Herrenhuter readings for Saturday, the 11th January 2014

Posted on January 11, 2014 by Wilhelm Weber

Lazarus (1547), Dionysiou, Mt. AthosWhy, LORD, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? (Psa 10:1 NIV) When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” (Joh 11:32 NIV)

Posted in Losung & Lehrtext | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Lutheran Order of Service in Zulu and Tswana

Posted on January 10, 2014 by Wilhelm Weber

Baptism of Jesus iconThe Lutheran Order of Service for the 1st Sunday after the Holiday of Epiphany (6th January) is available here in isiZulu and seTswana. Today it comes with a sermon based on God’s word from the prophet Isaiah chapter 42 the verses 1-4 (5-9) written by Rev. E. Mkhabela (Gamalakhe, KZN) in isiZulu (wz1410140112 Epi 1) and translated as usual by my father Rev. E.A.W.Weber DD (Welbedacht, KZN) into seTswana (wt1410140112 Epi 1)

The readings for the 1st Sunday after Epiphany are:

Old Testament:                 Isaiah 42: 1-4 (5-9)

The Epistle:                         Romans 12:1-3 (4-8)

The Gospel:                        St. Matthew 3:13-17

The liturgical colour is green.

May you have a very blessed Sunday and have time to meditate on the watchword for this Sunday: For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. (Rom 8:14 NIV)

If you are called to preach, may the triune God give you joy and strength, enthusiasm and wisdom, knowledge and insight – and the true words and pictures to preach his holy will faithfully according to his most precious revelation of his will and promises in both the Old and New Testament! However if you are not preaching, but listening – then listen as if God is talking to you + His precious gospel is “the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.” (Rom 1:16 NIV)

We thank the Lutheran Heritage Foundation for supporting the distribution of hard-copies of these orders of worship and sermons throughout Southern Africa. If you also want a copy please do not hesitate to subscribe by writing to mailto:eawweber@bundunet.co.za

Posted in Lutheran Order of service | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Löhe on 2.Timothy 3:16

Posted on January 10, 2014 by Wilhelm Weber

Evangeliar MarkusAll Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness. (2Ti 3:16 NAS)

The Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament  are like the starry skies at night. Whoever lifts up his eyes from the dark earth up to the bright stars above sees the shiniest first – the big ones and those in the milky way. Yet as the eye is accustomed to the sight, it begins to see more and more. Finally even the dark blue of the night seems to be interwoven with light and shining brightness. So it also for the reader of the holy Bible. At first you perceive the strong and catchy verses, which are obviously clear and impressive at first sight. Yet as you continue reading more and more verses light up until you don’t just get the flow of the story, but rather comprehend the perfect harmony, which makes up the whole entirety.

So it’s not just a wise crack to get over the difficulties of some parts, if it is suggested to let the light and insight of the clear and main parts, which make up the rule of faith and guide all exegesis, light up the obscure and darker passages.

Holy Scripture has always proven itself as comprehensible and clear. All supposed obscurity and darkness is not so much its own drawback, but rather rests in the eyes and heart of the reader. All misconceptions, contradictions and heresies projected into God’s Word – and even the most drastic lie, that God’s Holy Spirit did not reveal his truth aptly and comprehensibly in the holy Bible – are not to be blamed against God and his Holy Spirit, but rather fair and square at the doorstep of our human blindness and sinful rebellion, which impede our insight into God’s will and prompt us to disobey his clear commandments and doubt his gracious promises. The holy Word of God suffers the same predicament as the Son of God himself: For the faithful it is faithful and true, for the holy it is holy and sanctified, with the pure it is pure and salvific; yet with the wrongful it is wrong and for the children of darkness it is utter darkness and obscurity. Praise be to God, the Lord, who is the living source of goodness and in whose light we see the light + Amen.

Lord, our God! We thank you for your most holy Word, which shows us the way to you and can save us eternally. Grant that we respect, honour and love your holy Word in such a way, that we trust and believe it, gladly hear, read and learn it and thus be guided from one truth to the other until we see you from face to face, hear you yourself and thus come to the blessed peace you have promised us. Amen.  

