Herrenhuter readings for Monday, the 4th March 2013

Posted on March 4, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

Lost sonRise up and help us; redeem us because of your unfailing love. (Psalm 44:26 NIV)

Jesus Christ says: “The kingdom of God is within you.“(Luke 17:21 NIV)

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LÖHE ON EPHESIANS 5:1

Posted on March 3, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

Jesus Christ sufferedBe imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children (Eph 5:1 NIV)

If somebody else than the apostle St. Paul would have given this admonition to imitate God and to follow his example, then we might have responded, that you can not imitate or follow God. We are but dust and how should we imitate or follow the ultimate and paramount being? If somebody should want to follow the sun, we would deem him crazy. What therefore of someone who wants to follow or imitate God? This argumentation has some logical value surely. However we read this admonition of God’s special envoy and apostle, who gives us this command in the name of the Highest: Be imitators of God!   He gives us the reasoning behind this: … as dearly loved children! Because we are children, born of God, therefore we can, are allowed to and should follow the Father, who has begotten us as his children. And because we as his children are also loved by him, therefore we have even an added and better drawing card towards the divine good and following of our Father. We are God’s children by the grace of our most holy Baptism. Since then the divine and new creation is in us with its positive strength and power to give ear and following to this divine call from our Father to imitate him and be his followers.

Almighty, merciful Father! We thank and praise you, that you are our Father and hast made us your children. Grant that we live as your children and that we abide faithfully by your commandments in our lives, so that the world would recognize the grace that we have received. Let our way of life demonstrate your love and kindness and thus be a constant invitation to join in the praise of your grace and glory. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

 (J. Otter)

It’s not hard to be a Christian and to live according to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Our old Adam would like to make us believe that this is not so and opposes our calling to follow Jesus with our cross and into his death, but grace continues to keep us on track and let’s us survive this struggle too.

You are called to be a child of faith and practice love, that you yourself have received. Don’t be despondent, but rather pick up courage and don’t be afraid – for it’s not too difficult at all.

Your father requires your heart to fill it with pure grace. The faithful God does not push the pain too far, it is mainly your own faint heart that objects and laments. Therefore commit yourself to your Lord and God. He will take good care – even beyond suffering and death.

Cast away all trouble and tribulation, which burdens and plagues your heart and mind. Remain faithful and keep up hope even while fear and sorrow gnaw at your heart. Pray: “Father, have mercy on me” and behold it will be done! (Christian Friedrich Richter, 1676-1711)

This is a translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for Sunday Oculi (Third Sunday in Lent). The hymn was translated rather literally, but not poetically. Both are found on Pg. 131 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 3rd March 2013

Posted on March 3, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

peterpaulrubens_christ_on_the_cross“To a nation that did not call on my name, I said, ‘Here am I, here am I.‘” (Isaiah 65:1 NIV)

And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!“ (Mark 15:39 NIV)

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LÖHE ON MATTHEWS 15:28

Posted on March 2, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

jesus-and-the-gentile-woman“Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.”  (Mat 15:28 NIV)

Humble souls receive the promise in their struggles, that they will receive, what they are asking for. In the Psalms we read: Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:4 NIV) That is very much in line with this gospel: “May it be as you desire!” The humbled and faithful person has a will, sometimes even a strong one, which may express itself in confident petitions, yet this strong will is not necessarily sinful. The humbled person desires firstly to follow Jesus and abide by his will. Prior to choosing with confident desire, he has established that this is truly good, right and salutary according to the divine will and revelation. That’s how it is with the Canaanite mother. She knows exactly that her pleading is right and pleasing to the Lord Jesus Christ, for she is praying for the salvation of a human soul from the claws of the devil. That makes for bold prayers and looking up the Lord’s help with confidence. In and with the power of Jesus we face the machinations of the devil confidently. Therefore these friendly and lovely words of our Lord as he finally consoles the pleading mother.

Dearest Lord Jesus! Your rule is often mysterious, but always blessed and salvific. You test our faith oftentimes and you allow suffering and cross, temptation and deprivation to come over your loved ones. Always you hasten to be with them at the right time. Strengthen our confidence in you, that we will remain patient and full of hope as we worship and adore you as our Lord and savior, that lives and rules with God the Father and the Holy Spirit now and forever. Amen.   

As long as I live, I stick to you o Lord my God. In all hardship I put my trust in you, even if you continue to rule mysteriously, just prove yourself salvific. (From Löhes “Samenkörner” = “Seed kernels”)

This is a translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for Saturday after the Sunday Reminiscere (Second Sunday in Lent). The hymn by Paul Gerhard was translated rather literally, but not poetically. Both are found on Pg. 130 in Lob sei Dir ewig, o Jesu!   (Eternal Praise to you o Jesus!) edited by A. Schuster and puplished in the Freimund Verlag, Neuendettelsau 1949.

