condemned to die, and is led away together with “two other malefactors.” The scripture says “two other malefactors”; and thus it calls him, also, a malefactor. In this manner the Son of God is led through the streets of Jerusalem, bearing his cross. A remarkable pageant it was! Legions of angels were willing to relieve him of the cross, but no man would; Jesus himself will and shall bear it. Isaac carried the wood for the sacrifice; his father Abraham had laid it on him. But here the only begotten of the Father carries more than the tree on which he is to be sacrificed in the fire of God’s wrath; his soul also is crushed by the weight of the awful judgment on him. He knows whither the way leads; he feels the fire in his conscience; “murder is done in all his bones.” — How terrible a thing is sin, and how awful the justice of God! Could not the mere willingness of the Son of God to put himself in the place of sinners and suffer their punishment have been sufficient to appease God’s wrath? Could not the Father have pardoned his only Son without demanding any further suffering? No; the punishment must be undergone, and even the well beloved Son is torn with the agony of the damned. Death racks and fells him who is without sin or blemish in mind or body; the fire of hell burns in this most sound, green, and vigorous tree. How great a burning shall there not be, then, when the hollow, dry, dismembered branches are piled up high and set on fire!
The episode with Simon of Cyrene shows how Jesus had poured out his soul unto death, how his strength had failed him. (Isaiah 53, 12. Psalm 38, 10). It is not to be supposed that Satan stops him in his work of atonement; nor is it to be inferred that any other can or shall bear the sins of the world for him or with him; neither Simon of Cyrene, who was forced to carry the cross, nor the two thieves, who by their own deeds had deserved everlasting punishment. No: the purpose of the occurrence here related is to make plain to us, how entirely sin consumes man’s strength, and how wholly Jesus has relinquished the use of his omnipotence, how completely he has staked everything for us, and how perfectly he has in this wise made atonement for us.
It was necessary to lay hold on Simon of Cyrene and force him to bear the cross after Jesus. This matter is one with which we should be familiar; for we are in similar case. However, though at first we bear the cross with the greatest reluctance, we learn later on to bear it willingly. To the true cross-bearers the cross becomes the lighter, as it grows more heavy; the dearer, as it lasts the longer; until all our need and misery become altogether bliss and everlasting songs of praise.
Lord Jesus, I thank thee that thou didst bear the accursed cross for me, in order that I may bear the cross of sanctification in the fellowship of thy sufferings. Alas, there yet is much in me which rebels against it; have mercy, and teach me to take up my cross willingly and gladly; and draw me after thee. Amen.
The joy of all who dwell above, The joy of all below, To whom he manifests his love, And grants his name to know.
The cross he bore is life and health, Though shame and death to him: His people’s hope, his people’s wealth, Their everlasting theme.
Lord, draw us after thee, and let thy righteousness and truth keep us. Amen.
John 19, 12-16. And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar’s friend: whosoever maketh himself a king, speaketh against Caesar. When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in judgment seat, in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha. And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King! But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him! Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Cæsar. Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away.
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At last Pilate sold his soul for the friendship of Cæsar. Up to this time he had been swaying to and fro, sometimes inclined towards the Lord, and then again yielding to the power of hell. Now he pauses, almost in despair, at the fingerpost which points straight down into the bottomless pit. His fear of the charges which may be brought against him by the furious Jews, and of Cæsar’s displeasure on account of the numerous crimes which he has committed, and of which Satan now reminds him, conquers every sentiment of justice and truth in his soul. — Pilate is to teach us that he who fears man rather than the Lord has made a most unhappy choice. What did it profit the wretched man to humor the Jews? His conscience, already weighed down by many sins, now gave him ten times more torture; and the favor of Cæsar is of short duration. Pilate was before long brought before the cruel Emperor Caligula, and was by him exiled to Gaul, where he soon went the way of Judas. That was a terrible bargain which Pilate made when, like Esau, he sold his birthright; and it should serve as a warning to all lukewarm and timid Christians. “The friendship of the world is enmity with God; whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” (James 4, 4). O, that all who wish to please both God and the world might understand betimes whither their way leads! Let them bear in mind that they are the brothers of Pilate! They are more fearful of affronting their worldly friends than of casting Jesus off by offending him. They are ashamed of his contumely, and turn aside to escape his cross. They are willing enough to be of his people; but will not confess his name, and will not follow in the footsteps of his sufferings. To them honor and power and reputation among men are more to be desired than are salvation in the Lord and fidelity toward the truth. Yes, many there are who sell their conscience for one gratification of a sensual desire, or for one little wretched and transient gain.
Ye Christians who love the Lord and hold your souls dear; beware of the favor of men, and do not turn aside by the breadth of a hair from the path of a clear conscience. The temptation to seek honors and to fear men will lie in wait for you everywhere; but by the Spirit of him who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, you shall at all times be able to be on your watch, and to tread the temptation under foot.
Give us this grace, merciful and faithful God, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
Watch against the world, that frowns Darkly to dismay thee; Watch when she thy wishes crowns, Smiling to betray thee; Watch and see thou art free From false friends, that charm thee, While they seek to harm thee.
Watch against thyself, my soul, See thou do not stifle Grace that should thy thoughts control, Nor with mercy trifle; Pride and sin lurk within All thy hopes to scatter; List not when they flatter.
Lord, Lord, wake us, and show us thy crown of thorns. Amen.
John 19, 4-7. Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him. Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man! When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him. The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.
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“Behold the man!” Thus speaks Pilate, and presents the Son of God as the most wretched, abject, and miserable of men, in order that they may be compelled either to despise him or to take compassion on him.
And he himself, the Holy One whom I worship, whose feet I would embrace and kiss at this moment; I, a miserable sinner, worthy of being accursed; — he stands before us covered with blood, with tear-stained face, weighed down by ignominy, a mockery to all men, a spectacle before which the angels hide their face, a king more abased than would seem possible; and yet there is none to have compassion on him.
— Wilhelm Loehe
“Behold the man!” Look at him, all who bear the shape of man; and see what man is become. This is the condition to which Adam and his children have come down. They were to have had dominion over the world, and to have enjoyed every blessing; but they have placed the accursed thorns about their own head. They were created unto glory; but they have lost their honor before God, and have been swallowed up in disgrace. They should have been kindly affectioned to one another, and should have been the express image of love; but what their hearts now are you may see in the crown of prickly thorns, and the condition of their souls you may see in the face on which they spat, and in the bloody body which they had scourged. Fallen man is, therefore, the slave of Satan; and unless he has been born again he must be cast into everlasting fire. Then all devils shall mock him, saying: Behold man, who was created in the image of God to be the king of creation and the judge of every spirit! What is become of his heavenly crown? Then man shall feel the curse of God as thorns in all his members, and be covered with unending shame.
All this misery, however, Jesus has taken upon himself, that we may be saved from it by faith in him. Behold the man, as he receives the deserved punishment in full and with no abatement; with not a drop of sympathy to sweeten the bitterness of the cup. Behold it, heaven and earth and hell, and say whether or not man has atoned, in perfect willingness and in perfect and uncomplaining patience, for the crime of attempting to grasp the kingly crown of God himself. And look at him, ye timid sinners, when you are in terror by reason of the persistent stubbornness of your hearts; look to him, and man yourselves to meet your accuser without fear; behold him, and receive grace to be humble of your innermost heart!
Give us to this end thy Holy Spirit, Lord Jesus; and reign over us from thy throne of glory. Here is my sinful, needy, wicked heart; take it, and reign in it, and exercise dominion over all that I am and all that I have. O, that I might be obedient to thee, and that I might rejoice in walking the way of suffering after thee! Dear Lord Jesus, grant me this grace, I pray thee with all my heart. Amen.
I will leave my Jesus never! On the cross for me he died; Love shall draw me to him ever, At his feet I will abide. Of my life the light forever, I will leave my Jesus never!
In his name I stand acquitted While upon the earth I stay: What I have to him committed He will keep until that day. Be his service my endeavor; I will leave my Jesus never.
Gospel Lesson, John 6, 1-15. After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias. And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased. And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples. And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh. When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? And this he said to prove him: for he knew himself what he would do. Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little. One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, saith unto him, There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten. Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world. When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.
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The spiritual life requires nourishment, as much as does the life of the body, for its sustenance and growth. If you have the life in God, you must nourish it with the bread of life, or it will wither and die. In the case of many Christians the spiritual life droops and languishes; their eyes are dull, their hands palsied, and their knees weak. The reason of this is that they do not nourish themselves sufficiently with the bread from heaven. — What bread is this? Jesus says: “I am the bread of life.” With his love, grace, Spirit, and life, he is to be found in his holy gospel; when you make honest use of this gospel you partake of him. — In what manner is this brought about? You must be diligent in your calling as a Christian, zealous in every good work, serve the Lord of a pure heart, become rich in loving service for others, make the most of your talents, — then you will feel that there is in you much sin, much weakness, selfishness, self-righteousness, pride, sloth, cowardice, unbelief, and lukewarmness. Then you want Jesus more and more; for you need strength and spirit and courage and understanding, and you need forgiveness of sins, forgiveness for all that you do, and for all that you omit to do; and thus is created in you hunger after the bread of life. — Make diligent use, then, of the word, by yourself alone, and together with others; renew your baptismal covenant every day, and partake often of the Lord’s Supper. Rise early to gather manna, and you shall find; the wilderness and the desert places shall blossom, and the rock give forth water in abundance; you shall eat and live; you shall of a certainty grow in the strength of the Lord. The faith, charity, patience, hope, peace, joy, in your heart shall increase; Christ shall become strong in you, while sin and the flesh shall die and be destroyed.
Do you today hunger after the bread of life? Does your heart pray for life and a willing spirit, for faith and love, for peace and forgiveness? That which the Lord’s servants have to offer you seems, on the surface, to be of little account, but in truth it contains life and strength. Eat and drink without price; you are heartily welcome to it. You shall receive all that you need; and there shall be more than a sufficiency for all. — On the other hand, if you do not hunger after him who is that bread of life, you are, without any doubt, spiritually dead. God help you to wake up before it shall be too late.
Lord Jesus, quicken the dead, and strengthen the quick. Be thou our life; and, above all things, let us live in thee. Amen.
Thou our only hope and guide, Never leave us, nor forsake; In thy light may we abide Till the endless morning break; Moving on to Zion’s hill, Onward, upward, homeward still.
Lead us all our days and years In thy straight and narrow way; Lead us through the vale of tears To the land of perfect day, Where thy people, fully blest, Near thy throne forever rest.
149. Fourth Sunday in Lent. II.
“Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” God grant that it may be ours. Amen.
Epistle Lesson, Galatians 4, 21-31. Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? For it is written, that Abraham had two sons; the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not; for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. But as then he that was born after the flesh, persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
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The self-righteous are bondmen in the Lord’s house; they labor for hire, and they are in fear of punishment. They are born of the flesh, and they look to the law. The believers, on the other hand, are children of the household, born of God, children of grace, born by a miracle of God; their life has its origin in a miracle wrought by the Holy Ghost, directly contrary to nature and reason. They look to the grace and truth in Christ, and expect an inheritance, not of works, but of grace. Paul finds these two classes of people represented in Agar with her son Ishmael on the one hand, and Sara, the mother of Isaac, on the other. Agar was a bondwoman, and was not of Abraham’s kindred. Sara was a free woman, and the rightful wife of Abraham. Agar gave birth in accordance with the natural order of things; Sara, by a miracle in accordance with God’s promise. Agar and Ishmael mocked Sara and Isaac, but were at last obliged to submit to being cast out; Sara was the mistress, and Isaac the heir. — As it was then, so it is now. We who read this, are we of the lineage of Sara, or are we, mayhap, the children of Agar? We all belong to the church organization; but have we also been born in the Jerusalem which comes down from heaven? Are we God’s children, or are we, perhaps, bondmen of the household? Are we under the law, or under grace? Do we live the life of true liberty and holy love? Do we have the Spirit of the adoption of sons, which cries, Abba, Father? Is our citizenship in heaven? Do we seek those things which are from above; or do we, peradventure, seek those which are of the earth? Mark well what the scripture says: “Cast out the bondwoman; for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.” Let this be of greater concern to your heart than all things else, that you be a child of the freewoman, born after the Spirit from on high, and heir to everlasting life. It is a terrible thing to be one of those against whom is directed this curse: “Cast him out; for he shall in no wise be heir with the children of the household.” O, how important it is to be liberated from the law, and to be in the true and blessed estate of grace!
God of mercy, above all things we pray that thou mayest know us as thy children of grace. Lead us out of bondage, and to the blessed liberty of the true disciples of Jesus. Unite us with him in faith, that through him we may be dead from the law, but may live in him, who is risen from the dead. Amen.
The darkness of my former state, The bondage, all was mine; The light of life, in which I walk, The liberty, is thine.
Thy grace first made me feel my sin, It taught me to believe; Then, in believing, peace I found, And now I live, I live.
Matthew 27, 27-30. Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers. And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head.
