LÖHE ON ZEPHANIAH 3:17

Posted on May 11, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

christ-the-vine-adjThe LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save.  (Zep 3:17 NIV)

Fix your eyes on the goal and your hope on the final day of our salvation. The holy saints that have been called and saved by our gracious Lord are brought to victory. We too will receive the joy of eternal fulfillment – even if only after struggle and strive. Therefore let us not give up or tire beforehand. There’s only a little to hold out. Time is running out and our dearly beloved Lord will surely keep us through this little stretch ahead of us still by his enduring patience and mercy. Already the peaceful air from yonder is refreshing us, the joyful hope form beyond is motivating us without fail, the outlook on Christ’s completion and sure help is strengthening and keeping us constantly and vigilantly. Our Lord himself is holding us up as we serve with loving care wherever he has called and appointed us to hold out and persevere. He is the God of hope and peace. He fills us with these his wonderful gifts so that we remain faithful and joyful in the encouragement of the Holy Spirit himself.

Praise and adoration to you, who lives eternally. We praise and thank you for the life you gave us in this our body, mind and soul. We praise and thank you, who was crucified for us and for all you achieved by this vicarious sacrifice and eternal redemption. We praise and thank you Holy Spirit for your gracious gifts, miracles and wonders. Blessed are those, who are called to taste the grace, peace and mercy of our triune God. Amen.

O blessed spring, where Word and sign  Embrace us into Christ the Vine: Here Christ enjoins each one to be A branch of this life-giving Tree.

Through summer heat of youthful years, Uncertain faith, rebellious tears, Sustained by Christ’s infusing rain, The boughs will shout for joy again.

When autumn cools and youth is cold, When limbs their heavy harvest hold, Then through us, warm, the Christ will move With gifts of beauty, wisdom, love.

As winter comes, as winters must, We breathe our last, return to dust; Still held in Christ, our souls take wing And trust the promise of the spring.

Christ, holy Vine, Christ, living Tree, Be praised for this blest mystery: That Word and water thus revive And join us to your Tree of Life. (Susan Palo Cherwien 1993 Augsburg Fortress 1993)

This is a rather free translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for Saturday after the holiday of Ascension. It is found on Pg. 200 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 11th May 2013

Posted on May 11, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

GlockeO land, land, land, hear the word of the LORD! (Jeremiah 22:29 NIV)

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly. (Col 3:16 NIV)

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Lutheran Order of service in isiZulu/seTswana

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

covenant ark“Jesus Christ is risen. He is risen indeed!” The Lutheran Order of Service for the 6th Sunday after Easter (Exaudi) is available here in isiZulu and seTswana. Today it comes with a sermon on John 14,15-19 written by brother Rev. Orapeleng Shuping (LC Tsetse, NW) in seTswana (wt1328130512 Eksaudi) and translated by my father Rev. E.A.W.Weber DD into isiZulu (wz1328130512 Eksawudi).

I pray you have a very blessed Sunday and have time to meditate on the watchword for this Sunday before Pentecost. Our Lord Jesus Christ says: “But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.” (Joh 12:32 NIV)

The liturgical colour is white and the Church continues to rejoices with Hallelujahs, the Magnificat and the Gloria in exelsis.

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 EAWWeber@bundunet.co.za.

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Prayer for Seminary

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

Ranaka LC 2011Dear Lord Jesus Christ, after your resurrection you gloriously ascended to the right hand of God to rule victoriously over heaven and earth and to reign forever over all creatures, so that through the Holy Spirit you may make holy, purify, strengthen, and comfort all who believe in you, also distributing to us and all your people life and various gifts and benefits, and shield and protect us together with the whole Church against the devil and sin. We thank and praise you for your gracious reign worldwide and especially for what you have done and continue to do in the Lutheran Church of Southern Africa.

As we celebrate your glorious ascension today, we remember your last mandate and testament you gave to your disciples and your entire Church preceding your coronation and enthronization in heavenly majesty and splendor. You gave to us the ongoing mission mandate to make disciples of all nations by baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.