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Herrenhuter readings for Saturday, the 2nd March 2013

Posted on March 2, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

under your wingsI will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed. (Psalm 57:1 NIV)

You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy. (James 5:11 NIV)

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Posted on March 1, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

ploughing with oxenThe Lutheran Order of Service for Okuli (3rd Sunday in Lent) is available here in isiZulu and seTswana. Today it comes with a sermon by Pastor T. Ratshofola (Mafeking, NW) based on the reading from prophet Jeremiah in the 20th chapter verses 7-11a (11b-13) in seTswana (wt1316130303 Okuli) and translated as usual by my father Rev. E.A.W.Weber DD (Welbedacht, KZN) into isiZulu (wz1316130303 Okuli).

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 Sunday and have time to meditate on the watchword by our Lord Jesus Christ recorded in the gospel of St. Luke in the 9th chapter: “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” (Luk 9:62 NIV). The liturgical colour is purple and the Gloria in exelsis remains unspoken and unsung until Easter.

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LÖHE ON MATTHEWS 15:24-26

Posted on March 1, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

Jesus and the syrophoenicianHe answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said. He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs.” (Mat 15:24-26 NIV)

The first gift of our Lord to this heathen women does not look like one, but rather looks like a requisition. It sounds entirely like a refusal and rejection when the Lord answers her after firstly ignoring her entirely. However his initial silence followed by his negative response strengthened the faith of this women that it became steadfast and powerful as we hear in the gospel. It is and remains true, that Gods apparent silence and delay in answering prayers are some of his strange ways of empowering our faith. Faith without struggle does not really holdout, does not purify and finally does not move closer to God as it should. Faith and struggling belong together. Faith needs to bear the ongoing attacks of our own flesh, sin and the devil. Finally this faith exits these attacks and temptations joyfully, at peace, purified and empowered.

O Lord, I am yours, help me! I trust in you and wait for your help as I am surrounded by darkness and your helping hand seems to be far off. You will not leave me. I trust your promise and commitment. You will not let me stand ashamed and neglected forever. Grant that I don’t succumb to the multitude of temptations and that I can endure the afflictions that bear down on me. Grant me the respite of your comfort and quietness and finally a blessed death and your eternal peace. Amen.

Help, Lord, help in fear and need; have mercy on us Lord, you faithful God! We are yours despite devil, world and all sin.

I trust in you, o Lord my God; if you are mine, what more do I need? I have you as my own, o dearest Jesus Christ. You are my God and savior blest!

Therefore I rejoice with heart, mind and soul. I am confident and wait for you, trusting entirely on your most holy word. Help, Lord, help, you faithful God + (Martin Moller, 1547-1606)

This is a translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for Friday after the Sunday Reminiscere (Second Sunday in Lent). The hymn by Paul Gerhard was translated rather literally, but not poetically. Both are found on Pg. 129 in Lob sei Dir ewig, o Jesu!   (Eternal Praise to you o Jesus!) edited by A. Schuster and puplished in the Freimund Verlag, Neuendettelsau 1949.

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Herrenhuter readings on Friday, the 1st March 2013

Posted on March 1, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

Jesus blesses“The LORD bless you and keep you!” (Numbers 6:24 NIV)

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. (Philemon 1:25 NIV)

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Speak, for your servant hears… Confessional address by Prof. J.T. Pless

Posted on February 28, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

John PlessWednesday in Oculi                                                           27 February 2013

LTS Chapel                                                                             Pretoria, South Africa

Hymn: “Blessed Jesus at Your Word”- 904 LSB

Psalm 138

I Samuel 3:1-1-10 “Speak, for your Servant Hears”

Prayer:  Holy and Merciful Father, we give you thanks that you have given us the Word of Life, Your Son, Christ Jesus. Open our ears to hear His words which are spirit and life. In the midst of all the distractions of this present world grant that our hearts might ever be anchored in His truth and find rest in His righteousness alone. Bless the preaching  and hearing of Your Word in our midst today that by it your name be hallowed, Your kingdom come, and your will be done; we ask it in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever. Amen.

We are not told much about how the Lord spoke to Samuel in our text. In fact, it is clear that Samuel at first confused the voice of the Lord with that of the old priest Eli. We know that in the Old Testament God spoke to His people in a variety of ways – the direct prophetic words given by the Spirit, dreams, and visions also given to the prophets. This is the point of the NT letter to the Hebrews: “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by His Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he created the world” (Heb. 1:1-2).