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The whole band gathered around Jesus; the Holy One is in the midst of the ungodly, the Lamb among wolves, in order that I may forever have communion with all the saints. His body is stripped naked, that he may give me the garment of righteousness, and adorn me with heavenly beauty. He allows himself to be decked out as a king, thus giving the rabble something at which to jeer, and causing him sharp pain; they put on him a scarlet robe, which adheres to his wounds and is soaked with his blood; and they crown him with thorns, the curse of the earth, which sink into his flesh, — this is his royal crown! — and they put a reed into his hand as a sceptre; and then he is in derision hailed as the king of the Jews. My God, why is this necessary? He suffers this because I, who should have had dominion over all creatures, had become the slave of my own lusts, and had turned God’s blessing on the earth into a curse. This he suffers in order to save me from the dominion of the devil, and give to me the crown of life. — They spat on him, they spat the Son of God in the face; and this the Father saw and tolerated! They took the reed, his royal sceptre, and beat him on the head with it; and yet God did not strike them dead. He, whose is the kingdom, and the power forever, allows himself to be thus abased, and ill-used, and mocked, in order that he may hold his royal sceptre in grace and mercy over us wretched sinners and give us eternal salvation. Blessed be the Lord Jesus; the shame has been taken away, and the glory remains to us!
If you, dear friend, who by the grace of Jesus have a heart filled with yearning after communion with God’s people, must yet a little while dwell among the wicked, remember the Lord as he was in the common hall, endure evil without being angered, and rejoice in the thought that soon you shall be at home, in the house of the Father, in the company of none but saints. When the world seeks to strip you naked and expose to view your infirmities, then think of Jesus in the common hall of judgment; wrap yourself in his righteousness, and adorn your life with his heavenly virtues. And when the thorns of care threaten to prick you, or when it is your lot to suffer poverty, loss, or want, for the sake of your faith; or when you are beaten, or spat on, or your name is dragged in the mire; then remember Jesus in the hall of judgment, and esteem it an honor of which you are not worthy, to be like him. You deserve nothing but punishment; and yet you shall, for the sake of the crown of thorns which Christ wore, receive full reward for your labor, and receive the crown of glory that fadeth not away.
Lord Jesus, we thank thee; we thank and praise thee for all things! Praise be to thee for thy humiliation and suffering! Praise be to thee for thy glory and salvation! Help us to believe in thee, and to praise thee forevermore. Amen.
Father of heaven, whose love profound A ransom for our souls has found, Before thy throne we sinners bend; To us thy pardoning love extend.
Almighty Son! Incarnate Word! Our prophet, priest, redeemer, Lord! Before thy throne we sinners bend; To us thy saving grace extend.
Lord, let it become clear to us how much thou didst suffer, and for what reason. Amen.
John 19, 1. Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him.
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Four soldiers bound Jesus to a stake, and scourged his back with whips of leather having barbs of iron fastened to the thongs. “I gave my back to the smiters.” (Isaiah 50, 6). “Lashes are for the back of the fool. How comes it, then, that they are laid on thy back, thou eternal Wisdom? The disobedient servant shall be beaten with many stripes. How, then, hast thou, the righteous servant of God, deserved them? Thou art wounded for my transgressions, and bruised for my iniquities; thou wast scourged for me, that I might not be scourged in the wrath to come.” — When God disciplines us severely, let us pause and look with care at the scourging of his only begotten Son. Jesus, who has taken upon himself our load of guilt, is the object of God’s wrath. The stripes which he receives are dealt him in wrath; he is punished for sin. The fire of God’s righteous anger is in every stroke of the lash and in every wound, and burns into his soul. But as he has suffered the punishment, it follows that when his believers are now scourged, it is not by way of punishment. It is not the sword of judgment, but the rod of the merciful heavenly Father, that smites you, dear Christian. Yet you are to have this honor, that your suffering is of the kind which Christ suffered; and the discipline which you undergo has this blessing, that it gives you a part in his glory. Our God scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. — In the stripes which Jesus receives at the hands of unrighteous men you may see what you have merited; in this manner you should of right have been lashed by the scorpions of hell for your evil lusts. If you acknowledge this, and understand the significance of the scourging administered to the Lord, the holy Lamb of God will heal the wounds which Satan may have given your conscience, give you strength to suffer patiently when the world does you injustice, deliver you from the power of the sinful lusts which still stir in your flesh, and clothe you in his holiness. When by faith we are united with Christ his pure life is ours, and his holy suffering is ours; not only to forgive our sins but also to make our hearts pure, and our lives holy. Our lusts are punished in Christ, and mortified in him; and thus we are now able to present our bodies as instruments of righteousness. — Never forget the scourging of Christ, ye his disciples!
Lord Jesus, we heartily beseech thee, clothe us in the strength of thy victory, and take us into the fellowship of thy suffering. Give us thy holiness and thy patience in our life full of affliction and distress, when we are to be scourged by Satan and the world; and grant us at last to become partakers of thy glory. Amen.
In suffering, be thy love my peace; In weakness, be thy love my power; And when the storms of life shall cease, Jesus, in that dark final hour Of death, be thou my guide and friend, That I may love thee without end.
Clothe us, Lord, in thy righteousness and purity. Amen.
Matthew 27, 23-25. And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified. When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it. Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.
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“Let him be crucified.” This was the cry in answer to the question of the governor demanding to know what evil Jesus had done. He has done no evil; but “let him be crucified.” This was the sole argument; and it became the sentence. Before God, who has made the Sinless One to be sin for us, the judgment was as just, as it was outrageously unjust on the part of the mob and its leaders and on the part of Pilate. It was necessary that he be without sin, in order that he might atone for our sin; and as one without sin he was to be condemned to death, that we might believe in him. At the very time of his death his innocence was fairly to dazzle the eyes of angels and devils and men in order that we, who are guilty, may have courage in the midst of death, that the evil spirits may get themselves behind us, and that the angels may serve us. The testimony to his innocence is, therefore, unanimous. Caiaphas and the council can lay nothing to his charge save that he is the Son of God. Pilate declares again and again: “I find no fault in this man.” The wife of Pilate calls Jesus a just man; and the mob have no argument against him save the cry: “Crucify him!”
Pilate washes his hands. We, however, will confess: I am guilty of the blood of this just man. Then shall this blood cleanse our heart. It is a terrible thing to see Pilate in the act of washing his hands, while at the same time he confesses that he is shedding innocent blood: but it is more terrible still to hear the people of Israel cry: “His blood be on us, and on our children.” Let all unjust judges and false witnesses take warning, and ponder the fate of Pilate and the Jews. Yet the people seemed to have no doubt as to the guilt of Jesus. The deceitfulness of the human heart is something terrible; and popular opinion may be a dreadful thing. Thus the devil deceives us when we seek our glory in that which is of the earth. These persons who now ask that his blood may be on them, are the ones who but five days ago hailed him with loud Hosannas. For such as these the Lord is willing to lay down his life! I know not what cries out most loudly, the injustice of Pilate, or the rage of the priests, or the shouts of the rabble, or the love of Christ. Yes, after all, I do know; and so do you who read this.
Thy righteousness and love, my Jesus, are high as the heavens and deep as the pit, and have power to do away with all our sins. Help us by thy Holy Spirit to know this, to believe it, to give thee thanks, and to live of thy grace. Amen.
Still let thy love point out my way; What wondrous things thy love hath wrought! Direct my word, inspire my thought; And if I fall, soon may I hear Thy voice, and know that love is near.
Luke 23, 17-24. (For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.) And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas: (who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.) Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them. But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go. And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed. And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required.
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Barabbas, or Jesus; one to die, and one to live. Either Barabbas is to die, and Jesus be released; or Jesus must die, in which case Barabbas is free. The death of one buys life for the other. So Pilate has decided. But his power as a judge is from above; and the decision of this unrighteous man agrees with that of the righteous God in the eternal counsel of his will. Barabbas, or Jesus! But Barabbas, the man guilty of sedition and murder, is Adam and all his generation, who have rebelled against God and brought death into all the world. The choice, then, lies between these two: sinful humanity and the righteous Jesus, God’s apostate family, and the only begotten and well beloved Son of the Father. Justice demands the death of the transgressors; but mercy toward us has decided on the other course. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Barabbas means me. My heart is by nature disobedient and proud, rebellious and prone to anger; and in the sight of God this is murder. In all sincerity I must confess that, guided by my evil nature alone, without the grace of God, I would have fallen into the sin of David; I am guilty, and deserve to die. However, — O, the ineffable love of God! — I am now entirely safe from his wrath and from the terror of death. Even as Barabbas obtained full release by the death of Jesus, so have I, also, by the same means been ransomed and absolved from the curse of the law, the guilt of sin, and the power of death. There is herein so much of assurance and comfort, that I no longer have the least reason to doubt that I shall be saved from perdition. My death has been suffered already; and even the justice of God demands my acquittal. It is Barabbas or Christ; not both.
Nevertheless, we must not for a moment forget that the death of Jesus in our stead has delivered us from the power of the murderer: and hence we must not serve sin, thereby crucifying the Son of God anew and turning him into derision. Barabbas must not commit new murders and acts of sedition!
O God, how shall we thank thee for thy scheme of love in regard to us poor lost creatures! Blessed be thy name forevermore! In this world and in the next we will lie at thy feet with holy fear and rejoicing, and will worship, thank, and praise thee. Here and in all eternity we will give ourselves as an offering to thee, with soul and body, and live for thee only. Give us this grace; we must come to thee for all that we need. Grant our prayer, we ask it in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Come to Calvary’s holy mountain, Sinners ruined by the fall; Here a pure and healing fountain Flows to you, to me, to all, In a full perpetual tide, Opened when our Savior died.
Come in poverty and meanness, Come, defiled without, within; From infection and uncleanness, From the leprosy of sin, Wash your robes and make them white: Ye shall walk with God in light.
Lord, let me not enter into the path of the wicked. Amen.
Luke 23, 4-12. Then said Pilate to the chief priests and to the people, I find no fault in this man. And they were the more fierce, saying, He stirreth up the people, teaching, throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place. When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were a Galilæan. And as soon as he knew that he belonged unto Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem at that time. And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracles done by him. Then he questioned with him in many words; but he answered him nothing. And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him. And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate. And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together: for before they were at enmity between themselves.
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Pilate had, no doubt, been greatly impressed by the purity and majesty of Jesus, and quaked at the thought of passing sentence on him. He had the greatest reluctance to having any hand in the matter. But the decisive moment is come, and Jesus must be the means of either bringing him down or raising him up. — Jesus has met you and me also. What is he to become to us? None can evade him. Everyone must either be offended in him, and deny him; or believe in him, and serve him.
To Pilate there was a certain attraction in the majesty of Jesus, and in his words of truth; but Pilate loved his own advantage and his honor among men so well that, in the face of his better knowledge and conscience, and directly contrary to the admonitions of Christ and his Spirit, he pronounced the sentence of death on the Son of Man. It is a triumph for the innocence of Jesus that Pilate is hard put to it before he is able to prevail upon himself to condemn him. — When I speak of this there is in me a feeling of distress and sadness to think that this man, for whose soul the Lord labored so earnestly, under the crowns of thorns and the purple robe, while being scourged and mocked; — that this man did not allow himself to be vanquished, and that he did not, to the glory of God’s everlasting grace, become the second murderer to be saved by the Lord at the time of the crucifixion. For even if Pilate had acted as a just judge, the rage of hell and the eternal decree of the Father would still have brought Jesus to his death.
— Wilhelm Loehe
The Lord places a thousand obstacles in the way of men who are determined to go to hell; but Pilate, and many others, alas, with him, fight their way through the difficulties, and imagine that it is wise to sell their conscience and their soul’s eternal happiness for fleeting pleasure and empty honor.
The pleasure-hunting Herod Antipas tries to jest with the Lord, and wants him to perform some trickery for his amusement. This also the Lord tolerates, and holds his peace; and thereby he atones for the world’s wantonness, but gives his Christians grace to renounce carnal pleasures, and teaches us in what light we are to view the vanities of the world. Those who wish to be called Christians, and who yet take part in the world’s unseemly amusements, should look at Jesus as he stands before Herod and his courtiers.
Thou holy Savior, we heartily thank thee for thy walk between Herod and Pilate, and for thy meekness and patience in suffering all these things. We wonder, we fear, and we worship before thy throne, thou glorious Son of God. Have mercy on us, and help us to believe in thee, to renounce the pleasures of the world, and to rejoice in thy salvation. Amen.
God of grace, whose word is sure, Thou who keepest truth forever, That my trust may rest secure On this ground that wavers never: Let thy truth be dear to me, That my soul may faithful be.
To the banner of the cross I fidelity have plighted; It will be my endless loss If this solemn vow be slighted; Therefore Jesus, none but he, Shall my constant watchword be.
Lord Jesus, grant that we may hear thy voice. Amen.
John 18, 33-38. Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews? Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me? Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done? Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? and when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all.
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Jesus is not the king of the Jews in the sense in which Pilate puts the question to him. Had he made use of his omnipotence in order to wield the sceptre of an earthly king, he would not now have been standing before the governor, accused and derided by the chief rulers of his people. The Jews would, in that case, have done homage to him; for then he would have been such a Messiah as they desired. — We, also, have much of this same spirit. It is easy enough to complain of the blending together of the church and the temporal power as being a church-state or a state-church; but it is more difficult to renounce one’s own appetite for rule, and to live in the truth that the kingdom of Christ is not of this world. We wish to begin reigning with Christ here on earth. To be trodden under foot; to be despised and slandered, and endure it in silence; to walk with him the way that leads through suffering and death; this we find difficult; difficult to understand, and difficult to practice. Our king shall help us.
