Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Eph 3:20-21 NIV)

The apostle praises God for building the Church. This edification is a mystery. St. Paul describes this as the fact that the pagans and gentiles are also heirs of the divine promises in Christ Jesus through the gospel. This was hidden beforehand from even the wisest and most prudent amongst God’s people. Even if they had not excluded the other nations entirely from God’s plan of salvation, still they had no clue of God’s plan to expand his kingdom amongst the gentiles without them become Jews and subject to the Old Testament laws and commandments – and yet allow them to become full members of the Church. This was possible through the gospel which justifies sinners not by works of the law, but only through faith in Jesus Christ and his vicarious justification attained on the cross and through his victorious resurrection. And probably had ever imagined the one holy Christian Church as a communion of saints from all nations, languages and backgrounds. This huge and extraordinary idea of God concerning one herd and one shepherd was not common place amongst them at all. It was hidden and very far away from their mind to be sure. St. Paul declares that it was a strange idea to the angels even. They did not know, how far the salvation by grace through Jesus Christ should eventually reach. Only when the time was fulfilled, when Christ had completed and finished all his awesome work of salvation, then God revealed his most precious and dearly beloved idea of building his Church from all nations across the globe. And now those, who received this revelation of the miraculous reach of God’s church and Christian communion initially where like blind people getting their sight back and seeing the sun for the first time and all of the most wonderful creation. This amazement and astonishment turned into praise and worship and thanks towards God, who had brought about this most wonderful and gracious and lovely idea of the holy Christian Church.

O Lord Jesus Christ – you good shepherd of your sheep. You have given your life for the salvation of all people. Bring those, who are not yet part of your herd, that they too may be part of the one herd under you the one and only good shepherd. When the fill of all nations has entered your kingdom, then every mouth will praise you and each tongue will confess you as Lord and Savior to the greater glory of your heavenly Father. Amen. (Liturgy of Neuenburg 1713)

One herd, one shepherd – oh, what will that be like, o globe, if his final day of glory and judgment appears? Rejoice o little flock, rise and shine for Jesus faithfully keeps all his promises.

O watchman is the night nearly over? The pastures are already clad in green and the glory of the Lord appears to the distant gentile nations. Blind pilgrims requesting light: Jesus keeps his promises.

Come, oh come dear good Shepherd turn the night into day. Now still many a sheep goes astray far off from you and your Church. Little flock don’t despair: Jesus faithfully keeps all his promises. (Friedrich Adolf Krummacher 1767-1845)

This is a rather free translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for Saturday after the sixteenth Sunday after the high holiday and festival of the Holy Trinity. It is found on Pg. 333 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.