God spoke to the young boy Samuel and Samuel answered: “Speak, for your servant hears.” Samuel’s response is a short prayer which ought to continually be on the lips of teachers and students of theology.  For unless God speaks, we have nothing to hear; we are left only with the emptiness of silence.  God does speak. He speaks through His holy law which shuts every mouth, holding us all accountable before our Creator as sinners. His law breaks the silence and condemns you for every thoughtless word, every impure thought, every sinful act whereby you have not honored the Lord your God. His Law accuses you for your laziness in prayer, for every time that you have deemed your own thoughts and words to be superior to the Word of God. His law uncovers the apathy that paralyzes you in your studies of God’s Word as you have closed your ears to His voice preferring instead to entertain yourself. God’s law marks every wasted opportunity to grow deeper into the truth of Holy Scripture.  Yes, you have despised preaching and God’s Word and have failed to gladly hear and learn it. Today God speaks to you again, lest you harden your hearts to His voice. So we come to this confessional service to name our sins- the sins of the closed ear and the closed heart.  We cry out with the Psalmist David: “O Lord, open my lips and my mouth will show forth your praise.”

And God does speak. He speaks to us through His Son Jesus Christ. He speaks words that are spirit and life. He says to all who repent of their sins, a word of forgiveness, not condemnation. God would not have us mistake His voice for that of another for He is the Good Shepherd who knows His sheep.  He calls them by name. His sheep know His voice and follow Him out of death and into life eternal.

We do not listen to the alluring voices that would call us away from the Good Shepherd for we know that Satan also speaks. Recall his beguiling words to Eve in the garden: “Did God really say?” And then His outright contradiction of God’s Word: “You will not die but you will be like God  knowing good from evil.”  Listen to Christ Jesus. He is the One who carried your sin – all of it- the indifference, the laziness, the lust, and the self-centeredness to Calvary. He took it into His own body and suffered and died with it as though it were His own so that you might be His own and live under Him in His kingdom, serving Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence and blessedness even as He is risen from the dead and lives and reigns to all eternity as your Brother and Savior. Our Lord speaks to you. He gives you His holy Word so that by His Spirit, you have faith in His promises and rejoice in the inheritance that He has prepared for you from all eternity.

That you might know this our Lord speaks to you today. You are hearing His voice now in the preaching of His Word. So the attentive heart says with Samuel, “Speak for your servant hears.” And in a few minutes you will kneel here at the Lord’s altar and you will hear with your own ears the most precious words that can be heard: “Your sins are forgiven you.” So come today with hearts not hard but soft and open saying “Speak for your servant hears.” God does hear the cries of the penitent and He has promised to answer for His word declares, “Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will deliver you and will glorify me.” Amen.

 

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LÖHE ON MATTHEWS 15:22

Posted on February 28, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

harvestA Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out behind him. (Mt 15:22 NIV)

This women is really well off. Yes, she was troubled by her daughters suffering, but the Holy Spirit helped her find Jesus and that was help indeed. She became a heroine. This gentile women carried away her victory over this harsh and depreciating comment of our Lord. She is a heroine of faith and she stands before us as an example of strength, triumph and crown of faith. She is a living example of what the apostle Paul teaches later on, namely that gentiles are co-heirs and living ligaments – members of the Lord’s body, the holy Christian Church.  This is comforting to us and we owe our Lord praise and thanks for this, because we too are from the gentiles and we experience the same as this heathen mother: We recognize that our Lord is the comfort and consolation and salvation of all gentiles and heathen people. His Holy Spirit teach us to pray to him and may he himself crown us with gracious hearing of our pleas.

O Lord, your Holy Spirit lead and guide us to you in all suffering and hardship, so that we do not seek help elsewhere and thus miss out on your eternal help and salvation. Grant us graciously to hear our prayer and the gratitude for your mercy. Let us not forget the misery of those, who do not know you and who still live in darkness and shadow of death. Awaken true and heartfelt love in us and amongst your people for active cooperation in the work of missions amongst heathen nations and let us witness the victory of your holy gospel in all the world. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory now and forever. Amen.

Oh would your gospel burn brightly and travel worldwide! Oh grant able hands to help with the harvest and willing labourers, who will faithfully go about the necessary work in your mission and calling. Oh Lord of the harvest have mercy – just see how big the work left to do and how small the number of servants.  

Your Son himself taught us this petition and laid it into our mouths. Behold how everywhere your children are calling in unison of heart, mind and soul for this work of your mission and the evangelization of your world. Therefore o Lord hear us and let it happen! (Karl Heinrich von Bogatzky, 1690-1774)

This is a translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for Thursday after the Sunday Reminiscere (Second Sunday in Lent). The hymn by Paul Gerhard was translated rather literally, but not poetically. Both are found on Pg. 128 in Lob sei Dir ewig, o Jesu!   (Eternal Praise to you o Jesus!) edited by A. Schuster and puplished in the Freimund Verlag, Neuendettelsau 1949.

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