Löhe on Philippians 4:4

Posted on December 23, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

rejoiceRejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! (Phi 4:4 NIV)

The apostle St. Paul wrote this letter in prison. Yet it overflows with joy and love and exudes a profound peace and calm. The congregation in Philippi was small, but very close to the heart of the imprisoned missionary, its founder.

The life of Christians is no unbearable burden and unending sequence of calamities. On the contrary, it really is one of joy, praise and peace. It is as Dr. Luther writes: “A Christian’s heart is bedded on roses even while its under the cross.” And our Lord comforts his congregation and Church: You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy… and no one will take away your joy. (Joh 16:20-22 NIV).

So we Christians should not be grumpy and just down in the dumps. Even the poor, ill, worrying, tempted and dying are to look up, for their salvation is drawing near. That’s the reason for our joy and hope and lasting bliss. Even when the last trumpet sounds, we don’t need to forsake this joy and gladness for it is the sound of our final salvation. Joy will be carried on and up into the new world too. It is to persist in eternity – just that then it will be even more joyous and just perfect. Amen.

Rejoice, rejoice, believers, And let your lights appear; The evening is advancing, And darker night is near. The bridegroom is arising And soon is drawing nigh. Up, pray and watch and wrestle; At midnight comes the cry. (Laurentius Laurenti, 1700 tr Sarah Findlater 1854)

This is a rather free translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for Monday after the fourth Sunday in Advent. It is found on Pg. 29 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.

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Herrenhuter readings for Monday, the 23rd December 2013

Posted on December 23, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

josephBut Israel will be saved by the LORD with an everlasting salvation; you will never be put to shame or disgraced, to ages everlasting. (Isa 45:17 NIV) and an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” (Mat 1:20-21 NIV)

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Lutheran Order of Service in Zulu & Tswana

Posted on December 22, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

arc_magnificatThe Lutheran Order of Service for the fourth Sunday in Advent is available here in isiZulu and seTswana. Today it comes with a sermon based on God’s word from the prophet Isaiah in the 52nd chapter the verses 7-10 written by Rev. F.Mtshali (Fernie LC, MP) in isiZulu (wz1404131222 Adv 4) and translated as usual into seTswana (wt1404131222 Edf 4) by my father Rev. E.A.W.Weber DD (Welbedacht, KZN).

The readings for this Sunday are:

Old Testament:                 Isaiah 52,7-10

The Epistle:                         Philippians 4,4-7

The Gospel:                        Luke 1,(39-45)46-55(56)

The liturgical colour is purple.

May you have a very blessed weekend and have time to meditate on the watchword for this week: Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice. The Lord is near. (Phi 4:4-5 NIV) If you are called to preach this weekend, 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

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Löhe on Philippians 4:5

Posted on December 22, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

Jesus enters JerusalemThe Lord is near. (Phi 4:5 NIV)

That is the general tenor of this epistle. All sadness in the lives of the saved elect is to be transformed into joy, all rough edges smoothed out, all troubles feed into prayer, tumult and conflict passes over into the peace that this world does not know and can not receive. The Lord is near. He is near in his word, in death and in judgement. The Lord is near in every aspect. This can open up your ear for the apostolic admonition. Consider word, death and judgement together and this word will become even more powerful.

In just a short while there will be no tears welling up anymore, nor sighs and laments rising from our hearts. Sadness is gone and faithful joy remains. It will be even more and better than the returning Jacob confesses to his challenging brother Esau: I have enough of all. Rejoice in your eternal inheritance and be faithful in everything and against all. Sorrow and worry are to pass away. Peace will no longer be interrupted by battle cries or harrowing afflictions. Just restful Hallelujahs will remain and we will praise our Lord God in joyous peace and harmony. Just wait and see. In a short while this world will pass away and the new one will persist. Amen.