Grant to us that we don’t tire in this enduring mission endeavor, but that we concentrate our will-power, energy and dedication on doing your will faithfully and effectively as good stewards of those wonderful gifts, that you have so richly endowed unto us.  We commit to you and your gracious mercy and love the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Tshwane (Pretoria), where over the past decades numerous students from all over the African continent have been nurtured and uplifted in good, practical and meaningful teaching of your holy word and the Lutheran confessions to become Lutheran pastors and lately also deaconesses. You have blessed this undertaking in South Africa to serve small, but growing Lutheran Churches throughout the continent who don’t own Seminaries with excellent programs and dedicated Lutheran teachers. Over a hundred students have been trained here and are now active as pastors throughout the Lutheran Church in Africa. We thank you for these faithful men and also for the open doors and golden opportunities for Lutheran missions in Africa that you have given to your one holy Christian Church. We are so grateful that through friends and supporters of the Seminary you have provided richly, daily and graciously the necessary means, facility and capability to accommodate up to 50 students at a  time with serious academic tuition, solid theological literature, faithful worship, nutritious meals, basic accommodation and sustenance, good company and even travelling allowances.  You have even given us the opportunity of a official partnership with the university of Pretoria to enable our theology students to enroll in accredited programs up to the highest academic levels. We thank and praise you for this wonderful development of our Churches training program and also for those men, who have already achieved their masters degree in this way.

Lord heavenly father, the harvest is great and plentiful, but the workers remain few. Grant in your mercy the necessary means and financial capacity to grant bursaries and scholarships for willing, but needy and poor students from across Africa to be trained as Lutheran pastors and deaconesses. Give enough willing and capable manpower to get the work done, that is needed to keep such an institution up and running in administration, housekeeping, repairs besides the regular teaching, preaching and pastoral care.  Make people willing to serve as short-term volunteers and long-term missionaries to help consolidate, expand and promote your work at the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Tshwane (Pretoria).

Lord heavenly father we ask you humbly to continue to make people willing to support this your long-term work of training, nurturing, uplifting and empowering students of your Lutheran Church in Africa for the urgent and vital work of pastoral care, preaching and mission outreach in a significant and meaningful way.

Grant us the help of your grace, that as you promised to be with us until the end of the world we will never loose faith in you and your eternal kingdom, where you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. 

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LÖHE ON MARK 16:16

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

baptismWhoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. (Mar 16:16 NIV)

What did the Lord Jesus Christ leave those, whom he left behind when he ascended into heaven? According to the gospel of Saint Mark, we can answer this question as follows: He left them holy Baptism and also gifts of miracles and wonders. That’s his coat – much richer and more potent than the coat of Elijah ever was. Holy Baptism can cover the entire world with God’s peace and blessing. It is wide and big enough and also has a very great promise that it will not cease nor stop granting fountains of living water just as little as all the oceans, rivers and fountains of this world will stop to pour forth precious fluid. They will remain doing so until the end comes.

And the miracles and wonders? They all have this one commonality that they strive to overcome and remove the evil disturbing the godly creation. So the talking in many languages is nothing else than overcoming the evil of Babylonian confusion. All the detrimental consequences and outgrowths of sin and evil must finally disappear and be eradicated by the power of salvation and the blessed cure of holy Baptism. This holy Baptism is the blessed beginning and sanctified start while the miracles and wonders point us to the end, the finalization and completion of all in Jesus Christ. Beginning and end, way and goal, means and purpose are all given and present in him, who has ascended gloriously into the highest heaven and received gifts and graces for his people.

Heavenly Father! You have testified that we are yours in and through holy Baptism. You have also testified that we are to receive your most precious gifts. Therefore we thank and praise you here and eternally. Help us now to spend our lives not only in selfish ways, but rather as befits the disciples and followers of your Son Jesus Christ gifted by your most Holy Spirit. Let us serve you and your Son all of our lives. Amen. (Church Book of Württemberg 1931)

God’s own child, I gladly say it: I am baptized into Christ! He, because I could not pay it, Gave my full redemption price. Do I need earth’s treasures many? I have one worth more than any That brought me salvation free Lasting to eternity!

Sin, disturb my soul no longer: I am baptized into Christ! I have comfort even stronger: Jesus’ cleansing sacrifice. Should a guilty conscience seize me Since my Baptism did release me In a dear forgiving flood, Sprinkling me with Jesus’ blood!

Satan, hear this proclamation: I am baptized into Christ! Drop your ugly accusation, I am not so soon enticed. Now that to the font I’ve traveled, All your might has come unraveled, And, against your tyranny, God, my Lord, unites with me!

Death, you cannot end my gladness: I am baptized into Christ! When I die, I leave all sadness To inherit paradise! Though I lie in dust and ashes Faith’s assurance brightly flashes: Baptism has the strength divine To make life immortal mine.

There is nothing worth comparing To this lifelong comfort sure! Open-eyed my grave is staring: Even there I’ll sleep secure. Though my flesh awaits its raising, Still my soul continues praising: I am baptized into Christ; I’m a child of paradise! (Erdmann Neumeister 1671-1756 tr Robert E. Voelker 1957)

This is a rather free translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for Friday after the holiday of Ascension. It is found on Pg. 199 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 Friday, the 10th May 2013

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

die_gaben_des_geistesGod made the earth by his power; he founded the world by his wisdom and stretched out the heavens by his understanding. (Jeremiah 10:12 NIV)

By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. (Hebrews 11:3 NIV)

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LÖHE ON COLOSSIANS 2:15

Posted on May 9, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

HimmelfahrtAnd having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. (Col 2:15 NIV)

Who would venture to describe the heavenly triumph, when Jesus Christ returned victoriously into heaven on Ascension Day? Jesus returning successfully to his Father after accomplishing his dangerous mission to gain an imperishable inheritance and kingdom not only for himself, but also for us his poor siblings according to the flesh. He came home after disarming the opposing powers and authorities making a public spectacle of them. He had taken the power of death away from the devil, had smashed hell’s portals and destroyed its mighty fortress and taken control of its most treasured keep too. He returns home – Lord of blessed salvation – the first of those risen from the dead – he, the king of life, triumphs and is celebrated by God the Father and all angels in heaven. If there is joy over one sinner coming to repentance and returning home to the Father, then just imagine the joy in heaven amongst all the heavenly hosts and elected saints when the Savior of the world, the Messiah and Christ of all, the redeemer of sinners and comforter of the distressed, returned in glory to sit at the right hand of the Father – enthroned with all authority in heaven and on earth! Who will describe the jubilation, the hymns triumphant, the Hallelujahs and Magnifications welcoming back home the beloved and only begotten Son of the Father? Since the morning stars praised our Lord, the creator of all visible and invisible there was not festive celebration like this magnificent Ascension Day of our Lord Jesus Christ. It’s the great big holiday of our Lord starting the never-ending festive season in the heavenly realms above – where his praises never cease and neither do his adoration or his worship stop either. Yet these are things, happenings and histories beyond our comprehension, words and illustrations. We can’t even imagine it really yet. It’s way beyond us. However we will get there by the grace of God when his time for us comes. Then he will carry us home too. We’ll die here and live there eternally in blessed Zion, our heavenly home prepared by our loving God and Savior Jesus Christ a long while ago already. Then our resurrected bodies will have their own ascension day following him, whose our head and who has already shown the way and will pull us home finally to be with him for ever. His joy, peace and love will abound and surround and succumb us – that he’ll be all in all.

Lord, our ruler, how glorious is your name in every land and over all seas. We bow down before your majesty and praise you for your great love, that you have shown to us in Jesus Christ. You have given your beloved Son as sacrifice for our sins. You raised him from the dead and have crowned him with praise and glory to be seated at your right hand in the heavens. Everything you have put under his feet and you have raised him as head of the congregation and Church so that he may judge in righteousness and justice. O God prepare yourself praise from the mouths of your children and let us worship your name with joyful songs of gratitude and adoration. Amen. (Agenda of the Prussian Union 1931)

See, the Lord ascends in triumph, Conqu’ring King in royal state Riding on the clouds, His chariot To His heav’nly palace gate; Hark! The choirs of angel voices Joyful alleluias sing, And the portals high are lifted To receive their heav’nly King.

