Herrenhuter readings for Tuesday, the 20th August 2013

Posted on August 20, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

paul and silasMy mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long. (Psa 71:8 NIV)

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. (Act 16:25 NIV)

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Löhe on 2.Corinthians 3:8

Posted on August 19, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

Will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? (2Co 3:8 NIV)

Wherever the Spirit is, there life is too. And vice versa: Wherever there is not life, there no Spirit is either. That is why Luther translated the expression “ministry of the Spirit” appropriately as the “ministry, which gives the Spirit”. Emperors and kings have an office pleasing to God and instituted by him also. However these forms of government and political authority don’t have a “ministry of the Spirit”. They don’t propagate that and nobody looks for that with them either. Let us look even further back in history and time – right into the age of the Old Testament and concentrate on the office of Moses and his brother Aaron, but also at that of the priests and prophets. Is it justified to call their office and ministry a service that gives the Spirit? The apostle Paul rejects this notion outright. He calls the office of the Old Testament an office of the letter. Therefore the office of the New Testament, the ministry that Jesus Christ instituted by calling the apostles is unique. There is no other office or ministry that gives and transmits the Holy Spirit. That quiet pastor, who serves rather unobtrusively at the altar and preaches faithfully from the pulpit is perhaps disregarded by the high and mighty and all that count in the eyes of men. He might even seem rather helpless if not even a poor burden to most outsiders, who would not consider his demise a loss at all. Yet – in the eyes of God and also in the eyes of those, whom he serves – he has a very precious and high calling and vocation: To preach and to administer the most holy sacraments by which God gives the only saving faith where and when it pleases him in those who hear the gospel. May he never forget it and carry out his duty and obligation joyfully and with gladness and conviction!

Almighty and eternal God, by your inexpressible grace and mercy of your dear Son you have called us to the testament of the Holy Spirit. We plead you: Take the haze and obstructions from our eyes that we may see the clarity of your precious gospel and that it may mirror itself in our lives and we enlightened from one clarity to the next. We ask this in the name of your Son Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit now and forever. Amen. (Evangelical Hymn- and Prayerbook 1817)

Equip us poor children with your gifts that we have strength and courage of faith added to a passion for your house and people. Yes, grant that we would gladly give a world with many treasures, all human honour and recognition, our time, body and life for this big and holy challenge.

Grant us that lofty spirit of those early confessors in the apostolic band, who readily defied all ridicule and shame to preach the blood of Christ to all! Let us confess this truth that has made us free and full of joy – oh grant that we don’t give it up, but rather stay in league with you and yours. (Karl Johann Philipp Spitta, 1801-1859)

This is a rather free translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for Wednesday after the twelfth Sunday after the high holiday and festival of the Holy Trinity. It is found on Pg. 302 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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Löhe on 2.Corinthians 3:6

Posted on August 19, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

CA 5He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant– not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. (2Co 3:6 NIV)

“Ministry of the new covenant”- what a name is this? Which ministry in the sense of service and office is worthy of this name amongst people in any society? This is not that service of the letter and the law, which was put on stone tables and before the eyes of people and made their burden, which they never really appropriated with delight nor followed with passionate love in daily lives. It rather is the ministry of the Spirit, because it gives the Holy Spirit through the preaching of the gospel. It takes away the lack of joy and also the deep mistrust towards God and fills the hearer with joy and confidence, with love and strength and faith. It transforms the hearer into a new person, reforming him into God’s likeness and builds the Church in this world. What a precious calling and most wonderful ministry, office and service it therefore is. Splendid and to be held in highest esteem and practiced with greatest diligence and persistence. Nobody is competent for this very high and treasured office. If somebody is competent it is because the Holy Spirit has made him so. And who is faithful and trustworthy in this service? Go to those people, who are striving to find eternal life even as they pursue their vocation in daily struggles of this life. Look at their endeavor and dedication. Look how joyful, enthusiastic and hardworking they go about their daily routines. Yet compare how difficult some pastors make out their unique vocation to be. Pastors need the comfort of the gospel just as others do if not even in more and richer measure, because their high and magnificent calling is too often dishonored by their own unfaithfulness and lack of responsibility. All congregants and every Christian is called to pray  that their pastor will be comforted with the gospel that he has used to comfort others himself. A pastor can pass away in bliss and salvation – thank God for that. Yet without affliction and temptation? Hardly!  In peace? In joy? Lord – have mercy over all pastors and ministers and servants of your holy new testament – this service of the Holy Spirit, the holy office of the ministry in preaching your gospel purely and administering your most precious sacraments according to your divine institution. Have mercy on them especially as in deaths dark vale they are confronted with the high expectations and esteem of the office, that they were called to carry out in faithfulness, love and utmost dedication and in which they failed so often and so dismally. Let them not despair, but trust in your grace and forgiveness +