Oh Lord Jesus Christ – you are so welcome! You have entered our lives with grace, peace and mercy and have brought along everlasting salvation to us. O come again and take us home. Enter our hearts together with your Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Grace and prayer. We are pleading you to come soon. We rejoice in your promise, that you are coming soon. Yes, come Lord Jesus, come soon. Amen. (G.Arnold)

Oh, come, O Key of David, come,  And open wide our heav’nly home;  Make safe the way that leads on high,  And close the path to misery.  Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to you, O Israel!

Oh, come, our Dayspring from on high, And cheer us by your drawing nigh, Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, And death’s dark shadows put to flight. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to you, O Israel! (Latin translated by John M. Neale, 1851)

This is a rather free translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for the fourth Sunday in Advent. It is found on Pg. 28 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.

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Herrenhuter readings for Sunday, the 22nd December 2013

Posted on December 22, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

holy Bible1The law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul.  (Psa 19:7 NIV) And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. (1Jo 2:3 KJV)

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Bishop of 2013

Posted on December 21, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

VoigtBishop Hans-Jörg Voigt was chosen as “Bishop of the year 2013” by the news agency IDEA. We congratulate Bishop Voigt and are happy to see this positive resonance concerning his confessional stance in vital issues of our time. Read more about this here: http://www.lutherisch-in-heidelberg.de/content/e7/e126/?id=532007

Wetzlar/Hannover, 18.12.2013 – selk/idea – Zum Jahresende benennt die Redaktion der Evangelischen Nachrichtenagentur idea (Wetzlar) „Christen des Jahres“ und stellt Personen vor, die im zu Ende gehenden Jahr ihren christlichen Glauben überzeugend gelebt haben. In der Rubrik „Bischof des Jahres“ ist diesmal Hans-Jörg Voigt (Hannover), der leitende Geistliche der Selbständigen Evangelisch-Lutherischen Kirche (SELK), ausgewählt worden.

„Er ist Bischof einer der kleinsten Kirchen in Deutschland“, heißt es in der Würdigung von Matthias Pankau: „In diesem Jahr hat er aber gleich zweimal bewiesen, dass eine Kirche nicht groß sein muss, um sich deutlich an der Bibel orientiert zu positionieren.“

Pankau nimmt Bezug auf den Deutschen Evangelischen Kirchentag im Mai in Hamburg, bei dem messianischen Juden zum wiederholten Male ein Stand auf dem „Markt der Möglichkeiten“ verwehrt worden war. Juden, die sich zum christlichen Glauben bekennen, hätten so keinen Platz auf dem Protestantentreffen gehabt. Die Begründung der Verantwortlichen: Judenmission sei aus christlicher Sicht nicht richtig. „Voigt sieht das anders“, so der idea-Redakteur: „Seiner Ansicht nach verleugnet die evangelische Kirche mit ihrer ablehnenden Haltung gegenüber messianischen Juden ihre Ursprünge. ‚Bekäme Paulus heute auch keinen Platz?’, fragte er mit Blick auf den aus dem Judentum stammenden Apostel.“ Am Stand der SELK waren messianische Juden als Gäste ausdrücklich herzlich willkommen. Es kam dort auch zu Begegnungen mit Bischof Voigt.

Als weiteren Grund für die Wahl Voigts führt Pankau den im September durchgeführten „Marsch für das Leben“ (http://www.marsch-fuer-das-leben.de) in Berlin an. „Auch hier war Voigt der einzige deutsche Bischof, der zu dieser Demonstration kam und sich damit öffentlich für das Lebensrecht ungeborener Kinder einsetzte.“
——————–
Ein Bericht von selk_news /
Redaktion: SELK – Gesamtkirche /
selk_news werden herausgegeben von der Kirchenleitung
Quelle: ideaPressedienst, 18.12.2013 /
der Selbständigen Evangelisch-Lutherischen Kirche (SELK),
Schopenhauerstraße 7, 30625 Hannover,
Tel. +49-511-557808 – Fax +49-511-551588,
E-Mail selk@selk.de
—> Informationen aus Kirche und Gemeinden in Wort und Bild
auch unter „SELK-Aktuell“ auf http://www.selk.de

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Löhe on 1.Corinthians 4:3-5

Posted on December 21, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

allsaintsI care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court… It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God. (1Co 4:3-5 NIV)

The Corinthians were evaluating, appreciating and classifying their pastors and teachers. The apostle is assuring us that the Lord will judge rightly and justly. He will give the appropriate praise to his people finally. Therefore we should rather pray for our pastor, that they be faithful and diligent servants of the Lord – and that the Lord have mercy on us all, when we will have to give an account of all we have done here on earth – be it good or bad. Amen.

