Herrenhuter readings for Good Friday: 29th March 2013

Posted on March 29, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

daumierMy heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, LORD, I will seek.” (Psalm 27:8 NIV)

When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!” (John 19:5 NIV)

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LÖHE ON LUKE 22:39.44

Posted on March 28, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

Jesus suffering in GethsemaneJesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him…And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. (Luk 22:39.44 NIV)

The suffering of our Lord Jesus Christ in Gethsemane transcends all our understanding, imagination and senses. We can only adore and worship him. This fear, which makes the mighty Immanuel shiver and shake, to cry and plea, to fight with death and sweat blood drops illustrates the power of sin and its terrible curse. The one and only helper chosen by God for this unique task is quaking at the enormity of this dreadful challenge. However the course of this battle and extraordinary struggle lets us look deep into the personality of our savior, which ignite love and adoration and worship in us. Thrice the Lord pleas in this awful conflict. Did you notice how the second and third quest are different from the first? Every time he bows down before the will of his Father, but the second time he goes even lower than before and in the last he’s more at peace than during the previous episodes.

Having said the third prayer, he’s shouldered the burden. Mighty and powerful he strides forth with this burden on his back. He’s overcome the temptation and is going towards his final goal. Look at him moving forward, suffering, taking up all pain and enmity, he yields entirely to his destiny, full of love for us and powerful devotion towards our salvation – working himself unto death, but already the victorious savior. This powerful concentration and dedication are a result of his union with his Father in work, thought and spirit. He rests in the divine will and draws strength and courage from this harmonious unity with the Father – to suffer all obediently to the very end and thus triumph victoriously.

O Lord, you found our rest too in that bitter night of evil. Separated from all your loved ones, you prayed for us and watched over us too. That is why I turn my all my senses and innermost heart toward Gethsemane and draw strength, courage, love and determination from your prayerful victory there +

If all the world should desert me and I’m deep down in misery alone, then let me see your image there in Gethsemane. Whatever we lack in our hearts and lives, you know and understand all our pain. You say to our troubled soul: Consider Gethsemane + (Heinrich Puchta, 1808-1858)

This is a translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for Maundy Thursday. The hymn was translated more literally than poetically. Both are found on Pg. 156 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 Maundy Thursday: 28th March 2013

Posted on March 28, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

AbendmahlMy righteousness draws near speedily, my salvation is on the way, and my arm will bring justice to the nations. (Isa 51:5 NIV)

The Lord Jesus Christ said to his disciples: “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. (Luk 22:15 NIV)

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LÖHE ON JOHN 13:1

Posted on March 27, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

foot washingHaving loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love. (Joh 13:1 NIV)

That is our attitude! In this week hatred, envy, enmity and strife die while love amongst the brethren, but also towards enemies triumphs. Whoever remembers the truly phenomenal love of Jesus for friend and foe and yet is hesitant to repent, who does not return to loving his brethren, has not realized why we sing Hosannas to the Lord and what walk he walked this week in Jerusalem. All our passions should be silenced and even perish while our old Adam is to bleed to death and we as contrite converts to the cross of our Lord cry in compassion with him and at his feet.

Yes, Lord Jesus, may the power of your suffering and death work in us capacity and worthiness to follow you and to behold your glory on the cross, your face on Easter and your glowing wounds and also to hear your eternal greetings as your address your ecclesial communion: Peace be with you +

We all join hands as we are united in your suffering. We commit ourselves to follow you forever and rely on your promise: Peace, Peace be with you always + and answer gladly “Amen!”  (Christian Renatus Graf von Zinzendorf 1727-1752)

This is a translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for Wednesday after Palmsunday (6th Sunday in Lent). The hymn was translated more literally than poetically. Both are found on Pg. 155 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 Wednesday, the 27th March 2013

Posted on March 27, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

Mk103545The Mighty One, God, the LORD, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to the place where it sets. (Psalm 50:1 NIV)

See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. (Hebrew 12:25 NIV))

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LÖHE ON PHILIPPIANS 2:5

Posted on March 26, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

Lamb of GodYour attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus! (Phi 2:5 NIV)

That is the proper practice of lent, the discipleship of Jesus, the nature and form that we poor sinners should follow the great, big cross bearer and carry our little cross after his huge one. Truly, dear brothers, after we have recognised the heights to which the deep suffering of Jesus leads, we might gain courage and even feel a holy longing to follow this Lord of all, who love him, and just as he did not consider his own life too much, we too should strive to be more and more like him. We have a saviour, who lived in this world for us and who also died for us and now lives eternally for us as he is praying always for us, so we too can have nothing better to do, than to live, suffer and die for others and pray for them here and there. The companions of David gathered around him shouting: “Yours we are David and we are on your side, you son of Jesse! Peace, Peace be with you Peace with your friends and God is your helper!” Let us become such companions of our saviour – and greet him similarly and follow him with even greater faithfulness!