God’s Word is our great heritage And shall be ours forever; To spread its light from age to age Shall be our chief endeavor. Through life it guides our way, In death it is our stay. Lord, grant, while worlds endure, We keep its teachings pure. Throughout all generations. (Nikolai F. S. Grundtvig, 1783-1872 tr Ole G. Belsheim, 1861-1925)

This is a rather free translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for the 10th January during the high holiday of Epiphany. It is found on Pg. 51 in Lob sei Dir ewig, o Jesu!   (Eternal Praise to you o Jesus!) edited by A. Schuster and published in the Freimund Verlag, Neuendettelsau 1949.

Posted in Meditations by P.Wilhelm Löhe (Translation) | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Herrenhuter readings for Friday, the 10th January 2014

Posted on January 10, 2014 by Wilhelm Weber

familyAs a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; (Psa 103:13 NIV) This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. (1Jo 4:10 NIV)

Posted in Losung & Lehrtext | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Löhe on Matthew 24:35

Posted on January 9, 2014 by Wilhelm Weber

Evangeliar in MainzHeaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. (Mat 24:35 NIV)

It would be a very impressive recommendation for any congregation today, to have been founded by the apostles and to have remained steadfast in the teaching of those apostles throughout the ages up to today. Yet such a congregation does not exist. Only the word of the apostles has remained throughout the centuries and has born children for the kingdom of God all over the globe, has gathered congregations and established churches, united them and kept them in the true faith. Its friends and foes passed away. No friendship kept it in one solitary place. No enmity expelled it either. No human powers were able to diminish its effectivity or controlled its reach. It is a wonder of wonders that the word of the holy Bible has remained in this world and that the Church was always gathered around this word, so that it remained the son of all light rays and comforting warmth in this world of ours. Popes passed away, the sites of the Church councils, synods and conventions are left deserted, constitutions and bylaws of the church have been forgotten, situations and contexts have changed significantly and even unrecognizably so – but the Word of God has remained in this world – and therefore also the holy Christian Church. That’s how it is going to be like in future too. It is not carried, maintained or vitalized by anybody, yet itself carries  and supports and vitalizes and maintains the Church wonderfully and miraculously – and because of her the world too is not lost yet. The Church remains the lampstand for the brilliant and saving light of God’s word. No storm or calamity will extinguish this lovely flame. Heaven and earth will pass away, but the Word of God remains eternally. Blessed are those, who trust in it. Blessed is the Church that is founded firmly on it – and is supported and maintained by it too. It will remain forever + Amen.

Dear heavenly Father! You have given your divine revelation to your Church in this world so that it would recognize your fatherly goodness and lasting mercy. We thank you for your holy Word, which has kept your divine revelation alive in all generations from the time of the apostles and prophets of old. We pray: Let your Holy Spirit effect true and saving faith in us by your holy Word. Let us become alive through its godly strength and goodness. Let us be grounded more and more in its truth. Let us accept and abide its message ever more willingly. Let us rejoice in its comfort and forgiveness. Let it be to us the heavenly light, which leads us home through the darkness of the ages to you. Amen. (A.Linderholm)  

1 Lord Jesus Christ, with us abide, For round us falls the eventide; Nor let Thy Word, that heav’nly light, For us be ever veiled in night.

2 In these last days of sore distress Grant us, dear Lord, true steadfastness That pure we keep, till life is spent, Thy holy Word and Sacrament.

3 Lord Jesus, help, Thy Church uphold, For we are sluggish, thoughtless, cold. O prosper well Thy Word of grace And spread its truth in ev’ry place!

4. And as the cause and glory, Lord, Are Thine, not ours, to us afford Thy help and strength and constancy. And keep us ever true to Thee.

5. Thy Word shall fortify us hence, It is Thy Church’s sure defense; O let in its pow’r confide, That we may seek no other guide.