We thank you Lord Jesus that you have revealed yourself as the truly good shepherd and as such are always taking good care of your Church and congregation. We are comforted by your strength and wisdom, your great mercy and patience with which you lead and guide your flock daily. You take best care of our lives too and you bless us in richest measure. We thank you from the bottom of our heart, that you have given your Church the office of the holy ministry, the service of the New Testament. By it you have bestowed on us the greatest blessings from the day of our holy Baptism. Make us faithful in prayer and intercession for those, who bear the yoke of your office among us. Promote and strengthen the priesthood of all believers among us too and let pastors and congregants be saved by your grace and mercy.  Amen.

Send, O Lord, your Holy spirit On your servant now, we pray; Let him prove a faithful shepherd That no lamb is led astray. Your pure teaching to proclaim, To extol your holy name, And to deed your lambs, dear Saviour, Make his aim and sole endeavour.

You, O Lord, yourself have called him For your precious lambs to care; But to prosper in his calling, He the Spirit’s gifts must share. Give him wisdom from above, Fill his heart with holy love; In his weakness, Lord, be near him, In his prayers, Good Shepherd, hear him.

Help, Lord Jesus, help him nourish All our children with your Word That in fervent love they serve you Till in heaven their song is heard. Boundless blessings, Lord, bestow On his faithful toil below Till by grace to him be given His reward, the crown of heaven. (Frederick W. Herzberger, 1859-1930)

This is a rather free translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for Monday after the twelfth Sunday after the high holiday and festival of the Holy Trinity. It is found on Pg. 300 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 19th August 2013

Posted on August 19, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

Paul preaches IX crucifiedTeach me your way, LORD, that I may rely on your faithfulness. (Psa 86:11 NIV)

St. Paul writes: And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe. (1Th 2:13 NIV).

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Löhe on 2.Corinthians 3:4-5

Posted on August 18, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

DSC_0020-003Such confidence we have through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. (2Co 3:4-5 NIV)

The apostle St. Paul has a living confidence in God’s special and divine doing in the congregation of Corinth through him. God had blessed his ministry and gospel activity in Corinth exceedingly and beyond any expectations. This acknowledgement of God’s great blessings by the apostle could also be misinterpreted as if he’s praising his own person and achievement. That is why St. Paul makes this helpful distinction and clarification. He does not ascribe any competency to claim anything for himself, but freely acknowledges and confesses: Our competency comes from God! Thus he ascribes his aptitude and proficiency to teach and to carry out his apostolic ministry just to the divine calling. It is no natural merit or inborn worthiness or human genius, but rather the gift of the holy office of the divinely instituted ministry (Amtsgabe). This is an admonition to humble ourselves and a warning not to follow the satanic temptation to call natural speech, rhetoric and ideas divine. God acts in nondescript and unimposing ways. Noise is not required, but sometimes quiet – even silence. No big lights, but often utter darkness. He looks right down for humility, proper evaluation of our true self and recognition of our own miserability, sinfulness and utter dependence on God’s grace and goodness as proclaimed in his gospel and most holy word of Scripture. This is but a very narrow track leading to salvation for sure. Easy to fall down either shattered on the Scylla of self-despair or wrecked on the Charybdis of self-righteous hubris. We should beware that we don’t speak, teach and defend our own musings and conceptions with all the trappings of the divine office – even if they very clearly are misleading or plainly false and bad. Rather continue to wait on God, be patient as you listen to him, practice self-criticism, humble yourself before him and retract into deeper silence to listen even more and only to him as he speaks to you in his written word of Holy Scripture of the Old and New Testament. In all humility continue to wait, long and desire for his godly influence on your life and you will notice that even as your eyes loose their attachment to the vain things of this world, your heart is detached from passing passions and your ears become deaf to the alluring enticing of this time and age – there is still lots more to see, to be passionate about and more glorious and encouragingt to hear – for God himself is the most beautiful, his life surpasses by far even the most fulfilled life on earth and grants us all in all without subtractions – through faith here and there to see.

Oh just and righteous God fix my mind and senses on you alone, that I fear you more than all else and faithfully serve you in love and compassion and with all my strength and from the bottom of my heart. Sanctify my completely – from the inside but also outside. Turn everything away from me that is not yours. Grant that I continue to be yours and you mine – and let my will be totally subject to your direction, determination and good will. Create in me a clean heart and give me a new and confident spirit to praise your name and trust your grace. Keep me from sinning. Let me not fall into sin. Let me not remain in sin either. Kill off all sinful desires and passions in my heart, mind and being. Take away my pride and self-centeredness, disperse hatred and envy, remove all harmful passion and false dedication and commitment. Gather my soul and being to yourself. Maintain a good conscience in me. Praise, glory, thanks and worship, power and strength be yours o God from eternity to eternity. Amen.

How sweet the Name of Jesus sounds In a believer’s ear! It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds, And drives away his fear. Jesus! my Shepherd, Husband, Friend, O Prophet, Priest and King, My Lord, my Life, my Way, my End, Accept the praise I bring. Weak is the effort of my heart, And cold my warmest thought; But when I see Thee as Thou art, I’ll praise Thee as I ought. Till then I would Thy love proclaim With every fleeting breath, And may the music of Thy Name Refresh my soul in death! (John Newton 1725-1807)

This is a rather free translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for the twelfth Sunday after the high holiday and festival of the Holy Trinity. It is found on Pg. 299 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 18th August 2013

Posted on August 18, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

 

Kreuz in IrlandWho can proclaim the mighty acts of the LORD or fully declare his praise? (Psa 106:2 NIV)

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. (2Pe 1:3 NIV)

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Löhe on John 16:33

Posted on August 17, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

Christus victor 1But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (Joh 16:33 NIV)

When Jesus first said these words, his disciples did not understand him. According to his previous announcement concerning his deliverance into the hands of sinners all now appeared as if he was succumbing ton the world. How on earth can he then say: “I have overcome the world”? How does this being overcome and yet still overcoming fit together? Defeat and victory? Yet both fit like hand in glove. He was to overcome in his death und triumph over world even as he was crucified on the cross in shame and greatest agony. That passes all understanding – especially before it became truth in Jesus Christ and his glorification on the cross. Yet even now – in hindsight – it is not so intelligible for all to grasp just like that. Rather it remains a mystery proclaimed in all the world to create faith where and when it pleases God. This divine gospel bear witness that his ultimate suffering and most shameful death were necessary in God’s eyes and the only way to overcome sin, death and the old evil foe. Therefore he is so confident of his victory even before and although he is still going to go through extreme trepidation and exceeding fear and most profound anguish as he takes the cup of wrath to drain it to its very last dregs, proclaiming: “I have overcome the world!”

