Lord, let thy word of life permeate my whole heart. Amen.
Isaiah 55, 8-13. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.
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It is not in your power to form a correct idea of the glories which God has reserved for his faithful people. Even though you imagine them as a thousand times more glorious than everything of which you have any knowledge, you still use the things of this world as your measure of comparison; but God’s thoughts are of heaven, and are as much higher than your thoughts, as the heavens are higher than the earth. The mercy of God toward us is great beyond conception; his plan for our salvation is a bottomless depth of eternal love and wisdom. Neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. — We often, alas, have gloomy thoughts, and it seems to us that our path leads to lower and lower levels. Our thoughts are the inconstant thoughts of doubt and despondency, or of levity. But the thoughts of the Lord are thoughts of truth and love, luminous and pure, fixed and immovable; and his ways, in which he conducts us, dear Christian friend, are high, and lead ever upward. Consider this whenever your own thoughts threaten to overwhelm you in the dark hours of your life. Your thoughts are wrong; those of the Lord are right. Your ways and your plans must go down; those of the Lord shall endure. For he carries out his purpose through a means which can not fail. As his thoughts in heaven are luminous and high, and his counsel fixed; so his word, which brings them to us on earth, is living and fruitful, and accomplishes his will. Do not the rain and snow from heaven water our earth and make it fertile? Does this fail? Shall, then, the word that goeth forth out of his mouth fail? Can you doubt that this word is able to transform the earth, create and maintain faith in our hearts, extend and preserve the kingdom of God, release the souls, and lead them at last, through all temptations, to glory? Have you not already begun to feel the power of the heavenly thoughts in the word? What was it which awakened you out of your sleep in sin, and kindled in you faith, the new life, and prayer? What was it which sustained you, and gave you such consolation in the face of all your sin and distress, that you had cause to wonder at the fact of your not having long since dropped back into your former state of unbelief? What is it which ever anew brings spring and summer into your spiritual life, causing the field to become green, blossom, and bring forth fruit? What is it which sustains your hope, and causes you to expect everlasting life and everlasting victory for the church of God? It is the word which does all this; the word of God. Do not hereafter allow any lying thoughts to find room in you. The Lord has thought glorious thoughts, and has spoken glorious promises concerning us. Let all things fall; let the world, with all that it contains, perish. It has pleased our God to ordain that happiness and peace and songs of joy shall at last fill all the earth. Nature shall be renewed, and the name Jesus with the sign of the cross shall illumine all things and make all full of eternal bliss. The word of God shall accomplish this glorious result.
O, our God, may our faith and our hope be firmly established in thy word. Thou knowest what worthless thoughts we think; help us to conquer all our own thoughts by means of thy thoughts, thy thoughts of love and mercy, which we find in thy word. Amen.
How blest are they who hear God’s word, And keep and heed what they have heard. They wisdom daily gather; E’er brighter shines their light each day, And while they tread life’s weary way, They have the oil of gladness To soothe all pain and sadness.
Psalm 19, 7-12. The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward. Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.
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Nothing on earth is as perfect as is the word of God. The holy scriptures are the pure and clear fountain of Israel, out of which flow knowledge of God, faith, and holiness. This word is true and sure, and we may rely on it without any fear of being deceived. Take any of the Bible ordinances; for instance, that concerning the marriage relation, and compare with it the law laid down by Mahomet or by any other religious teacher, and you can be in no doubt as to which is right. And equally safe and reliable are the scriptural promises. What the Lord has promised he fulfills to the letter. No man has at any time had a bank note more safe than that which you have in the promise of God to give you all that you need here, and eternal happiness in the world to come. No word of all that which the mouth of the Lord has spoken has failed to come true; but should its fulfillment be postponed, then do you wait on the Lord; he shall surely come, he shall not fail to appear. This word is pure as refined gold, there is no dross in it; therefore it is incorruptible altogether, and not one jot or tittle of it shall pass away. It is fulfilled, and is being fulfilled, and abides forever. One by one the structures reared by human philosophy totter and fall; time disintegrates their ruins, they crumble into dust and pass away; but the word of God is everlasting. It is the bright sun without any spots, the perfect light without any dark lines; beautiful and grateful to the eye, and glorious to walk in for the upright. Dear reader; keep the word of God, and you shall know its excellency. “In keeping them there is great reward.”
However, none of us is as yet perfect herein. The saints who walk in the light of the word see much sin in themselves at all times, and know that they have many secret faults, besides, which they do not perceive. Sin does not have dominion over them, but it oppresses and troubles them. Then the word of God is their help; and in their daily repentance they experience its power to admonish, comfort, and strengthen.
