Month: May 2014

Text: John 14:15-21
Date: Easter VI + 5/25/14

In a few moments we will sing the Hymn of the Day, Martin Luther’s “Dear Christians, One and All, Rejoice.” In the seventh stanza Luther puts these words into Christ’s mouth speaking to us: “Stay close to Me, I am your rock and castle. …For I am yours, and you are Mine, And where I am you may remain; The foe shall not divide us” (LSB 556:7). These words are similar to what Jesus said to His disciples on the day before His sacrificial death, which we have been hearing in this Easter season from John chapter 14. They are words of promise, His promise, as He says today, not to “leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” Last week we admitted that we share the anxieties of those first disciples wondering where Jesus was going and where He is now that He can help us. Today we recall His words that night when He promised to send, as He said, “another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth.” This coming Thursday, the fortieth day of Easter, we celebrate our Lord’s Ascension into heaven and then, ten days later, the sending of His promised Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. Let us consider this Helper for our lives of faith. Continue reading “The Foe Shall Not Divide Us”

Text: John 14:1-14
Date: Easter V + 5/18/14

I suspect that those first Easter celebrants were still hiding behind those locked doors for fear of the Jews during these forty days, these strange days, even though they had seen the risen Lord Jesus alive again. For as joyful and wonderful as are these Easter days, there were still a lot of questions. Maybe more! Today we, with those first disciples, recall and ponder the words we heard Jesus say on the night when He was betrayed: “Let not your hearts be troubled.” Of course their hearts would be greatly troubled the very next day. And our hearts are often troubled, too. Continue reading “By His Death we Live”

Text: Psalm 23

Outline: Alton F. Wedel[1]
Date: Easter IV + 5/11/14

“One of Holy Scripture’s most appealing portraits of the Savior is the theme that underscores His tender mercies: ‘The Lord is my Shepherd.’” Interestingly this Psalm tends to be heard mostly at Christian funerals. Yet “the valley of the shadow of death” is where threats to our life and faith assail us in this life before the grave. It is believed that David of old composed this psalm during the time of the rebellion under his third son, Absalom who intended to take the inheritance of kingship by force. Continue reading “Shepherd and Overseer”

Text: Luke 24:13-35
Date: Easter III + 5/4/14

Last Sunday we heard St. John conclude his Gospel account beginning with the words, “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples which are not written in this book.” Today St. Luke tells us of one. One of the “other signs” was this appearance to the two disciples on their journey to Emmaus. What is most interesting and important to this resurrection appearance is the identity of these two disciples. For neither are one of the apostles as Luke tells us the name of one of them, Cleopas, and also tells us that these two “returned to the eleven.” Continue reading “Bible Study Awakening”