We greet you o King of mercy! Life, joy and hope of our souls – hail be to you! We praise you, we pray to you, we acclaim and greet you – even with tears, in sorrow and this dark valley of death. Therefore o Lord Jesus Christ, you who are our advocate with the Father, look us graciously, have mercy upon us and show us the way out of this misery dark place dear and holy son of God and Mary true! (Salve regina 1543)

We greet you on the cross on high – praiseworthy lamb of God sublime with prayer, psalm and devotion. Here you are suffering greatest pain, obedient, loving without fail death by a thousand pierces. Yet my faith clearly sees in you: God’s fame and splendour glory true dwell in your body surely and that you’ve earned our praising song that you’re the Lord to whom we belong: Hail king enthroned celestial.

We follow you through death and pain, Lord you’re our saviour and our gain nothing from you will sever. You lead the narrow way ahead, your crucifixion grants free course to life for those that trust you. Oh Jesus your most loving care grants that we lack naught since you share the fruit of your death vicariously; I fear not death and can rejoice: Our Faith gains all you ever promised! Blessed are you now and forever + (Valentin Ernst Löscher 1673-1749)

This is a translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for Tuesday after Palmsunday (6th Sunday in Lent). The hymn can be sung to the melody of “Ich grüße Dich am Kreuzesstamm”. Both are found on Pg. 154 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 Tuesday, the 26th March 2013

Posted on March 26, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

16.-kingfisher-600x900“Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. (Daniel 2:20 NIV)

Where is the wise man? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? (1. Corithians 1:20 NIV)

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LÖHE ON PHILIPPIANS 2:7-9

Posted on March 25, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

Jesus bears his crossJesus Christ made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death– even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him (Phi 2:7-9 NIV)

The legislator demonstrates how serious the law is, by subjecting himself to the punishment of the law and simultaneously also the inexpressible love as he frees the guilty by taking on his penalty vicariously. The world judge shows how severe the sentence is so that he does not have to condemn those, who had transgressed in the first place. Look at him as he enters Jerusalem until he dies on the cross! Where is a servant like him? I don’t know anyone comparable. Yet if there was somebody like that I and countless others too would condemn him also and again for there is no servant like him. I call upon Pilate, the most unjust judge to be my witness, whether it is like that or not. He will not call me a liar, neither will the other countless victims in hell. No, there was nobody like him and there is none like him either. His name is above all names. Heaven, earth and hell are at his feet and all confess in unison that he is the Lord of all – to the glory of God the Father.

All praise and worship him! I may not miss to join this choir. Lord Jesus, holy servant, take me and humble me, making me merciful and kind. Let my worship you eternally! Amen.

I beg that Jesus bloody wounds would always heal and gladden my heart. Even if there’s still lots of reason to sorrow and weep until he comes, he already knows and heals all pain!

Even if he’s the most despised, he’s for me the most beautiful. I can’t get enough of him as my one and only Lord and God, lovely Jesus now and forever.

And as I sing the Psalms to his honour and glory, I praise his wounds and bitter pain, yes even his dying horrors – it was all to set us free from sin again and bring us home.  

I have lived through ages and been to many places. Nothing has occupied my heart as this on Golgotha, when Jesus died for all to return them to life and everlasting salvation as his own. (Christian Renatus Graf von Zinzendorf 1727-1752)

This is a translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for Monday after Palmsunday (6th Sunday in Lent). The hymn was translated more literally than poetically. Both are found on Pg. 153 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 25th March 2013

Posted on March 25, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

baptismThe boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. (Psalm 16:6 NIV)

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. (Colossians 3:23-24 NIV)

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LÖHE ON PHILIPPIANS 2:6

Posted on March 24, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

Jesus becomes manJesus Christ who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped … (Phi 2:6 NIV)

Oh Jesus, Lord God and Immanuel – you could have made your appearance amongst us  in the very nature of God – in form and substance if you would have wanted to. As the son appears bright and shiny, you to could have appeared as the light of light. Then the mountains would have rejoiced, the hillocks bounded, trees blossomed and the oceans resounded and all creatures would have fallen submissively down on their face worshipping you prostrate at your feet!

Yet – that’s not what you did nor wanted. You did not come as some godly hero victoriously showcasing his bounty. Your glory did not appear visibly around you. You did not seek the admiration and glorification of people. All the heavens where yours – and they worshipped you. When your Father introduced you to this world there in Bethlehem – all angels were praising your name with select hymnodies of exquisite beauty. How could the chorus of fallen sinners be something you’d miss? You had more in mind. You made yourself nothing, taking on the nature of a servant you discarded the divine glory and majesty. You Lord God became the servant of servants, the servant of sinners – yet without sin.

Almighty, eternal God! You sent your only begotten son Jesus Christ in the form of a servant and into our flesh, lowering himself and making himself nothing. Grant us your grace that we take on this mindset from you to serve each other lovingly and mercifully with honest humility and true humbleness so that you will on the last Judgement day raise us into your eternal glory and splendid realm. Through Jesus Christ our Lord and our God we ask this. Amen.   

Discarding all his glory and might, he’s lowly and so poor; he wears a servants form all right  – the mighty Lord of all, the mighty Lord of all!

He is the slave and I the Lord – o what a change that is! How could he still be friendlier – my dearest Jesus say? My dearest Jesus say? +  (Nikolaus Hermann 1480-1561)

This is a translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for Palm Sunday (6th Sunday in Lent). The hymn can be sung to the melody of “Lobt Gott Ihr Christen alle gleich…”  Both are found on Pg. 152 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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