Lord, create in us the desire to understand the truth and purity of thy word. Grant that we may love the word and delight in walking in it; that we may regard it as more to be desired than the finest gold, and as sweeter than honey and the honeycomb. Lord God, thou dost speak to me most beauteous words; let now, I pray thee, the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, my strength and my Redeemer. Amen.
How precious is the Book divine, By inspiration given! Bright as a lamp its doctrines shine, To guide our souls to heaven.
It sweetly cheers our drooping hearts In this dark vale of tears: Life, light, and joy, it still imparts, And quells our rising fears.
Luke 10, 38-42. Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
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The heart of Mary was good ground for the holy seed. She sat at the feet of Jesus, and heard his word. This is as it should be. The Lord calls it the one thing needful. Let us note it well. The word of God is as necessary to the heart, if we are to bring forth fruits of the spirit unto everlasting life, as the seed is to the soil, if this is to produce a crop of grain. If the word of God does not enter our heart, we can bring forth only the fruits of sin unto death and perdition. For nothing save noxious weeds grow wild in the heart; not charity, but self-love, hate, and anger; no work for God and heaven, but only worldly pursuits and aspirations. It is necessary to hear the word, even as Mary heard it. There are many who hear, and yet do not hear it. One who has no ear for music may hear the notes and chords, and yet not hear them, the music does not reach his soul or stir his heart. In like manner many hear the word of God, and their cold reason understands it; but they do not hear the heavenly music of the word, and are not sensible of its power to lay hold of the heart. — Do you hear these notes of love? Do you hear the shepherd voice of Jesus in the word? Do you hear the chime of the heavenly bells? — You are careful and troubled about many things; your ear is so full of the noise and roar of the world that it is deaf to the word of God. But remember, dear friend, that all your works, even the best among them, are barren and without root or kernel, if they are not the fruit of that faith which is a result of hearing the word. Begin in earnest, with your whole heart, to do that which Jesus says; then shall you taste how sweet his word is, and feel its regenerating power. — Lord, grant us this grace. Help us to love thy statutes, and to find delight and joy in thy word. Amen.
Father of mercies, in thy word What endless glory shines! For ever be thy name adored For these celestial lines.
Here the Redeemer’s welcome voice Spreads heavenly peace around; And life and everlasting joys Attend the blissful sound.
Help us, Lord, to keep thy word in our heart. Amen.
Gospel Lesson, Luke 8, 4-15. And when much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable: A sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it. And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be? And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand. Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Those by the wayside are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. But that on the good ground are they, which, in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.
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The word of God must enter our heart, and remain there, and develop its strength, if we are to be the laborers of the Lord, fruitful in good works. The word of God alone is able to bring this about, and shall have the honor. This is one lesson of our gospel text for today. Let none imagine that he can serve the Lord and be a blessing on earth without receiving and keeping the word of God.
Furthermore our gospel lesson teaches us that the human hearts assume different attitudes toward the word. Over some hearts there is a hard crust through which the seed of the word can not penetrate. They hear it, and at once forget it; it makes no impression on them; there is awakened in them no feeling of unrest or need of salvation; either because they are so self-righteous as never to be sensible of their sin and the danger to their souls, or because they are so worldly-minded that no thought of eternity can be born in them. Should there be a crevice in the hard crust; should the dispensations of the Lord and the troubles of life predispose them, in a measure, to follow the call of God; then, alas, the devil comes and takes the seed away. He at once guides their thoughts in another direction, and says: “Make yourself easy; all is well with you.” Or he says: “You are a fool to brood on such matters, which are but idle talk on the part of parsons; be comforted, and enjoy life.” — Others are easily moved and begin to repent; but their fruits of repentance soon die, when the heat of the day increases. Affliction, which is as necessary to the fruit of the heart as is the sun to the fruit of the earth, kills the seed which has not struck root in knowledge of sin and true penitence. Do, then, pray God to give you a contrite heart. — Others, again, earnestly repent, and sink the word deep into the soul; but they forget to watch. The thorns, whose roots still remain in the heart, put forth many and vigorous shoots, and choke the fruit of the word; with the result that their spiritual life languishes and dies. How many are there not who at one time were Christians of great promise, but who married, and had children, and contracted debts, or acquired wealth, and who thereafter have led most pitiable Christian lives. The expected fruits of the ripe seed were choked with cares or with riches. These thorns, whose roots were in the heart, must of necessity crop out above the surface; the Lord shaped the conditions of life after this fashion, in order that the thorns might spring up, and be known as such and be weeded out with holy diligence and struggle and prayer. — Finally, there are some; alas, only some, who in an honest and good heart keep the word, and bring forth fruit with patience. They take up the cross of Christ, practice self-denial, and sustain life on the love of God in Christ, who is the substance of the word.