That’s the blessed gospel. The faithful servant of God, Dr. Martin Luther, comforted many people in their bodily tribulation and spiritual torments with this consoling message after and while he himself was powerfully supported and maintained by the very same godly words. That is why he opined: These words are precious enough to warrant our kneeling down and crawling all the way to Rome and Jerusalem to take hold of them! They are most suitable for all seasons in the Church. It was truth in Jesus Christ’s proclamation. He proved it on Golgotha and we still live off this most precious reality even today until he comes again in glory to show us and make it clear for everybody else to see with their very own eyes. That is how he brought about our salvation and the eternal Sabbath too – the heavenly rest for God’s own.

O Lord teach us to fear you alone, so that we are thus freed from all other trepidation and overcome all intimidation too being thus comforted by your all powerful, most gracious and abiding presence. Nothing and nobody can effectively accuse us anymore as you are there to justify and redeem us of all our debt and guilt. There is nobody, who could condemn us when you yourself adjudicate us free, absolved and forgiven. All praise, honor and glory is yours o heavenly Father and only true and triune God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – and from you to us here on earth grace, peace and mercy. Amen.

The foe in triumph shouted When Christ lay in the tomb; But, lo, he now is routed, His boast is turned to gloom. For Christ again is free; In glorious victory He Who is strong to save Has triumphed o’er the grave.

This is a sight that gladdens; What peace it doth impart! Now nothing ever saddens The joy within my heart. No gloom shall ever shake, No foe shall ever take, The hope which God’s own Son In love for me hath won.

Now hell, its prince, the devil Of all their powers are shorn; Now I am safe from evil, And sin I laugh to scorn. Grim Death with all his might Cannot my soul affright; He is a powerless form, Howe’er he rave and storm.

The world against me rageth Its fury I disdain; Though bitter war it wageth Its work is all in vain. My heart from care is free, No trouble troubles me. Misfortune now is play And night is bright as day.

Now I will cling forever To Christ, my Savior true; My Lord will leave me never, Whate’er He passeth through. He rends Death’s iron chain, He breaks through sin and pain, He shatters hell’s dark thrall, I follow Him through all.

To halls of heavenly splendour With Him I penetrate; And trouble ne’er may hinder Nor make me hesitate. Let tempests rage at will, My Savior shields me still; He grants abiding peace And bids all tumult cease.

He brings me to the portal That leads to bliss untold, Whereon this rhyme immortal Is found in script of gold: “Who there My cross hath shared Finds here a crown prepared; Who there with Me hath died Shall here be glorified.” (Paul Gerhard  1607-1676 tr John Kelly 1833-1890)

This is a rather free translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for Saturday after the eleventh Sunday after the high holiday and festival of the Holy Trinity. It is found on Pg. 298 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 17th August 2013

Posted on August 17, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

Holy Spirit red flareThen this city will bring me renown, joy, praise and honor before all nations on earth that hear of all the good things I do for it; and they will be in awe and will tremble at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it.’ (Jer 33:9 NIV)

Exalted to the right hand of God, Jesus Christ has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. (Act 2:33 NIV)

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Matins on Friday, the 16th August

Posted on August 16, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

Listen to this mornings Matins at the LTS lead by the 2nd year student Paul Baibai from the LC in Sudan: 

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Fire in Mofolo N

Posted on August 16, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

2009-05-31 14.47.04Our brother Rev. David P. Tswaedi DD serving in the Lutheran Church at Mofolo N wrote this note in the early hours today: “Our church storage with garden equipments, petrol lawnmower, books, assests for other leagues, etc was gutted by fire at midnight. We worked till the wee hours of this morning. We left things strewn around after we had extinguished the fire now I’m going back there to sort out what needs to attended to.” We pray that they have not lost any irreparable or irreplaceable papers and records – and not suffered too much financial damage due to this calamity. Hopefully they find some rest today and will recover soon so that Rev. Tswaedi DD can rejoin us teaching at the LTS in Tshwane.

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