I will sing to the LORD, for he has been good to me. (Psalm 13:6 NIV)
Philip baptized the eunuch. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. (Acts 8:38-39 NIV)
…but they were kept from recognizing him. (Luk 24:16 NIV)
The risen Lord Jesus Christ approaches his disciples unrecognizable. What was keeping his disciples from recognizing him? His garments? No. Their eyes were being held, that they could not distinguish him. Yet, when he revealed himself to them, our gospel explains: “Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him.” (Luk 24:31 NIV) This goes to prove that our Lord Jesus Christ was unrecognizable as long as their eyes where held, but when these eyes are opened, then he is clearly distinguishable. It depends on the eyes. Some see, others don’t. Not every eye is dependable. With his disciples it takes but a bit to have them recognize him and they are healed for ever. They are walking here like the disciples from Emmaus, when these were on their way home from Jerusalem. The word of Jesus has bearing on them too: “Blessed are those who don’t see, but still believe!” They are content with his words, which are igniting their hearts to glowing faith, love and light. The hour of revelation is not far away, which dispels all blindness as if a curtain is drawn opening up the splendid view beyond. The eye is then healed from all darkness and sees the divine human person of our Lord and savior – always and everywhere – and this without ever loosing sight again or falling back into blindness.
Lord Jesus Christ! You strengthen the weak and revive the sorrowful with your consolation. Therefore we ask you: Grant that none of us despair in the hour of temptation even if our eyes are still temporarily held, so that we can’t recognize you clearly yet. Comfort us with your abiding presence. Keep our hearts aglow with your love and faithful and let your grace remain with us continually, so that we will be living witnesses of your resurrection – to your glory and for our salvation. Amen. (Prayerbook of the Lutheran Chapel at court in London 1757)
The light of reason can’t give me life; Jesus is the true revelation. His light can enlighten the heart. He’s the true sun shining bright.
There’s a sinful curtain withholding insight from our eyes, yet Jesus can let us behold what matters by his clear revelation true.
Dear Jesus grant eyes to see. Touch my eyes and heal them to see your light by making the darkness of the night into your bright day. (Christian Friedrich Richter, 1676-1711)
This is a rather free translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for Tuesday, the 3rd Holiday of Easter. It is found on Pg. 161 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.
But the LORD is with me like a mighty warrior! (Jeremiah 20:11 NIV)
I can do everything through him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:13 NIV)
Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him. He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” They stood still, their faces downcast. (Luk 24:13-17 NIV)
Yesterday’s gospel tells about Easter morning, today’s gospel talks about that evening. What a morning and what an evening – and all the difference made by Jesus Christ’s victorious resurrection from the dead. Two disciples are going to Emmaus mourning and crying. Asked by the stranger concerning their sorrow, they give an Easter answer, but without the joy of Easter. They are crying while spreading joyous seeds, which had not yet sprouted to their own rejoicing. In this way you can be rich without knowing about those boxes of treasures – hungry in spite of all your wealth. But this is to change quite dramatically. The stranger can call these sorrowing men out of their distress and bring them to the hopeful glory by his insight into matters. Their hearts start to burn. It was the fire of hope for an eternal life and the resurrection of the body, which even today still has the power to kill all sorrow, kindle comfort and awaken peace and in this way vitalize the soul with eternal joy.
Two disciples go with longing across the veld to Emmaus; their eyes are full of tears, theirs souls full of regrets and they’re sharing words of mourning, but Lord Jesus close already close by to dispel all misery.
Oh, so many hearts are caught up in despair, bewailing own pain and hurt while going forward heavily burdened – yet Jesus is already quite close by to dispel all misery.
If two souls are in discourse Jesus is the third. He knows all hurts, but has the cure too. He won’t fail us even as we are at a loss without hope, but does all to comfort and to heal. (Johann Neunherz, 1653-1737)
This is a rather free translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for Monday, the 2nd Holiday of Easter. It is found on Pg. 160 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.
Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:4 NIV)
Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! (2.Corinthians 9:15 NIV)
“Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. (Mar 16:6 NIV)
The joyous gospel of Easter is the theme for our lives in good and bad days. If this message is not fully recognized then the living lack the proper sanctity for their hallowed bodies and souls and the dying miss out on the comfort carrying them through death’s dark vale. Yet if the joyful proclamation of Easter is heard and taken to heart and has kindled faith there, then there’s courage to face death and profound peace in us too. Then we can depart from the deathbed of a fellow Christian as the disciples left the Mt. of Olives after their Lord’s glorious ascension with longing in their hearts for the eternal kingdom and promised homestead in heaven but with comforted faith and hope that they were to follow him where he would lead them until he would finally take them to where they would join up with him once again in the heavenly realms and eternal salvation. So we too can know that if once again a faithful brother or sister has preceded us to this glorious destination, we too can hang on here comforted and at peace with true joy that death no longer has cruel power over us, but rather that life and gladness have taken precedence thanks to the glorious resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ and that we too will follow him there – our dearest Lord and Saviour – even if we are still required to hang on for a while according to God’s most loving, merciful and gracious will. Our prayer now is that we don’t pass away before we have come to the true faith and trust in the gospel of Easter – the victorious resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from death and the grace conquering for us the powers of evil, sin and the devil forever – and thus have entered the new life in Jesus Christ. There’s lots we can miss out on without great loss in this life and even in death, but this one word: “The Lord is risen” – that’s vital and necessary. We can’t miss out on that one if we want access to life eternal with him and his holy Church.
O Lord Jesus Christ, you were dead and are alive again. You have the keys of death and hell. We sing our Hosannas and Hallelujahs for you. Have mercy on us in the hour of our passing, death and dying and also in our resurrection by the power of your death and because of your resurrection + Amen.
Good Christian friends, rejoice and sing! Now is the triumph of our King! To all the world glad news we bring: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! The Lord of life is ris’n this day; Bring flow’rs of song to strew His way; Let all the world rejoice and say: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! Praise we in songs of victory That love, that life which cannot die, And sing with hearts uplifted high: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! Your name we bless, O risen Lord, And sing today with one accord The life laid down, the life restored: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! (Cyril A. Alington 1872-1944)
This is a rather free translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for the high Holiday of Easter. It is found on Pg. 159 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.
His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. (Psalm 91:4 NIV)
The angels said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?
He is not here; he has risen! (Luk 24:5-6 NIV)
“Jesus Christ is risen. He is risen indeed!” The Lutheran Order of Service for the high Holiday of Easter is available here in English, Zulu and seTswana. Today it comes with my sermon based on the gospel of Saint John in the 20th chapter verses 11-18 (2013 Easter John 20,11-18)and translated as usual by my father Rev. E.A.W.Weber DD (Welbedacht, KZN) into both isiZulu (wz1321130331 wokukhumbula ukuvuka kweNkosi)and seTswana(wt1321130331 ka moletlo wa go gopola tsogo ya Morena).
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.
I pray you have a very blessed Easter Sunday and have time to meditate on the watchword of our Lord Jesus Christ recorded in the Revelation of St. John in the 1st chapter. Jesus Christ says: I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. (Rev 1:18 NIV) The liturgical colour is white and the Church rejoices with Hallelujahs, the Magnificat and the Gloria in exelsis.
Die juengsten Nachrichten aus der Luther Gesellschaft in ihrem: Frühjahrsrundbrief 2013
Wilhelm's space 