Let the seed today fall on the good ground. Let the word make good ground of your heart now, if it has not done so heretofore; the word has power to accomplish even this. The word is the pick and plough which can break through the crust; it is the rain and sun which can disintegrate the rock; it is the fire which can burn up the roots of the thorns. The word is almighty, and can effect all things necessary to our salvation. God wants us to become rich in that which is good; he wants to reap of us a generous harvest. It is and always shall be our fault, if this purpose is not achieved.
Lord, do not let the devil take away the word out of our heart. Let it sink deep into our soul, and work penitence, faith, and sanctification, that we may bear thee abundant and good fruit. Give us this grace, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
Can aught beneath a power divine The stubborn will subdue? ‘Tis thine, O holy Spirit, thine To form the heart anew.
‘Tis thine the passions to recall, And upward bid them rise, And make the scales of error fall From reason’s darkened eyes.
109. Sexagesima Sunday. II.
Before I was afflicted I went astray; but now have I kept thy word.
Epistle Lesson, 2 Corinthians 12, 2-9. I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such a one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. Of such a one will I glory: yet of myself will I not glory, but in mine infirmities. For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
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Saint Paul is eminent above thousands and thousands; eminent by reason of his work, and sufferings, and revelations. The Lord made of him a great light which shines far and wide. But the greater the light, the greater and darker the shadow. As for the holy apostle, he would, therefore, be especially liable to be assailed by the temptation to exalt himself above measure. But the Lord saw the danger before it became visible to men, and the means for the protection of his own against this danger he provides with greater care than can be exercised by the most loving human heart. In the case of the apostle, therefore, the Lord provided in advance that which was needful to counterbalance the power of the temptation. “Lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.” This is the apostle’s own statement. Though we may not be able to understand clearly the full meaning of these words, there is no reason why we should take them in any other than the literal sense, or construe them as an exaggerated description of natural sufferings. On one hand was the grace of heaven, and on the other a counter-weight from hell, which no prayer could drive away, but concerning which the apostle was told that it should continue, yet without any danger to the grace that was in him. He was obliged to keep the thorn and the messenger of Satan and—the grace of God, all together.
Dear brethren; there always is pride in the heart of every man; but there is this essential distinction, that pride rules in one, while it only tempts the other. The man, such as we sometimes meet him, who assumes an air of superior piety, and says of his neighbor that he is not wholly free of the sin of pride, thereby reveals a sad ignorance of his own heart, and of the human heart in general. Who is there that has no pride? Who has been able to rid himself of it on this side of the grave? As certain as it is that we have in us a tendency to pride, a tendency which easily might corrupt all that we do and make us an abominable caricature of that which we should and could be; just so certainly does the Lord in his mercy bring about the conditions necessary for the lowering of our pride and for our growth in true humility. Let none try to cast from him those things which tend to keep him truly humble in spirit. Let us keep them and thank the merciful Giver, whose purpose it is by this means to perfect us in that which is good and preserve us from evil.
— Wilhelm Loehe
Lord, deal with us according to thy wisdom and mercy. Do not let the devil tempt us; but if we are to be tried, and must needs have a thorn in the flesh, let us keep thy grace and find it sufficient. Let our hearts be truly humble, that we may become more and more like thee, Lord Jesus. Amen.
When trials sore obstruct my way, And ills I cannot flee, Oh, let my strength be as my day! Dear Lord, remember me!
If worn with pain, disease, and grief, This feeble frame shall be, Grant patience, rest, and kind relief: Hear, and remember me!
N. J. Laache, Bishop of Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim, Norway, 1884-1892
Old Lutherans is pleased to announce the beginning of a series of posts that, taken as a whole, will feature the entirety of Nils Jakob Laache’s great devotional work, The Book of Family Prayer. Laache was the bishop at Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim, Norway (the church featured as the Old Lutherans site favicon) from 1884-1892. For those interested, a short biography of Laache can be read here.
The BFP was first published in Norway in 1883, and the first — and, in our opinion, best — English translation appeared in 1902, the work of Peer O. Strømme. First editions are hard to come by, but well worth the money.
BFP postings for each upcoming week will drop here at Old Lutherans every Saturday night. We are gradually compiling the entirety of the work at a dedicated page here on the site. The hoped-for culmination of the free online posting of this wonderful devotional work will be a new, high quality hardback edition of the Strømme translation published by the Old Lutherans Book Concern. More details TBA.
Feast of the Resurrection of Our Lord (Easter Sunday)
174. Easter Day. I.
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!
176. Easter Monday. I.
Come, Lord Jesus, and speak to our hearts. Amen.
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!
178. Tuesday after Easter Day.
Lord, increase our faith. Amen.
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!
179. Wednesday after Easter Day.
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.”
180. Thursday after Easter Day.
Living Savior, reveal thyself to our heart. Amen.
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.
181. Friday after Easter Day.
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.
182. Saturday after Easter Day.
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.