As he confessed before the council that he is the Son of God, so he confesses before Pilate that he is king. He knows very well what will be the result of this declaration; that he will be mocked with dreadful blasphemy, that he will be outraged, and crowned with thorns; but he goes straight onward against all the daggers of death, and steps not aside by the breadth of a hair from his kingly course. He also knows that the heart of Pilate is as a lump of fat; yet with tireless patience he continues to pour the water of his grace upon it, to exercise his royal right to extend mercy, and to preach his truth unto salvation. At the very time when he is being condemned and suffers death for the whole world, he labors with the individual unhappy soul which is before him. — Pilate asks of him what he has done. Yes; what is the kingly office of Jesus? If Pilate had been in earnest when he inquired after the truth, he would himself have been made able to give the answer which you and I have learned from blessed experience: Jesus has vanquished the devil and destroyed death; he has founded a kingdom of salvation, in which he gives to the souls righteousness, peace and joy through his Holy Spirit; he has brought me out of the darkness, regenerated me, given me power to trample sin under foot, given me an heritage in heaven; he comforts and heals me every day, and gives me patience, and sustains me, and never for a moment loses me out of his keeping. Pilate might have answered further: Christ defends his church, leads his people, guides them through the wilderness; and soon he shall give them for their tribulations everlasting glory. His kingdom endures forever, and his throne does not totter; it is built on the eternal rock of truth. “Every one that is of the truth heareth his voice.” It was merely a piece of impertinent pretense on the part of Pilate when he asked: “What is truth?” and therefore he remained a stranger to the kingly office of Christ. Hear it ye, then, who thirst after light and salvation; let it be heard round about in all the earth: Here is truth and victory and eternal life, here and in none other place; nowhere out of the kingdom of Christ is anything but darkness and death. Whom will ye follow and obey, Jesus or Pilate? What shall rule over you, truth or falsehood? Do not wait; make your choice now. For the sake of your soul’s salvation, take up the cross, and give your heart to Jesus.
Precious Savior, speak thy word of truth to us, and draw our hearts to thee in true repentance and living faith. Thine will we be; and thee will we serve. Give us this salvation, and accept our poor thanks for thy ineffable grace. Amen.
Jesus, thy boundless love to me No thought can reach, no tongue declare; Unite my thankful heart to thee, And reign without a rival there. Thine wholly, thine alone I am; Be thou alone my constant flame.
Lord Jesus, overthrow the power of the devil, and destroy his kingdom. Amen.
Gospel Lesson, Luke 11, 14-28. And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered. But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils. And others tempting him, sought of him a sign from heaven. But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth. If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub. And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges. But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you. When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: but when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armor wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils. He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth. When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house, whence I came out. And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished. Then goeth he and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked. But he said, Yea, rather blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.
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Jesus distinctly teaches that the devil has a kingdom, in which are all unbelieving men and all wicked angels. The devil reigns over them, and uses them in his service to make war on Christ and his people. Those things enumerated by Paul in the epistle lesson for today, such as fornication, uncleanness, covetousness, filthiness, foolish talking, and the like, bear witness to the fact that there is a devil; the men who do these things are the servants of the devil. They will not come to Christ, that they may be delivered from the works and ways of the devil; and so they remain the slaves of the wicked one. But as a rule, they are far from being aware of their condition. Did the Pharisees suppose that they were the devil’s helpers, do you think? Against their own better knowledge they accused Christ of casting out devils through Beelzebub; and yet they did not doubt that they themselves were the righteous children of Abraham. It is one of the devil’s most artful pieces of cunning to hoodwink men and make them blind. Herein he has his greatest strength; and he employs these crafty tactics everywhere. In our times he has induced many to believe that he does not even exist. They are slaves in the most unhappy service of sin; they live in pride, selfishness, and all manner of wickedness; they carry the mark of the devil on their foreheads; and yet they laugh at you who believe that there is a devil. What better method could he adopt for holding his people fast, and for promoting his designs?
None save Jesus is able to deliver us out of the devil’s kingdom. He is the stronger who comes upon the strong; and his weapon is the word of God. This lays bare the lies of Satan, reveals his wicked purpose, shows his abominable filthiness and infernal tyranny, and teaches us to know how unhappy is the condition of man in the devil’s service. By his word the Lord cast the devil out of them that were possessed bodily; and by his word he casts him out of the hearts of men. When his word, which is spirit and life, abides in you, the spirit of lies and of death can find no room in you. When the word which the mouth of the Lord has spoken governs your heart and your tongue, then you serve Christ and renounce the devil. But this is the word of the Lord, that God loves you, a lost and condemned sinner; that Christ died for you, and made the devil powerless; that you are baptized into his victory and his righteousness, and belong to him; and that the devil, therefore, has no authority over you. Blessed are you, if you hear and keep this word. Then you in very truth have that which the word says; and the word shall keep you from again falling into the power of the enemy.
How earnestly should we not have at heart to serve the Lord when we hear from his own lips: “He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.” There is a most intimate connection between these and the harrowing words which follow close after, concerning the return of the unclean spirit to hearts whence he had been cast out. Let each ask himself: Am I with Christ? Do I gather with him? If not, I am with the devil; in which case I do damage to the cause of Christ, and destroy my own soul and other souls, which Christ bought with his blood. Do not rest before you have the testimony of the Spirit, that Jesus has set you free from the power of the devil.
Lord God, teach us to know to whom we belong, and whom we serve. Be gracious unto us, and let us serve thee. Be merciful, and never permit the devil to hold sway in us. God, preserve all who are thine from the wiles of the wicked enemy. Amen.
Jesus, Lord of life and glory, Bend from heaven thy gracious ear, While our waiting souls adore thee, Friend of helpless sinners, hear! By thy mercy, O deliver us, good Lord!
From the depth of nature’s blindness, From the hardening power of sin, From all malice and unkindness, From the pride that lurks within, By thy mercy, O deliver us, good Lord!
141. Third Sunday in Lent. II.
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Epistle Lesson, Ephesians 5, 1-9. Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becoming saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient; but rather giving of thanks. For this we know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth).
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The ungodly find their pleasure in sensuality, carnal lusts, and all manner of uncleanness. No matter how fine an appearance they make, their heart is a foul pit out of which issue filthiness and foolish talking and unseemly jesting. With their foul tongue they pollute their own body and fill the mind of others with their venom. It is incredible what atrocious language is indulged in everywhere, on the highway, in the field, across the table. And it is also incredible what a deal of poison there may be in seemingly pretty words which come out of a corrupt heart. — You, however, who believe in Christ, have received a new heart, and this shall be manifest in your whole life and conversation. Hear the admonition of the holy apostle, and walk in the footsteps of Christ! Follow after holiness; do not tolerate wicked, unclean desires in your soul. You are the dwellingplace of God, the workshop of the Holy Ghost; and he shall sanctify you in spirit and soul and body. Look at Jesus; you should be like him, and to this end he will give you his Spirit and grace. A pure heart is a delight to God and his angels, and as a fragrant field to all the saints. The speech then becomes clean and edifying; and it gives grace to them that hear it. Out of the unclean heart proceed evil thoughts and wicked words; but from the pure heart gush forth holy words which put the devil to flight. Strive after this with all possible diligence! Consider how dangerous it is to neglect your sanctification and to allow your tongue unbridled license. If the unclean spirit is gone out, he lies in wait for the purpose of coming in again. If you do not watch, and do not cleanse yourself every day in the blood of Jesus, the devil will accomplish his purpose; and then your last state will be worse than the first. Let it be the burning desire of your heart that you may be sanctified; never allow your zeal in this cause to become cool. Do not at any time let the devil seduce you to make use of foul language, or to indulge in levity of behavior. Watch, watch! for Jesus’ sake, be on your guard; especially at the time when you are happy and seem to be on the best of terms with God and your brethren in the faith, or when good fortune and the riches of this world become yours. Put no trust in yourself; do not imagine that the enemy is far away; do not forget that you carry your flesh and blood about with you all the time; pray God day and night to give you a pure, sanctified mind.
Hold us fast to thee, and draw us after thee, Lord Jesus. Give us grace to walk in love, as dear children, of a sanctified heart. Keep us from all uncleanness in thought and word, in life and deed. Help us to live as Christians should, and to let all the world see that there is a holy people on earth. Lord Jesus, have mercy on us; for we are called by thy name. Amen.
Jesus, still lead on, Till our rest be won! And although the way be cheerless, We will follow, calm and fearless; Guide us by thy hand To our fatherland.
If the way be drear, If the foe be near, Let not doubt and fears o’ertake us; Let not faith and hope forsake us; For through many a foe To our home we go.
From the rising of the sun to the going down thereof let the name of the Lord be blessed.
John 18, 28-32. Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover. Pilate then went out unto them, and said, What accusation bring ye against this man? They answered and said unto him, If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up unto thee. Then said Pilate unto them, Take ye him, and judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death: that the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spake, signifying what death he should die.
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Jesus was not to die for the Jews only, but for us also; therefore he is brought to trial and condemned not only by the council of the Jews, but also by the gentile court of justice. And he was not to be put to death by the mode of execution practiced by the Jews, namely that of stoning to death; but he was to be crucified, as himself had said, and as was indicated by the brazen serpent in the wilderness; not a bone of the Lamb of the passover was to be broken. Thus we behold the righteous judge of the quick and the dead, the King of Zion, about to receive his sentence from the unrighteous Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, whose actions were dictated by fear of man and by cowardice. Jesus has watched through the whole night before Good Friday, partly in Gethsemane, partly in the palaces of Annas and Caiaphas during the trials, partly among the ribald servants who derided and maltreated him. Now, early in the morning, he has allowed himself to be led bound to Pilate, and the lords of the council have followed him for the purpose of asking the governor to confirm their sentence of death on him. They represent to Pilate that he may set his mind at rest; for they, who constitute the high council of the righteous Israel, are not in the habit of rendering unjust verdicts. “If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up unto thee.” In their eyes Jesus is one of the scum, a monster of depravity, a leper, a wretch, whom it is a duty to cast out and throw into the fire, in order that he may not defile the entire holy people of Israel. God the Father suffers them to deal in this way with his only Son, who is the glory of all the heavens, and whom the princes of the angelic host worship with eternal reverence. This is the position of the Son of God on earth; but even under these circumstances the wings of his mercy are extended over his accusers and protect them from the thunderbolts of God’s wrath. “If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up unto thee.” “Let the question be put to all those whom he has delivered from unclean spirits, to all the palsied whom he has healed, all the lepers whom he has cleansed, all the deaf to whom he has given hearing, all the dumb to whom he has restored speech, all the blind whose eyes he has opened, all the dead whom he has raised again, and — what is still more — to all the fools whom he has made wise unto salvation; and let them answer and say whether or not Jesus is a malefactor.” — But who, then, may the malefactors be? Where are they to be found? You have in mind Caiaphas and Pilate; but there are others, and they are nearer to us. You know who they are, I think.
Here you may see yourself as in a glass. In very truth Jesus stands in your place. He is brought forward clothed in your foul rags; it is the sentence on you which is pronounced on him. Nevertheless, even in his degradation you shall see ever more and more of the ineffable and immeasurable love of God to man, and you shall learn how great a salvation awaits all who believe in him.
Lord Jesus, we thank thee and will thank thee forevermore for thy deep abasement and thy unutterable suffering in our stead. Give us the light of thy Holy Spirit, that we more and more may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and the height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge. Amen.
Though num’rous hosts of mighty foes, Though earth and hell my way oppose, He safely leads my soul along, His lovingkindness, oh, how strong!
When trouble, like a gloomy cloud, Has gathered thick and thundered loud, He near my soul has always stood, His lovingkindness, oh, how good!
Lord Jesus, give us earnestness and vigilance. Amen.
Matthew 27, 3-10. Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, I have sinned, in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood. And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in. Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value; and gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord appointed me.
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Judas had, surely, been in a fair way to become a chosen instrument for the Lord, and to shine in eternal glory among the hosts of the blest. He had been joined with the other disciples in preaching, healing, driving out devils, and glorifying the name of the Lord. But now we find him in the darkness of despair. Shortly afterwards he has a noose about his own neck, and goes to his own place as a son of perdition. This is most horrible. May it rouse us and fill our soul with earnestness. It was with this purpose in view that the Spirit of God caused the account to be written.
Every disciple of Jesus has his infirmities, his weak side; and this is especially true of the most highly gifted among them. The devil knows this, and lies in wait at the door; but God gives man the opportunity to obtain victory over himself, and to put the devil to shame. The great weakness of Judas, as of so many others, was covetousness. The Lord had entrusted to him the purse, the management of the common treasury; in the first place, because Judas had a special talent in that line, and was not of the kind who neither will nor can keep within their means; and in the next place, because all the disciples must be put to the proof, in order that they may be educated to gain the mastery over sin. Now if your special weakness, dear reader, is peevishness, for instance, or a domineering disposition, or vanity, or covetousness, God shapes your life in such a way that you have occasion to make use of the assistance of his grace against that particular temptation; and he gives you the necessary strength, that you may put off the old man day by day. Either he leads you among wicked men who stir up that which is evil in you, or among good men who make you to be ashamed. He gives you power and honor, and allows Satan to tempt you through these things, as in the case of Saul and David and Solomon; and the Spirit of God to humble you, as in the case of Jacob and David and Mary; or he sends you poverty and trouble, teaching you self-denial, humility, and trust in God alone, and giving you a distaste for the world, but longing after heaven. It shall not fail that the Holy Spirit will lead you wherever you go; that he will admonish, correct, comfort, and raise you up, thus enabling you to put on the new man, which is created after God. But do not grieve the Spirit, and do not forget that a little offence may easily bring on a greater, and then one yet greater. If you humor your evil desire, it gains strength; give the devil an inch, and he takes an ell. Bear in mind that with the growth of sin conscience is blunted, blindness increases, and the fear of God passes away. This was the case with Judas. He now hated the Lord and wished to be rid of him; at the same time he hoped to cheat the council out of the thirty pieces of silver. With devilish cunning he says: “Seize him and hold him fast.” However, the devil himself is more cunning still, and Judas falls into the pit himself had opened. Alas, many have started on the way to heaven, and have then again followed their sinful lusts, and have gone down to perdition. — Nevertheless, you must know that there is no necessity which compels any man to follow in the footsteps of Judas. The Lord can and will keep us.
