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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Herrenhuter readings for Sunday, the 24th March 2013

Posted on March 24, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

Einzug JesuYour statutes are my delight; they are my counselors. (Psalm 119:24 NIV)

May the God of peace, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (Hebrew 13:20-21 NIV)

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LÖHE ON 1.JOH.1:7

Posted on March 23, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

Lamm GottesThe blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, purifies us from all sin. (1Jo 1:7 NIV)

My dear brothers, the blood of our saviour, which purifies us from all sin, is a huge matter. The Old and New Testament elaborates this blood of Christ in great detail and thus prickles us to more meditation to contemplate its true meaning and effectiveness. Without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness, reminds the epistle to the Hebrews. What a significance and importance of this holy and most precious blood!

Should I go that way to explain why this blood is so important? Should I put together the opinions and impressions of others and finally even say more than I know?

The Blood of Jesus Christ cleanses the world and nourishes the Church. That’s what I read in the book of books – without any explanation attached. Everything that can be said, doesn’t completely satisfy. In the end it will all be a bit more profound than what we can perceive or comprehend. We’ll probably only know it all when we reach the eternal destination, where the Lord will be all in all. In the meantime let us worship the blood of the lamb and believe all the magnificent powers and properties ascribed to it by the Word of God. Whoever drinks out of the celestial cups filled with divine blood tomorrow or on Maundy Thursday, praise the Lord for granting us such precious treasures to forgive our sins and to grant us life and eternal salvation. Let us admire, worship and praise his grace and mercy with which he blesses and keeps us in the true faith as we experience and taste, how friendly and gracious our Lord is to us.

Its a blessed fountain from which holy blood flows for sinners poor, pouring out gracious miracles and wonders – healing all hurt and harm.

It flows for me this precious blood. That’s my faith and hope. It heals my hurt, as Christ died for me too.

The robber on the cross found this healing font in Jesus’ grace and thus healed he entered into paradise.

O Lamb of God, your precious blood still has this saving power. Pour it out and create new people and your living Church.

I too was amongst the sinners dead, yet Jesus blood washed me clean. Therefore I rejoice and praise his holy blood.

This holy blood shed for me that’s my faith and hope. It heals my hurt, as Christ died for me too +  (Ernst Gebhard 1832-1899)

This is a translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for Saturday after Judica (5th Sunday in Lent). The hymn is translated more literally than poetically. Both are found on Pg. 151 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 23rd March 2013

Posted on March 23, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

Jesus enters JerusalemThe LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. (Exodus 15:2 NIV)

When Jesus came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen. (Luke 19:37 NIV)

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LÖHE ON HEBREWS 9:15

Posted on March 22, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

baptismThat by his death those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance. (Heb 9:15 NIV)

Those called are to receive the eternal inheritance. It goes without saying that not everybody is going to inherit this – even if they hear this promise physically with their ears. There are those, who hear and others who reject this calling. Only the first are included in the promise. What does it mean to hear and follow this calling? Is it possible to follow this calling to the promised eternal inheritance without leaving this world and its ways, without entering the militant Church and to join in the communion and fellowship of their most holy means of grace? This promised eternal inheritance is quite opposite to this world and its pleasures. This is the point of exit, while that is the point of entry. Whoever goes out from one and enters the other, can’t skip the way it takes to move from one to the other. Whoever is called to reach a certain goal is simultaneously called to this way to reach it  and to those means, which promote reaching this goal. The way to this promised eternal inheritance is nothing else than joining the militant Church and the means to reach this goal are nothing less than God’s most holy Word and his Sacraments too. They are the instruments by which the saving power of Christ’s precious blood and this blood itself are shared with us, that we drink it for the forgiveness of our sins and to our salvation. It is obvious that the called inheritors of the eternal inheritance connect up with the visible Church militant, enjoy its sacraments, remain faithfully in her midst and with her blessings, hoping and trusting that in this connection and fellowship with the Church they will miss nothing and they will not miss the gaol and final destination either.

Living waters are flowing freely from God’s fountains clear – quenching the thirst most effectively and sure. Healing all his people, the Lord has called those sitting in misery and shadow of death. He’s building his kingdom with Word and Sacrament.

Everyone is to hear, who is our Lord and king. It’s the king of Kings – our Lord Jesus Christ. He wants to help us fight and overcome now and always just as he promised long ago.

God’s beloved knights stand bravely in this war. There’s cruel weather coming, but it’ll not take long. Just remain faithful unto death, don’t retreat, just trust your God!

Amen – it will happen. In one single moment we’ll perceive God’s might against all worldly malice. We’ll surely inherit with him the most precious crown of joy – victory and triumph inherit through him eternally + (Ludwig Heilmann 1520)

This is a translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for Friday after Judica (5th Sunday in Lent). The hymn is translated more literally than poetically. Both are found on Pg. 150 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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