6. O grant that in Thy holy Word We here may live and die, dear Lord; And when our journey endeth here, Receive us into glory there. (Philipp Melanchton, 1497-1560 st 1 and Nicolaus Selnecker, 1532-1592)

This is a rather free translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for the 9th January during the high holiday of Epiphany. It is found on Pg. 50 in Lob sei Dir ewig, o Jesu!   (Eternal Praise to you o Jesus!) edited by A. Schuster and published in the Freimund Verlag, Neuendettelsau 1949.

Posted in Meditations by P.Wilhelm Löhe (Translation) | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Herrenhuter readings for Thursday, the 9th January 2014

Posted on January 9, 2014 by Wilhelm Weber

land_for_sale“If you sell land to any of your own people or buy land from them, do not take advantage of each other.” (Lev 25:14 NIV) and Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. (Rom 12:10 NIV)

Posted in Losung & Lehrtext | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Spenden: Hier einige wichtige Hinweise!

Posted on January 8, 2014 by Wilhelm Weber

spendeDas deutsche Zentralinstitut fuer soziale Fragen (DZI) in Berlin hat einige wichtige Hinweise zum Spenden zusammengestellt:

 

* Spenden vertragen keinen Druck.

* Spenden Sie gezielt – an wenige serioese Organisationen.

* Misstrauen Sie uebertrieben dringlichen Spendenaufrufen.

* Spenden Sie ueberlegt, nicht impulsiv.

* Unterschreiben Sie Beitrittserklaerungen nicht leichtfertig.

* Geldspenden sind besser als Sachspenden.

* “Freie” Spenden sind besser als zweckgebundene Spenden.

* Hilfswerke sollten sparsam sein, funktionieren aber nicht zum “Nulltarif”.

Hier ist noch mehr zu lesen: Die_7_wichtigsten_Tipps_fuer_Spender

Posted in Inside Germany | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Löhe on Luke 17:17

Posted on January 8, 2014 by Wilhelm Weber

Holy Scripture 01Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. (Joh 17:17 NIV)

The Church is one, everywhere and always one. That brings up the question: In what is the Church one? If we answer, that she is one in the truth, then nobody will disagree, just as they will all agree that this truth is God’s word and finally also that it is this truth, which unifies and makes one Church out of all believers from all ages and lands: God’s word spoken and written down by the apostles and prophets of old.  The King of all truth – Jesu Christ – himself said to the apostles: “For whoever hears you, hears me!” This apostolic word has been the unifying factor of the Church all along and it will continue to be this until the end of time. The Church was not unified around certain persons or people, not this or that constitution or regulation, but only through the apostolic truth. This united Jews and gentiles. It was able to unify the most diverse people, cultures and traditions into the one holy Christian Church here on earth. As long as the apostles were alive, their spoken word was authoritative. After their death it became more and more their written testimonies – the New Testament. That is like a living fountain and source of the truth. Around this the Church gathered and to this centre it called and invited everybody else too. Everything the Church owns, has and does derives from this apostolic foundation. That is why it calls itself “apostolic” even to this day. This means that it is based and grounded and organized and regulated by the true teaching of the apostles. Amen.

O Lord Jesus Christ, as the world grows old and the final evening draws near, grant to your Church and living congregation the faithful confession of your true Word. Awaken in her the courage and boldness to stand by the truth, but also the seriousness of loyalty and devotion against defection and ridicule, against doubt, deception, heresy, idolatry and other evils. Grant a joyful love towards you and your holy Church. Let us finally be gathered with all saints around your throne and thank you eternally.  Amen. (Wilhelm Löhe)

1 The church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord. She is his new creation by water and the word. From heaven he came and sought her to be his holy bride. With his own blood he bought her, and for her life he died.

2 Elect from every nation, yet one o’er all the earth, her charter of salvation: one Lord, one faith, one birth. One holy name she blesses, partakes one holy food, and to one hope she presses, with every grace endued.

3 Though with a scornful wonder this world sees her oppressed, by schisms rent asunder, by heresies distressed, yet saints their watch are keeping; their cry goes up: “How long?” And soon the night of weeping shall be the morn of song.