Faithful God, we heartily beseech thee to grant us this grace. Save us from the way of perdition, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
O God of Bethel, by whose hand Thy people still are fed; Who through this weary pilgrimage Hast all our fathers led:
Our vows, our prayers, we now present Before thy throne of grace: God of our fathers, be the God Of their succeeding race.
“I have preached righteousness in the great congregation.” Lord, open our ears, that we may hear it.
Matthew 26, 59-68. Now the chief priests, and elders and all the council sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death; but found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses, and said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days. And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? What is it which these witness against thee? But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy. What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death. Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him: and others smote him with the palms of their hands, saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee?
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The Lord holds his peace when the false witnesses testify against him; and by his silence he atones for all the falsehood in the world. The Lamb of God suffers, and opens not his mouth. Neither was it necessary that he say anything in self-defense; for the harder they strive to make him appear guilty, the more clearly is his innocence brought to light. He is, and continues to be one in whom there is no fault. But it has been determined in advance that he shall die; and now the question which troubles his judges is, how they may find something for which to condemn him. They must and shall destroy the temple, the temple of his body, and, at the same time, the temple of Jerusalem, the place of offering; for the old system of sacrifices ceased with the death of the true sacrificial Lamb. They must carry out the decree of God and place Jesus in the sepulchre, in order that he may rise again and build a living temple on the eternal rock of his divinity and his victory. Therefore the high priest himself must carry out the divine plan, and gives the order that Jesus shall testify and swear by the living God whether he be the Christ, the Son of God. And now Jesus speaks, and testifies and swears that he is the Son of God. He knows what they intend the question to mean, namely, whether he be true God, one with the Father, and that it is their purpose to construe an affirmative answer as being blasphemy; and in this sense he makes reply. Note this: Jesus declares before the magistrates of his people, and calls upon God to witness his declaration, that he is the Christ, the only begotten of the Father, and equal God with him. If he be a true teacher, he cannot lie, least of all at such a time as this; and we therefore know of a final certainty that he is the Son of God. It is for this very declaration that he is condemned to die; he seals it with his blood. So sure a foundation does the church have for its creed, “I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our true God, begotten of the Father from eternity;” and so hollow is the foundation on which they stand, who regard Christ as being merely a wise and good man. The whole council hears distinctly what the Lord says. He repeats it, that all the world may hear it; and he is condemned because he is the Son of God and the Son of Man. “He is guilty of death.” This is the verdict of the jury of God on earth; for it is so ordained in heaven. The only begotten Son of God, in his holy human nature, is made to be sin, in order that the blood of God may wash away the sin of all the world.
Be of good cheer, ye Christians; no infidel, who denies Christ; no, not any number of infidels shall be able to overthrow the testimony of the Lord himself which resounds through the creed of the church in support of the truth that he is God from everlasting. The Son of Man sits on the right hand of power, and reigns in the midst of his enemies.
We praise thee, Lord Jesus, and see thy glory, and await the time when we shall see thee come again in the clouds with thy mighty angels, that all the world may see that thou art God. Hold us fast to thee; and give us courage to confess thee in the face of scorn and derision on the part of the worldly wise, and gladly to suffer for thy name’s sake. Amen.
Soldiers of Christ, arise, And put your armor on; Strong in the strength which God supplies, Through his eternal Son;
Strong in the Lord of Hosts, And in his mighty power; Who in the strength of Jesus trusts Is more than conqueror.
Mark 14, 66-72. And as Peter was beneath in the palace, there cometh one of the maids of the high priest: and when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him, and said, And thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth. But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest. And he went out into the porch; and the cock crew. And a maid saw him again, and began to say to them that stood by, This is one of them. And he denied it again. And a little after, they that stood by said again to Peter, Surely thou art one of them; for thou art a Galilean, and thy speech agreeth thereto. But he began to curse and swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak. And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept.
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The Lord had said to the disciples that he alone, and none with him, should meet death. He had prayed for them, and had assured their safety from the enemy by his command: “Let these go their way.” But Peter is not satisfied to abide by the word of the Lord; he insists on following out his own declaration, “I am ready to die with thee;” and thus he puts himself in the way of temptation. He thus lacks the rest and strength in the words of the Lord which are a protection against death and danger; and then devils and men attack the defenceless man with fury, and maltreat him in a dreadful way. John they leave in peace.
The weakest Christian is strong and defeats the devil, when he but holds fast the word of God and remains in the Lord’s ways, in humility, the fear of God, and denial of self; but the strongest is as the lightest feather against the devil, when he follows his own devices, departs from the word, imagines himself to be strong, and throws himself in the way of temptation. Defer to the word of God, my Christian friend. This word declares that you walk in the midst of a thousand dangers, that of yourself you are wretchedly weak, that all your strength is nothing but vanity; but it also declares that the Lord is near you, and that none shall pluck you out of his hand. Abide herein, and walk your way with fear and with confidence; then you walk in the Spirit and are borne on the hands of angels. But if you put your faith in your own understanding, if you rely on yourself, or entrust yourself to the wisdom and strength of men, you shall without fail have the bitter experience that “the flesh is weak.” Peter was truly a man of courage and heroism, and none was more honestly loyal than he to the Lord. But it requires strength greater than this to stand against “principalities and powers and spiritual wickedness in high places.” What, then, shall be the fate of the Christians of our age, so many of whom have been lulled to sleep by the world, and pillow their heads in fancied security on their own imagined piety?
There is a solemn, we may say a terrible, warning in the fall of Peter; but, on the other hand, the grace of the Lord toward the fallen Peter has unspeakable beauty and comfort. Do you know, dear friend, how the cockcrow stirs, and how the look of Jesus melts the heart? I wonder whether you ever have felt yourself weaken in the courtyard of Caiaphas, or in Antioch? (Galatians 2, 11-14). If you have such an experience hereafter, listen and see, and he shall fill your ear with his voice, and your eyes with his person, that you may taste the tears of bitter repentance, but also experience the power of his blood and tears to heal the soul.
Lord God, teach us to walk with wise care, that we never in carnal security plunge into temptations. When we are to be sifted by Satan, then let thy intercession and thy strength save us, that we may overcome, and obtain victory. Thou knowest that we are foolish and weak, and that hence we can do nothing without thee. Faithful God, do not let us be made ashamed; do not let the devil triumph, and thy name be mocked. Save us in the time of temptation, keep us from falling, and lift us up, that we may praise and bless thee forevermore. Amen.
Arise, my soul, arise, Shake off thy guilty fears; The bleeding Sacrifice In my behalf appears; Before the throne my surety stands, My name is written on his hands.
He ever lives above For me to intercede; His all-redeeming love, His precious blood to plead; His blood atoned for all our race, And sprinkles now the throne of grace.
John 18, 12-14. 19-24. Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him, and led him away to Annas first; for he was father in law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year. Now Caiaphas was he, which gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people. The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine. Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing. Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know what I said. And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so? Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me? Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest.
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He who shall judge all men with righteousness is brought before the tribunal of most foul injustice, which, even before the trial, has decided that he shall die. However, the truth of the matter is that the sentence of death unjustly pronounced by the high council of Israel has already been pronounced on the Son of Man in the highest and most righteous council of Israel, for the reason that the Righteous One was made to be sin for us. The truth of the words, “ye thought evil against me, but God meant it unto good,” is in nothing established more clearly than in the passion of Christ. In him the wily craftiness and deceit of Satan are defeated; and to such good purpose, that all the evil which befalls the people of God shall be turned to their good. God makes blessings out of the evil counsel of men against the church of God and against its individual members. The thoughts of men are thought by God also, with the most important distinction, however, that men mean it unto evil, while he means it unto good. Nay, what is more; in his love he has long since decreed that all things shall work together for the good of his children. All this abundance of grace and wisdom and love is poured out over us for the sake of him who was on trial and was judged by hypocrites and unrighteous men. He has bought the justice of Heaven over to the side of us sinners, and has put us in possession of this mercy by making us members of his body.
In the Lord’s reply to the high priest his majesty and his mercy shine as resplendent as does his purity, and fairly blaze before the eyes of the council and the others present. We hear him make still another attempt to turn their hearts to truth and repentance. Who knows but there may have been some Nicodemus among them? But even if they are villains, every one of them, his mercy toward sinners is so great that he must needs throw out the life line to them. His reward is a slap in the face. Satan continued to exercise all his cunning against the Lord, but Jesus is and remains meek; smitten on the right cheek he turns to them the other also. The Son of God, who shall sit on the throne of glory, loves the soul of this wretched slave of sin who tries to curry favor with his betters by striking the Lord in the face. Jesus speaks words of correction to him, in order that he may be brought to know his sin and be saved, if that be possible. In this way he atones for the sin of masters and servants such as these; and at the same time he sanctifies the blows dealt to his people by the slaves of unbelief; and he gives us power to suffer patiently, and to love them that smite us.
Let none of us, dear readers, be found among the unjust judges or the ungodly servants. But do we love our enemies with the love of Jesus, and do we draw them with us to heaven? God, give us grace to do this, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
Humble, holy, all resigned To thy will — thy will be done! Give me, Lord, the perfect mind Of thy well-beloved Son.
Counting gain and glory loss, May I tread the path he trod, Die with Jesus on the cross, Rise with him to thee, my God!
Lord Jesus, do make us to see thy fettered hands, which set us free. Amen.
Matthew 26, 50-56. And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they and laid hands on Jesus, and took him. And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus, stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest’s, and smote off his ear. Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword, shall perish with the sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be? In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief, with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me. But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.
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He is ready and willing to suffer death for us. His love is the tie that binds him. Had it not been so, no man would ever have been able to restrain the Lord’s hands. But as he suffers for us, we may also say that our sins, our perverse will, our disobedience, our unbridled license, and all that irresponsible and spurious liberty which fills the world, have bound these holy hands, which were lifted only to bless, heal, and save. We all have our share of the blame; let us confess this, and his bonds shall make us free indeed.
Peter drew his sword to protect him; but what was this save a new attempt on the part of the devil to strike from the Savior’s hand the cup which the Father had given him to drink? Secular power for the church is Satan’s own invention. Not the sword, but the word, is the weapon of the church; it is not in ruling, but in suffering, that it has the strength which gives assurance of victory; that which makes its fields fruitful is not the blood of its enemies, but the blood of its martyrs. The Lord would have been in no want of champions, had he wished to employ force against his enemies and yours. In place of twelve such men as Peter he could have had more than twelve legions of angels for his protection. But, in that case, how should the scriptures have been fulfilled? Could he have suffered the penalty for our sins and wiped our guilt away? At this time the Lord was to suffer, not govern; or rather, he was to suffer in order that he might govern. In this manner we also shall through suffering fulfill the counsel of God, and the scriptures, and obtain victory over our enemies. When the power of darkness is allowed to rage against us we shall be victorious through him who healed the ear of Malchus, return good for evil, and prove to our adversaries that God in us is stronger than is the devil in them. And when they speak evil we shall either be patient and say nothing, or we shall correct them in a loving desire to save them, as did the Lord when he said: “Why laid ye not hold on me when I sat daily with you in the temple?” He has done this for us, in our stead; learn this truth well, and he shall certainly accomplish it in you also. Why are you not more in evidence, you believers, who should be everywhere engaged in proving that the Spirit and power of the Savior dwell in you? Why do they seem to be so few who walk in his steps; the steps of the patient Savior, who out of his love was willing to suffer, and who unto death had compassion on all his enemies and was their benefactor? — Not as one rendered powerless; not as one vanquished, but as one completely victorious over the devil, the Lord surrenders his own body to these servants of the devil, and allows himself to be led away.
My soul worships thee, Lord Jesus. Thy love has unchained my fetters and thereupon bound me to thee. Willingly and obediently will I follow thee in thy footsteps of suffering; for thou art my delight and my strength. Lord, thou knowest thy servant; be gracious unto me, and help me. Amen.
Thou art my head, my Lord divine: I am thy member, wholly thine; And in thy Spirit’s strength would still Serve thee according to thy will.
Thus will I sing thy praises here, With joyful spirit year by year: And they shall sound before thy throne, Where time nor number more is known.
Humble us, O Lord, that we depart not from thy word. Amen.
Gospel Lesson, Matthew 15, 21-28. Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy upon me, O Lord, thou Son of David! my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then came she, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me! But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to the dogs. And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their master’s table. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.
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They were hard struggles which our Lord Jesus had when he bare, and was to pay the wages of, our sin, when he was to destroy death and the power of the devil, and restore to us everlasting life. No other battle can be compared with his. But all who are to receive and keep the precious gift, deliverance from death and the devil, shall of necessity have their battles to fight also, and if our faith is to shine more brightly to the glory of God, and our souls are to reach greater depths in his grace, we must expect to be the more sorely tried.
Why does the Lord deal so strangely with the woman of Canaan? Why does he say not a word in answer to her most earnest appeal? And when he at last does speak, why do his words sound so much like a stern rebuff? Our text answers these questions, and does it in a way to fire our hearts, if we read the answer aright. But we also have an account in the Old Testament which answers these questions. Joseph made himself strange and stern and hard to his brethren, although he loved them so well that he was obliged to go into his chamber and weep. He wanted them to remember their sin, repent of it, and receive mercy. When the Lord sees that it is necessary to humble us, and that the trial is not greater than we can bear, he hides his loving heart, and shows us nothing but his wrath. It was necessary that this woman be brought so low, be made to feel that she was of the heathen, be taught to liken herself to the dogs; her faith was to be strained so hard, put to so severe a test, in order that she might receive the rights of citizenship in Israel. A surgeon who performs a dangerous operation on his own dearest child rejoices when it is done and all is well. So does the Lord in the case before us; his words express his great joy at the rescue of the woman. When he says, “O woman, great is thy faith,” we are again reminded of his prototype Joseph, who, when his brethren had stood the test, wept for joy and cried, “I am Joseph; doth my father yet live?”
Precious Savior, it cost thee immeasurable labor to redeem us; and what a weary task thou hast also in creating faith in us and inducing us to accept thy salvation! — And you, dear soul, be persistent in your prayers, even though he seem not to answer. He has answered already. (Isaiah 65, 24). When care oppresses, when the heart is swept by fierce storms, when the soul is in pain, when there is darkness on every hand, when the Lord seems in anger to have put aside his tender mercies; then it is as it should be. You have sinned and been faithless; but do not leave off crying to him. Follow after him, prostrate yourself before him, prefer your prayer again and again. This is his will; this is what he teaches you in the text now before us. — It is entirely necessary that you should be humbled; faith strikes root and grows in humble hearts only. By degrees, as you receive grace to humble yourself, you also receive grace to believe; and it is unto you according to your faith, as the Lord has said, to his honor and to your salvation.
Lord, we understand that it is well that thou dost humble us; but thou knowest how weak we are in the time of trial. Do not deliver us over to our unbelief and impatience; but purge us, and strengthen our faith, to the praise of thy glorious name. Amen.
When in the hour of utmost need We know not where to look for aid; When days and nights of anxious thought Nor help nor counsel yet have brought:
Then this our comfort is alone, That we may meet before thy throne, And cry, O faithful God, to thee For rescue from our misery.
133. Second Sunday in Lent. II.
Lord Jesus, cleanse us from the defilement of the unclean spirit, and sanctify us; thou alone canst do it. Amen.
Epistle Lesson, 1 Thessalonians 4, 1-7. Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor; not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: that no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter; because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.
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The will of God is your sanctification. It could not be otherwise; for God is holy. Still it profits us to hear and consider that in laboring and striving after holiness we have the will of God with us. Then we may know that victory is assured, even though the path be difficult, and though we seem to be losing ground. Labor jealously for your purification; strive after it with zeal and earnestness. The apostle beseeches and exhorts us by the Lord Jesus that we would do this. He beseeches us; shall we not hear him? He exhorts us; shall we despise his exhortation? He beseeches and exhorts by the Lord Jesus, in the service and spirit and power of Jesus, by his love, for his blessed name’s sake, for the sake of his atoning obedience and death. Shall we not obey him? You made rapid advance in holiness during the earliest period of your Christian life. You displayed great zeal in the work of purging out all sin and of pleasing God. You improved immensely in a short time; your growth was rapid. Shall the blossom not put forth a bud, or shall the bud die without ripening into fruit? You have been taught how we ought to walk. Does not your heart burn within you when the apostle here speaks of pleasing God and of abounding therein more and more? “To please God,” to walk according to the good pleasures of Jesus; — these are things to touch the innermost chords of the Christian heart. “Not in the lust of concupiscence,” God forbid! The holy bride of Christ to defile herself with the uncleanness of the gentiles! The very suggestion of such a thing gives us a shock. — Out, then, with the unclean desires; purge the heart of them. Immerse your souls in the holiness of Jesus, and in his purity, that you “hate even the garment spotted by the flesh.” — It is much to be regretted, if you do not believe that he will give you strength to do this; for then the devil has unmanned you. As God is holy, he has in Christ given you grace to become holy; and when you neglect it you grieve the Spirit of God. We also beseech and exhort by the Lord Jesus: Be in earnest in the matter of mortifying the lusts of the flesh. You are not called unto uncleanness, as unfortunately seems to the opinion of many nominal Christians; but you are called unto holiness. Mark this: God has called you unto holiness. Now strive after it with the zeal and perseverance of faith. The commandment of God, and his promise to you in Jesus Christ are true and faithful.
Most holy Lord Jesus, give to us thy pure mind. Help us to mortify the unclean lusts of the flesh and to walk in holiness, that by the Holy Spirit we may please thee and the Father. Lord, grant us this great mercy, that we increase in holiness from day to day. Amen.
Oh, for a closer walk with God, A calm and heavenly frame, A light to shine upon the road That leads me to the Lamb.
The dearest idol I have known, Whate’er that idol be, Help me to tear it from thy throne, And worship only thee.
Most patient Lamb of God, give us to be of like mind with thee. Amen.
Matthew 26, 49-54. And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, Master; and kissed him. And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they and laid hands on Jesus, and took him. And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus, stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest’s, and smote off his ear. Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword, shall perish with the sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?
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Let us bear in mind that Jesus was betrayed with a kiss; the expression and sign of love, of near relationship, of mutual attachment. There was this degree of intimacy between him and the betrayer. “It was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance. We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.” (Psalm 55, 13. 14). The devil has entered into Judas, and he kisses Jesus. The Lord accepts the kiss; and by what means could he have suffered himself to be abased lower than this! Could he in any possible way have shown greater meekness and patience? And, what is more, immediately after receiving the kiss he speaks words of mercy to Judas: “Friend, wherefore art thou come? Judas, betrayest thou the Son of Man with a kiss?” What he says to Judas is neither hypocrisy nor bitterness; he still wishes to save that unhappy man. Jesus is betrayed with a kiss by one of the members of his own household, as it were; and on the part of the betrayer this certainly was an act worthy of the devil. But the spirit in which the Lord accepts this treatment is truly divine. He receives the kiss with such perfect meekness and love that the devil does not succeed in pouring even one drop of the poison of anger and deceit into the pure soul of the Savior. The Son of Man thus atones for the sins of duplicity and sham piety; and there is herein much comfort and grace for us. That which Christ does on this occasion is done by way of atonement for all the falsehood and anger which have found lodgment in our poor hearts, and of which there is such an abundance in our sinful lives. Hereafter the devil shall not be able to bring anything to my charge on account of my hypocritical heart, nor on account of the deceit which did, and to my sorrow still does, stain my life. Neither shall it now be necessary for any whom the devil has led astray into the sins of lying and faithlessness and deceit to continue with these sins weighing on his conscience, if he will but confess them. But, on the other hand, neither shall any among us continue to stain our conduct with these things; for Christ has delivered us from the ways of the devil. Come out into the light with everything. Spread out before the Lord your soul and your life, and all that propensity to deceit which you find in your heart; — and “the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” The devil with his greatest masterpiece of cunning is put to shame. Glory be to God!
We thank thee, Lord Jesus, for that thou didst accept the kiss of Judas. Thereby thou hast given me unspeakably great and sweet comfort. I lie prostrate at thy feet, and will forever lie at the foot of thy throne and thank thee for all the bitterness which thou didst taste for me and take from me. Faithful Savior, give me the light and grace of thy Holy Spirit, that I may believe in thee. Amen.
Hail, thou once despised Jesus! Hail, thou Galilean King! Thou didst suffer to release us, Thou didst free salvation bring. Hail, thou agonizing Savior, Bearer of our sin and shame! By thy merit we find favor; Life is given through thy name.
Reveal to us, Lord Jesus, thy love and thy power. Amen.
John 18, 4-9. Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye? They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them. As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground. Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way: that the saying might be fulfilled which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none.
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The Lord had said: “No man taketh my life from me, but I lay it down of myself.” (John 10, 18). He went to his death of his own free will; else he could not have been led to it by any power in the world. The only force that urged him onward was the will of the Father, the eternal counsel of love concerning our salvation by means of his death; his infinite mercy only, with which he embraces us, is the power that led the Lamb of God to the slaughter. Had he gone to his passion reluctantly, with repugnance and aversion, to which the devil in Gethsemane persistently tempted him with the most dreadful craftiness, he would not have been able to take away our load of guilt.
The Lord’s simple statement, “I am he,” causes the armed band to fall to the ground. He thereby demonstrates to us that of his own free will he allows himself to be bound. Thereby he also preaches a penitential sermon to Judas and the others; for Jesus cannot do otherwise than practice his office of love for the benefit of all who come near to him. And are they still determined to lay hands on him to bind him? It was to be expected that his majesty would smite their hearts and cause them to turn back, as did those other servants who had been sent to seize him. (John 7, 46). But no; the hour of darkness is come, and Satan is now to be permitted to make use of these men for the purpose of putting the Son of God in chains. Unhappy the mothers who gave you birth! — And now the Lord uses all his might solely for the salvation of his disciples. “If therefore ye seek me, let these go their way.” In these words he gives them a letter of safe conduct which the enemies are compelled to respect. What would have become of the poor disciples, if they also had been seized at this time and led to their death? How strong a Lord is Jesus, and how true! He lays down his life of himself, in order that we may live; and he cares for us everywhere, in the most hopeless circumstances, that he may lose none of them which the Father gave him. Keep this in your heart, and call it to mind when you are being tempted. His power and love and fidelity are with you to save you. Have faith in him.
We heartily thank thee, precious Lord Jesus, that thou dost shelter us under thy wings, save us by thy death, and defend us with thy almighty word. Give us the light and the gifts of thy Holy Spirit, that we may believe in thee, follow thee, and suffer and die with thee. Amen.
Rejected and despised of men, Behold a man of woe! And grief his close companion still Through all his life below!
Yet all the griefs he felt were ours, Ours were the woes he bore; Pangs, not his own, his spotless soul With bitter anguish tore.
Matthew 26, 45-48. Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest; behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me. And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude, with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people. Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast.
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The disciples were unable to keep awake. A peculiar drowsiness was upon them. What; is even Peter unable to watch? Can he not watch one hour with the Lord? Alas! Peter, who wanted to give his life for him, cannot forego one hour’s sleep for him. — Do ye still sleep? saith the Lord; the hour is at hand when the shepherd shall be smitten and the sheep scattered, now that the time when you are to be sifted breaks in upon you. Yes, they did not let him wake them; they fell asleep at the very time when he, in his burning love and care for them, struggled vehemently and suffered the agony of death for their sake. Let another, then, rouse them from their sleep. — When we also, who now believe in the Lord Jesus, are so heavy with sleep that his love and suffering and the faithful work of his Spirit in our heart cannot keep us awake, he finds it necessary to let the tempter come upon us, with the result that we either wake up and repent, or remain thrown down like bits of the wreck after a storm. — Judas was awake while the others slept. How powerful a sermon is preached by this fact! See, there he comes. He should have been a leader in the army of light, and now he leads the mob of Satan, which is advancing for the purpose of seizing Christ. And this man was one of Jesus’ disciples! What an opportunity for the devil to taunt the Lord; to wound and maltreat him, who loved so ardently and was so full of zeal for the good, the true, and the honor of God! And yet he does not denounce his flock. Even Judas would have found mercy had he repented and turned from his wickedness. And it is by reason of the Lord’s long-suffering patience and fidelity that he has saved all the disciples, excepting only that son of perdition, and has rescued thousands and millions from the clutches of the sneering enemy, in spite of the fact that all of us are so wretchedly sleepy. This is the kind of Savior of whom we were in need, one who would suffer all this, and endure us, and pray for us, when we are offended because of him. Such a Savior we needed, and such a Savior we have. Praise be to God!
By thy grace, Lord Jesus, and by the power of thy Spirit, which since the day of Pentecost reigns in thy church, will we watch and obtain victory over the devil; by thy grace, by that alone. — Thou shalt keep us in thine eye and hand, and never relax thy hold on us; this we believe and know, and it is our strength and our joy. Amen.
Watch! ’tis your Lord’s command; And while we speak he’s near; Mark the first signal of his hand, And ready all appear.
Oh, happy servant he, In such a posture found! He shall his Lord with rapture see, And be with honor crowned.
Wake us, Lord Jesus; wake us, and keep us awake with thee. Amen.
Matthew 26, 39-46. And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me! nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt. And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What! could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy. And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest, behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.
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When the old Testament high priest was to carry the blood of atonement into the holy of holies he enveloped himself in frankincense, burning with fire from the altar in the sanctuary. Christ, our high priest, does the like in Gethsemane. — Man has a dread of death; and here Jesus is confronted by death with all its terrors of whatever kind, death and condemnation in the stead of us all. His pure nature must of necessity shrink from the pains of death and hell; and this he expresses in the prayer: “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me.” The baptism with which he is to be baptized is so terrible that, in his dread of it, even he, the only Chosen One, our Immanuel, sweats drops of blood. O sin and hell, how dreadful are you! The Lord spoke to the Father exactly what he felt. His terrible dread of death was a necessary part of his atoning passion. This he must suffer; and hence he cannot pray otherwise than he does: “If it be possible that the world can be saved by other means, let it be done; take this cup from me. If thou, Father, canst forgive me the iniquity of the world, which now is my iniquity, without my dying for it, let it be done.” But even here, in the greatest possible temptation, his human will bows down before the will of the Father in the deepest, fullest obedience. How perfect a high priest we have; but O how terrible a battle he wages for us! “He offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared.” (Hebrews 5, 7). Was, then, the cup taken from him? No; it is necessary that the demands of justice be satisfied; but we see from the words of the Holy Spirit in the epistle to the Hebrews, as we hear it in the Lord’s own words also, that what he pleads for first and last is the will of the Father. It becomes clear to him what this will is. He emerges out of the terrible struggle, out of the sweating of blood and the baptism of agony, out of the mists of death; and then he sees clearly that it is the Father who has poured out the cup for him; the angel is able to show him this truth, and then the victory is won. With the fearlessness of the strong lion the timid Lamb now goes to his death willingly and with perfect patience. — But what shall I say? How unutterably great is the love with which he loves us! How infinitely high is the price for which he bought us! Can you hear that which transpires in Gethsemane, and yet despise his grace? Satan has bewitched the world, alas; but I adore thee, Lord Jesus, and thank thee for thy agony, for thy bloody sweat, for thy victory over the devil, here and everywhere. I thank thee for thy burning offering of prayer; and I will fight with patience, suffer without complaint, and renounce all my own will for thy sake. Grant me grace to do this; O give me this grace, Lord Jesus. Amen.
What thou, my Lord, hast suffered Was all for sinners’ gain; Mine, mine was the transgression, But thine the deadly pain; Lo, here I fall, my Savior! ’Tis I deserve thy place; Look on me with thy favor, Vouchsafe to me thy grace.
“For their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.”
John 18, 1. 2. Mark 14, 32-34. When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into the which he entered, and his disciples. And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with his disciples. And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray. And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy; and saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here and watch.
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They come to “Gethsemane.” The name means oil-press; and here is he who “treads the press alone” (Isaiah 63, 3). The disciples are to remain at the entrance to the garden. Only three of them are to go with him farther on into Gethsemane: Peter, who imagines himself more ready than the others to die with him, and the sons of Zebedee, who have said that they can drink of the cup of which he is to drink (Mark 14, 31; 10, 38. 39). But the time arrives when it is the will of the Father that he shall be alone, and be encompassed about by the appalling terrors of death; and then none, not even one, of these three, may or can follow him farther. He is to be without comfort and without help; alone he is to suffer the death agony of all the world, suffer in our stead the damnation which we had deserved; he, and he alone, is to taste of death for us all. And now the time is come; now Satan is permitted to assail him with all the terrors of hell and all the horrors at the command of the prince of death. Then he begins to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy. The trembling Savior now felt as shall the wicked, when, having left all hope behind, they quake at the final judgment and in unutterable anguish hang on the lips of the Judge, which open to pronounce the inevitable curse on them. Not until that day of wrath without a morrow shall it be revealed to us what Jesus suffered in Gethsemane. Struggling with the terror of hell and death, his racked soul writhes in voiceless agony, and sustains itself by means of those Psalms of which the echo is heard in the moan: “My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death.” (Psalm 22, 15; 40, 12). — It is my death and yours which he feels; it is the sin of the world which weighs him down. The only begotten Son of God, the Holy and Righteous One, lies here prostrate in the dust, weeping and moaning, and finding no comfort. In most agonizing terror, in utterly unspeakable agony of death, he writhes on the ground like a worm. “He is bruised for our iniquities.” The Father surrenders his Son to condemnation in our stead, and permits the prince of darkness to deal with him according to his pleasure and our deserts. It is the death of fallen, ungodly, lost and condemned humanity, the death of all sinners, which is suffered by the Lamb without blemish. O, how his heart is compassed about with sorrow, how his soul is stricken with dread, as he is to descend into the most agonizing pangs of everlasting perdition! Lord Jesus, what shall I say? I have no words, I have not a heart worthy of thee; but thou hast bought even me with thy precious blood, and I will bless thee forevermore. Amen.
When no eye its pity gave us, When there was no arm to save us, Christ his love and power displayed; By his stripes he wrought our healing, By his death, our life revealing, He for us the ransom paid.
Jesus, may thy love constrain us, That from sin we may refrain us, In thy griefs may deeply grieve; Thee our best affections giving, To thy glory ever living, May we in thy glory live.
Mark 14, 26-31. And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives. And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered. But after that I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee. But Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet will not I. And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, that this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. But he spake the more vehemently, If I should die with thee I will not deny thee in any wise. Likewise also said they all.
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Satan desired to sift them as wheat; but the Lord prayed for them, that their faith might not fail. Himself was strengthened by the scripture, and thereby he was their strength. The words of the prophet, “smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered” (Zach. 13, 7), are to the Lord as a star shining in the darkness. That which was to happen was necessary; he is taken prisoner, and the disciples are offended; this is the burdensome, but right way, which he must go, in order that the world may be saved. By means of this word of prophecy the Lord here puts the devil to shame. The enemy desires to sift Peter and the others, that they may fall and remain down; but he is only permitted to sift them in such a way that they are purified; for Jesus does not only die, but rises again, and gathers them again; and through the comfort of the scriptures Jesus is able to explain this to them in advance, with the result that they are strengthened and do not wholly lose their faith under the heavy trial awaiting them. — How entirely incapable Peter and the others are of defending themselves against Satan! Peter loved the Lord, and knew in his own heart that he had this love. But he did not know how deceitful his heart was, nor how dangerous the confidence which he felt in his own love. Neither did he know how dark were to be the days which the Lord was approaching, nor the nature of the trials in which he himself was about to be sifted by Satan. He declares: “If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise.” Peter; how little you know what the Lord is to suffer! To die with him, to go to that death which he is to taste; this would have been beyond the power of any man. Not even after the Pentecost would Peter have been able to do it; how much less, then, the Peter that now was. Was his declaration, then, mere lying and levity? By no means. He meant it in all seriousness; but for this very reason his example warns us most impressively against all reliance on self, and exhorts us most solemnly to walk in fear and trembling, and to put all our trust in the grace of God alone. None can by his own strength successfully resist any temptation; if the Lord did not sustain us, we would at once fall into the sin of unbelief, and deny our Savior. But his fidelity is unspeakably great. In the midst of his death agony and deepest distress he holds his protecting hand out over his self-willed disciples, and defends them. “Thou (mine enemy) hast thrust sore at me that I might fall; but the Lord helped me. The Lord is my strength and song, and is become my salvation. The right hand of the Lord is exalted; the right hand of the Lord doeth valiantly.” (Psalm 118, 13. 14. 16).
Lord Jesus, let me be found alway among them that are thine; and strengthen me, that nor shame, nor fear, nor unbelief, may hereafter cause me to deny thee. Amen.
Let me, till my latest breath, Christ confess with constant meekness; Let me faithful be till death, Strong in him ’mid all my weakness; Let me live in him, and die Heir of mansions in the sky.
Lord, our God, lead us into the strong fortress of thy word. Amen.
Gospel Lesson, Matthew 4, 1-11. Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness, to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, and saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; and saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil leaveth him, and behold, angels came and ministered unto him.
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As soon as Jesus was baptized to be our Savior, the devil sought to strike him down. Then begins the struggle on the outcome of which depends the ownership of our souls. The Son of God could not fall; but in the mists of temptation this is hid from his eyes, and he fights and is victorious only by using the scriptures as his weapon.
The Savior was to be tempted. It is one of the mysteries of God’s power and grace that he really was tempted, and that only by the might of the scripture was he enabled to guard his perfect purity and obedience. Here we hold fast in faith these truths, which our poor reason is unable to reconcile, that the devil is indeed permitted to draw and entice Jesus, while at the same time he is not able to kindle in him a single evil inclination. — The strong cravings of hunger in his pure human nature are made use of by the tempter, who seeks to accomplish his downfall by storming him with thoughts of doubt and defiance of every sort. “Art thou the Son of God? Is this the manner in which a father deals with his son? Is it not written that thou shouldst make the desert to blossom? (Isaiah 35, 1). Shall the Son of God hunger and thirst? (49, 10). Prove to all angels that God is with his only begotten Son, and has given his glory to man.” But the Lord is to atone for our sin by suffering the pangs of hunger, and he is victorious by means of the scriptures. — In the second temptation, in which the devil also employs the word of God, — after his own peculiar fashion, of course, — he strives to find a way to the heart of the Lord through his holy desire to glorify the Father. “Reveal thyself to Jerusalem. In thee shall be fulfilled also that word of God which says that the hands of angels shall bear thee up; and then thou shalt at once sit upon the throne of David, and Israel shall praise God.” Such thoughts as these laid siege to his soul, and the deceiver employs all his craft and cunning in order to entice him, by means of the scriptures, to desert the scriptures. But the scriptures interpret themselves; and thereby the Lord obtains the victory, and goes forward on the path of humility. — Then the foul fiend seeks to make a snare for the Lord out of his strong and loving desire to rule over all creatures in order to save them. In a moment all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them are presented to his view, and the tempter says: “The right which I have to these things, since man obeyed me, I give to thee; do thou but kneel once to me, and all is thine.” The shameless audacity and cunning of the devil is truly terrible. This bargain which he proposes seems to give Jesus everything, but would, in fact, have placed him and everything under the supremacy of the devil. But see, how the arch liar collides with the scriptures at every point, and how he goes down before it every time. “Get thee hence, Satan; for it is written: Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” — Thus Jesus continues steadfast in his obedience, suffering, and fear of God.
Adam was tempted and fell; abandoned the word of God; believed the liar; and was caught in the toils of unbelief, carnal lust, and pride. In him we all fell and became subjects of the devil. Christ holds on to the word of God; continues in faith, truth, and holiness, and delivers us from the devil. For us he fought and won. His victory is your victory, if you believe in him; and he has also won for you the power and grace to do this. Not the devil, but Jesus, is your master. Yet shall you also be tempted; by this very means you shall put on the strength of Christ, his faith, his obedience, his self-denial. Every child of God is led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. Then he assails you with dark doubt concerning God’s goodness and fatherly care, and concerning your election and adoption and estate of grace; and then he sets for your feet the snares of unrighteousness and sensuality and greed. You are tempted to follow after fleeting honor, to go ways of your own choosing for the purpose of advancing God’s cause, to buy imaginary spiritual benefits at the cost of truth; and who shall enumerate all the pitfalls and all the decoys which the tempter prepares for God’s children? But in all these things his purpose is to lure your heart away from the word into a feeling of security, or into despondency; into “unbelief and despair and other vices.” In the soul of the Savior there was nothing to which the tempter could fasten; no unclean desire of any sort stirred in the Holy One, though his struggle with the tempter was more violent than any of which we can conceive. In us, on the other hand, how many things are there not which give the tempter a vantage ground! And yet, my dear troubled brother, he shall be put to shame; he is vanquished. You shall be tempted, but you shall also be victorious. He who conquered for you shall also conquer in you; by means of the scripture you shall escape defeat. You shall be horribly tempted to desert the word of God; but you shall receive grace to abide by it, and to remain in faith and patience on the way of suffering together with our Lord Jesus. Never, while you are on earth, will the devil desist from tempting you to pride and unbelief, to disobedience and to that sort of Christianity which consists in the desire to enjoy the luxury of one’s own feelings. Never, while you are in the flesh, shall you be entirely free of these odious things; but neither shall the Spirit of God ever cease to teach you humility, obedience in faith, and joy in suffering.
Thanks for thy temptation and thy victory, Lord Jesus. Spare us, O God, from temptations; for we are very weak. But if we must be tempted, give us victory; grant that we may overcome, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
When temptation sorely presses, In the day of Satan’s power, In our times of deep distresses, In each dark and trying hour, By thy mercy, O deliver us, good Lord!
When the world around is smiling, In the time of wealth and ease, Earthly joys our hearts beguiling, In the day of health and peace, By thy mercy, O deliver us, good Lord!
125. First Sunday in Lent. II.
Lord, our God, let the power of thy grace be made manifest in us through all manner of heavenly virtues. Amen.
Epistle Lesson, 2 Corinthians 6, 1-10. We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: but in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watchings, in fastings; by pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; as sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
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In the lives of the apostles we see clearly reflected the sufferings and the patience of Christ. Afflictions and necessities and distresses and stripes, labors and watchings and fastings, dishonor and evil report, misjudgment, poverty, pain, death, — these were the portion of Jesus; and the same spectacle is presented to us in the lives of his apostles. Are, then, distress and suffering the portion of the saints of God only? No; “Suffering we see, to be sure, everywhere on earth; but the suffering of Jesus is seen nowhere else in the same degree; it is only in his servants that we have anything at all like it.” Patience, pureness, longsuffering, kindness, unfeigned love, and the like, — these constitute the manner of Christ’s suffering, his holy style of warfare. In all things the same ministering, self-sacrificing love; in all things the same spirit, and the same object in view; namely, our welfare, our salvation. And the same is true of the apostles in their imitation of his holy example. What a shining example for us to follow; but, alas, how it must also put us to shame! To be sure, we are not called to be apostles, but all Christians are called to be the servants of Christ; and Paul exhorts us in this wise: “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.” Is it not to be feared, alas, that too many who call themselves Christians have “received the grace of God in vain”? “Received the grace of God” — and yet have done it “in vain”! What a remarkable and impressive statement! Does it not mean that too many have, after receiving the grace of God, accepted the offer of the tempter to effect a compromise? Or are we mistaken? Are there perhaps many who with the apostles walk in the footsteps of Christ? Alas, how few are they whom this description fits: “By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left.” But these are the weapons with which one must be armed, if he is to stand against the wiles of the devil. It is absolutely necessary for us to be thus armed; else we shall succumb, beyond any doubt. And then, what shall the end be? For Jesus’ sake, therefore, put on his armor, ye soldiers of the Lord!