Who is this that comes in glory With the trump of jubilee? Lord of battles, God of armies, He has gained the victory. He who on the cross did suffer, He who from the grave arose, He has vanquished sin and Satan; He by death has spoiled His foes.

While He lifts His hands in blessing He is parted from His friends; While their eager eyes behold Him, He upon the clouds ascends. He who walked with God and pleased Him, Preaching truth and doom to come, He, our Enoch, is translated To His everlasting home.

Now our heav’nly Aaron enters With His blood within the veil; Joshua now is come to Canaan, And the kings before Him quail. Now He plants the tribes of Israel In their promised resting place, Now our great Elijah offers Double portion of His grace.

He has raised our human nature On the clouds to God’s right hand; There we sit in heav’nly places, There with Him in glory stand. Jesus reigns, adored by angels; By our mighty Lord’s ascension We by faith behold our own. (Christopher Wordsworth 1807-1885)

This is a rather free translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for holiday of Ascension. It is found on Pg. 198 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 Thursday, the 9th May 2013

Posted on May 9, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

Jesus promises the Holy SpiritI will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear me for their own good and the good of their children after them. (Jeremiah 32:39 NIV)

But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. (John 16:7 NIV)

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Lutheran Order of service in isiZulu/seTswana

Posted on May 8, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

ascension window“Jesus Christ is risen. He is risen indeed!” The Lutheran Order of Service for the high holiday of Jesus Christ’s ascension is available here in isiZulu and seTswana. Today it comes with a sermon on John 17,20-26 written by my father Rev. E.A.W.Weber DD in isiZulu (wz1327130509 Umkhosi ngokukhumbula ukwenyuka kweNkosi) and seTswana (wt1327130509 moletlo wa go gopola tlhatlogo ya Morena).

I pray you have a very blessed holiday and have time to meditate on the watchword for this day from Psalm 110,1: The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” (Psa 110:1 NIV)

The liturgical colour is white and the Church continues to rejoices with Hallelujahs, the Magnificat and the Gloria in exelsis.

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 EAWWeber@bundunet.co.za.

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LÖHE ON JAMES 1:27

Posted on May 8, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

widows & orphans kaethe kollwitzReligion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. (James 1:27 NIV)

Even secular people regard looking after orphans and widows in their distress highly and as laudable indeed. Yet even more important is that God our Father – the eternal judge of all – recons this as pure and faultless, just as keeping oneself from being polluted by the world. Obviously this judgement of pure and faultless does not mean that this religion is without sin and that it is perfect. If in the eyes of the most holy God even his servants are not perfectly holy, pure and faultless nor the heavens spotless in his judgment, how could this human service be beyond critique? No – the apostle probably wants to make the following clear: If you are motivated by God’s holy word to serve widows and orphans with love and sacrifice, that you receive them caringly and you keep yourself free from worldly pollution then this godly work of the Holy Spirit will surely be acceptable in God’s eyes and he will cleanse these works from their adhering sinful stains by the holy blood of his Son Jesus Christ and declare your good deeds as pure and faultless in his judgement. Doesn’t this motivate you to follow this apostolic admonition to take good care of widows and orphans in their distress? Too often in this world of ours widows and orphans are treated shamefully and are discriminated like outcasts. They are put down or pushed aside. They experience no justice and have no right to fair treatment. Their poverty and lowliness is misused by the evildoers to maltreat and exploit them. You however are called by the Holy Spirit to be their advocate and helper, their father and brother, serving them with joyful sacrifice even if it costs you pleasures of this world. That is the wonderful life of Christians, which has its worth and reward in itself. It is tremendously gratifying to do the right thing and to be joyful in the assurance that you’re walking in the ways of the Lord and doing his will.

Teach me o God to do good and strive for the very best and never tire in faithfulness either. Now is the time and it is passing so quickly. Even if the good done seems small – it’s good pleasing you and that’s what counts.  

Make me aware of the big harvest for which we are sowing in hope. Whatever we do – let it be done for you and yours. Even if we don’t gain praise here, you remain gracious beyond measure! (Philipp Friedrich Hiller, 1699-1769)

This is a rather free translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for Wednesday following the fifth Sunday after Easter: Rogate. It is found on Pg. 197 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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