Oh holy God, keep us from wrong judgement and false condemnation. Let us do the work of our calling faithfully and let us not tire in doing good both in the Church and beyond. Give us your Holy Spirit in richest measure. Amen. (Wilhelm Löhe)

For the herald’s voice is crying in the desert far and near, calling us to true repentance, since the reign of God is here. O, that warning cry obey! Now prepare for God a way. Let the valleys rise in meeting and the hills bow down in greeting.

Straight shall be what long was crooked, and the rougher places plain. Let your hearts be true and humble, as befits God’s holy reign. For the glory of the Lord now on earth is shed abroad, and all flesh shall see the token that God’s word is never broken. (Johann Olearius, 1671)

This is a rather free translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for Saturday after the third Sunday in Advent. It is found on Pg. 27 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.

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Herrenhuter readings for Saturday, the 21st December 2013

Posted on December 21, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

holidayThus says the Lord our God: “Six days you shall labor, but on the seventh day you shall rest.” (Exo 34:21 NIV) and Jesus Christ: “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” (Mar 2:27 NIV)

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Löhe on Romans 15:4

Posted on December 8, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

biblical manuscriptsFor everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. (Rom 15:4 NIV)

Patience is not just lazily doing nothing. Rather Christian patience is active, works and has a definite goal. It knows, what it should do and that’s what it does. It goes about this in serious diligence and holy fervour. It is aware that there is a time coming, when no work will be possible any more. Perhaps that’s going to happen sooner than we can imagine. This is the reason that this Christian patience does not waste time, but continues with its crucial calling in this world as long as it is day and God still gives the many opportunities to do good.

We have many different gifts and people in our Churches – just like it was in Rome in the time of St. Paul. We too have the strong and the weak. Yes, we to have those, who take Christian liberty to mean licence to sin. That too is a reason to persevere in patience, to continue with prayer and working, but not to tire or despair or give up until the goal is reached or the work accomplished. The challenge remains until all opposition of God’s holy work and mission is overcome, until God’s mission is carried out in this world to the ends of the world and all are gathered in unity of praising the triune God in truth and faithfulness. There is still work to be done. Therefore let us lift up hands without ire or doubt, pleading our God that he will keep and preserve us in the true faith and in hope and patience as we go about our Christian calling wherever he has called us. Let us not write off anybody as long as it is day. Let us not give up on each other, not despising the other nor condemning him either in rage and fury. Rather let us persevere in honest and faithful love, supporting each other as we work to fulfil the most precious will of our heavenly Father. Amen.

O holy Spirit, almighty and eternal God! We pray, grant us the sweet comfort of your gospel and fill our hearts with your divine peace. Without you there is no good in us. Cleanse us from all impurity, nurture us with power from above, invigorate the weak and suffering. Correct those going astray. Heal the ill, warm the cold. Guide the opposing. Grant to us all, who trust in you new strength and courage, that we do good and flee all evil, so that we remain united in your love and peace and eventually are brought home to you in eternal blessedness and salvation. Amen.

Sin’s debt, that fearful burden, Let not your souls distress; Your guilt the Lord will pardon And cover by His grace. He comes, for men procuring The peace of sin forgiven, For all God’s sons securing Their heritage in heaven. (Paul Gerhard, 1643)

This is a rather free translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for the second Sunday in Advent. It is found on Pg. 14 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.ily

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Herrenhuter readings for Sunday, the 8th December 2013

Posted on December 8, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

water and breadAnd ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water;  (Exo 23:25 KJV)  Jesus Christ said: “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ Your heavenly Father knows that you need them. (Mat 6:31-32 NIV)

 

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