Lord God, make us to be true Christians, and let thy strength be perfected in us. Let it be apparent in our whole walk that we are thy disciples; make all the world to know that thou hast a holy people on earth, who are able to labor and suffer and conquer by thy strength. Teach us also to “drink of the brook in the way, and lift up the head.” Amen.
Give us faith that keeps the way Till life’s last hour is fled, And with a pure and heavenly ray Lights up a dying bed.
Lord, give us such a faith as this, And then, whate’er may come, We’ll taste, e’en here, the hallowed bliss Of an eternal home.
Say to us, O Lord, when we are to walk through the darkness of affliction, that thou art with us. Amen.
Jonah 2, 1-9. Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish’s belly, and said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice. For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me. Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple. The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head. I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O Lord my God. When my soul fainted within me I remembered the Lord: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple. They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy. But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord.
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In the agony of his passion and death Jesus experienced that which Jonah here prays out of the deep. He was in terror, and he cried out of the womb of hell; he was cast into the deep, into the midst of the seas; the floods compassed him about, and all the waves of God’s wrath passed over him. He felt himself cast out of the sight of God and entirely forsaken of him; yet he continued to look toward his holy temple, and in faith he held fast the promise of deliverance. The waters compassed him about, even to the soul; the depth closed him round about, the weeds were wrapped about his head. He went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about him for ever. He was buried under a load of disgrace and contempt; the accursed thorns which were wrapped about his head held him fast; and all the power of hell barred his way; yea, the mighty bars of God’s wrath were drawn before the door, that he might never escape. But his faith saved him; he did not relax his hold on the word, and his prayer forced its way through iron doors and stone walls, and reached the ear of heaven. “Thou hast brought up my life from corruption, O Lord my God.”
You, dear Christian, must follow the same course, if you are to reach the gates of thanksgiving and salvation. Nevertheless, there is a great distinction. Jesus had no Savior; he was alone. “He looked, and there was none to help; and he wondered that there was none to uphold.” You, however, are not alone; he is with you. If it seem to you that you are alone in the deep, yet is he with you; cry to the Lord. Your weak voice reaches his ear; your poor prayer comes to him in his holy temple; and “he brought up your life from corruption;” you are saved.
Truly, thou knowest best, Lord Jesus, what my soul suffers. I have sinned against the Lord; therefore I will bear his wrath until he shall again lead me out into the light. Meek and patient Savior, give to me thy gentle spirit. God, hear my cry in thy holy temple. Alas, many toils are spread for my feet; many obstacles bar the way before me; I see no escape. Lord, is this the way which thou wilt lead me, through still greater agony and terror? After all, thou art my Savior; thou canst not release thy hold on me, nor can I release mine on thee. Amen.
Yet, gracious God, where shall I flee? Thou art my only trust, And still my soul would cleave to thee, Though prostrate in the dust.
Thy mercy-seat is open still; Here let my soul retreat, With humble hope attend thy will, And wait beneath thy feet.
Lord Jesus, we thank thee for thy life of suffering. Give us grace to follow after thee. Amen.
Matthew 16, 21-23. From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
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The path which Jesus trod was so dangerous and difficult that none other would have been able to walk it. The devil lay in wait for him at every turn, and spread his toils before him where it was least to be expected. When the Savior, in tender and intimate love, prepares the disciples for his suffering, the devil is at hand, and makes use of Peter’s zeal, which still is altogether too much of the earth, for the purpose of giving poison to the Lord. He tempts him to step aside from the path of obedience with its attendant suffering. While we are here on earth we can hardly have even a suspicion of the great craftiness of the cunning which the deceiver has employed against Jesus. And how keenly did not the Lord feel all our distress and infirmity! You need not think that his burden rested lightly on him because he had such strong shoulders. “He poured out his soul unto death;” what does this mean? He truly suffered, suffered unutterable pain; he felt our distress, and “tasted death for every man.” He had the purest soul and the purest body, the most deep and intense horror of death, and the keenest sense of its pain. There is none other to whose nature suffering was as foreign as to his, yet it has not fallen to the lot of any other to suffer as much as he; none ever hated death as he did, and yet none has gone to his death with such perfect willingness. Now the victory is won, the power of the devil is destroyed, and before our feet is laid the way of the cross, leading straight to the open gate of heaven. Before him everything was closed, everything dark; while friends and enemies were his tempters. To him the cross was a curse, while death was death and nothing else. To us, on the other hand, the door is opened, the light is burning, and death has been turned into life. However, the path which in self-denial he trod we also must follow. We are baptized into his death, and the old man in us must die, if we are to live. Whosoever will save his life shall lose it; and whosoever will lose his life for his sake shall find it.
Lord Jesus, like Peter we find it very difficult to understand these things. Correct us, but do not reject us. Draw us after thee; help each of us to take up his cross and follow thee, that we may save our souls. Amen.
Here we have a firm foundation, Here the refuge of the lost; Christ’s the rock of my salvation: His the name of which we boast.
Lamb of God for sinners wounded! Sacrifice to cancel guilt! None shall ever be confounded Who on thee their hopes have built.
Thou Spirit of God, who didst come to us in our baptism, do thou expound the word to us. Amen.
Exodus 1, 22–2, 10. And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive. And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi. And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months. And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river’s brink. And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him. And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river’s side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it. And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews’ children. Then said his sister to Pharaoh’s daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee? And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child’s mother. And Pharaoh’s daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child, and nursed it. And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water.
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This account is, from several points of view, very edifying. We see the faith and courage of the parents of Moses, the wonderful providence of God in saving the life of the child, in caring for his early training in the faith of Israel, and thereafter for his training in the wisdom of Egypt also, in order that he may be properly equipped for the great work of his life. We see how the cruel persecution on the part of the king thus becomes the salvation of God’s people; and we are taught the lesson that the Christians’ heaviest cross is their best help. The account before us teaches this, and much more in addition. Consider it as a whole and in its details, and it shall strengthen your faith. But our special purpose at this time is to point out how beautiful a prototype of baptism we have in the story here recited. The verdict of death rested on Moses at his birth and while his parents kept him at home. He was a child of wrath and the prey of death. But when his mother brought him home again from the water he was saved; and, furthermore, he was no longer her child merely, but the child of the king’s daughter; a royal prince. Pharaoh’s daughter had said: “Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages;” and thereafter she regarded him as her own son. If she had not adopted him as her child, the mother would have been robbed of him by the king’s executioners.
When you were born you were a child of wrath; for you were shapen in iniquity, and in sin did your mother conceive you. You were in transgressions, and liable to eternal punishment, until you were brought to the washing of water by the word, to the sacred river Jordan which flows through Israel. When your mother took you home from this bath you had become a child of the king, one of the royal children of heaven. The church, which is the bride of Christ; nay, Christ himself took you out of the jaws of death, and delivered you from the tyranny of Satan. Your earthly parents were given the care of you; but he it was who said: “Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give you your wages.” For in baptism you were rescued from death and adopted as a child of God; and your name, also, might properly be called Moses, which means saved. It is entirely in order to see, in the ark of Moses on the Nile, a prototype of baptism; for it is a repetition of Noah’s ark, in which Peter finds a sermon on the saving power of baptism. (1 Peter 3, 20. 21).
Lord God, our heavenly Father, we earnestly beseech thee, give us grace to believe with childlike simplicity, and to let thy word hold entire sway over our thoughts. Keep us by this word, and lead us at last through the waters of death home to thee in heaven. Amen.
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, I’m baptized in thy dear name; In the seed thou dost inherit, With the people thou dost claim, I am reckoned, And for me the Savior came.
Help me in this high endeavor, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost! Bind my heart to thee forever, Till I join the heavenly host; Living, dying, Let me make in thee my boast.
Great is the mercy of the Lord upon us. God, make us to know it. Amen.
Isaiah 53, 6-9. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
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The human race is like a flock of sheep which are being torn and scattered in all directions by a wolf in the midst of them. In the ears of the proud this statement is offensive. What! are they to be called sheep; sheep gone astray? Nonsense! They are not sheep; they are lions. However, this is the devil’s cunning, that they are ignorant of his existence, and do not know their own pitiable condition and need. Pride and blindness are his work. Many are blind to the fact that humanity is torn asunder, and that they turn every one to his own way. And they do not feel that this is a terribly evil power, a foreign force, which is come into the human world. O, that this blindness might pass away, that each of us might see his error! — To let the devil in among us, into our hearts, was a mortal sin on our part; for we had the power to resist him; and in thereafter doing evil, as we all have done, we are guilty of a damnable iniquity. We are wretched, but it is our own fault; and we have done nothing save to stray farther and farther from the right path. — Then God gave us his Son for a Savior; he became the shepherd of the wretched sheep, and took upon himself the punishment for our transgressions. He is assailed by all the hosts of hell, and is the target of all the darts of death. He was called to account for all the sin of the world. He is called to account, and pays the debt; and we are absolved from the liability. See how the Lamb of God was sheared! Look at him as he was scourged; see him on his way to Calvary; see him on the cross. But he goes to his death with perfect patience. He has not gone astray, but was put to grief for our transgressions. As his life is blameless, his suffering is quiet and holy; he lives and dies in perfect obedience unto death, even the death of the cross. Thus he becomes the spiritual father of a regenerated humanity. The branch of the root of David is cut down and re-planted, and we are grafted into him. Christ dies, and lives again; baptized into him we have died and been quickened with him; and thus his Israel is a countless multitude. Atonement has been made for our iniquities, our sins are put away, and eternal righteousness is come. He that believes is a member of the body of Christ, and lives a new and holy life in him.
Lord Jesus, give us the grace of thy Holy Spirit, that we may have sincere faith in thee, experience thy holy life in our heart, and come no more into the power of the devil. When we go astray do thou at once bring us back into the fold, and keep us with thee for evermore. Amen.
We all, like sheep, have gone astray In ruin’s fatal road; On him were our transgressions laid; He bore the mighty load.
He died to bear the guilt of men, That sin might be forgiven; He lives to bless them and defend, And plead their cause in heaven.
Lord Jesus, make our whole life new through thy love. Amen.
2 Corinthians 5, 14-21. For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
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Saint Paul is fairly beside himself by reason of God’s infinite love and boundless grace toward us. One died for all, then did all die; such was the will and act of God. Christ, the holy and righteous, was sacrificed for us sinners; and God counts this as though we all had died the death of the Righteous One for our sins. As Christ was made to be sin, and was treated as though he were nothing but sin; as he died our death in full, the death of the accursed world; even so are we righteousness only in him, and there is no more any sin for which to die; for Christ died for all sin of whatever kind or degree. God has reconciled the world unto himself in Christ, not imputing their trespasses unto them, but imputing them all unto him. Here the old things are passed away; the former estate in sin and bondage, and the old mind, troubled with fear and an evil conscience, are at an end. Paul prays and beseeches in Christ’s stead that we may believe in Christ and thus enter into this glorious estate of grace. Why will you continue in the service of sin, now that you are free? Why will you continue in fear or in a fiendish obstinacy, now that you are reconciled unto God and have all that which is necessary to a good conscience and a happy, pure and joyful heart? See, says the apostle, I am in all things one of you; and I am dead and risen again with Christ, and live a new life in him; his love throbs in every thought and word and deed; all, all that I do is done in a new spirit quite different from the old. The new spirit manifests itself in me, even to the minutest details in my manner of living. You have what I have; and my heart burns within me as I pray you to accept and make use of this gift of God. — We will follow the light of God’s Spirit, dear reader, and hereafter live the life of faith, justified, regenerated, and sanctified in Christ. We poor fools, who have not heretofore understood this! All is finished; we are reconciled unto God by the death of his Son, and shall live by his life. In this love we will now abide, and give ourselves wholly to thee, Lord Jesus. Thou art one with us, and we with thee; let this union continue. Help us to remain in thee, thou who of God art made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption. Amen.
Come, thou incarnate word, Gird on thy mighty sword, Our prayer attend. Come, and thy people bless, And give thy word success; Spirit of holiness, On us descend.
Thou Lamb of God, which didst take away the sin of the world, have mercy on us.
John 1, 29-34. The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me. And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God. And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.
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From the time of his baptism our Lord Jesus was known of John as the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. John could not put the Spirit and life into the baptism with which he baptized, for he was only a man; but Jesus could baptize with the Spirit, for he is the Son of God. When he was baptized baptism was hallowed. The water does not make him holy, but is made holy by him; for he is baptized to suffer the baptism of blood. Then he lets the water and the blood flow together from his riven side; and thus baptism becomes a red “stream colored by the blood of Christ, which cures the disease that we inherited from Adam, and the sin that we have done.”
He is called the Lamb of God, because he is God. O, miracle of miracles! God, himself, the Son, co-equal with the Father, is the sacrificial lamb for the sins of the world. He is called the Lamb of God for the further reason that God has selected him and given him to us; we have not made this sacrifice without having first received it of God. He is called a Lamb, because he is to be sacrificed, and because he goes to his death with the patience of a lamb. — He bears the sin of the world; it was laid on his shoulders when he was baptized, and after that it was heavy on him, and he felt its weight more and more. The wrath of the righteous God, and his judgment on our unrighteousness, on all our infirmities, all our disease of body and soul; this wrath and judgment, which were not to be satisfied with anything short of death and the torments of damnation, were upon him. He lifts all this and carries it away; takes away the punishment and the power of ungodliness; hence sin shall neither condemn us, nor rule over us. He takes away the sin of the world; of Jews and gentiles, from the first soul on earth to the last. How heavy a burden on him, but how great a mercy for us! This concerns us all. Blessed be the Lamb; in the eyes of God my sin is no longer mine. The Lamb has taken away my many and grievous sins, which else would have thrust me down into hell. “Now we know where our sins are laid away,” says Luther. “The law places them on our conscience and thrusts them into our bosom; but God takes them from us and places them on the shoulders of the Lamb. I know, says God, that your sins are too heavy for your strength; therefore I take them from you, and lay them on my Lamb. This you shall believe; and when you do believe it, you are rid of your sin. Your sin must be in one of two places; either it is with you, in which case you are lost; or it rests on Christ, in which case you are free and shall be saved. Now choose that which you desire.” You are baptized, and have a right and access to this grace; do not by your unbelief put it away. “Neither is there salvation in any other.”
Blessed be thou, Lord Jesus, who didst take away the sin of all the world, didst suffer death, and art my advocate before the Father. Help me to believe in thee and to let thee carry away and destroy all my sin, that in distress and death I may have my only comfort in thee, gladly follow after thee, suffer with patience, and find a place at the foot of thy throne in heaven. Amen.
O Jesus Christ, thou Lamb of God, Once slain to take away our load, Now let thy cross, thine agony, Avail to save and solace me; Thy death, to open heaven and there Bid me the joy of angels share.
Gospel Lesson, Matthew 3, 13-17. Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
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1) By his baptism Jesus entered into our sin. 2) By his baptism he consecrated the water for our baptism, so that we are baptized into his righteousness.
1) He was consecrated as our high priest, prophet, and king. As our high priest: He who knew no sin is made to be sin for us. The Righteous One has taken his place in the midst of sinners; and the scripture says: “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” He is baptized into our sinful estate, in order that he may make atonement for sin by suffering death. From the time of his baptism he enters on a career of pain. — As our prophet: From the time of his baptism he enters on his office as a preacher. From now on he goes about teaching the truth, mighty in deed and word before God and all the people; and in his doctrine he reveals heaven on earth. — As our king: The fight against the devil, who attacks him with fury, now begins in earnest, until he, in his resurrection, wins a complete victory over the prince of death. As the one who is anointed to be our high priest, prophet and king, he is here declared to be the beloved Son, in whom the Father is well pleased.
2) By his baptism he consecrated the water as the means of baptism for us. What a glorious and precious water is not baptism now become! In it is the blood of Christ and the life of his resurrection. In my baptism I received that which he became for us in his baptism. a) He was baptized into my sin; I was baptized into his righteousness. Says Paul: “For as many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” As my Savior who was sacrificed in death, and as my advocate who now sits on the throne of heaven and makes intercession for me, he is become mine, and I am become his in holy baptism; I am united with him, even as he died for me and lives for me, so that in him I have died for sin and am dead from sin (Romans 6, 3). b) I have received his Spirit, and have entered into the light; I am numbered among his disciples, and am certain that he shall neither lead me wrong, nor permit me to go wrong. c) I have put on him, the victor over the devil; I have been received into his kingdom; I now fight in his strength, and shall therein win a victory in every battle with the evil one. Christ is my high priest, my prophet, my king. — Now the one thing of supreme importance is to have faith. All the promises of God are in Christ yea and amen. Blessed is he that believes, and keeps the blessings conferred on him by his baptism. He is the beloved child of God, and in him the heavenly Father is well pleased.
Lord, give us grace to believe, and to preserve in our faith; to stand fast in the grace of our baptism, and remain in living communion with thee unto the end. Amen.
Now Christ, the very Son of God, On sinners sends another flood; It is the water which the Lord Has comprehended in the word.
That by the water and the word We’re born again, we thank thee, Lord! In life and death thine let us be, And thine in all eternity.
117. Quinquagesima Sunday. II.
Help us, Lord, that we may hear thy word today. Amen.
Epistle Lesson, 1 Peter 3, 18-22. For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.
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“Baptism doth save us.” In regard to this matter Luther writes: “Every Christian has, throughout his whole life, enough to learn and practice in connection with his baptism; for it behooves him always to labor toward the end that he may firmly believe that which his baptism promises and brings: victory over death and the devil, forgiveness of sins, the grace of God, the whole Christ, and the Holy Ghost with all his gifts. In short, it is so much, that if we in our weakness were able to grasp the whole truth, we would regard it as beyond belief. Suppose that there were found to be a physician whose skill was such that persons treated by him would escape death, or, if they died, would come to life again and live for ever; would not the world rain money on him, and make it impossible for the poor to approach him? Now, in baptism every person receives such a gift without price; there is brought to his very door a remedy which swallows up death and keeps all men alive. Thus must we regard our baptism and make use of its benefits, in order that we may, when oppressed by sin and our conscience, take heart and say: ‘After all, I am baptized; and since I am baptized, I have the promise that I shall be saved body and soul, and have everlasting life.’ For this reason baptism has two sides, as it were; water is poured over the body, which is not capable of receiving more than this; and the word of God is pronounced over us, in order that the soul, also, may receive benefit. Now, as water and the word taken together constitute baptism, it follows that both soul and body must be saved; the soul by means of the word, in which it believes; but the body, because it is united with the soul and accepts baptism in so far as this is possible. We have, therefore, nothing more valuable for soul or body; for in baptism we receive full sanctification and salvation; something which can not be brought about by a saintly life or by any work of ours whatever. — Thus we see what a high and excellent thing baptism is, which snatches us out of the jaws of the devil, makes us God’s own people, destroys and takes away our sin; and then daily strengthens the new man, and endures until we are removed from this world of sorrow into everlasting glory. Every Christian should, therefore, regard his baptism as a garment for everyday use, in order that he may continue in faith and good works, subdue the former man, and grow in the new. For if we wish to be Christians, we must diligently pursue that which makes Christians of us. But if any fall from grace, let him return. For Christ, our mercy seat, does not forsake us; neither does he prohibit us from coming to him, even though we sin. So we continue in possession of all that with which he has endowed us. We have received forgiveness of sin in baptism; and we continue to receive it every day while we live, or, in other words, while we have our old sinful nature with us.”
O glorious and precious estate of grace! Give us, O God, thy Holy Spirit, and give us faith in our heart, for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
God of eternal love, Our Father and our friend, We lift our hearts to thee above; Do thou our prayer attend.
Baptized into thy name, We all have Christ put on: O may thy love our hearts inflame, The course of truth to run.
Psalm 119, 64-72. The earth, O Lord, is full of thy mercy: teach me thy statutes. Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O Lord, according unto thy word. Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed thy commandments. Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word. Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes. The proud have forged a lie against me: but I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart. Their heart is as fat as grease; but I delight in thy law. It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes. The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.
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Pride darkens the eye, that it sees not the glory of God; but the humble soul is open to receive the light from heaven. It is good for us that the Lord afflicts us with troubles of many kinds, and shows us that we understand nothing and can do nothing without his Spirit. The earth is full of his mercy, full of the miracles of his grace. However, we are blind to these things, unless our eyes are anointed by the Spirit; and this is done by means of the word. His works in nature are wonderful, and they are mercy altogether. Could we but see the beauty, the grandeur, the mercy in these works! We walk all the time in an edifice erected by the greatest of masters; in a cathedral of surpassing grandeur, where the architecture is perfection, and where we find on every hand rows of stately columns with graceful capitals and arches to delight the eye; but do we see it? Walk through the Cologne cathedral at the darkest hour of a dark night, and how much do you see of its splendors? The word of God is the sun; the works of the Lord must be seen in the light of the gospel; and only the lowly of heart walk in the light. — The mercy of God, however, shines with greatest splendor in his spiritual temple, the Christian church. In this temple the manifold wisdom of God is revealed in a manner to command the admiration of principalities and powers in heaven. By means of his word God creates the new man, and unites the saints; teaches them his heavenly statutes, and sanctifies their every faculty, so that they adapt themselves to one another, and serve one another. He turns the heart, humbles it, and melts it in tribulations; he stamps his image on it by means of the word; and he allows the peculiar character of each to develop, but in such a manner that each may fit in with the others and fill his special place in the church. If the members and joints of our body must be said to fit one another with admirable ingenuity and beauty, what say you of the members of the holy church, the bride of Christ? We walk in the midst of such miracles, and the light of the word shines upon them before our eyes; but do we see something of the Lord’s resplendent mercy? If we do not, the fault lies in the arrogance of our mind.
Lord, thou hast begun to open my eyes; teach me, I humbly pray thee, to walk in thy paths, that thou mayest show me thy wonders. Teach me to fear thee and keep thy word, that thy glory may be revealed to me, and that I may behold the wondrous things in thy law. Amen.
Thy word is everlasting truth: How pure is every page! That holy book shall guide our youth, And well support our age.
Lord Holy Ghost, enlighten us with thy gifts. Amen.
Isaiah 53, 1-5. Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
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That which God has done for us is so wonderful that none can believe it by his own reason or strength; faith itself, wherever it is kindled in the heart, is a divine miracle wrought by the word. For Christ’s outward appearance and his church with its means of grace attract little attention, and do not please the eye. In his birth Jesus is poor and lowly, and has in nothing the appearance of a king who is to rule over all the earth; and it does not seem possible that he can be the only begotten Son of God. During life he was despised and reviled, smitten and afflicted; nay, covered with ignominy and stricken with grief to such a degree that the haughty loathe him, and those of sympathetic nature can not bear to see him. Thus God deals with his own Son for our sake. We have deserved it, but he suffers it. Our idea always had been that only he who deserves punishment is smitten of God; but the Son is innocent, and yet is stricken. What a miracle of divine mercy! And of divine justice! He, he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the griefs which he has borne, and the sorrows which he has carried, were ours to bear and carry; the chastisement was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed. Thus speaks the gospel. You and I, who have deserved everlasting shame and suffering, shall for his sake receive everlasting honor and bliss; for the shame and suffering have already been undergone; God has done it, and it is not in the power of the devil to do away with this fact. God has decreed that my disgrace is to be the disgrace of the Son, and his honor mine; my sins and their punishment his, and his righteousness mine. This is God’s righteous decree. But who could believe it? Our reason can not grasp it. Since God has done this thing, it must of necessity be right and proper; but to our darkened understanding it is nevertheless an impossibility. Faith alone is able to grasp it. But to our faith it approves itself as the highest love and eternal justice; as the brightest, greatest, most beautiful, most glorious truth that has been, or can be, revealed to us. The angels also are of this mind, and their desire is to look into this mystery.
We thank thee for the eternal, incontrovertible decree of mercy; we thank thee for the word in which thou dost make thy purpose known to us; and we thank thee for the faith which thou hast kindled in our soul. Preserve and increase it, and give us grace to penetrate ever more deeply into the truth, and to stand immovable on the rock of thy righteousness, that our cure may be perfect, and that we may stand before thee at last without spot or blemish. Amen.
He who bore all pain and loss Comfortless upon the cross, Lives in glory now on high, Pleads for us and hears our cry. Hallelujah!
He who slumbered in the grave, Is exalted now to save; Now through Christendom it rings That the Lamb is King of kings. Hallelujah!
1 Peter 1, 22-25. Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
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You who have been born again, and have been made partakers of the divine nature, have become what you are by the word of God. For the word is the vehicle in which the incorruptible seed and everlasting life enter our hearts. On this point Luther says: “The word is a divine and everlasting force.” The sound or voice soon dies away, to be sure, but the kernel remains, namely, the truth itself which is contained in the voice. When I place a cup to the lips I drink the wine, but I do not attempt to swallow the cup also. Thus with the word which the voice brings to us; it enters the heart, and is and remains living, while the sound remains outside and dies away. Therefore the word is a divine force; nay, it is the very God. For thus he says to Moses: “I will be in thy mouth” (Exodus 4, 12); and in Psalm 81, 10, he says: “Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it,” I will be there and speak. Hence the seed is our Lord God himself.
This is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. It is not necessary for you to open your eyes wide and ask where you are to find the word; it is nearer to you than you are aware; it is the word which we preach. It does not take long to speak it and hear it; but when it enters the heart it can not die or pass away, and neither will it let you die; while you cling to this word it will sustain you. When I hear that Jesus Christ died, that my sin is taken away, and that heaven is given unto me, I hear the gospel. It is not in the power of any man to overthrow this truth. Hell is powerless against it; and even if I were already in the jaws of the devil, but could lay hold of the word, I must perforce be delivered and be where the word is. Therefore he says with truth: You shall expect no other word than that which we preach. For the reason that the seed of God, which is love, has by means of the word found lodgment in you and lives in you, therefore shall you purify yourselves in obeying the truth, unto chaste and fervent love of the brethren; therein shall it be known in the world that you have not heard the word in vain, but that you are, in truth, born of God.
We thank thee, dear and gracious God, for thy most excellent gift of the word. Let it accomplish its purpose in us all; let us feel its quickening power, and let us prove it in holy love of the brethren. Amen.
O may these heavenly pages be My ever dear delight; And still new beauties may I see, And still increasing light.
Divine instructor, gracious Lord, Be thou forever near; Teach me to love thy sacred word, And view my Savior there.