4 Mid toil and tribulation, and tumult of her war, she waits the consummation of peace forevermore: till with the vision glorious her longing eyes are blest, and the great church victorious shall be the church at rest.

5 Yet she on earth has union with God, the Three in One, and mystic sweet communion with those whose rest is won: O happy ones and holy! Lord, give us grace that we, like them, the meek and lowly, may live eternally. (S.J. Stone 1866)

This is a rather free translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for the 8th January during the high holiday of Epiphany. It is found on Pg. 49 in Lob sei Dir ewig, o Jesu!   (Eternal Praise to you o Jesus!) edited by A. Schuster and published in the Freimund Verlag, Neuendettelsau 1949.

Posted in Meditations by P.Wilhelm Löhe (Translation) | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Herrenhuter readings for Wednesday, the 8th January 2014

Posted on January 8, 2014 by Wilhelm Weber

ZechariahSing to the LORD a new song, his praise from the ends of the earth! (Isa 42:10 NIV) and St. John the Baptist’s father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them.” (Luk 1:67-68 NIV)

Posted in Losung & Lehrtext | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Löhe on Luke 12:32

Posted on January 7, 2014 by Wilhelm Weber

church.people“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.” (Luk 12:32 NIV)

There may well be times in which the Church appears to be but a mere stream, which is struggling to flow through the thorny brush of desert lands. Times when not much confluence occurs from the ground and the heavenly gates are shut down. Those are times, when the scarcity of saved souls convince even an Elijah that he alone is left over. These times may occur in countries and even continents, where the Christians are but few and isolated. There was a time however, when St. Cyprian  could write a triumphant booklet on the “Unity of the Church” and the Christians were multiplying in significant numbers. There were such times in history, when the Church and its congregations were like the city on the mountain – visible and impressive in its appearance.

Yet even if there are many or just few, what is the issue? There is no truthful statistics for the Church on earth anyway. Yet the big idea of the one, holy and worldwide Church and the glorious vision of Revelations 7 strengthen the lonely heart and faithful believer even in their isolation whilst in the barren stretches and deserted lands. Even if there is but one faithful member of the Church, the holy Christian Church is truly present there. The Lord does not forget or exclude even these faithful individuals from the Church although they are so far removed from the rest of the Christian congregation. He knows those, who are his. Finally they will appear as the great and glorious multitude, that nobody can count, whereas now this is not visible and far removed from our experience. It remains an article of faith. The narrow path followed by the little herds in most lands and eras culminate into that wonderful congregation revealed to St. John and for whose appearance we are waiting with great hope and faithful conviction. It will be that we will see that truly global (catholic) Church of heaven and eternity – by God’s grace and goodness. Amen.

O Lord Jesus Christ, our saviour and our God. Bless your holy Church, where you are known both here and there, inside and outside our borders and boundaries. Bless all those souls, that worship you and all hearts that confess your holy name. Bless especially all those congregations of the old and young Churches throughout the world that are small and insignificant in their own eyes and let them grow and flourish in the true faith and knowledge of the truth, that you have made them part of your one, holy Christian Church and that they don’t need to despair or give up, because you are with them with your word and sacrament, with your abiding faithfulness, love and mercy. We commend all our being and doing into your hands as nothing is too small for you and your caring benevolence. We commit all our loved ones into your gracious care, but also our people and countries and continents. Amen. (Wilhelm Löhe)

Oh, how I love that precious maiden and can’t get her out of my mind. Praise, honour and good order are hers always. She’s got my heart all right and even if I should suffer calamity, she will continue to please and uplift me with her love and faithfulness as she cares graciously for all my desires. (Dr. Martin Luther, 1483-1546)

This is a rather free translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for the 7th January during the high holiday of Epiphany. It is found on Pg. 48 in Lob sei Dir ewig, o Jesu!   (Eternal Praise to you o Jesus!) edited by A. Schuster and published in the Freimund Verlag, Neuendettelsau 1949.

Posted in Meditations by P.Wilhelm Löhe (Translation) | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment